|
|
|
 |
|
|
Youth Council delivers anti-violence message
by The Daily Herald
Posted: Nov 5, 2009 10:29 UTC
|
MARIGOT - The Collectivité’s 23-member Junior Territorial Council organised a “White March” against violence on Monday evening, reinforcing anti-violence messages that had been expressed by those who participated in the Nejumbia Fleming memorial march last Friday evening.
The Junior Council was widely praised for its effort in coordinating not only the march, but also drawing a number of speakers and elected officials to the platform. Speeches were mixed up with music and entertainment, all of which contained messages to stop violence.
About 200 young people dressed in white took part in the march that began at Nina Duverly School. Junior Council members wore black T-shirts with the inscription R.I.P. (Respect, Integration and Peace).
There was still concern, however, that many groups of young people and adults, who could have benefitted from the sound advice dispensed by the speakers, were not in the audience.
Elected officials who spoke included Vice-President Louis Jeffry, President of the Junior Territorial Council Gaël Gombs, Junior Council Vice-President Joel Hamlet, Marthe Ogoundélé, Jean-David Richardson, and Opposition Councillors Guillaume Arnell and Louis Mussington.
President of Community Council number six Julien Richardson and Aline Choisy also gave addresses. .
President Gaël Gombs said he believed his generation is the first generation of young people for years to be so behind and so divided in outlook.
“Black, white, or whoever you are, I beseech you to lay down your arms and put your energy instead into building this island and cease the violence,” he said.
Aline Choisy said violence among young people had become “a style, a fashion, in a Mad Max world.”
“Violence is not the sole affair of young people, but we as adults are also violent, not by shootings and stabbings, but with words,” she said. “If young people are violent, then we as adults must ask ourselves ‘what have we done for our children.’ We have to take the time to talk to our young people, go out with them, try to understand them, be in touch with them. We are living in a materialistic society and that’s the fault of adults, not young people.”
Said Guillaume Arnell to the audience; “Take the good example. Follow those who are on a positive trend and divert your attention from those who wish to lead you in an erroneous direction. Focus, live your childhood to the fullest and don’t try to become an adult before time, because an adult life is a life with a lot of responsibility and headaches.”
Arnell added the Collectivité is addressing the needs of young people, but at the same time “you have the right as young people to write us up in the newspaper if the Collectivité is not listening to what you are saying.”
Louis Mussington said when young people start to get mobilised for a cause it’s a good sign.
“We must continue to nourish this effort. All of us must be committed to this struggle,” he said.
DJ Dotty Sham emceed the evening which included theatrical skits, songs and poetry. Some of the performing artists included Tindo and Crew, Red Eyes Crew, Julian Page and Maria Jose.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Content © The Daily Herald 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
You may bookmark this web page, print it or e-mail it to
a friend in accordance with the fair-use provisions of
copyright laws. The material is intended solely for the use
of the individual user.
Archiving, redistribution, or republication of this
material
on other terms, in any medium, requires the express
written permission of the author or publication and the
notification of the editors of Caribseek News. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
