President David Granger on Saturday said interpersonal violence has become a public security epidemic, characterising it as the most vicious, virulent crime in the country.
“Nowhere is the impact more severe than on the most vulnerable members of society – children, women and youth,” he said, adding that family life is not immune to the public displays of hooliganism.
The President was speaking at the Family Ministries Celebration held at the Central Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Church Street, Georgetown.
According to a release from the Ministry of the Presidency, Granger asserted that the Church has the moral authority and the influence to help break the cycle of violence which he said is corroding family life.
“It [the Church] is urged to lend greater efforts to ensuring a culture of peace and non-violence at all levels of society. The Church can do more to repair the damage to marriage and family life and on our young people,” the Head of State said.
The President said the family is especially significant to children’s development noting that it is the most important institution in determining a child’s character.
“The human child will remain weak without the family. Communities need happy families if children are to be nourished and nurtured for adulthood,” he said, while explaining that violence has a ‘secondary impact’ on children.
The President, who heads a caretaker government pending general elections on March 2, 2020, said Guyana will launch a Decade of Development on January 1, 2020, which will include measures aimed at strengthening family life.
“Families need comfortable housing for their proper development. Family life will flourish when households live in safe communities with access to education, health care and adequate facilities for children’s play and recreation. Family life is more stable when income levels are stable. Poor families need support in times of need and crises. The ‘Decade’ will contribute towards the stability of family life by implementing policies to ensure that every child has access to education, including free university education; improving housing and safe and secure communities and providing quality health care for all; increasing employment opportunities to guarantee income stability for families. The ‘Decade’ will address the economic and social aspects necessary to promote stable families. Your Government looks to the Church to help launch initiatives aimed at enhancing family life,” the President said.
