"Give up your guns." The call comes from newly elected Sangre Grande Northwest councillor Dayne Fran�ois, as he urged criminals in his constituency to lay down their guns in exchange for gainful employment. Fran�ois, a UNC councillor, is trying to broker a gun amnesty deal with the criminal elements. Should they surrender their guns they will be rewarded with permanent employment. Fran�ois came into contact with the criminals while campaigning for the July 26 local government election. Within hours of the victory, Fran�ois said he received several requests from people with whom he had interaction seeking help to turn their lives around.
Having lost a brother by shooting in 2008, Fran�ois feels a commitment to reach out. He said he is now trying to negotiate with the underworld to surrender their illegal weapons–mainly revolvers, automatic pistols and rifles–with the undertaking that they will not face criminal prosecution and be provided with gainful employment.
While Fran�ois tried to hammer out an arrangement with the gunrunners, he wavered in his mind with putting the weapons into the police hands since many 'fall through the cracks' and end up on the streets. Fran�ois said he is yet to get a commitment from the Government before a deal is finalised.
"We are also trying to get all the social partners involved because we know that there is a proliferation of sophisticated guns circulating in the country which are falling into the wrong hands," said Fran�ois. He explains that the spouses of these men need to be advised about contraceptives, protected sex and the importance of educating their children. With the murder rate expected to cross 500 by year's end, Fran�ois says it is imperative that the guns be flushed out. Two weeks ago, Fran�ois was called out to Damarie Hill, a PNM stronghold in Sangre Grande, to bring some measure of relief to a group of unemployed men at 2 Robinson Circular, Arima, called United Youth.
The men, many of whom openly admitted to trafficking marijuana to make a living and some of whom are fathers-to-be, see Fran�ois as their saving grace. They spoke about their skills in pan making, tuning and playing, and their lack of secondary schooling which they ascribe to their shortcomings and downfall. Over the past two weeks the men have been agitating for a five-acre plot of land in the community to plant and set up a pan tent where they could channel their energies into something positive. Akil Browne, the most vociferous of the group, admitted that under the PNM Government they were kept in bondage and faced oppression, while millions of taxpayers' dollars was put into the hands of Udecott and Calder Hart.
Browne said the lack of transparency and monies not having trickled down to the "small man" under the PNM triggered them to vote for the UNC. They are now looking at the People's Partnership to help them rise above the struggle, strife and starvation. With a matter before the court Browne, 25, admits that prison has only hardened his heart and left him bitter. "I used to tell my brethren that Patrick Manning's worst day can never be compared to my best day," said Browne. Browne spoke about going hungry for days and living in squalor. "It's these things that does make people turn to drugs and guns," he reasoned.
Sitting under a crudely built shed at the end of the road, the men pleaded with Fran�ois to make the idle land which is leased to someone outside the community available to them. For over two decades villagers have been requesting the use of the State land with no feedback forthcoming. A proficient pan player, Browne recalls that in March they occupied the vacant lands and cultivated five acres of pimento. However, the intense drought ravaged the fields causing them to resort to other means and liming on the block. Browne spoke of 15 of his brethren who died in gang warfare and drive-by shootings in under two years. Carl Charles was quick to point out while they were not owners of guns, if any of them were to die by the bullet, guns will flood the community for reprisal killings.
"That is the life out here," Charles said as his 20-year-old friend Kerwyn Coa, who is expecting his first born nodded his head in agreement. Charles said if United Youth is offered a helping hand, they are willing to go to other depressed communities to change the mindset of those going down the wrong path. On August 24 Toco/Sangre Grande MP Dr Rupert Griffith met with six men at his constituency office in Fran�ois' presence. "They thanked Griffith for allowing them the opportunity to talk openly since they were never given a chance under the PNM." Fran�ois said Griffith promised to set up a meeting with Minister of Food production Vasant Bharath and the men.
