Anguilla’s Commissioner of Police, Rudolph Proctor, has made the point that Anguillians need to respond positively to the changes in world society, rather than the negative way a number of youngsters are doing.
“Unfortunately, some of our young people are responding to those changes in a radical way and are disrupting our lives and the life-line of our island,” Mr. Proctor complained. He was at the time declaring open a New Life Evangelistic Tent Crusade of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in The Valley on Friday, February 22.
He lamented that illegal firearms had become one of the problems in Anguilla. “What is sad about this is that there are individuals, institutions and organisations which are fast asleep on this issue offering no support [to the Police],” he stated. “There are people who see crime. They do or say nothing about it, but are quick to criticise, condemn and demonise those who fight crime.
“Anguilla was a place where people lived as one big family. There was caring for each other, sharing, love and unity, but today we are divided – torn apart by violence, crime, drugs and, of course, politics. Our sons are dying at the hands of violence and guns. We have strayed far away from our Christian upbringing, and the teachings of the elders in our society, and are consumed by greed and selfishness. We have become blinded to those important aspects of our lives that should recognise our fellowmen as brothers, sisters, other relatives and friends. Today, crime and violence among our young people has impacted, and continues to impact, our little island and is making us live in fear. The message is clear: we have to do something to protect our interest.”
In addition to members of the adult congregation and community, the evangelistic crusade is attracting a number of youth – which caught the attention of the Police Commissioner at the opening night.
“I am so happy that Pastors Virgil Sams and Sylvester Williams, and the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, could pull together so many young people on an evening like this to share the important words of the Gospel,” the Commissioner observed. “We need more of these crusades in this little island to teach the message to those who are perpetrators of violence in our society. We need to let them know that we will not tolerate this type of behaviour; that there are alternatives to crime and violence and that we can all live together and share our island and benefit from it.We have to focus our energies and efforts on changing the direction of young people, in our community, who are prepared to use violence and criminal activity to advance their causes without considering the impact on our society.”
Despite the crime situation, the Police Commissioner was hopeful that better days were ahead. “I see hope. I think we can return Anguilla to the place of peace and tranquillity we once knew,” he went on. “In order to be in a position to conquer crime and violence, we need to be led by God’s Spirit. We must resist the spirit of the world and those things that are consuming the lives of our children. Such resistance can be a struggle, and a hard fight, but I know we can win with God’s help…
“This series of evangelistic meetings, arranged by the Anguilla District of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, will do a lot of good for our society. It is a wonderful opportunity for young people, and persons of all ages, to come together and pray to the Father to deliver our beloved homeland…It is also an opportunity for parents to renew their commitment. Anguilla is burdened at the hands of our children. Let us work together to rein them in, to give them some hope and alternatives to crime and violence and other forms of anti-social behaviour.”
The crusade is being conducted by Evangelist Sylvester Williams, a native of St. Kitts and a graduate of Andrews University in Michigan. He was recently appointed to Anguilla as a second Seventh-day Adventist Minister.The crusade meetings are being held nightly except on Monday and Thursday nights, and will be interspersed with a number of social activities later on.
