'We need to unite & take a stand against crime'– Bishop Cline
As part of his calls for members of the community to play their part in supporting law enforcement and spark dialogue through community meetings and other forms of engagement about crime, the Deputy Governor also extended an invitation to community leaders, including from churches, social and nonprofit groups to help stomp out crime.
“Now more than ever, we need to unite and take a stand against crime. I implore you to join us in our efforts to step up today, stomp crime out, and secure the BVI's tomorrow. Our unity is our strength and together we can overcome any challenge,” he said as part of his calls.
Bishop Cline, speaking to Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) in response to the campaign, said any call in the community for peace and safety is a noteworthy one, no matter where it comes from.
Everyone has role to play - Bishop Cline
“I believe that our law enforcement officers, they go out and do the best job they can with the resources they have. I believe that the churches have a role to play, I believe schools have a role to play… but I believe also, especially our homes have a significant role to play,” he told VINO today, December 5, 2023.
Bishop Cline added that it is the children who grow up to be young men and women who perpetrate the crimes, “So even though they go to school and they go to church, some of them still go back home, and home is where the foundation lies. So if we can collectively as a community come up with a strategy that's all-inclusive… the home, the church, the schools, everybody, all hands have to be on deck,” he added.
Bishop Cline reasoned that what is taught at home and church must be reinforced in schools in a holistic approach to teaching values.
“I believe our main focus now is there's a generation coming behind, what do we do to save them? Yes, we can appeal to those with the guns now and committing the crimes to stop and you know, find an alternative way to solve conflict…. But, how effective and how willing are they to listen?" he further related while detailing the impacts of crime and shooting on families.
Bishop Cline added, “I commend the Deputy Governor for his efforts in addressing the crime. I do intend to support any such effort, this is our land, and we must protect it, and stand up for it. Stand up for the peace and safety of our community,” he said.
24 Responses to “'We need to unite & take a stand against crime'– Bishop Cline”
Cline keep quiet
Why would he be quiet because it ain’t hit your doorsteps yet??
You need to tell your sister to keep out the rum bar with her loud mouth confusion rass
Keep off my nephews
I don’t know if this the real ...... I know but you need to keep out the people comments because your family ain’t a bed a rose booboo
The mission of police, RVIPF, is to a) serve, and b, protect. Further, effective policing requires the cooperation of residents. Nevertheless, for the cooperation to occur requires good faith and confidence in the police. Nevertheless, writ large, the RVIPF is a dysfunctional, dystopian, hot mess. The RVIPF police leadership , structure, attitude, behavior and actions are not engendering the faith, confidence and cooperation of residents to work with the police. The segmentation of the force into camps based on race , ie, White UK officers , handful locals,, and others mostly officers from other regional Caribbean sister countries. Additionally, weaponizing of the force to target without reason but on
hearsay and for political reasons dirty up selective residents, especially locals, is not gaining the confidence of residents. The RVIPF needs new leadership; the current leadership is bankrupt, etc ., and have severely failed. The current leadership negative attitude about the territory is like a bird fouling the nest it intended to roost in. How does one get the cooperation of residents when one degrade their homeland? The RVIPF cannot move off top dead center with the top leadership, ie, Governor and CoP or with successors who brings the same attitude, behavior, etc ., to the table.