The impassionate plea by the newly-appointed Commissioner of Police for the upholding of law and order in Anguilla was still ringing in the ears of his listeners when certain acts of violence were reported on the island. The incidents seem to demonstrate that if we are not careful, Anguilla can find itself in a lot of social difficulties later on.

One of the matters of much concern was the violence at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School which is occurring there all too frequently. It appears that the trouble is being caused by only a handful of misguided and perhaps frustrated students. In some cases they may be individuals who are grossly lacking in parental guidance and an ability to adopt to the rigors of learning in the classroom. No bright, well-balanced and home-trained student will behave in such fashion.

There appears to be a need for a proper screening of students entering the Comprehensive School. It is likely that some of them enter the school already tainted by bad behaviour and find it easy to practise their vices in a larger school populated by some 1200 students. It may be helpful for proper behavioural records to accompany each student to the Comprehensive School and for special monitoring and supervision systems to be put into place although, admittedly, this can have its difficulties.

The matter is not an easy one to deal with and must be handled carefully. The Anguilla Teachers Union has come up with some very useful and workable recommendations. Some of them call for strict disciplinary measures including the suspension and expulsion of students. Other recommendations will mean the appropriation of scarce financial resources to bring them into fruition. Whatever steps the Government decides to take to deal with the situation they must be effective in stamping out violence in all of the schools. We cannot afford to have our society being placed at risk by upcoming criminals within our school system through which many of our proud sons and daughters today have emerged.

We must try hard to find a way out and a solution.

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