We have an epidemic, a problem of vast proportions. We have begun to breed a society of nefarious miscreants – young adults and children who do not value culture or heritage, are desensitised to death and are oblivious to their environmental impact.

We see desecration of historical tombstones such as the one recently vandalised in Mayaro, the senseless robberies, rapes and murders of law-abiding citizens and the constant disregard for our beautiful island landscape by littering. All the Government seems to do is pass blame.

Yet the children are still out of school, unable to attend because two months is apparently not enough time to fix the increasing problems with the schools and teachers won't attend because they are being mistreated. Our children are exposed to a plethora of violent, sexually motivated music, and movies making them desensitised to death and violent acts. They see authority figures and law enforcement constantly abusing their power and adhering to corruption, deception and making outlandish excuses on their behalf.

Children are unable to visualise a life of honest living, working hard for what they want and getting an education because our society teaches them that lying, cheating, stealing and threatening is the easier and faster route to wealth.

The Government chooses to use ostentation as a guise for caring, spending millions to bring down basketball stars to play a game and "motivate" the youth to not lead a life of crime, when what they are really doing is putting education, youth facilities, rehabilitation centres and housing for those less fortunate on the back burner. We have an epidemic of nefarious miscreants that. We moulded, and nurtured we have created monsters.

Ijanaya Jacob

St Ann's