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00:00This program contains graphic scenes. Viewer discussion is advised.
00:30Beyond the Tape will be back after these messages.
01:01Hi everyone, I want to talk to you today about first aid if your little one has a seizure.
01:07So the principle we use is called ACTION or ACT ON.
01:10The A stands for assess the situation, move from danger and loosen any tight clothing.
01:15C stands for cushioning, so hold a pillow or blanket under the head, neck and shoulders.
01:20T stands for checking the time. You want to see how long the seizure lasts for and when it stops.
01:26And O stands for over. So as soon as you can, you want to turn your little one over,
01:31tuck the hand under the chin and bend the upper leg to prop the body on the side like so.
01:37And N stands for never. So never restrain, never hold in position,
01:41never try to put anything or force anything into the mouth.
01:44Definitely you want to bring to hospital if it's a first seizure
01:47or if the seizure lasts for more than five minutes and if you're concerned.
01:50Thanks for listening.
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03:20Good evening Trinidad and Tobago and wherever you may be viewing us.
03:44I'm Mark Besant and this is Beyond the Tape.
03:47Of course it's Friday. It's the end of the week for most of us.
03:51But of course the police work is never done.
03:53And I must be lucky today because I don't have one guest but I have two lovely ladies joining me today.
04:00We're going to be focusing on proactive measures to curb crime with the Special Victims Unit as it relates to bullying and school violence.
04:12Ensuring that youths are guided and given alternative approaches to handle anger management and so on.
04:17Of course no stranger to us today is Acting Superintendent Michelle Rowley-Powder from the Special Victims Department.
04:26And of course to her right is Wendy H. Lewis, the CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago Corporate Training Academy.
04:34Ladies, welcome.
04:36Thank you so much for having us.
04:37Good evening Trinidad and Tobago and your listening and viewing audience.
04:42Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here again.
04:48Good evening to Trinidad and Tobago.
04:50Well, I just want you to give us an idea about some of these strategies of course that the TTPS is employing.
04:59And what is the role of Ms. Lewis in assisting the TTPS?
05:04Okay, so with the recent resurgence of violence and bullying in the schools,
05:12the Special Victims Department has seen the need to introduce a program against bullying in schools,
05:22which we call the School Intervention Program.
05:28Alright, it goes under the name SIT, which is the School Intervention Team.
05:33Now one of the pillars of the TTPS strategic plan is community partnerships.
05:40And we are blessed to partner with the CEO of Trinidad Corporate Training Academy, Ms. Wendy Lewis.
05:53I must say thank you for your role.
05:55Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
05:57Thank you for stepping up to the challenge, you know.
05:59And she has a specific role in helping us put this program together
06:05and really address that issue of bullying in school, which is very prevalent at present.
06:12If you can just walk us through these five strategic pillars that you described earlier on to me before we got on here.
06:21Okay, so our five strategic pillars are number one is educate.
06:28Alright, we intend to teach students.
06:31We intend to teach students about the negative effects of bullying.
06:37Our second pillar is to encourage reporting.
06:42Now, we can only act or any authority can only act if we have the information.
06:49So we encourage students when we visit schools, we encourage them report bullying,
06:54be it a teacher, a dean, some person in authority.
06:59Alright, so when the information is there, then action can take place.
07:05Another strategic pillar is to promote kindness.
07:11We want to talk about implementing programs that can promote positive behavior and kindness.
07:20Our fourth pillar is to support victims.
07:24Hence, we have on board with us a member of the TTPS victim and witness support team.
07:32And she has a specific role, that's Ms. Tia Marie Bacchus.
07:37And she has a specific role to provide counseling, other resources,
07:43and that would come through the TTPS victim and witness support team.
07:47And our fifth pillar is to monitor and evaluate.
07:52We have visited a number of schools.
07:54We have lectured to way over a thousand students.
07:59And we must be able to evaluate what we have done to monitor children's behavior
08:05after we have spoken to them, after we have implemented whatever we have designed
08:11by way of the program so we can evaluate what is working, what is not working,
08:15what we need to improve, and where we need to go forward here on.
08:22So what is exactly the Trinidad and Tobago Corporate Training Academy's role
08:27in this symbiotic relationship with TTPS?
08:32What we've done, the Trinidad and Tobago Corporate Training Academy,
08:35is not new to the initiative.
08:37We would have worked with former Superintendent Clay Guy Allen in the past
08:40with police youth clubs.
08:42So what we're doing, we have created a program to address bullying,
08:46and we want to be able to address bullying from the root.
08:50We have to address bullying from the root,
08:52and we want to acknowledge the complexities of bullying
08:55because bullying doesn't just start.
08:58There's a root cause.
08:59One size doesn't fit all.
09:01It's influenced by personal behavior, societal norms.
09:05There's so many things in the environment.
09:07We have a component that I've created called Parents vs. Parenting.
09:11Not every parent knows how to parent.
09:14We have parents who don't understand parenting.
09:16Once you've made a child, you're a parent,
09:18but do you know how to address your child, how to communicate with your child,
09:22how to identify the red flags because there are always red flags.
09:26A child doesn't commit suicide just like that.
09:28There's a start and an end process.
09:30So we want to be able to highlight the root causes, the home environment,
09:34the insecurities that exist, things like low self-esteem,
09:37and our young men and women need to understand their worth
09:40to the point where if somebody says something negative to you,
09:44it's like water off a dog's back because you know who you are.
09:47And that's a bit where we want to take it.
09:49So we want to also recognize the preventative and early intervention,
09:53the role of adults as leaders.
09:55Parents play a crucial role in this anti-bullying campaign
09:59because children repeat what they see.
10:02Children repeat what they hear, and they live what they learn.
10:06So when a parent comes home after facing the complexities of life
10:10and you take your stress out on your children
10:12and you end up calling your children names,
10:15your children tend to believe that that's okay behavior.
10:18And then they repeat that behavior in the school system,
10:21and in the school system, we have minds from all over,
10:24different geographical locations, different genders, different races,
10:28different religions, and you never know how that will sit well
10:32or not with someone else.
10:34I could tell you something negative and you walk away.
10:36I could tell you something negative and that's a trigger for me
10:39because of everything that I would have been going through at home.
10:42So that hit and move.
10:44And then we're not responding, we're reacting
10:46because we're acting without emotions.
10:48So we certainly want to continue this discussion, of course,
10:51and we hope that a lot of parents are listening out there
10:53as well as their children.
10:55But now we're going to go to our headlines.
11:04♪♪
11:14♪♪
11:24♪♪
11:34♪♪
11:46So those are some of our headlines within the past 24 hours.
11:49Of course, there is a very disturbing video
11:51that has been shown on social media over the last 24 hours
11:55involving a shooting, I believe, yesterday afternoon,
12:00the day before, sorry, near the Piccadilly Street area,
12:02which is a stone's throw away from the Bessel Street police station.
12:06Take a look at this.
12:08Some vendors selling water.
12:10♪♪
12:18Heavy firepower.
12:20Clearly I understand that the intended victim there would have escaped.
12:25I believe he was shot and injured in that shooting.
12:29But look at where this is.
12:31This is virtually 200 meters, if so much, from the Bessel Street police station.
12:36And these men are so brazen to actually stop in a vehicle
12:40with traffic behind and open fire on an unsuspecting vendor.
12:46Of course, we don't know what are the reasons for the attempted shooting,
12:49but certainly, Ms. Rawley-Powder, you, as an acting superintendent,
12:55I mean, concerns of this kind of brazen daylight shooting continuing.
13:00Yes.
13:02Well, one thing I know for sure, an investigation has started,
13:06and this type of behavior would not be condoned.
13:11I am not sure what would get into people's minds
13:15to come close to a police station to perform these types of acts.
13:19But one thing is for sure, the police service will not tolerate that type of behavior.
13:25Certainly.
13:27And we just want to go back now, of course, to our subject matter
13:30and, of course, bullying in schools.
13:32And we want to take a look at this particular video with a school fight happening.
13:39So, of course, there's a number of students, female students,
13:48involved in this particular incident.
13:52I'm not familiar with this school, of course,
13:54and I don't know if Acting Superintendent Rawley-Powder
13:58can give us more information about this incident.
14:02It's becoming a norm to see such social media videos being posted online, of course,
14:08and you have people actually, instead of trying to intervene,
14:13they let it go on for quite a long time before anybody tries to intervene,
14:17unless, of course, an adult is passing by
14:21or somebody, a security guard is nearby to intervene.
14:25There's an adult now coming to try and break up after almost, what, 30, 40 seconds.
14:34I do not have the information on the origin of the video, actually.
14:40But we would hope that, you know, you're speaking about parenting,
14:45and Ms. Lewis, and, of course, this is indicative
14:49because some of these school fights start after school even,
14:53and this looks like it's on the roadway.
14:56So maybe school just over, and you're seeing a number of students,
15:01you know, five, six, seven, eight of them involved in this fight here.
15:07And where are the parents, and what are they doing, I mean, this type of behavior?
15:13Mr. Bassan, without knowing the details of the students and who their actual parents are,
15:19we've seen so much of this in the past.
15:22One of the things that I would say is, why are our youth so angry?
15:27And even when you're angry, why are you resorting to such violent behavior?
15:33Where have you seen that before, and what made you believe that that is acceptable behavior?
15:39And why are you so fearless to the point where whoever is around is irrelevant?
15:47We're talking about parents.
15:49I have no idea who they are and who their parents are, but from a general perspective,
15:54some of the parents are so close in age to the children.
15:57Some of the parents or parent are doing two and three jobs, so there's a lack of supervision.
16:04And when there's a lack of supervision, you know they say the devil finds works for idle hands to do.
16:08And we're in the information age, so they're online, they're watching movies,
16:13they're being influenced, they're being coerced.
16:16And at the end of the day, this is the result of it.
16:19So what part of the program is, I have a segment called Let's Map It Out.
16:24And MAP is the acronym for Mindset, Attitude, and Purpose.
16:27So the first thing we want to pour into the young people is that your mindset needs to shift.
16:33Because you can't do the same thing and expect a different result.
16:36I know a lot of people keep talking about the day when a village wants to raise a child.
16:40That village doesn't exist the way it existed back in the day.
16:44So we have to resort to shifting of mindsets and recognizing people have different attitude
16:49and what is your purpose in life.
16:52What do you want for yourself?
16:54Definitely, and we're going to continue this discussion in a moment.
16:56We're going to take a short break and we'll be back.
16:58Stay with us.
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19:43Welcome back to Beyond the Tape. I'm your host, Mark Besson.
19:45Of course, it's Friday, and today we have two lovely ladies joining us, of course, on the program.
19:50Acting Superintendent Michelle Rowe-Powder from the Special Victims Department, as well as Wendy H. Lewis, the CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago Corporate Training Academy.
20:02So we were talking a little bit about this program, and I just want to get a sense of this program in terms of the team that comprises this particular program.
20:15In terms of the intervention and so on by the TTPS.
20:20Okay, so our team consists of Ms. Corporal Allison Guerra. She's the head of the school intervention team.
20:31She is a lecturer with the TTPS, and she is a member of the Special Victims Department.
20:38We have Constable Castle. He is another lecturer, a member of the TTPS Special Victims Department.
20:46We have Ms. Aficia Edwards, another lecturer.
20:51We have Ms. Beckles.
20:54We also have Ms. Tia Maria Bacchus.
21:00She is a member of the Victim and Witness Support Unit of the TTPS.
21:04And then we have our esteemed Wendy H. Lewis.
21:12This is us in action.
21:14We have Mr. Duncan there also.
21:18This is us in action on Monday at the Trinity East.
21:22We were doing some work with the students there.
21:29And if you can tell us, what's the...
21:31I mean, in the last couple of weeks, of course, things have kind of snowballed with the death of a young Jidan after he died by suicide.
21:40And I know that the team will be obviously in quite a demand across the schools, and I know they would have started this campaign.
21:48What's the workload like for them in terms of also not just how many schools they have to visit over a period of time,
21:54but also in terms of the number of investigations that might have started over the last four to five weeks?
22:00It's a small team, and I imagine there's a lot to investigate.
22:03Okay.
22:04So what we do is, for now, we are focusing on more the lecturing and counseling part of things.
22:12As with Faisabad, an investigator from that station district has been continuing investigations into that matter.
22:22All right?
22:23So we were at Faisabad Secondary following up that matter.
22:28We were there on the 23rd, last Wednesday.
22:30Yes, I do recall that was with a gentleman who was struck from behind by a student, correct?
22:34Yeah, with a...
22:35That was captured on video.
22:36Yeah, with a mask.
22:37Yes.
22:38Yeah.
22:39So we were there doing our part of, you know, speaking to them about the negatives of bullying.
22:44We try to encourage or let them know that the bullying is negative behavior.
22:51There's nothing like good bullying.
22:53We have to enforce that negative behavior.
22:57It will not be tolerated, and the consequences of bullying, we go so far to let them know the different types of bullying.
23:07There may be physical, verbal, social, and what they are.
23:11So we break it down to them, tell them, understand what is really happening.
23:15All right.
23:16This question is directed to Ms. Lewis.
23:18And if you can, in a nutshell, I mean, being part of this team and going to these schools, what are some of the problems you hear from students,
23:27as well as what are some of the issues that they face, not just in school but within their homes?
23:32Because, of course, parenting is also a very crucial aspect of how these children are being brought up.
23:39Yeah.
23:40Two of the things that stood out for me on more than one occasion is a lack of self-worth, a lack of understanding who you are,
23:48whereby we have so many children that are joining the bullying camp so that they can fit in and feel better about themselves.
23:56So there's a lack of supervision in some of the homes, and there's a lack of communication.
24:01That bit is so key.
24:03So students, children are not comfortable with having conversations with their parents or guardians because they are forever busy.
24:10Mom, you got a minute?
24:11Not right now.
24:13Without recognizing that you've just dismissed your child, and whilst you've dismissed your child, you not only did that,
24:19but you've now directed your child to the ear of someone who's willing to listen.
24:24And that person who is willing to listen is where cyberbullying comes in, where the whole social media platform comes in,
24:30where someone else who will be encouraging you to do something, to be a part of a gang, and all these different things.
24:35So one of the things that I, you know, really am forceful about is letting them understand their worth.
24:42There's purpose on the inside of you.
24:45Recognize who you are, why you are here, what you are here to accomplish.
24:50Your life, you have a choice.
24:52Life is a reflection of the choices we make.
24:54How long would you like to live, I asked some young men in Laventon.
24:58Well, they said by 21, I'm gone.
25:00But is that your choice?
25:02I'm not interested in what they've said because a lot of people are saying things.
25:06But what are you listening to?
25:08What is triggering your pattern of behavior to shift?
25:11What will make you want to become a better version of you so that you represent the world, not just in society, but in the home.
25:17Make your parents proud.
25:18Make your community proud.
25:20Be the first person in your family to be great.
25:22So we have to speak to them.
25:23We have to speak that language.
25:25And you have to speak it in their language so that they can understand.
25:29So lack of communication is one of the things that I've seen repeatedly.
25:34A lack of self-worth, repeatedly.
25:36And then you have those that go into silent mode.
25:39So there's different types of bullying as well.
25:41You can just go into silent mode because you do not know who to trust.
25:45Trust is another issue.
25:47Definitely.
25:48I want to remind callers, we're using the number today, 2990047 Extensions, 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1997.
25:58I do believe we have a caller on the line.
26:00Caller, good evening.
26:18Yeah, I totally agree.
26:37I mean, when we talk in prayers, we're not talking religion.
26:39We're talking spiritual guidance and recognizing that there's somebody bigger than you.
26:44There's somebody that's responsible.
26:47And at the end of the day, there are consequences for behaviors.
26:51And we just hope and pray, literally, that parents who aren't experienced in parenting get the right help at the right time and do better.
27:03We can only hope that they can do better.
27:05I hope the parents out there are listening, of course.
27:08And, of course, by extension, the children.
27:10I do believe we have another caller on the line.
27:12Caller, good evening.
27:14Good evening, Mark.
27:17Good evening, sir.
27:19How are you doing?
27:20I'm all right.
27:21There's two people around me.
27:22Are they police officers?
27:24One is a police officer and the other one represents an organization that is assisting the TGPS in this bullying campaign.
27:31Okay.
27:32So why are you not in uniform?
27:36Why are you not in uniform?
27:39Would you like me to respond?
27:41Can you mute your television, sir?
27:45Hello?
27:47Yes, Mark, I hear you.
27:48Right.
27:49So you're asking why the officer is not in uniform.
27:52I think I will let her answer that question.
27:56Go ahead.
27:57I'm attached to a plane cruise section.
28:00I have permission from the commissioner to wear a plane cruise.
28:06So there we go.
28:07So we were having this conversation, of course.
28:10Well, I thank you for your contribution, of course, about discipline and prayers that the previous caller raised.
28:20What are the alarm factors that you will see where you talk about silent bullying starts to seep in to a good student that is good at home,
28:33but then he decides that to be part of that and not get bullied gets into the silent bullying and this team of people.
28:40What triggers that?
28:42What are the red flags?
28:44Yes, the red flags.
28:45Some of the red flags, you will see lack of communication.
28:48You come from school, you just go straight in your room.
28:50You're not having any conversation with anyone.
28:53Eating patterns can change as well.
28:56Change of dress code.
28:58You see, one of the things that we've lost in society, Mr. Basant, is the fact that we no longer feel the need to supervise our children on a regular basis and communicate with our children.
29:12And let me just, I don't want to cut you too much, but I know this advent of social media, the Internet, your cell phone has to play a part in that.
29:22Agreed.
29:23These devices that we have, they can be good, they can be bad.
29:27You have a choice.
29:28When you surf the net and you put something in a Google strip, you get to choose what you're searching for.
29:34So, we come right back to your mindset.
29:36I could be on my phone all day, but I could be doing something constructive.
29:40Other people are using their phone for cyber bullying, pornography, all different types of things.
29:45So, it comes back to a choice.
29:47So, where are your choices stemming from?
29:49It's stemming from the home and the company you keep.
29:52So, you know, they say, show me your friends and I will tell you who you are.
29:55So, one of the things that we have to recognize, we have to build character in our young people so that you recognize when to say yes and how to say no.
30:03You do not have to follow the crowd.
30:05That was a choice.
30:06When something happens, how comfortable are you to share with a teacher, share with a parent, share with a guardian, share with a neighbor?
30:13Society has a role to play as well.
30:17I certainly agree with you and I want to send a message to those young men out there who feel that at the age of 21 that their life is going to be cut short.
30:26Have some kind of ambition, you know.
30:28Have some kind of goal and try to surround yourself with positive people who you can nourish your mind and your soul and your whole inner being with and try to emulate, you know, things that you see are good.
30:44And hopefully you can go on the right path.
30:47We're going to take a short break and we'll be back. Stay with us.
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31:56Athletes, coaches, administrators, and public.
32:00We need to find the desire to work together.
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32:42Welcome back to Beyond the Tape, it's Friday.
32:44I'm your host Marc Besson, of course joined today by the acting superintendent of the Special Victims Department, Miss Michelle Rowley-Powder.
32:54And next to her is of course the CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago Corporate Training Academy.
32:59We just want to do some housekeeping items before we go back to the conversation.
33:04We want to take a look at this video.
33:06It's not funny, but it happened a couple nights ago.
33:11And incidentally, the first two gentlemen came to rob this establishment apparently.
33:16So they jumped the counters trying to rummage through I guess the cash register or whatever belongs.
33:23And then they are confronted by two other bandits, apparently, who came with the same intention.
33:29And you see one of the bandits behind the counter throwing something at the second bunch of bandits.
33:36Really, really, really comical, but still we are seeing these types of videos emanating from CCTV footage,
33:45where brazen bandits are becoming even more bold-faced in approaching businesses and perpetuating these types of crimes,
33:56even with cameras and all these things looking.
33:59Comment?
34:02Interesting.
34:04It's like the teeth catch your teeth.
34:07Well, it would seem from that and then they all make a very hasty retreat.
34:13So two different parties attempted to rob the same place at the same time.
34:18Sometimes you don't see that happening.
34:20I mean, a lot of people would have made comments on social media, you know, the bandit, etc, etc.
34:26But it's no laughing matter at the end of the day because then you see that apparently two people or four people
34:32had the same idea at the same time about the same information at the same time about this establishment.
34:37So we are hopeful that the police will do due diligence and, of course, apprehend those that are responsible for this act.
34:45So we are talking about this particular project.
34:51If I could just go into a little more details as to what exactly does the project do in terms of assisting children
34:58and by extension teachers and the schools that you all have earmarked.
35:03So we have what we call the ABC.
35:06So the A stands for advocacy.
35:09So we're really advocating for safe environments, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, in the home,
35:16outside of the home, outside interventions, etc.
35:19And the bullying policies is what they fall under.
35:23And we have consequences for actions.
35:25And I'm going to allow Assistant Superintendent to share some of the information from the Summary Offenses Act
35:31so that people recognize that there are consequences for your actions.
35:36So what is bullying?
35:39Bullying is aggressive behavior, repeated aggressive behavior intended to harm or intimidate others.
35:46Now harming may take different forms.
35:49Physical, meaning hitting, shoving, pushing, slapping, tapping, kicking.
35:57Verbal, repeatedly calling names, teasing, threats.
36:03Social, spreading rumors, exclusion or manipulating friendships.
36:10And then there's cyberbullying, which is harassment over digital platforms.
36:16The bullying of itself is not written in the statutes.
36:20However, the act that comes as a result of the bullying is what the law caters for.
36:28And we have the Summary Offenses Act, Chapter 1102.
36:33We have that assault by beating where Section 4
36:37sweeps any person who unlawfully assaults or beats any other person
36:42upon complaint by or on behalf of the party aggrieved
36:46is liable to a fine of $400 or to imprisonment for three months.
36:51And that's summary.
36:53Indictably, which is the most serious matter, we have
36:57Offenses Against the Persons Act, Chapter 1108.
37:01We have Section 30A.
37:05Any person who is convicted upon an indictment of assault occasion in actual bodily harm
37:11is liable to imprisonment for five years.
37:14And any person who is convicted upon an indictment for a common assault
37:18is liable to a fine of $4,000 or imprisonment for three years.
37:22These are some of the consequences.
37:25You would have mentioned the different types of bullying.
37:28You have the physical, you have the cyberbullying and so on.
37:33And I don't know if you all have statistics, of course, to support some of it,
37:37but have you seen a prevalence or a rise, apart from physicality,
37:41in terms of cyberbullying over a period of time?
37:44Because with the advent of social media and phones and the Internet,
37:47is it something that is becoming more and more prevalent as we go on?
37:52Do you all have any statistics?
37:54I don't have those statistics here with me,
37:58but we are at a social media age.
38:02And we have seen a prevalence.
38:05It is prevalent and we have seen some increase.
38:07Has it exceeded the physical aspect of the bullying?
38:10Not really.
38:12I'm just curious, because as we spoke about this advent of social media,
38:18just to get a sense of, because as you said,
38:21children can sit in their homes and be intimidated by other children or other persons.
38:26And of course, we're not just going to stymie this and think it happens just in schools,
38:31but also in workplaces, where this is also prevalent.
38:36And I expect that it will be the same type of penalties, of course,
38:43for those who are doing this in the workplaces as well.
38:46Yes, I know for a fact it is prevalent in the workplace. It is.
38:53Bullying is not just about the students and what we're seeing as a result of the suicide.
38:58Bullying does take place in the workplace and even outside of the workplace in both sectors.
39:03And at the end of the day, there are individuals with titles
39:06and believe that that gives them some authority to speak down to.
39:11There are so many different types of bullying that take place in our society.
39:15We all need to be cognizant of the fact that we ought to be our brother's keeper.
39:19We need to understand your worth. I keep coming back to understanding your worth.
39:23Because you could say the worst thing, if I don't believe it, I'm not accepting it.
39:27So then why are these young people accepting? It's because they don't believe in themselves.
39:32How difficult is it, Ms. Lewis, to break down that fear factor
39:38that a lot of students have when they have been bullied?
39:43I recall a gentleman calling into the radio program a couple of weeks ago
39:49and he spoke about his interaction after he was bullied when he was many years old.
39:55And when they were all calling to the principal's office, he pointed out one and two,
40:00but he did not want to point out number three because of that fear
40:04that that person had instilled in him for so many years of his life.
40:09So I'm asking, when you all interact with the students at these schools,
40:14imagine that fear has a lot to do with some of them opening up to you.
40:19Agreed. It's a cycle. The physical aspect is the end.
40:24It's coming down to the end. It all starts to play with their mind.
40:28So it's a psychological thing too. And when there's an open gap in these children,
40:32so we may be living in a home with one parent, you may have experienced bullying in the past,
40:37you may have low self-esteem, so you're vulnerable.
40:41So the slightest thing will keep increasing that fear factor in you.
40:45And at the end of the day, if you don't find positive measures to eradicate the fear,
40:50the fear will continually be multiplying to the point where you could become silent.
40:55And there are so many people being bullied and don't even have the strength,
40:59mentally and emotionally, to speak out about the bullying.
41:05In addition, I remember interacting with someone last week while we were at the mall.
41:11We were interacting with the public, and the issue of bullying came up.
41:17And there was one gentleman who approached us. He said,
41:20I had been bullied for all my school life. He said my entire five years I spent at secondary school,
41:26I had been bullied. And we asked ourselves, where was the courage to report it?
41:33And I'm wondering if people don't tell themselves, look, I'd rather do not come forward and report it
41:40because of the consequences.
41:43And as a generation, we wonder if we would like to hear this kind of story with the generation that's coming after us,
41:52or if we are at a point now in our history where we could actually make a difference.
42:00You know, where people would say, I was bullied, and I wouldn't want my grandchildren to go through what I went through.
42:05So I think it's time that society needs to adapt a certain approach to the way we treat each other.
42:12We're certainly going to talk a little bit about this after the break.
42:16So we're going to take a short break, and we'll be back. Stay with us.
42:24Do you know how vulnerable we are to climate change as small islands?
42:27Darlene, what is this about now?
42:29Well, small changes can make a big impact. Simple things like unplugging devices when not in use.
42:35Okay, I can do that.
42:37Keep the fridge closed and air dry your clothes instead of using the dryer.
42:43You know, growing up in Tobago as a child, we used to be drying and bleaching our clothes outside.
42:48I still prefer it on a sunny day.
42:50Those were the good old days.
42:52Solar power to the people.
43:00We're going to take a short break.
43:02Stay with us.
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44:02It starts here with the Trinidad Express newspapers.
44:07To enhance your reading experience, our back page will now carry the second biggest story of the day,
44:14leading to all of the content you want.
44:17Local and international news, sports, weather, lifestyle articles, puzzles, and more.
44:24So whether you like reading from the front or the back, our new design has you in mind.
44:31It starts here with the Trinidad Express newspapers.
44:36Welcome back to Beyond the Tape. I'm your host, Mark Bustamante.
44:46Of course, it's Friday and the police work is never finished.
44:50Today we have from the Special Victims Department, Acting Superintendent Michelle Rowley-Powder.
44:56Alongside her is Wendy H. Lewis from the CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago Corporate Training Academy.
45:04We just want to take a look at some housekeeping items involving a road traffic accident earlier today in central Trinidad.
45:14Apparently, we're not sitting. This happened, I believe, along the Mulchan Siu Chan Road in Chaguanas early this morning.
45:26It seemed that our occupant, two vehicles, were involved in the accident.
45:30At least one person was injured.
45:33Then there was another accident that occurred in the west, I believe, on the way to Digger Marting.
45:39What I was told was that there was some kind of spillage of diesel on the roadway that caused two accidents in that area back-to-back this morning.
45:51Obviously, we want to urge motorists, as we get into the Christmas season, to be very careful and cautious on the roadways of Trinidad and Tobago.
46:03I'm sitting, as we lead up to the Christmas period, closer.
46:08We will obviously have persons from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service coming in on this program to talk about road safety as we get into the festive season.
46:19We're continuing our discussion, of course, about bullying and violence in schools.
46:25Just before the break, of course, we talked about a guy who was bullied all his life.
46:31Just to touch on before you go into any other things, I know that sometimes this has a mental and psychological effect on a person for the rest of their life
46:41because they're not able to tell anybody about this, and this has cloistered within them for all their life.
46:49This can be unhealthy, yes?
46:51Yes.
46:53Anyone?
46:55It is unhealthy.
46:57I think some of the things that may assist, counseling, therapy, open-mindedness, recognizing that this does not have to be a portion,
47:07you of yourself deciding, I've had enough of this and I would like a different path.
47:11Back to choices.
47:13We do have a caller on the line. Caller, good evening.
47:17Yes, blessings to the panel again.
47:19What I'm seeing here, Mr. Bassant and officers, one of these days, the child, what has been bullied over and over,
47:27paid protection, taxing our schools to the bigger ones, is a no-no.
47:33One of these days, I'm not condoling this officer, but one of these days, a child, what has been bullied, will walk in school and stab the bully.
47:43That's like in America, that's what's happening.
47:45They go to school with machine guns and kill people.
47:50One of these days, a child, some children will not take that anymore, and they, instead of being the victim, they might be charged.
47:58Something has to be done about this bullying in school. Thanks a lot.
48:02Superintendent, you want to take that one?
48:04I do agree that we have to treat with the situation.
48:08Hence, we have this program. We intend to expand this program.
48:12It's already underway in Tobago, Tobago Division.
48:16This program is up and running, has been up and running for a while.
48:20They actually go into the schools and treat with these issues.
48:23We have seen the need to expand it to all of Trinidad and Tobago.
48:28We have spoken to Mr. Meister up to this morning.
48:31In the TTPS, we intend to create a more holistic approach to this whole situation.
48:39The entire of Trinidad will benefit from the anti-bullying program.
48:46You did talk about people inwardly or introvertly keeping that hurt and that bullying inside, but of course, there's a flip side to that.
48:56That's right. Correct. As I would have mentioned earlier as well, they are reacting.
49:02At the end of the day, everybody's situation is different.
49:05You're human beings. You could see there's so much one can take.
49:09Everybody's background is different.
49:11Some may tell a parent if they have one, and some may decide to take things in their own hands.
49:16For some, it's a defense mechanism.
49:19It makes them feel safe. It makes them feel secure.
49:22That's why we have this program so that we can explain to them that there's no positive side to bullying.
49:28It's extremely negative, and we would like to eradicate it from the root so that we could create a better society for one and all.
49:36In the last couple of weeks, I know the program just started, but have you all seen any positives so far that you can tell the nation about in relation to the program
49:50and how some of the students have been reacting?
49:53One of the things I observed when we went to Trinity is attentiveness.
49:57It's not very easy to get the attention of hundreds of students, especially when they see as the city boys in blue walk in the room.
50:07They were attentive. They were very open-minded.
50:11They were open to change. They were open to dialogue.
50:14Even when one of the lecturers would have started speaking, they were very interactive.
50:19They are listening. Hopefully, they take in what they've listened and they act accordingly.
50:25We are getting the attention of the students in a serious way.
50:30I think they're now seeing that while this may have been a photo op or a video or a posting in the past,
50:37it could be something that everybody laughs about, there are consequences.
50:42That's one of the things that we literally drove home when we were at Trinity earlier this week.
50:49One thing that stood out is when we started, we do an interactive session where we allow students to interact.
50:57One thing we noticed is some of them had the perception that there was good bullying and bad bullying.
51:03After we debriefed, we discussed that we have to drive home the point to every other school that we go to, every single school,
51:14that there's nothing like positive bullying. Bullying is negative. It is negative behavior and there are consequences.
51:21When we were at Faisalabad Secondary on Wednesday, we did an interactive session.
51:28In order to treat with what we observed in Trinity, after the session, we were questioning them.
51:35We asked them questions about, what did you learn today and what do you think?
51:40Before we start, we ask people their opinion of bullying and that kind of thing.
51:45Afterwards, we would ask questions, call them up, ask questions to ensure that the point was well driven home.
51:55Wonderful. We're going to take a short break and we'll be back. Stay with us.
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53:48Welcome back to Beyond The Tape. I'm your host, Mark Bessan.
53:51Of course, joined today by Acting Superintendent of the Special Victims Department, Michelle Rowley-Powder.
53:58And beside her is Wendy H. Lewis, CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago Cooperation Academy Training.
54:04I got it right this time.
54:06I got it right this time.
54:08And beside her is Wendy H. Lewis, CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago Cooperation Academy Training.
54:14I got it right this time.
54:16I just wanted to remind you guys about the Community Justice Clinic that is being held on this Saturday, 26th of October, 2024.
54:27Between the hours of 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. in five police divisions.
54:31Southern Division, Western Division, Port of Spain Division, Central Division and Northern Division.
54:36Remember, go out there and ask the questions you need to find out about marital issues, land dispute issues, etc.
54:43So make sure and go out there and support that and get free legal advice.
54:48So we just want to wrap up, of course, ladies.
54:51And I want to find out what advice do you all both have for parents out there faced with issues as it comes to bullying in certain schools that their children may attend.
55:03I have a question for parents, actually.
55:06What type of parent are you?
55:08Are you a neglective parent where you're absent?
55:13Are you a permissive parent, which we have a lot of, where that is child-driven?
55:18So you see simple things like you're going to the supermarket and the child wants to fill the trolley as if they're working somewhere.
55:25And the parent is allowing the child to take over.
55:28So that is where it's extremely permissive.
55:30And they take that from one level to the next.
55:32Then we have the authoritative parent where they solve problems and they get to the root of things and they have open dialogue.
55:39And then you have the authoritarian parent where the rules are extremely strict to the point of being barbaric or robotic.
55:46So what type of parent are you?
55:48And as a result of your answer, what type of children do you think you are rearing?
55:53And what behavioral patterns do you think you should change?
55:56So I want to encourage parents, as we close, to encourage open dialogue with your children.
56:01Because when they're not speaking to you, they're speaking online.
56:05And I would like to send a message to our children.
56:13Now, in doing this campaign, we have observed that one of the contributing factors to this bullying and this kind of behavior is the peer pressure.
56:29And there are ways to counteract peer pressure.
56:33So students, know your values and be confident in your choices.
56:41Practice saying no.
56:42If you know something is wrong, you have to be strong enough to say no.
56:47Assertive communication to refuse unwanted suggestions.
56:52You be assertive.
56:54Surround yourself with positive influences.
56:59Build friendship with people who respect you and respect your boundaries.
57:05Seek support.
57:07And talk to a trusted friend, mentor, or counselor when you are in doubt.
57:14Thank you very much.
57:16Students?
57:20So that is some advice from these ladies here.
57:24Of course, we know that this campaign is continuing across the country.
57:28Started in South Trinidad, and I expect, according to ACP MyStar, that it will expand across the country in the coming months, of course.
57:38And we really want to thank Mrs. Powder and Ms. Lewis for their time, of course.
57:43They have a very important role and a critical role to play in helping to shape young minds in our country.
57:49And by extension, guiding them on the right path.
57:52And it's important that you, as youngsters, listen to some of the advice, because we have been there.
57:58I mean, the advent of social media might not have been in some of our times, but it would have been starting at some of our times.
58:05So I want to encourage all young people out there, you know, find a balance.
58:11Speak to somebody when you have a problem, whether it be a teacher, a role model, a peer, your parents.
58:19Do not cloister something if you're being bullied, if you feel intimidated.
58:23Speak to somebody out there that obviously will have a listening ear.
58:28Repeat tonight at the Eleventh Theatre.
58:30The TV6 News is up next.
58:32And no, we run tomorrow.
58:34Of course, enjoy the weekend.
58:36Spend some time with your family and friends.
58:38And have a good one.
58:39We'll see you on Monday.
58:48.
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