PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC:
THE ROMAN Catholic Church yesterday urged the authorities to consider a limited gun amnesty to deal with the spiralling crime situation in Trinidad and Tobago, even as the Church said it was urging everyone to get involved in helping rid the country of criminal activities.
Archbishop Edward Gilbert told a news conference that the Church had responded to requests by the Defence Force for some of its property in the volatile Laventille area, east of here to be used to accommodate soldiers during the ongoing exercise to prevent criminal activities in the area.
He said in addition, the Church was also providing officials to serve as Chaplains for the soldiers and it was also awaiting a similar request from the Police Service, as the Church sought to increase its visibility in the crime-ridden area.
But in a statement distributed to reporters at the news conference, the Church said that it was urging the Government to consider a gun amnesty for a specific period of time, as well as urging the authorities to undertake a social analysis of the issues giving rise to criminal activities here.
"Short term answers to deeper social problems will not work-there needs to be a social analysis of the issues involved-Government consideration of instituting a gun amnesty within a limited period of time as part of the overall strategy to reduce crime" should be considered the Church said.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning has already indicated that his administration was not willing to consider a gun amnesty, particularly if it involved paying money to persons to turn in their weapons. He said the money could be used by criminals to upgrade their existing weapons.
So far over 100 persons have been murdered here this year and the Church said the authorities apart from outlining strategies to deal with the situation, should also consider addressing matters such as housing, poverty and education that also contribute to the level of criminal activities here.
The Church said that the criminal activities here were providing a "moral test of our nation" saying it was also "deeply concerned" over the situation. But the Church said that while it agreed that persons who "harm others must be held accountable" it also believed that both the victim and the offender were children of God and their basic human rights had to be observed.
The Church also said there was need to develop rehabilitation programmes for prisoners, warning, "it is not only the poor who commit crime. White colour crime must also be addressed".
It called also for the strengthening of the family life here, which it described as "the cornerstone of society" and urged parents to set proper examples for their children to follow.
Archbishop Gilbert said that the Roman Catholic Church would participate in a 'Day of Prayer' in September being organised by the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO).
