Senior Reporter
shane.superville@guardian.co.tt
As an Arouca family continues to grapple with the grief of the murder of three-year-old Jereem George, fathers are being reminded of their responsibility not only to raise their children but also to contribute to a safer society.
The call was jointly made by MP for Lopinot/Bon Air West Marvin Gonzales and officiating priest Rev Dr Vernon Arthur at the toddler’s funeral at the Bethel World Outreach Ministries in Arima on Monday.
Little Jereem perished during an arson attack at his mother’s home at Christian Avenue Extension, Windy Hill, Arouca, on the night of January 23.
Jereem’s mother, Geneiel George and her teenage son tried unsuccessfully to rescue the toddler, who was still trapped in the home.
Days later, 33-year-old suspect Anderson Gittens surrendered to Arima police.
Gittens was involved in a relationship with Jereem’s mother, who made at least three reports against him to police for violent and threatening behaviour.
He was taken to the Mt Hope Hospital after feeling unwell last Thursday but was discharged and placed in a cell at the Malabar Police Post, where he took his own life last Friday afternoon.
During brief remarks towards the end of the service, Gonzales said while he was a product of a single-parent household, he was grateful for the support and guidance of his extended family.
Despite this, he maintained that fathers played an invaluable role in the family as a unit and urged them against abandoning their responsibilities.
He said, “Your responsibility does not end when you impregnate our mothers. Your responsibility starts when that child enters the mother’s womb and comes into the world.
“You have to work hard and be a good father for your children, because it is your absence in the homes that is causing our families and our communities to shudder, to tremble.
“If we want to change Trinidad and Tobago, we must start by building stronger families, and a stronger family is where a mother and father step up to the plate and raise children.”
Despite these shortcomings, Gonzales said he was heartened by the support Jereem’s mother received from the Windy Hill community, as he referred to a recent visit to the community.
Gonzales is the MP for the Windy Hill community where the arson attack occurred.
Officiating pastor Rev Dr Vernon Arthur, during his homily, also stressed the importance of fathers being involved in the upbringing of their children and providing guidance.
Referring to men who take a casual approach to procreation, Arthur said they would also be called to account by God for shirking their responsibilities.
“Some men, they talk about ‘sow oats’ and all kinds of thing... they don’t realise that the day of judgment is coming.
“If you had a child with so-and-so... what did you? Why didn’t you do so-and-so? God will ask them that.
“So don’t abdicate your responsibility; shoulder it! And the men are very guilty of that.”
Arthur said while mothers were responsible for bearing and delivering the child, fathers should do their part in caring for children once they were born.
He added that while Jereem’s family was saddened by his loss, they should feel comforted by the fact that he was in a better place and safe from any further harm.
Jereem’s aunt Anisha George delivered the eulogy, in which she recalled her experiences with the toddler, describing him as an intelligent, inquisitive little boy.
She joked that though Jereem would never have to endure the challenges of finding a job and paying bills in adulthood, his death was a great loss to the family.
During a short contribution, Geneiel emotionally recalled her youngest child’s attempts to comfort her during times of hardship.
“To my Jereem, you always used to make Mommy smile and make Mommy laugh.
“You used to tell Mommy, ‘Don’t worry, everything would be okay. It’s okay if you don’t have money to buy milk, I still love you.’
“I know his grandmother is feeling it too because she was there with me every step.”
The hall of the church was adorned with red balloons, as mourners also wore red T-shirts, Jereem’s favourite colour.
His favourite cartoon characters were also featured on decorations near the podium.
His remains were cremated at Allen’s funeral home.
