Had he been alive, Akiel Chambers would have celebrated his 25th birthday this year. One of his cousins, Renee, broke down in tears yesterday as she remembered him. Chambers was 11 when his body was found in a swimming pool in Haleland Park, Maraval, 14 years ago. His murdered remains unsolved.
Renee said: "He would have been 25 this year. "His sister is 23 and doing well and to know what he could have been is just...I don't know...there are no words to express..." She was speaking to a crowd of supporters yesterday at King George V Park after the second annual Akiel Chambers Justice for Children March in Port-of-Spain.
One of his uncles, Lyndon Chambers called for "the person who brutally murdered" his nephew to be brought to justice. Lyndon said the boy's life was snapped away and that it was time for action. He said: "It is very heartbreaking to see a young man with all his future and his endeavours just snapped away.
"I am appealing to the people in authority that there comes a time when enough is enough. "There comes a time when you have to say enough talk is enough talk. "There comes a time for action." He said children were a blessing and not a hindrance.
Hundreds of people participated in the march against child sexual abuse hosted by the Jericho Project chaired by Phillip Alexander and organised by criminologist/psychologist Renee Cummings. Members of several motorbike and antique cars' organisations also came out to show support.
Young and old assembled at King George V Park from as early as 8 am and then marched around the Queen's Park Savannah, returning to the starting point to listen to a host of speakers. Another of one of Akiel's uncle, Earl Joseph, said there were many "unjust" people living in society and that the evil people knew themselves.
Lyndon questioned the motives of the perpetrators of crimes committed against children. What can go into a man's mind to brutally slaughter a little boy? "When I look back at my little nephew Akiel and Sean Luke and others...what can go into a human's mind to slaughter an innocent child? "That certainly can't be Jesus Christ.
"That is the devil." The most recent victim of child abuse was two-year-old Aliyah Johnson. Her 20-year-old mother Candice, is in jail charged with the crime as she is unable to secure bail. Cummings described yesterday's turnout as extraordinary. She said Akiel's sister Kalifa had recently graduated from a London university with a Master's degree in forensic sciences.
Accompanying Cummings and others on the march were Sgt Al Alexander and Sgt Mystar. Alexander received a hearty round of applause from the crowd when he was called upon to make an address. He said he was overwhelmed by the large crowd. He said children were the future leaders of the country.
"I hope that in the not too distant future that something gets done for you to achieve your goals. "Without our children we have no future," he said.