Where is your empathy Mr. COP? You are quoted in the Trinidad Guardian as saying: “His parents should have reconsidered his Christian name and instead of calling him Ian they should have called him Not Very and kept the same surname.” You are saying that instead of naming their then baby “Ian Smart”, they should have named him “Not Very Smart”.
OK, Ian Smart was wrong and you invited him to be interviewed. Why couldn’t you leave it there, instead you tried to make fun of him and his family with an unfunny quip. When humour or sarcasm occurs naturally, it resonates and there is an echo of the laughter and enjoyment. This senseless quip only reminded me of your lack of empathy and insensitivity.
Did you consider the WHO report that “one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives”. Did you consider that in our country we are significantly under resourced by Psychologists. The website of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Psychologist lists 35 practitioners. Did you consider that your inane comment would be read by hundreds of persons suffering from mental health disorders and among them maybe some of your own officers? What is the outcome you expected?
Mr. COP, you job goes way beyond trading barbs and calling citizens cockroaches. Somewhere a youngster is looking on and dreaming of becoming a COP in the future. You have a responsibility to ensure that your words and deeds are exemplary. Can I please ask you to think before you speak!
Dennise Demming
Diego Martin
via email