Dear Editor,
One of the questions that most people are grappling with is how is it possible that those who are responsible for the recent massacres are mere teenagers. Kaieteur News reported recently that the gang which is controlled by wanted man Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins consists of mainly teenage boys: Otis Fiffe – 17 years old, Robin Chung –16 years old and Dwayne Sancho – 19 years old. At such tender ages these young men should have been in school studying, but instead they were a part of a notorious gang, planning who next to rob and kill.
Where are the fathers? This is the question that startles me. From the recent media reports, it seems as though only the mothers are around to give accounts for the lives of these young boys. Had their fathers been in the home, the outcome of their lives may have been different.
Many young men today have been raised in families where fathers have neglected their responsibilities to their wives and children. Many young men are looking for love, protection and someone whom they can admire, someone they can look up to.
When fathers fail to be that someone, then men such as Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins will take that place in the lives of our youths. The result is our children become criminals in society.
Part of a father’s responsibility towards his family is to love, protect, provide, teach and care for his family.
The presence of the father in the home affects how a child thinks and behaves. The presence of the father in the home also influences the values with which a child grows and matures.
To a great extent, the father’s presence influences the outcome of the child’s life.
I encourage every father to be a man and face up to his responsibilities. What our children become tomorrow greatly depends upon our fathers today.
Yours faithfully,
Navindo Tinsarran
