If you thought the war on crime was tough, try the war on bad behavior among young people. Ask youth counselors and they'll tell you about a growing counter-culture that's anti-establishment, anti-social and anti-law and order. For many youths it's survival, for others, an inevitable reaction to what they see as a society in decay, barely maintaining its own pretenses. But rather than cursing that proverbial darkness, the Police Department is shining their light on those youths who resist peer and cultural pressure, and choose to do the right thing. The national 'Do the Right Thing' awards were held today and 7NEWS was there to find out that doing what's right is not always an easy choice.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
These are the 21 youths who were honored by the 'Do the Right Thing' programme today. They come from every district and today they gathered at Old Belize to be recognized for hard work. 8 of them received special prizes. Foremost among them, is Erick Moreira of Julian Cho Technical. The 20-year-old Barranco resident says doing the right thing often means doing the hard thing.
Erick Moreira, Winner
"I had worked hard to achieve my education. I struggled very hard. The struggle that I have been through was very tough. There were times when I was thinking to stop school but there were a lot of people behind me giving me advice and reasons why not to stop.
One day one of my teachers called me and told me that they want to put me in this program and they asked me what are the things I did in life to go to school and I told them that most of the times I clean yards, sometimes I help people, if they need help to move things from one point to a next point, and also when somebody in Barranco passes away, we go to the cemetery to chop, I help people and all kinds of things.
It helps me by easing down the work that I have to do in life because first I was planning to go work for a year or two before I go to sixth form but since I've gotten this scholarship and the help from the Police Department, I will start go to school this year because it is easy now for me. Since I have the opportunity now I will take it."
Commissioner of Police Gerald Westby's administration pioneered the programme and now in its second year, he says his resolve to carry it through is greater than ever:
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
"When I assumed command of the department I recognized that far too often we hear about young people involved in crime. And I thought that there are so many thousands of youths that are doing the right thing out there and we need to bring that to the fore in our effort to inculcate positive attitudes in young people. f we work together, all is not lost. I am certain that yes with the advent of television it has its pros and it has its cons but again people glamorize to materialistic things but again we have to realize that there is more to life than materialistic trappings and if we can inculcate positive values into our young people, we would have been making inroads.
This is not the only program that we have. We have the Youth Cadet Corps, another program where we have been reaching out to youths. We have also have if you notice quite the number of students reaching out at the Yabra Center and we are hoping to start a similar program like Yabra project in the George Street area and that should be coming on stream. Rome was not built in a day and we will succeed in at least doing our part along with the community to change the anti-social behavior of some of our youths."
Moriera received a two year scholarship with all books and fees paid to St. John's Junior College valued at close to $5,000. He also received a fully loaded computer courtesy Fultec Systems with one year free DSL from Telemedia. Second place winner was Justin Magana from St Victor's Vocational High in Chunox Village, Corozal and he received a full two year scholarship courtesy SJC Junior College. Sondra Braaten of Belize Christian Academy in Belmopan got the third place honors which was a $900 credit toward books or tuition. Loretta Logan of Independence High got fourth prize which was $800. Emmanuel Salazar of Belmopan Baptist High School got 5th place with $700. Keran Rocke of Sadie Vernon High School was 6th with $500 and Daniel Paquiul of Julian Cho High School in Toledo rounded out the seven winners.
