An Industrial Court judge Dr Selwyn Samaroo has taken the bold initiative to try to save the younger generation from a life of crime.
Starting in his community of Esmeralda, Williamsville, Samaroo has already taken the first step to reclaim his community from crime and criminal, but is seeking the help of law-abiding citizens to partner with him in this exercise. He said it is also a call to older, retired people who have the time and capacity to make a difference, to get involved.
Samaroo credited his 67-year-old uncle, Mervyn, as being the driving force behind this initiative. He said he and Mervyn embarked on a 70-mile walk from Williamsville to Sangre Grande on Valentine’s Day in an effort to test their own endurance in an effort to bring awareness to the problems not only in their community, but in the country.
Now they are ready to take it one step further.
In an interview, Samaroo said he is very concerned that the youths in his community seem to have lost their sense of purpose and have gravitated to a life of crime and drug use. He said unemployment has also become a fad.
“I am truly concerned with the community where I grew up and concerned with what has happened. The Gasparillo police are doing a tremendous job, but the police alone cannot fight against drugs and crime. We need citizens to come out and get involved in this fight. All law-abiding citizens must stand together and rise up against this scourge.”
He observed, “Over the past years, especially since Caroni (1975) Limited was closed down, we have seen a proliferation of the drug trade in this community. Young people in our community have turned to drugs and a life of crime. The adults in the community are afraid and concerned with their (youths) well being.”
He said this observation propelled his uncle Mervyn to suggest they do something to not only encourage the youths to give purpose to their lives, but also to stand in solidarity with the majority of law abiding citizens in the community who are becoming victims of this malaise.
“My uncle is very concerned. He has grandchildren living in this community and when he looked around and saw what was happening he told me he wanted to do something to save this generation, to let then know that we care, before he dies. He suggested a walk from home to Sangre Grande.”
Samaroo said he bought into the idea to show the tremendous effort a walk of this type would take to accomplish in order to reposition young people to healthy, worthwhile activity.
“In accomplishing a walk like this, it took a certain amount of endurance. We felt this was a good message to send to young people because along the journey there were times when we got tired, when we got frustrated, but we never gave up.
“We believe this is a good metaphor for young people not to get fed up or tired, but keep the goal in sight and they will accomplish the task.
“The walk was phenomenal. The fact that here was a 67-year old man walking, said something about senior citizens and the role they have to play in our country.”
Samaroo said along the walk, “people came out and asked what we were doing and when we told them what we were doing, why we were walking and where we came from, they were shocked.”
Following the personal success of this exercise, Samaroo said they have already started mobilising the community.
“We are beginning our campaign to educate the young people. We are beginning to work with the police towards the formation of a police youth club in the community. My uncle has also started mobilising the young people to join the club.
“We are already discussing another equally challenging walk. This time, though, we will invite the public to join us.
“What ever it takes to clean up our community, we are bent on that,” Samaroo said.