Stop Violence Against Our Children

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The Caribbean Is One Nation.

The Mahogany Coconut Group is once again forced to comment on the surge in violence, against Caribbean Nation children. In recent months, our children have met some horrible deaths due to the callousness and carelessness of adults.
We would not identify any particular country or print the names of those who have tragically fallen because we consider a death of any child anywhere in the region, to be a loss to all countries. There have been: suicides, shootings, physical and sexual abuse and abandonment.
In one case, an alleged suicide has been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), after the Coroner’s Inquest, determined suicide was not the cause of death. The sloppiness of both the investigating police and the agency responsible for protecting children, in that country, was most apparent. Evidence gathered during the Coroner’s Inquest revealed that the teen and his mother were often at odds.
There have been two cases in which very young children have been fatally shot. In one instance, the child was unfortunately caught in the crossfire.  In the other, a toddler was deliberately executed, to send a message to adults who were involved in a dispute. Such brutality cannot ever be condoned or accepted in our Caribbean Nation.
Additionally, our children due to the lack of proper adult supervision are losing their lives as a result of drowning and avoidable accidents especially those involving vehicles. We are leaving our children unattended at beaches and are driving recklessly while having them in our vehicles. We must try to avoid senseless fatal acts where possible.

We are all collectively responsible; blood is on our hands. Once again the MCG pleas: STOP THE VIOLENCE AGAINST OUR CHILDREN.

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