The newly-enrolled students at Campus B of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School have been exposed to the Ninth Annual Youth Development Programme. They initially learned about that programme when they turned up for an orientation session three days before the official beginning of the school year.
Officer of the Royal Anguilla Police Force, Shawn Lake, who is notably involved in the Drug Awareness Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Programme, was on the speakers at the event on Friday, September 4. “Eight years ago, the Police Force recognised that youth development is a multi-sectorial approach without which it is not possible,” he explained. “Against this backdrop, we introduced this programme to assist children in knowing some vital knowledge and skills just before starting their secondary education.”
Minister of Education and Social Development, Mr. Evans McNiel Rogers, said in part: “This activity will provide opportunities for you as first formers to arm yourself with the necessary knowledge and skills to cope with what lies ahead of you…There will be various choices you will have to make, and I urge you to begin by taking pride in yourself and to make the choice and take the path which leads to self-improvement.”
The Minister commended the parents who were present and encouraged them to remain involved in their children’s lives throughout their secondary education. “Always feel free to call on the support of the Ministry and Department of Education, the teachers, the police and all the other community workers, to assist you to overcome any obstacles which any of the students might face,” he added.
Ms. Alice Proctor, Acting Commissioner of Police, exhorted the students not to follow the pattern of violence heard about in various places, but to aspire to become examples to their peers and others. “The Royal Anguilla Police Force is constantly required to deal with various reports of anti-social behaviour with regard to the youth,” she stated. “This is evident based on the numerous reports of gang violence between rival groups on the island. We also see parents struggling needlessly to get their children’s cooperation coupled with increasing reports of disobedience and violence.”
The top-ranking Women Police Officer, an ardent Jehovah Witness, continued: “I am encouraging you to love Jehovah God with your whole heart and all your soul…This means shunning behaviour that God hates such as sexual immorality, drunkenness, stealing, violence, improper speech and bad association, to name a few. At first, some of these acts might not seem bad but if you read and meditate on Bible Scriptures, and the consequences of such acts, you will likely see the wisdom of God’s love.”
The Acting Commissioner further told the students it was their responsibility whether to follow a positive or a negative path. “I would plead with you to choose a positive track, focusing on your school work and, most importantly, reading, meditating and obeying Bible principles will help you to develop Godly qualities such as kindness, love, peace, joy and self-control,” she went on. “As a result, this will harmonise your thoughts with God’s thinking and make you better members of society – making your parents, teachers and the Anguillan community proud.”
Mr. Neville Hamilton, 2nd Lieutenant with the Anguilla Cadet Corp, took the opportunity to bring to the attention of the students the Cadet Corps – a para-military and inter-school organisation. He described one of its aims as developing young people into better adults. He invited them to join the Anguilla Cadet Corps over the next couple of weeks when the programme would be rolled out.
He said that the programme had been an impact on the community over the years, creating persons who were now leaders in their own right. The Cadet Corps has been functioning in the Caribbean for over a hundred and fifty years. It was introduced in Anguilla in 1998 and is now being re-launched on the island.
