THE EDITOR: As someone who advocates for a more data-driven and fact-based society, I cannot help but express my disappointment with several recent headline stories.
One daily published a story of demon-possession leading to a death, and another highlighted the story of a father who boldly extolled the virtues of beating his children, saying, “I does beat bad. I doh play that.”
This is counter to the Children Act, which prohibits wilful assault likely to cause suffering or injury to a child's physical, mental, or emotional health.
There was no mention in that article of this legal perspective or of the data and research showing that corporal punishment can have negative effects on cognition in children, reinforcing the idea that violence is an acceptable solution.
The story featured girls attending a primary school which featured nationally after a video was placed on social media showing children in a classroom cowering on the floor while gunshots rang out on the street nearby.
The article failed to connect this exposure to violence and the admission of further exposure at home, with the potential impact on the children's well-being.
While I understand that the use of corporal punishment is a touchy topic, rooted in religious beliefs, it's crucial to base policies on evidence and research rather than anecdotes or beliefs.
Religious beliefs should not dictate public policy, as evidenced by the inconsistency in advocating for corporal punishment while ignoring other extreme suggestions from the same source, such as stoning to death of women who are not virgins on their wedding night.
Belief-driven policy can be problematic, as seen in the reactions to stories of demon-possession which led to the death of a young UWI student, and strange happenings at leadership training sessions in Miami attended by executives from a local conglomerate. Most people inherently recognise the dangers of mixing belief and policy. Unfortunately, the blending of belief and governance is a tool used by politicians to avoid accountability for their own failures.
The recent call by the Commissioner of Police to turn to God for answers to crime and murders, is one such example, and echoes a similar call by DCP Stephen Williams during his time as head of the TTPS. This ought to reflect a concerning trend of shifting responsibility.
It is essential for citizens to decide whether they want governance based on belief or on a more fact-based approach.
We have experienced significant challenges over the past eight years under a prime minister who boasted about being born close to Les Couteau, a boast which was linked to the demise of his one-time nemesis, former PM Manning, who suffered a stroke before dying.
Our country has suffered through a pandemic, a tottering economy, various tragedies, rampant crime and murders and high prices.
It is clearly evident that relying on belief has not led to effective and transformational governance.
TIM TEEMAL
St James
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