The murder of six-year-old Josiah Governor has emphasised the need for supervision and inspection of places where people live.

Long ago it was normal for visiting nurses to go to homes to render assistance, give advice and assess the needs of people.

I remember the village midwife who delivered my siblings coming every August holiday to check on our family. She took note of children, parents and even our grandmother. We dreaded her prescription of a senna purge before the resumption of school but it was worth it. Our family was not left to suffer from ignorance.

The modern scenario begs for a different intervention. We cannot send a nurse alone to enquire or to render assistance because of the violence in the society. However, a team approach with the necessary back-up of police, social workers and psychologists is indeed possible. Whether perfect or imperfect, families should not be left totally unsupervised and adrift.

I have in-laws who live in UK where hospitals would not release elderly relatives until their homes are outfitted for their recuperation and care assistants assigned. The nurses also check up on the ill persons regularly.

The time has come when police, social workers and nurses once more have to move as a team to render assistance to people in their homes. We cannot just leave people to have children all over the place, abuse the elderly and even kill the young.

I call on the Prime Minister, Minister Verna St Rose Greaves, Minister Glenn Ramadharsingh, Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan and the Commissioner of Police to collectively look at this need.

Bill Major

via e-mail