Brian Bernard memorial Lecture August 12th 2026

[music] Welcome to the Brian Bernard Memorial Fund commemorative lecture. I am your [music] mistress of ceremonies, Nereti. So first I will ask everybody to please stand so that we could pray and you will remain standing for the national anthem. The prayers will be done by Mrs. Usilla Curtain an NCF volunteer. Good morning everyone. um a bit old-fashioned. So, I did walk with my prayer, my written prayer. Those of you who are Catholics, sign yourselves, those of you who are not, do whatever your religion permits you to do. Heavenly Father, we thank you for life. We thank you for gathering us here today under the banner of the NCF to have this meaningful discussion to advance and enhance your people. With humble hearts, we seek your divine guidance, protection, and wisdom today and always. We now pray for crime prevention and all all persons entrusted with maintaining law and order. Lord, we raise our voices and pray for crime prevention in our homes, in our communities, our schools and nation. We knock at your door as you open. We ask that the spirit of violence, hatred, greed, and lawlessness is removed amongst us. Replace fear with peace, anger with compassion, and despair with hope. Guard those entrusted with maintaining law and order. Grant them wisdom, integrity, courage, and fairness as they serve and protect the nation. We pray for young persons, especially the younger children because sometimes they are often forgotten. Lord, we bring the youth and the little ones to you. Help them to make wise decisions. Bless them with opportunities for education, employment, positive development and leadership. Stretch your hands over the sleep, the future, the hidden fears, and the growing dreams. Cover them in grace and let us be mindful that the trust is still tender in its way and the world can wound them. So we bring them to you, the God who watches them in love and light. Spread your peace and holy favor. Keep them safe and keep them near. Guard their minds. Guard their bodies. Guard the songs they sing. Over the little ones, over the youth, spread your wings and let mercy rain. For the children of tomorrow need your covering today. Father, hear and answer our prayers. Amen. >> Thank you, Mrs. Quin. And please remain standing for the national anthem. [music] Heat. [music] [music] Heat. [music] [music] >> [music] >> seated. Moving along with our program, we will have some welcome remarks by Miss Vana Reed Hinson, NCF Executive Director. Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Morning. My name is Vana Reedson, the executive director of the National Community Foundation. Allow me at this time to acknowledge special guests with her with us here today. The Honorable Emma Hippolit, Minister for Equity, Social Justice, Gender, Older Persons, Labor, Cooperatives, and Consumer Affairs. Her Excellency Governor General Dame Polet Emirator Dame Plet Louise and proudly patron of the National Community Foundation. Mr. Shafur Celestein, representative of the Ministry of Education, Youth Development, Sports and Digital Transformation. Mr. Ricky Quinnland, representative of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Crime Prevention and Persons with Disabilities. Miss Kit Juul Frank Amaroso, chairperson of the National Community Foundation. Police Commissioner, Mr. Vernard and members of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force, members of the board of directors of the National Community Foundation, staff of the National Community Foundation, representatives of the Government Information Service, members of the media, specially invited guests, ladies and gentlemen joining us both in person and virtually. On behalf of the board of directors and the staff of the National Community Foundation, it is my pleasure to warmly welcome you to the 2026 Brian Bernard Memorial Lecture. We are grateful that you have joined us as we continue a tradition established in honor of a man whose values continue to inspire us not simply through remembrance but through meaningful dialogue and action. Each year, this lecture invites us to reflect on issues that are fundamental to the well-being of our nation. This year's themes could not be more timely. Across St. Nusha families, communities, schools, law enforcement, and policy makers are grappling with the question of how do we create a safer future for our young people. Today's discussion is an affirmative nod that crime prevention begins long before a crime is committed. It begins in our homes, our classrooms, our communities, and in the relationships we build with our children. It begins by creating environments where young people feel supported, connected, valued, and hopeful about their future. Recent research conducted here in St. Lucia reinforces this very message. It tells us that youth behavior is shaped not only by individual choices, but by the influence of family, pairs, schools, and communities. That evidence challenges us to think differently about prevention, not as the responsibility of one institution, but as a shared national commitment. That is why this lecture is so important. It brings together government, educators, law enforcement, civil society, community leaders, and citizens to consider how we can strengthen the protective factors that help our young people thrive and reduce conditions that contribute to crime. At the National Community Foundation, we believe that investing in people is one of the most effective forms of crime prevention. Every scholarship awarded, every family supported, every young person mentored, and every community partnership strengthened represents an investment in a safer, stronger St. Lucia. We hope that today's lecture will not only deepen our understanding of the issues before us, but also inspire renewed collaboration and a shared commitment to create creating opportunities for our youth. Thank you for joining us and for being a part of this important national conversation. It is my pleasure to officially welcome you again to the 2026 Brian Bernard Memorial Lecture. I wish you a thoughtful, engaging, and impactful morning. Thank you. Thank you so very much, Miss Vana Reed Hson. So right now we are going to have the biography of the late police commissioner Brian Bernard. And it is definitely my pleasure to invite Inspector Zachary Hippolit from the Royal St. Lucia Police Force. [applause] Thank you Mr. Ceremonies. Allow me to adopt the protocol that has been established. What is integrity? Integrity is doing what is right and ethical even when no one watches. What is humility? Humility is placing team success above personal ego and remaining open to feedback. What is empathy? Empathy is listening actively and valuing the diverse perspectives of team members. What is empowerment? Empowerment is delegating meaningful responsibility and lifting others up. These are just a few of the attributes that great leaders possessed. And the man that we are honoring today was not just a great leader. He was one of the greatest. Today we pause to honor the life and legacy of a man whose commitment to duty, integrity, and public service left an indelible mark on the Royal St. Lucia Police Force and our nation. Brian Eric Julian Bernard was born on August 12th, 1948 and enlisted in the Royal Senate Police Force on August 16th, 1968, beginning a distinguished career that would span more than three decades. Through dedication, professionalism, and exemplary leadership, he rose through the ranks, serving in a variety of operational and leadership roles before being appointed commissioner of police on March 1st, 2001. He retired from the force on August 12th, 2003, having served with distinction for 32 years in policing and 35 years in service to the government and people of St. Lucia. Commissioner Bernard was a leader who embodied the very values he expected of others. His career was defined by unwavering loyalty, discipline, fairness, and an uncompromising commitment to public safety. He believed deeply in the oath of service and in the responsibility entrusted to every police officer to uphold the law with both courage and compassion. To the officers who had the privilege of serving under his command, I was one. Commissioner Bernard was more than a superior officer. He was approachable, honest, and sincere. A leader who inspired confidence, earned respect, and led by example. He challenged members of the force not only to enforce the law fairly but also to examine their decisions through the lens of humanity recognizing that justice is most effective when tempered with empathy. One of Commissioner Bernard's greatest concerns was the erosion of discipline and ethical values within society, particularly among the nation's youth. He understood that effective policing extended beyond responding to crime. It re required building stronger communities, nurturing character, and creating opportunities that would steer young people toward positive choices. It is this vision that continues to shape his enduring legacy. Following his passing, the Brian Bernard Memorial Fund was established on August 12th, 2004 and is administered by the National Community Foundation. Created in recognition of his outstanding contribution to public service and humanity. The fund is dedicated to promoting ethical behavior, strengthening human and Christian values and encouraging integrity within our communities. His mission is simple yet profound to strengthen ethics within our communities by inspiring individuals and institutions to act ethically toward one another. As members of the Royal Senica Police Force, we continue to draw inspiration from Commissioner Bernard's example, his legacy reminds us that the badge is not merely a symbol of authority, but a solemn commitment to service, justice, and the protection of our communities. His life's work continues to challenge every officer to lead with integrity, serve with humility, and remember that the greatest measure of policing is not only the laws we enforce, but the lives we positively influence. Ladies and gentlemen, as we commemorate his life through this annual lecture, may we honor Commissioner Brian Eric Julian Bernard, not only with our words, but continuing the work to which he devoted his life, building a safer, more ethical, and more compassionate St. Lucia. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you so much, Mr. Hippo. Those were amazing words for a definitely honorable man. So, up next, we have some remarks from Miss Kit Joel Frank Amaroso. She's the chairperson of the NCF board of directors. Welcome, Miss. [applause] Good morning, everyone. I'd like to adopt the protocol already established. Now, the National Community Foundation is hosting today. But we must first begin by understanding who is the NCF and why are we here. The National Community Foundation was first established through the National Insurance Corporation in 2002. The concept is credited to honorable Emma Hippollet, Minister for Equity, Labor, Gender, and Elderly Affairs, Social Justice, and Consumer Welfare, when she was the then director of the National Insurance Corporation. [applause] According to the NCF mission, the organization exists to support initiatives that engender self-empowerment and social upliftment through assistance to emerging community needs in education, health, social services, arts and culture, community development, environment, and civic affairs. The NCF seeks to administer to the vulnerable in our society through the delivery and support of focused programs including the specialized donor directed activities. This Brian Bernard Memorial Fund today is one such example. Growing up, I always heard the proverb, it takes a village to raise a child. Who else heard that? However, it appears that something is a miss. I cannot say if it is the village that is no longer as engaged. Children are no longer as open to direction. The safety nets for a productive and disciplined society have been fading. But something is wrong. Let's consider the content of social media, the internet as a whole, and the types of programs and movies that the youth can now access. Now, think about how easily a young person can be affected by the people and environment around them. Let's remember that one positive influence can change a life. The foundational support that we the leaders in society can provide are the building blocks for opportunities for our youth to succeed. This assistance can come in many forms. It may be mentorship, financial support, providing a safe environment or simply a healthy avenue to express themselves. In more recent times, there has been a greater focus on the importance of developing emotional intelligence. This includes the elements of self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. It is hoped that through today's discussions, we can zero in on some of the challenges affecting our youth and contributing to the issues surrounding juvenile delinquency and challenges to social learning. We thank you all in the virtual space and in person for taking the time to be part of this. and let us the village find a way forward to improve the lives and future of our youth because I believe the proverb still has relevance today and it does take a village to raise a child. Thank you. Thank you so very much Miss Frank Amaroso for those encouraging words. Up next, we have an address by the Honorable Emma Hibollet, Minister for Equity, Social Justice, Gender, Older Persons, Labor, Cooperative, and Consumer Affairs. Minister Hippolit is also one of the key founders of the NCF and the founder of the Brian Bernard Memorial Fund, Miss Emma Hippolit. [applause] Good morning everyone. >> Mr. Commissioner, I didn't realize you were hiding at the back. >> Let me recognize our patron de Plet Louie for being here and my apologies for being late everyone. I recognize the chair of the board of the NCF and the board members of the NCF. I recognize Miss Hingson who's our CEO. I recognize today our commissioner of police, Mr. Vernard, our lecturer Dr. Montel Phillips, our online viewers, esteemed ladies and gentlemen, good morning. >> It is a privilege and an honor to join you this morning for the 2026 Brian Bernard Memorial Lecture. I extend my sincere appreciation to the NCF for the invitation to share these remarks as we gather to celebrate the life, legacy, and enduring impact of our former commissioner. I want to take this moment to thank in a big way the ch the chairperson and directors of the National Insurance Corporation. As you've heard as when I was the director I made a suggestion it was accepted but since then the NC the NIC continues to support the NCF. So let us show our appreciation to the NIC. [applause] Commissioner Bernard was a man of integrity, courage, and unwavering commitment to public service. His leadership was grounded not only in the pursuit of justice, but also in the belief that strong communities are built through compassion, partnership, and opportunity. His legacy continues to in to inspire all who are committed to creating a safer and more just St. Lucia. This year's film crime prevention and youth development is both timely and significant. Across our nation, we continue to confront the complex challenges associated with crime and violence. In my own constituency of Suare for Shak, we have to be dealing with young persons who are related blood relatives and who are on opposite sides and we have to sit in the room and engage and you try to understand what exactly has was the beginning of this problem and sometimes you just can't get an answer that is making sense but they are at on opposite sides and as a community we need to sit and see how we mend the fence. While effective law enforcement remains essential, we must also recognize that sustainable crime prevention begins long before crime and criminal behavior take root. And you've heard a little of this from former speakers. It begins in our homes where values are first instilled. It continues in our schools where young men, young minds are nurtured and encouraged to dream. It is reinforced in our communities through positive role models, mentorship, recreational opportunities and access to education, employment and social support. So with this I am saying it is the entire nation, the entire community, the entire village as the chairperson puts it that is responsible in shaping our youth. And somewhere along the line throughout uh the community we as a community we have built And I I believe what this lecture and other activities that are happening now is causing us to take a pause and reflect on what has caused such a fracture in our society and how as a government, how as a community we can try to put Humpty Dumpty together again. Um, a lot of people believe that the horse is out and we cannot bring it together. But I am one with tremendous faith to know that there's nothing that we cannot achieve if we put our Lord first. So today I want to to thank persons who are in the room who are doing tremendous work with us. Um Dr. Montel um in the crime prevention unit who is doing tremendous work on the ground with us. Our commissioner and his team who are doing tremendous work with us on the ground. Our peers in crime prevention. We have persons in the ministry of education, persons in the ministry of youth and sports, our prime minister who is providing the financial assistance to the diff different projects, persons within my own ministry of um equity sitting to see how best we can come together and I I miss Wallace I just saw your face. Good morning. Sorry I didn't see you here. Um, Miss Wallace is the manager for the boys training center. So, you have different groups coming together. Um, we need to really put a proper structure in place because but we are doing different things nationally to deal with that challenge. So I am committing to say that as a government we need to embrace a lot of work that is being done by other members of the society. Persons like Dr. King, Prince Kash, a whole set of persons who are doing work. We really need to bring everybody together and see that we do not duplicate the efforts but we must work with one vision. Significant work must be done within the Ministry of Education, within the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the private sector as well, especially in terms of um mentorship and work apprentice programs. Um and we need to deal as well with some of the persons who are encouraging our young men to be in these issues. So we need to we need to be able to sit around the table and say how we deal with it. I'm told there are persons within the prison system themselves who have realized that they are there and they are contributing to what is happening and and are committed to working with us to make the changes. So within the NCF we have a team. We have the virtues program which is a very important program. I believe we need to get funding for it. We need to get our schools to embrace it and we need to go back to engaging our persons and I recognize Mr. Victorin from the SS SDF is there again doing significant work in his area. So it is all of us coming together and see what part um what slice of that pie we take, how we bring it together and how we ring fence our young children. We need to ring penc and in doing so for example we have to see how what what provision we make to remove our juvenile offenders out of the body correctional facility cuz when I go there and I see we have young persons below the age of 18 there and they have committed hard crimes but I say they're in the wrong university because if we have to transform them and that's not a place for that. And as a government, we are looking at seeing how best we can um renovate the George Child's um old George Child school, how we can quickly renovated to move the boys training center from Rosile to there. And as a medium-term measure, how do we renovate and fix up the boys training center so that the juvenile um persons in BTC um in bodily should move to there. So we are trying to do different things. So in all of that, I ask you to keep praying for our young people, keep showing them the love, the patience that is required at this time. Because when I sit with them in my constituency office, I can tell you it requires a lot of patience um to engage these young persons and to try to get them to sometimes they don't you speak and they don't even hear you because they in a different they're in a different world. Um but you need to continue speaking and you need to be um to continue being patient and to be at it until we succeed. So I want to again thank the NCF for this annual lecture and let one of the things to come out of it is the uh adoption of the hutus program within the education system in St. Lucia. Thank you. [applause] Thank you so much honorable Emma Hippolit for that informative speech. So up next we have the introduction of the lecturer and that will be done by Miss Marissa Steven the NCF volunteer and media personnel. Good morning. >> Permit me to adopt the protocol that has been established. Our lecturer this morning is Dr. Montel Felix, a distinguished criminologist, researcher, and law enforcement professional whose career has been dedicated to understanding crime, justice, youth development, and community safety. Dr. Felix holds a doctor of philosophy in crime prevention and corrections from Central Police University in Taiwan. His doctoral research examined the factors influencing police officers decisions to make arrests when responding to intimate partner violence cases. He also holds a master of science in management with a specialization in criminal justice management from the University of Maryland and a bachelor of science in criminal justice from Monroe College in New York. With more than two decades of service in the Royal St. Lucia Police Force, Dr. Felix has successfully combined practical policing experience with research, education, and public policy. He currently serves as a research consultant within the Ministry of Home Affairs, crime prevention, conflict resolution, and persons with disabilities, and he contributes to the development of evidence-based crime prevention strategies and national policy initiatives. Dr. Felix has also lectured at Taiwan Police College and Central Police University, teaching criminal justice and criminology theory to future law enforcement professionals and graduate students. He served as a voluntary research advisor to nursing students at Sir Alfa Lewis Community College supporting them in research design and academic writing. His research has been published in internationally recognized academic journals and covers juvenile delinquency, policing, corrections, inmate trust, and procedural justice. Of particular relevance to today's lecture is his 2023 publication examining the influence of social learning and social bonds on delinquency among secondary school students in St. Lucia. His research provides valuable insights into the social influences associated with youth offending and the protective relationships that can support prevention. As we reflect on the legacy of former commissioner of police Brian Bernard and examine the important relationship between crime and youth development, we are privileged to hear from someone whose professional journey bridges policing, academic research, and national policy. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming our distinguished lecturer, Dr. Montel Felix. [applause] Good morning everyone. >> Allow me to adopt the protocol that has already been established. Uh before I begin, I would like to share a very personal story. That's my first time sharing it. So um as some of you might know, my father was the my school principal. I'll not say which school. [laughter] And you know on paper some might assume that I had everything going for me. The protective factors in a household. Um I came from a good household, a good structure. I had discipline uh parental supervision and yes my father was my principal. But that did not make me immune to falling through the cracks for delinquency. I'll not say whe whether it was violent or nonviolent. So like many many young people I did associate with bad friends or delinquent friends. Um, you know, yes, I knew that that behavior was wrong, but what I had been taught at home, their influence still mattered to me. So as I got older and eventually became involved in policing um criminal justice research I kept coming back to the question why I was raised well but I did not say I didn't go by the wayside but pay influence influenced me to become a delinquent at school. So back to your question, why why can a young person come from what we might consider a good home, know right from wrong, have parental guidance, and still become involved in the Lucan behavior. Why? Now I like to make my presentation interactive. So I'm going to ask a few questions as I go along. Okay. So that question is actually very close to what we're going to explore today because delinquency is not simply a question of whether child comes from a good or bad home. Young people exist within multiple social environments, family, friends, school and community. And those environments can simultaneously expose them to both risk and protection. So my research publication examined two important questions. One, what are young people learning from the people around them? And what are the bonds that potentially restrain them from delinquency? So these are essentially the competing mechanisms representing the social living theory and the social bond theory or social control theory. So today I'm going to share with you the findings of my research on the impact of social learning and social bonds on juvenile delinquency among secondary school students in St. Lucia. Then sorry and as you go through the presentation I want you to keep your mind open to my story because when we get to the findings of the of the of the study we're going to see whether the evidence supports what many of us instinctly believe about parents pairs and schools. the slide. Okay. So the slide is um across there. Okay. So presentation overview. Okay. So we'll begin by establishing what we mean by juvenile delinquency and why it is important for us to understand it. I will then bring you to the discussion closer to home by looking at the context within the Caribbean and St. Lucia. From there, I'll explain why I conducted this study and introduce the two perspectives or criminological theories that shape the research, social learning and social bonds. And I want you to remember the story I shared at the beginning again because these theories speak directly into that experience. The main focus of today's presentation is the evidence. We are going to look at what the study actually found, what those findings mean, what those finding findings mean for crime prevention, schools, families and communities. And then we will conclude with some key takeaways and recommendations moving forward. So before we continue, I want to give you a small challenge. Think of one factor that you believe has been the greatest influence on delinquency among young people in St. Lucia. It could be friends, parenting, schools, poverty, social media, community, attitudes, or something entirely different. You don't have to tell me your answer yet. maybe later because when we get to when we get to the findings, I'm going to ask you to revisit your answer and see whether your perception matches what the evidence actually showed. Okay. Understanding driven delinquency. Before we talk about the causes or influences of delinquency, we first need to establish what do we mean by delinquency. In simple terms, delinquency refers to the unlawful or socially prohibited behavior committed by children or adults. So an adult can smoke a cigarette, but an adult can't because it's not socially acceptable. Same with alcohol. However, one important point is that juvenile delinquency is not limited to serious criminal behavior. When people hear a term delinquency, they immediately think about gangs, weapons, drugs, or serious violence. But delinquency encompasses a much broader range of behaviors. So, let me ask you, that's a question. When you hear the term juvenile delinquency, what's the first behavior that comes to mind? There's about two or three responses. Okay, one more. >> Pardon me. >> Good. Okay, so as we can see the answers might be different and that illustrates something important. Delinquency can take different forms and vary considerably in seriousness. So in this study, delinquent behavior was examined in two broad categories, violent and nonviolent behavior. So violent delinquence included behaviors such as that's part of the questionnaire the the the students were asked to answer hitting someone with the intention of hurting them physical bullying verbal bullying bullying through social media or as it's coined cyber bullying. Then we have nonviolent delinquency which included behaviors such as truency, theft, marijuana and cigarette use selling drugs, sharing of pornographic material and bringing weapons in schools. So throughout this presentation whenever I refer to nonviolent and violent delinquency these are the categories of behavior that were actually measured in the study. So let us move towards the Caribbean and St. ution context. Youth violence is not simply a St. Lucian problem. It's a problem as you know in the wider Caribbean. Across the Caribbean, youth violence and delinquency have been long-standing cons have been long-standing concerns for governments, schools, communities, and civil society. So, I'm going to ask another question. What do you think makes young people in the car in Caribbean societies particularly vulnerable to violence and delinquency? Two responses. Okay, one more. >> Great. Okay, so these responses demonstrate something important. Delinquency really has one single explanation. Young people are influenced by families, peer groups, schools and the environment or communities around them. So let us zone in on St. Lucia. Some [clears throat] of the historical regional data cited in in this study provided an indication of concerns that existed among senu. So for example, a UNDP citizen survey reported that among senator youth, 21.7% reported carrying weapons at nights, 16.2% reported carrying weapons during the day and 42.5% reported keeping weapons at home. So let's pause and think about that last figure. 32.5. That means almost one in three of the the persons interviewed reported keeping a weapon at home. So how do we interpret that? What does this tell us when a young person feels the need to carry or have access to a weapon? Is it delinquency? Or could it be fear, perceived vulnerability, or the belief that carrying a weapon provides protection? So, we're going to connect to schools. Now, the school environment is also part of this wider context. Across the Caribbean, concerns have been have been included in fighting, bullying, vandalism, and other forms of school-based violence. But I don't want us to think about only schools as places where delinquency occurs as we will later see in the findings connection to school can also play an important protective role. So rather than beginning with the question how do we punish a delinquent perhaps we should ask this question instead. what is happening around the young person and what may be what may be affecting their behavior. So for the purpose of study having established the context the next question is what exactly was this study trying to understand? At the time of the research, there was limited empirical evidence examining delinquency among young people in St.Alia. So rather than relying primarily on international evidence and assuming that the same explanations internationally would apply to St. Russia, this study sought to examine the issue within our own island, the Sian context. So before we delve into the two research questions, let's consider this scenario just to think about. Imagine you have two students attending the same school from the same community, same age. One becomes involved in delinquency and the other does not. What might explain the difference? Two responses. Pardon >> me. Good. I think the individual mindset as well, >> the belief system. Great. Okay. So that's that's exactly what the research speaks about. What what are the factors that may increase or reduce the likelihood of delinquent behavior or does a company young people keep matter? Okay. The second concerned social bonds or social control. Do weak bonds to conventional society particularly connections to schools, communities, environments, family, significantly influences our behavior? Or again in simpler terms, can strong relationships and connections help protect young people from delinquency? Okay. By the hands, who thinks per influence will be the strongest predictor in this study? >> Yeah. Okay. Who thinks family rel relationships? Okay. What about connection to school or teachers? Who thinks all free? All three matters. Okay. All right. So remember the answer because when we get to the findings we'll compare with what you thought or the findings say. Okay. So we're now looking at the theoretical framework. So the study is grounded in two crimological theories. I don't want to bore you too much into the whole methodology. Um so one of the theories help us to understand how delinquent behavior can be learned while the other helps us understand what may restrain a young person from engaging in delinquent behavior. Now this is where the story I shared at the beginning about my experience starts to make theoretical sense. So how do you explain that? How could those protective relationships exist while at the same time pet influence was pulling me in the other direction? These two theories help us understand that tension. So let's start if what is the social learning theory. The social learning theory essentially tells us that behavior can be learned through our interaction with others. Birds of a feather flock together. Monkey see monkey do. Okay, that's simple terms. So think back at my experience having a structure at home did not mean that I existed only within my my environment. Like every adolescent I also existed within a pair environment and that brings us to the first concept of the social inferior. It's called differential association. different association. I mean know the terminology might sound complicated but there's a question who are you associating yourself with and what are these persons doing? If the people you spend significant time with are engaging in delinquent behavior, you are repeatedly exposed to that behavior. A few days ago, I was I was doom scrolling, but I was not just doom scrolling anything. It was more on an educational aspect. So, I came across this video and he said, "You spend a day in a fish market, you don't to buy fish, you'll come back smelling fish. You spend a day in a perfume shop, you buy no perfume yet. You come back smelling perfume." So the moral of the story is proximity makes you carry the scent of where you stay and your environment shapes your habit, [clears throat] your mindset and energy just like it shapes your physical order. So the social learning theory goes a little bit further. It's not only about who you around. It also is also about who you eventually begin to accept, justify and normalize. So that's where we come to the term definitions. A young person might initially know that a particular behavior is wrong. But after repeated exposure, perhaps skipping school doesn't seem so serious. Fighting becomes justified in certain situations. carrying a weapon might become viewed as a necessity for protection. So the question becomes, does repeated exposure eventually change what a young person considers acceptable? So we're going to move to the social bond theory or like I said earlier, social control theory. If social inferior explains the pull of peer influence, social bond allows allows us to look at the other side of my story. Despite that peer influence, there was also relationships and expectations connecting me to conventional society, family, school, authority, expectations from my parents, values. So that is so the social bond fury was was the brain the brainchild of Travis Hershey a renown criminologist. So what Travis came he came up with two questions. Many of us will ask why do persons commit crime? He said nah let's look at it from a different angle. Why don't persons commit crime? >> Why don't you commit crimes? You understand? So instead of asking that question, you turn it around. What prevents persons from committing crime? So the basic argument is that strong bonds to conventional society can restrain delinquent behavior while weaker bonds can increase vulnerability to delinquency. So Hershey identified four elements under the fury. Attachment, commitment, involvement and belief. So for today's discussion, what I particularly want you to remember is the idea of connection. Connection to parents, teachers, schools and conventional values. Now let us use a hypothetical 13y old. Let's stick my aside. So a 14-year-old has friends who who skip class, fight, engage in other dealing behaviors. But that same young person has a teacher he respects, feels connected to. He's connected with school, has supportive relationships at home, and believes in conventions, conventional rules and values. So can those connections be strong enough to counter some of the influence coming from his pairs? That is what socialborn f theory asks us to consider. So now let's put the two theories side by side. The social learning theory asks what is the young person learning and from whom? Social bond asks what is the young person connected to and how strong are those connections? And then we think back to my story. I can see both processes operate at the same time. There were bonds connecting me in one direction while pair influence pull me in the other direction. So both can exist at the same time. So let's ask you why simply saying he came from a good home or she fell on the wrong way. These questions may not adequately explain delinquency. So for this section if you want to remember only two words from the from this free. Social learning equals connection. Social bond equals sorry social learning influ social social learning equals influence whereas social bond influences connection. So the research then asked how those how do those influences and connections relate to delinquent behavior among youth in Senosia. So we'll now move on to methodology. I'm just going to skim through this one quickly. So this study targeted 300 students across five different secondary schools in St. Lucia. And for ethical purposes, I will not say which schools. Um I got um 268 responses. Um the target sample was form one and form two students and the age range was between 12 and 13. Sorry, 12 and 15, but the majority of students were 12 and 13. So the students completed a questionnaire about the experiences and behaviors. So this was particularly useful because not every incident of delinquency comes to the attention of the teachers, the the parent or the police. Sorry. So again the study examined violent and nonviolent behavior and explored how those behaviors were related to the two areas we've discussed. Okay. Now this is the most important part of the presentation the findings. Okay. So earlier I asked you to think about what you believed would be the greatest influence on delinquency. So remember your your answers. Before we begin I'm just going to explain the slide quickly. Um, the green arrow, sorry, the red arrow pointing upwards means that when that factor was present more strongly, young people tended to report more delinquent behavior. The green arrow pointing downwards means that stronger connections in that area were linked to less delinquent behavior. One other thing to keep in mind that these findings show us relationships. They tell us which things tended to go together did not mean that any one factor by itself caused a young person to to become delinquent. So let's start with nonviolent delinquency. The factor that stood out the most was young people's attitudes towards delinquency. To put it simply, young people who are more accepting of delinquent behavior were also more likely to report engaging in nonviolent delinquency. The next factor that stood out was the company they kept. Young people were associated more with delinquent pairs were also more likely to report nonviolent delinquency. But we also found something protective. their the relationships to their teachers. That's teacher teacher attachment. So [clears throat] young people who had stronger connections with their teachers tended to report less nonviolent delinquency. Now let's move on to um violent delinquency because something interesting happens here. The factor under violent delinquency that stood out the most was connection to school. So young persons who felt more connected to the school tended to report less delinquency. Attitudes toward delinquency were also important. Young people who were more accepting of delinquent behavior tended to report more delinquency. [clears throat] But what I particular want to notice is that when it came to violence, connection to school stood out most. So let me ask, why do you think feeling connected to a school might help protect a young person from becoming involved in violence? Why do you think feeling connected to a school might help protect a young person from becoming involved in violence? two responses or one. >> Great. Yeah. A sense of belonging. Yeah. >> So that's an important finding for prevention because it suggests that that the school isn't simply somewhere respond to problem problematic behaviors. after it happens the school environment can potentially can potentially be be part of the protection around a young person. So now we have total delinquency. So in the survey I just added the statistics between nonviolent and violent delinquency. I'll just brush it quickly. So when violent and nonviolent behaviors were combined, we looked at overall delinquency and we saw a similar pattern. Again, attitudes towards delinquency stood out the most. The next major influence was association with peers and again stronger relationships with teachers were linked to less delinquency. So I'm going to bring the findings together. So if you remember earlier, if you remember nothing else from the slide, I want you to remember three things. What young people believes in matters. Who they spending time with matters and who and what young people feel connected to matters. So that's this this is what the findings are telling us. PD this the the evidence is right there from the survey. >> Can you repeat the three again please? >> With pleasure. What young people believe matters. Who young people spend their time with matters and who and what young people feel connected to matters. So, did these findings match your expectations or did did anything surprise you? One or two responses. >> Okay. Okay. One of the things I find interesting is that the same factor did not stand out for every type of delinquency. For nonviolent and for nonviolence and overall delinquency, attitude stood out the most. For violent delinquency, connection to school stood out the most. And that gives us a very important lesson for prevention. We cannot assume that one solution will address every form of delinquency. Okay. >> [laughter] >> So policy and practice implications. So now that we know what the research found the important question becomes >> what do we do with the evidence? So the findings suggest that effective prevention can cannot only focus on responding to delan behavior after it occurs. We also need to address the attitudes, relationships, environments that influence the behavior in the first place. Uh one second. Okay. Okay. So, first attitudes matter. Definitions favorable to delinquency were the strongest predictor of nonviolent delinquency and the second strongest predictor for violent delinquency. So prevention has to go beyond simply telling young people don't do this. We need to challenge the beliefs and justifications that make delinquency delinquent behavior appear normal, acceptable or necessary. That could involve conflict res resolution programs, social emotional learning, positive role models and interventions that help young people develop healthier ways to respond into difficult situations. I mean these days before you not even step your should touch somebody's shirt, they want to grab a gun and and and shoot you, you know. So number two, pairs matter. association with delinquent pairs was the second strongest predictor for for both violent delinquency and total delinquency. But our responses cannot simply be choose better friends. A more useful prevention question is how do we create environments where positive pair relationships become more attractive and accessible? That means creating opportunities through sports, mentoring, youth organizations and other structured activities where young people can develop positive relationships with both peers and adults. Thirdly, any teachers here? Okay. Our teachers matter. Stronger teacher attachment was associated to lower delinquent behavior. That tells us that the relationship between a student and a teacher is not merely academic. For some young people, having an adult at school who knows them, listens to them and takes interest in them may become an important source of connection and also protection. Finally, teachers school connection matters too. One of our most important findings for violent delinquency was that school attachment was associated was sorry actually the strongest predictor operating in a protective direction. Students who are more likely attached were more strongly attached to school reported lower delinquency lower violent delinquency sorry. So we need schools where young people don't just simply attend. They need to feel a sense of belonging in the school. So question again, if you could strengthen one thing in our schools tomorrow to help reduce delinquency, what would it be? I think one or two question, one or two responses. >> Yes sir. I believe [clears throat] that the school has a benefit of social and so we really have to create this new education system and we cannot continue to divorce building of character education system who are less inclined to be inclined um is not totally because the attachment to school that attachment to school um that that shows less happened before. >> Mhm. So I think is lack of practice. to so there's definitely a link between poverty and crime but but causation is not necessarily that correction is not poverty doesn't necessarily cause strength is a lack of character >> because because most of us are growing so I think the school has to become a great reform And we have to incorporate the building of character into our education system. It must be deliberate. >> True. >> One second. Yeah. >> I support him totally thinks that the school will have some resistance by going forward while at home backwards. So you find the school and some want the school to influence the children in character. So you still has to do it you have that that negative [clears throat] backlash from the home as well is not in syn with >> you also need to create a safe environment for the teachers themselves. I I find that a lot of our teachers spend time dealing with the delinquency where they should be spending time teaching. Um so we need to um make mechanisms in place to deal with the delicate behavior. Um I see I see a class for example the teacher is teaching a class and sometimes have to leave that class to deliver one individual for almost a whole hour or two principal. So the the rest of the students are just then left to their own devices. So whilst we we we say the teacher needs to do this teacher needs to do that etc. But the the the support enir and safer environment must be created for the teacher who seems to be now always dealing with delinquency. >> Yeah. That's one point serious and I think that serious root cause analysis would and it would be interesting if you actually ask the students that feel that attachment to school how is it at their home? How was it like at their home? >> Because really truly nothing has changed fundamentally different in terms of >> what is offered or what is delivered in class the curriculum. Maybe the commitment by the teachers might be lacking but the curriculum is basically the same thing >> as well when when I went into school is more interesting >> but what has happened is that the family values are ser been seriously eroded. Mhm. >> And I I think if we do serious root cause analysis, that is where the issues at. I I think that is where the issues are. That is that is our challenge. One of the something that that that that has taken me back now um in the questionnaire this one of the question one of the questions I asked the students, have you experienced violence at home? The same students who said yes are the same students who answered yes for I see no problem in beating my my classmate. I have no issue if my friend does it. So you see where the the cycle continues. So you grew up in a household where you believe no that's that's a norm. So you go to school you do the same thing. Same way you in a household where your parents they steal or your parents you know send you to steal. You go to school, you might do the same thing and then your P seat, you do the same thing. So it's repeated. Yeah. >> So where is the best place for that? accountable. If you see violence at home and your students, you can exercise violence for students that reinforces the point that education system coming into school. It doesn't have to be in the school. We need to we need teachers who are who are taught to address that kind of from the from the as part of the education system and if it is if it is introduced as part of the education system where we're going to build character the parents who want to counter that will have to explain what basis you want the government and the country to decide not to instill discipline in your child because because the country needs >> and what basis you want to add >> to um Mr. Um when you mention for example very the education system and what is being offered there is very much the same right when you think about what the internet is saying you're you're saying what is offering education is very much the same and the internet is saying that what the youth is dealing with or what we are seeing is amplifying there is a gap how Can this system or the education or what is being integrate and relate to youth in a way where you know what what is happening in school addresses what we're seeing so that it's not really the same should it really be the same is it actually reflecting the context and actually taking responding is is the system responding the updates the upgrades the way that it was being actually taunt the person involved. Is there now a responsiveness to the context that we know to actually address this issue familiar with disability but I can give an example of the situation at play. I attended a certain school. I won't say whether it was my primary school or secondary school, but I attended a certain school and there was certain behavior among certain students there. And I went to my mother and informed her about the issue. My mother went into the school to speak to the relevant school officials about her concern. This wasn't the the education. This was the subjects. This is what was happening in the school environment because the children belonged to certain prominent families. They did not wish to rock the boat. And the school official point blank told my mother, "That is your responsibility to continue to raise your child the appropriate way." All right. So again, we are in a school environment. We are learning subjects but there is another aspect to school life. There's something happening in that school life. Because of how I was raised, I I openly spoke up and went to my parent about my concern. My parent goes in to the school, right? And the school official is responding that because it is the social element of the school and who the children are that are involved in that social element, it is not their part to deal with. Okay? Cuz it was not technically violating a specific school rule. >> We're not talking about whether or not it was moral behavior or ethical behavior. It was not a school rule that was being violated, but it is something that can influence and impact the the students life and the way they go forward, but the school is not taking a role in it. >> That's a point made by Mr. Hson is a valid point. The reality is that we have to work on both ends. We have to work with the school, make the education system a lot more responsive, um deal with character building, but we also have to work with the families. We cannot neglect working with the families because if we work with the families, we will develop more committed teachers. Individuals who are more committed to delivering the material that will develop. Cuz some of the challenges, some of these individuals are not committed to teaching. They want to earn a salary, but they're not really committed to teaching and doing some of the work that is required to really build character within the school. But you could build character in the school if the person returns home that all your work in the school will be eroded. So it needs to be done at both ends both the family and the school. That is where so our programming has to be deliberately >> pleasant day. I will change the dynamics a little. you raised you were raised in a good home and you still your pay engagement you decided okay I'm going to be part and parcel because of the context at the time there is something that is key in the crime prevention aspect and engaging in crime that we do not take a look at environment in the sense of environment we are what we are part of and persons don't take into consideration the physical environment >> mhm M >> in its context, the physical environment has a lot to do with it. Children spend a lot of time at school just like we spend a lot of time at work. What does the school setting look like? Is it a comfortable environment? Is it a welcoming environment? Already we know the home environment that they are coming from. If you're now going into another environment, what type of physical environment it is. And this is an area that we really need to work on because it is not a welcoming environment and of course you will not want to continue to stay there because it is not what you want to be part of. This can also change your psychology your the way you think because if you are in an area whereby it looks nice you would dress nice. >> Correct. >> You would feel nice. >> Mhm. >> If it's not then the reverse happens the broken window effect. Right. Additionally, an important factor is most of us are speaking of what it is that can be done for children and what can be done for us to change the crime aspect. What are we doing as adults? What used to happen? We go to the village raises a child. Let's go on the context of the village repres um >> the raising the child. How many of us turn a blind eye when we see things that not supposed to be? How many of us are role models? Remember, children are replicating, repeating what it is that we are doing as adults. So if we as adults are not doing the right thing even when no one is looking, what do you think the child is going to do? Then thirdly, we think we can think for them and we don't listen to what it is that they have to say. And lastly, and most importantly, the four-letter word that a people afraid to look at, love. And love is not what they make you believe. Love is actually what it is in its context. Mutual respect, genuine caring. So all of these are factors that we have to take into consideration when looking at a child and when we're looking at crime and we really need to work on the environment, the infrastructure, what it looks like so that we can change because you as a criminologist would know that the broken window effect says that whatever your environment looks like that is exactly what you are going to portray. >> Correct. >> Thank you. Yeah, I'm sorry. I just >> Yes. Um on Mr. Hson and Mr. Victor's point from earlier. Um I just want to say while I agree totally that the school must be a major player in getting that difference that change must be. Um my thing is that we also have to take in consideration that while we want to work on the students we must also work on training the teachers. The reason for that think of me as a teacher at 22 years old teaching for about three or four years not in a real situation. I'm just saying [laughter] and >> I was like >> and um you bring that new program in. I came from a home that might have been like how the students come from. >> So my whole upbringing is not what you really expect to be um pushing that program. So I must be worked on first so I can buy into the new first to be able to teach that to the streets because my upbringing is is exactly what we're trying to move away from. And if I if I'm still in that mindset and I'm teaching, I'm just a teacher in the same mold that the students we're trying to change is. So So we have to look at that as well. May I there there's one factor doctor that I believe that we seem to forget because this factor is also very helpful to mankind. But it it is a double-edged sword. You you mentioned three main factors we have to focus on. peer influence what the child mindset is on and there was a third one my father could be the commissioner of police and my mother could be Miss Emma Hippolit and I raised in a good home and I could be spending hours on social media listening to plump peos and came and six >> I'm not I have not gone on the block I have not met any pairs and I'm at home with my headphones and my parents believe oh he's such a nice boy He's such a nice girl. He or she goes nowhere. And then all of a sudden when I react in school, I'm blaming the teacher. I'm blaming mother and father. But no one knows that I'm spending 10 hours a day listening to the most vile of music and all type of bad content on social media on my device and my parents hardly check on me. I say this doctor just for us to understand the reason why we have so many different answers is because it's a complex >> problem to deal with and whilst you might have a a a class where you would say oh the teacher needs to do more just because two students are misbehaving but there are 13 that are doing well in that same teacher's class that same teacher so it is very dynamic in my 31 years as a police officer. I have seen things that have just shocked me where I have I have been called to the massi store to to to to deal with a student who you would think who just stole a bar of chocolate, oh that that child must come from a home that is poor. That child must come from a ghetto youth's home and when we get to the home you are shocked at who the parents are and how how how great their life is. So I I just wanted to bring that in doctor to for some reality in the situation that it is so complex and that's why we have varying views. >> Yeah. Because to borrow from what he was talking about, if you look at what grabs people's attention now, it is never the quiet, the safe, the the proper behavior, the expected behavior in society. It is how outlandish can you be, right? The ones that we uplift, the ones in society who are the headliners, they are not the people who conform. They're the people who stand out whether for positive or negative reasons. Right? And then you're dealing with children now who in today's society will not accept you just telling them do this. They want to know why. >> And as a society, guess what? Half of us cannot answer the why. >> The response that that is how we grew up or that is what we were told. >> People said that's not an answer for them. They need to have the ex explanation and it has to make sense. And in the same breath when they ask when they speak up you're shunning them because they're free thinkers. You want free thinkers. That's how change happens. That's how society evolves. You may want to um curb it in a certain manner but we are stifling some of them and as a result now they're going to act out in a different way. So it is a complex situation and one of the things that we have to appreciate is that yesterday's solutions may not help us with today's problems >> and in a in a society now where we are no longer a rock onto ourselves. We are part of a global institution, a global family. We need to be a little bit more cognizant about what we are exposing ourselves to as a society because society itself is changing. The beliefs and the structures that we had are falling by the side. So I think that all of the discussion we've had has been very interesting, but it needs to go beyond the four walls of the school. It needs to go beyond the four walls of the home. It needs to go beyond the the the pairs as in the peers that you live at home with or down the block, right? Um your the peers are now the people on online on Facebook, on Instagram who live in in Timbuktu. >> All right. And those are the ones they're socializing with. [laughter] >> Hi, morning doc. >> Morning sir. I really appreciate your presentation, but I noticed that you try not to be the sage on the stage. [laughter] I'm going to throw the ball right back at you. I need you to be the sage on the stage. You are the academic who has done the work. I I'm I I sense that you're avoiding preaching, but I think it's necessary this morning that you do the preaching. >> Yes. >> You had a stage on the stage from your research because the work is done in St. Lucia, very often we go back to our anecdotes and how we feel and so on and you've done the research. You put the stuff out there. You found it out. I need you to tell us what you found and what we need to do based on what you have found because you've done the work. It's not an anecdote. You've done the research and it's out there. I need you sorry apologies but I need you to tell us that because very often policy here there's a resistance to have data inform the policy and I know it's cultural and structural but the work that academics do all around the world informs these things and in St. Lucia, I think we need to change the approach. So, having done the research and having accepted the invitation to stand on the stage, I'm going to throw it to you. >> Preach to us. >> Preach. >> Thanks. >> Okay. One thing I can I can safely say now, um, we're our department is tasked with creating a national crime prevention policy. Now our approach was to make it datadriven. So we conducted a few national surveys and some other departments and with [snorts] my research my colleague we also did research well this PhD thesis in delinquency it's also a a national survey we've incorporated these that data into the policy it's presently under review by our superiors yeah but thank you very much for your comment in the interest of him. Um, allow me to continue, please. [laughter] That's a that's a very it was a very fruitful and interesting conversation. Okay, I'll just skip to the next slide. Okay, so effective prevention is not only about reducing risk, it's also about strengthening protection. Okay. Um, conclusions and key takeaways. So as we come to the end of the presentation, I want to bring us back to the central question. What influences delinquency? And perhaps equally important, what does understanding those influences tell us about prevention? So I'm just going to run through because of time. Okay. So okay, looking ahead, where do we go from here? The recommendations are granted in in a simple principle. If delinquency is influenced by attitudes, pair associations and young people's connections to school, then our prevention strategies should deliberately target those areas. So, first we need to strengthen young people's sense of connection and and belonging to school. Um, this particular this is particularly important because school attachment emerge as a strongest predictor of violence operating in a protective direction. So the question should be how do we make school schools places where young people feel valued, included and connected not simply places they are required to attend. That means identifying students who are beginning to disengage through absentism and we saw that through through COVID um postcoid many students got disengaged from school um through well absentism behavioral difficulties declining participation and other signs. So we need to intervene before that disconnection becomes more serious. Second we need to invest in positive teachers student relationships. Um teacher attachment was of course associated with lower delucan behavior. So that tells us that teachers can potentially play a protective role that ex that extends beyond the academic inru instruction. For some young people, one trusted adult at a school who knows them, listens to them and recognizes that when someone is changing may make a meaningful behavior. Sorry, when something is changing, it may make a meaningful difference. Um thirdly, we need to address how young people think about delinquent behavior. Um remember definitions favorable to delinquency were were the strongest predictor of delinquency. So prevention cannot simply consist of saying don't fight, don't steal, don't carry weapons. We need to challenge the attitudes, beliefs, and norms that allow these behaviors to become acceptable, justified, and normalized. Um finally we need to target prevention early. Most of the participants in this research were 12 and 13 years old. So if these influences and behaviors are already observable at that age then we need to not we should not wait until a young person has graduated into the system before we intervene. So the earlier we identify the risk and strengthen protection the greater our opportunity to change the trajectory. Okay. So looking ahead further research we also need to continue building evidence. We need more we need more surveys. We need more research. We need to gather more data. So the study was concentrated among younger school students. So future research should therefore include older adolesence and and a broader representation of schools and young people. I envisage um if in the interest of time when I when I conducted that survey um I wanted to do a longitudinal survey to follow the students from form one to form five. However, thanks I want to start from younger from primary school and follow them through and that takes a lot of commitment and funding minister. [laughter] Okay. So for me to conclude a final thought, when we strengthen the environments around young people, we strengthen their opportunities to choose a different path. And perhaps that is where effective juvenile delinquency prevention truly begins. Thank you very much. [applause] Thank you so much Dr. Mont Dr. Montel Phelix for that powerful powerful presentation. [snorts] Okay. So before we continue for our closing remarks I just want to briefly state something that I wanted to say earlier. There's a part of everything that everybody I think missed. Um outside of your responsibilities, outside of your titles, outside of what you believe your character is, who are you? Who are you in the core? What is it that is higher than you that you believe in that could set you on course? I think that's something that society has lost our spiritual belief. We have lost course. We have gone into more of the physical aspects of things. So I believe if we are more centered, if young persons get to learn who they are as an individual, what their purpose is on Earth, that could help curb the different distractions that will bring or maybe cause us to enter into criminal activity. So that's just my little tidbit. So in closing, I would like to welcome Mrs. Leslie Crane Mitchell, NCF Education Committee member and head of the UI Open Campus St. Lucia, [applause] thank you m everyone. A pleasant good morning and please allow me to adopt the protocol that has already been established. As we come to the close of this year's Brian Bernard Memorial Lecture, I believe that we leave here with something far more valuable than just information. We are left with a challenge. a challenge to look more closely at the environment our young people grow up in, the relationships that shape them, and the opportunities that we provide for them to make positive choices. The research presented this morning also leaves us with a heavy responsibility by reminding us of something that should be obvious but too often is not of something at once profound and deeply human that young people do not grow in isolation. They are shaped by the people who surround them, the relationships they experience, the schools they attend, the communities in which they live, and perhaps most importantly by whether they feel that they belong. Dr. Montel Felix's research challenges us to look beyond a simplistic explanation for the behavior of young people to consider not only what the young person perhaps did that was wrong but also what relationships surrounded them. What opportunities were available to them? Who was there to guide them, encourage them, believe in them and help them find a different path? These are difficult questions but they are necessary ones because if our young people are influenced by their environment then we must accept that each and every one of us have a role in creating that environment and by extension a responsibility to ensure that our youth are provided with the best possible physical, emotional and social conditions to enable them to thrive. The responsibility for the well-being of our young people cannot only rest on their shoulders. It is a shared responsibility. That is perhaps the most important message that we can take from this morning session. If social environments can contribute to negative behaviors, then the inverse is true that positive social environments can also serve as powerful protective factors. As the hardworking and dedicated staff of the National Community Foundation know only too well, every family strengthened is an investment in a child's future. Every teacher who makes a student feel seen is an investment in a child's future. Every mentor who offers guidance is an investment in a child's future. And every community and every community, sorry, that creates a safe space for young people is an investment in our natures nation's future. And sometimes the difference between a young person who loses their way and one who finds their way forward may be as simple and as profound as having one person who cared enough to stand beside them. That is why the findings shared this morning should not leave us with a sense of helplessness. They should in fact leave us with hope. And so as we remember Commissioner Brian Bernard, perhaps the greatest tribute we can offer is not simply to remember his name, but to allow his memory to move us towards action. Let this lecture challenge us to ask what more we can do. What more can we do to strengthen families to keep our young people engaged in school? What more can we do to provide them with mentors, positive role models and safe spaces? And what more can we do to ensure that every young person in St. Lucia knows that they are valued, that they matter, and that their future matters to us. Because behind every statistic is a story. And behind every young person is a future that can be shaped for the better. Our young people are not merely the leaders of tomorrow. They are part of St. Lucia today. The society we leave to the next generation will be determined in large measure by what we choose to do for that generation right now. So may we leave here this morning not simply inspired but committed. Committed to building stronger relationships. Committed to creating safer communities. Committed to listening to our young people. Committed to giving them not only boundaries but possibilities. And committed to ensuring that no young person is defined forever by a mistake, a circumstance, a poor choice, or a difficult beginning. As we honor the memory of Brian Bernard, may we also honor the young lives whose futures are still being written. And may the knowledge share shared here this morning help us write those futures with greater compassion, with greater wisdom and greater hope. Because ultimately the measure of a society is not only how it remembers those who came before us but how faithfully it invests in those who will come after us. On behalf of the education committee of the national community foundation I extend sincere appreciation to Dr. Montel Felix for his valuable contribution to this most important conversation. I extend appreciation to all of those who made this lecture possible and to everyone who joined us here this morning. May the memory of Brian Bernard continue to inspire meaningful inquiry, thoughtful dialogue, and most importantly, positive action in service of our nation and of its young people. I thank you. >> [applause] >> And thank you so much, Mrs. Leslie Crane Mitchell. So, here concludes our commemorative lecture. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for participating and for being here with us. It was definitely a pleasure. I pray that the powers that be do give you the funding and the resources necessary to con to continue the project. I believe it's necessary. I believe it's necessary and that we come up with some more creative ways to really engage our youth and to bring up more outstanding citizens fully holistically as well. So, thank you once again and do enjoy the rest of your day. Look. [music]