GUEST COMMENTARY: BY SHARLENE CARTWRIGHT-ROBINSON
(EDITOR’S NOTE: I am sharing this excellent commentary by Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, former Premier of Turks and Caicos, that was published in the TCI SUN on March 6, 2023, with readers of BAHAMAS CHRONICLE because the issues she addresses are very similar to problems that exist in The Bahamas.
TURKS AND CAICOS, March 6, 2023 — Last year was the deadliest year in the history of Turks and Caicos Islands. We lost 35 persons by murder; a number which is just seven shy of doubling the record year murder count of 2020.
Those killed were predominantly young men, and by gun. I am not sure if we are just numb and still in a tailspin, but we seem to have gone back to business as usual when it can never be business as usual after this.
It took me a long time to decide whether to touch this topic that has been so very present in my mind. I delayed because I wondered if it were too soon for victims’ families and also for the family of the young men who I am about to discuss, but the chance encounters and a more recent experience prompted me that now is the time.
Aside from the deaths of our young men, believed to be at the hands of our other young men, we had two police-related shootings on public record that resulted in deaths of young men; during the latter part of last year, Brandon Rahming and earlier in the year, Randall Rigby. And though not confirmed and at the risk of being called “previous”, the death of a young man whose body was dumped in “Dook” Yard was said to be due allegedly to a combination of friendly fire as well as a possible shot from the police in a gunfire exchange. Though no further information has been forthcoming on this young man Roodmy, I will like to include him in these thoughts.
Who are these young men and how did their lives and death come to be notorious? I will respectfully share a few thoughts with the hopes of us raising consciousness and punctuating where I can, with what I believe were warning signs where I have knowledge, and more importantly, to provoke us as citizens to look inward and then do better.
I met Randall while serving as Premier during a long afternoon visit that the Governor and I took to the prison. He was among several inmates (though remanded) who met with us as representatives for the inmates. I found him to be intelligent but very emotional. I especially remember him fighting to hold back tears as he said “help the young men before it is too late.” I will end it there, as this is a story that only gets worse.
I only knew his official name and was unaware that he had been released from prison. With the weeks of rumors about “Trippy” and gunfire, I never knew until he was shot that Randall and Trippy were one and the same. I immediately reached out to the governor and we discussed our experience with him. Not long after he was shot and killed in a shoot-out with the police, a family member wrote a piece that stirred me.
The family member shared that nothing could justify the wrongs that he was alleged to have committed, but said that we must look at his life to understand him. By age five years, he was an orphan, by age eight years, the caregiver died. He shared that Randall did not know who to trust and eventually started keeping bad company. Family members did try their best but he seemed to be angry. By age 12 years, he had a run in with the law and at 22 he was killed by police in a shoot out.
While at the hospital one day, I had an odd conversation with a childhood friend who shared her experiences with Randall. She shared how he talked about dying before going back to prison and also his love for his daughter and desire for her to be raised well. He was a leader and had young men following him around in his community. Anyone who knew him said he had been dealt a difficult hand in life and as a result he was angry. But he was intelligent and the writer shared that Randall “became fearless and showed love and respect to those who showed it to him”.
I never met Brandon personally, but spoke to him during the last weeks of his life. I would be the first to admit that the Brandon I spoke to was a totally different person; so much so that I could not reconcile the “public” Brandon with the one that I was speaking with.
He referenced the sovereignty of God quite a bit. He was polite and intelligent and these qualities did not seem forced. Only about two weeks ago, in driving with a close friend, did he share that he knew Brandon. He had worked with him at a popular resort.
He shared that he would receive awards for best employee and was an excellent chef who loved to compete. But above all, he remembered how kind he was. I looked at several of his Facebook posts and got stuck on the post where he was thanking God for His guidance and mercy and acknowledging that prayers kept him. Persons who spoke of him shared one word in common: kind. And another popular word was loyal.
Roodmy was a young 17- year-old who was known to my children, as one time he was a member of the Cadets Program. Before the pandemic, he ceased to attend. I am told that he had occasions where he displayed some troubled behaviour at school.
I had lunch with an old and dear friend about a month ago and in an astonishing turn of events, I Iearnt more about Roodmy. Only weeks before, he had spoken to this friend of mine while seeking a job. He shared some things with him, saying that he felt “pressures” and wanted an escape, even from the community where he lived. The gentleman said he can clearly recall the sincerity of the cry for help.
Three conversations from the most unlikely persons; Roodmy, Randall and Brandon, each in different decade. Their lives, when studied, may reveal some highs and lows and while they have gone on, how do we know that another young man at this time, regardless of background and path in life or age is not heading for the same demise?
As I looked at these three lives, at one time they were in structured systems. Where were we? Where was the village? Where was the army of people in the system? What story do we tell about these young men? Are they not humans? Where and when did they turn a corner that saw their demise in this way? What role did we play? What role should we have played?
These young men were humans. They were once babies and little boys. They have mothers and fathers and family members and friends who wanted the best for them. Should we continue to sit idly by and not look out for our boys and young men?
I know that two of these young men were on wanted posters before they lost their lives. I also know that family members did reach out, but did they feel the prayer or kindness and care of strangers reaching out? Should we just be judges and executioners? Why not be mentors and alert and aware citizens? Why not just be a good neighbour? Why not serve in your local church and NGOs in programs that reach our young people? Or better yet, why not pray without ceasing?
These young men taught us lessons by their lives and though regrettable, there are also lessons to learn from their death.
I need not get into allegations and accusations. I play in my mind often the events of last year and think of the lives of the young men loss; lives from diverse backgrounds, but lives no doubt, that may have shown an element of trouble in many cases.
I believe that the lives of these young men ought to be reviewed and studied so that their lives and death will not be in vain, but will be the catalyst for meaningful interventions and actions. We must do so to avoid pitfalls and like Randall said: “We must help the young men before it is too late”.
We are too quick to judge and discard; too unconcerned and too quick to forget. We cannot, and must not, forget, because some young man that we know may be on a destructive path right now and the signs are in our face. Admittedly, some are good at hiding it better, but there is always a sign.
Randall was a leader. Brandon was a model employee. Roodmy joined a service organization. What went wrong? How did we not harness their skills and talents for nation building? The pressures of life with its potential to create crutches hits us all and some more than others. Our background and where we live does matter. But more importantly is who is present to listen and sees the cry for help?
It can never be parents and family alone. It is a village issue and there are too many systems from home to school and other government agencies to church and yes, prison too that have a part to play. Now, we can get all judgmental and continue to take us all on an ill-fated path, or we can decide that all lives matter and all lives teach its own important message and yes all lives are worth an attempt at saving.
We must not become too comfortable in our laid back approach to this issue as brewing under our noses may be a young man or woman that is preparing a storm and you may be directly impacted by the winds.
