The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

BAHAMIANS complain that the government needs to fix the crime problem. I have a suggestion for our people: spend more time raising your children properly.

The people going around shooting, robbing and stealing are Bahamians. They were born to Bahamians and raised by Bahamians.

If each of us makes a personal commitment to raise our children with rules, discipline and a moral order we’d have very little crime in the Bahamas.

Too many Bahamians think it is their job to be a friend to their child. Or they think they should defend their child whenever he or she is criticised or faces adversity. Doing these things causes young people to grow up poorly socialised.

Children need to be raised with a clear sense of right and wrong. They should be taught to respect others and not to steal. They should be taught politeness. They should be held to account for their performance in school. They should be disciplined when they transgress.

And back to the issue of schooling. To be a good parent you need to be involved with your children’s education. Make sure they go to school. Make sure they do their work. Help them in the areas they are weak in. Go to meetings with their teachers.

We need to stop blaming the government for all our problems when many of us are raising criminals. We are creating problems in this society by letting slackness reign in our homes.

Before you complain next time about the crime problem we face, look at your children.

Are they being raised to be productive and law abiding? Or are they sleeping in your house in the day and going out at night to rob people and make the Bahamas a more dangerous place?

MARTHA S GREENE

Nassau,

October 11, 2017.