The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face while the storm howls above me, and there’s no hiding place.

As the sounds of gunfire ring out everyone runs for cover. Leaving two young men’s bullet-riddled bodies lying dead in the streets.

Mothers cry out in anguish when they receive the news:

“Your child just got shot. He is dead.”

Friends and neighbours stand around and watch in fear as the blood of these young men saturate the ground.

A little boy no more than twelve loudly sings: “Precious Lord, hear my cry. Keep us safe till the storm passes by.”

Members of the crowd recognized the words of the song and chimed in. Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more

Till the clouds roll forever from the sky.

Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Misguided youth caught in a hale of bullets no longer run for shelter. They are like trees so frost bitten by the hale they have become immune to the blast of the wind. They are not afraid to die.

Many times Satan whispered:

There is no use to try

For there’s no end of sorrow, there’s no hope by, and by.

But the prayer warriors refused to let the enemy destroy our youths’ cries.

But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I’ll rise where the storms never darken the skies.

Keep us safe and warm till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more. Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;

Families and friends gather around the graves and plead.

Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand

Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

For several years we have witnessed the murder rate climb to a point where we were too terrified to even think of leaving our homes at night.

But in a recent report, the Commissioner of Police alludes to a decline in murders this year versus last year.

This means that there is hope and we still reside in a beautiful place.

The onus is now on us to build on that decline by giving the police our full cooperation.

As off as it may sound, I would prefer my child getting a few whacks on the behind than hearing the sound of the magistrate’s gavel.

Or worse, watches the coroner as he pulls the blanket over his face.

Cloaking our kids can only lead to disaster.

The onus is on us to set an example as parents to refrain from going into the schools to fight with students and teachers.

We always get into trouble for saying this, but children having children is a terrible mix and can only cause problems further down the road.

The majority of crimes are committed by youngsters whose parents are not much older than they are.

It is my Christmas wish that the Ministry of Education places more priority on parental education in schools and at home.

Errant parents should be made to bear the full consequences mandated by law.

With Christmas being just a few days away and 2024 on the horizon we close by saying.

Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand.

Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year.

God bless the Bahamas.

ANTHONY PRATT

Nassau,

December 20 2023.