Young people in Dominica have been warned of the dangers of drugs and has been told to stay clean.
On Tuesday, as part of the activities for Drug Awareness month, the Drug Prevention Unit hosted a Drug Awareness School’s Performing Arts Festival.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr Robertson Thomas told the students that they should be wise and be aware of the effects of drugs.
“I want to challenge you today that you can pursue your dream and be clean,” he said.
Dr Thomas warned the students against experimenting with drugs.
“You were created in the image and likeness of God, you were created for a purpose but I know that there are many who would want to deter you and deviate you from your destiny and so I want to ask you out there to be wise, to be firm, to make up your mind to be focused,” he said.
Meantime, President of the National Youth Council, Jahisiah Benoit, added that the Council is standing in solidarity with the Unit to fight the drug use and abuse among Dominican youth.
“We as the youth of Dominica need to debunk the myth that we are negative, that we are inclined to take drugs, that we are not engaged in positive activities, because we know that these are not positive things that we should get ourselves involved in because we see the effects it has on our brothers, sisters, friends and relatives,” he said.
The Convent High School, Isaiah Thomas Scondary School, Dominica Grammar School, Pierre Charles Secondary School, and Portsmouth Secondary school all put on performances at Tuesday’s event.
everyone wants to give their opinion but know one actually does what they suggest to the public
thank you for not mentioning castle bruce secondary. we are hidden in the country.we place second in the song section,if we had a fight with weapons at our school they would print it. thank you but continue to leave us out. we know who we are.
The youth also need to be warned about alcohol abuse how it affects your liver and your kidneys. If you want the youths to stay drug free you shouldn’t encourage liquor drinking which could lead to alcoholism. Alcohol is also a drug, a man made drug.
the government need to start removing children from drug related abusive homes
All this talk is hogwash, when was the last time these “drug fighters” scolded the governments and other co-operates in this country for their sale of alcohol and cigarettes which accounts for millions of lives throughout the world? Why is it that the vulnerable and the poor are the ones who feels the brunt of the brush?
The young people will continue to smoke marijuana irrespective of laws they see which clearly makes no sense. They see the double standards in the Dominican society.
The Government of Dominica and other partners in this country must work together to eradicate all dangerous drugs including cigarettes and alcohol.
Have confidence in the students. The authorities are doing their utmost to boost their confidence and advise them of the perils of ingesting drugs and what it could do to them, their entire system, future and life.
breaking eye breaking we girl. DLP dem have one earth moving candidate for we in Marigot. I not blue again and im still trembling with delight. People who get the news esp family members are in such frenzy family and personal votes for that candidate is so plentiful well done PM Skerrit its about time …..oh yeah we have to fight krime in our village and dominica so lets join hands and shoes to save our young people look my daughter get a job and even a scholarship from Skerro dem to go study medicine in big country next year…I so proud for she
The focus should be on curbing the influx of illegal drugs coming through the ports. The island is weighted down with drugs and all you can tell them is stay away from it? Who then, is it imported for, The elders?
Burn those drugs, those leaves and trees. This should settle the issue of not taking drugs.
Simply “warning” is not enough because lives are at risk! Actually, there is the real possibility that warning can be a problem as the more some children are warned, the more curious they become and it’s that curiosity that will likely get them into trouble.
What is needed is an effective program that will empower the children, parents, schools, law enforcement, politicians and the community to tackle the drug scourge and protect the children and the rest of the society. Dominica does not have a large population and people know who the drug dealers are, therefore the fight is manageable. However, to be successful in this fight, it is necessary that the police work closely with the citizens, with proper checks and balances – as the criminal element has shown that it can adjust quickly to protect its ‘territory’.
Imprison those who traffic in drugs and sell them to especially children, for some years.
As Our Lord said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones to sin, it is better that a millstone be hung around his neck and he be thrown into the deep sea.”
The Lord will not excuse or exonerate those people for what they have done to adults, to youths and to society with their illegal drugs.