Alliance Calls for Stronger Youth Intervention
Opposition representatives Stacy ‘Buddha’ Mather and Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull are urging the government to expand targeted youth intervention and rehabilitation programmes, saying the Virgin Islands is starting to ‘reap the rewards’ of neglecting at-risk young people. They call for better data collection, school-based supports and practical opportunities for young Virgin Islanders rather than one-off events and infrastructure spending.
Opposition Territorial At-Large Representative Stacy ‘Buddha’ Mather and colleague Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull have renewed calls for the government to strengthen youth intervention and rehabilitation programmes across the Virgin Islands, warning that recent events reveal the consequences of long-term neglect.
Mather, a former educator, described a recent visit to His Majesty’s Prison as “very sobering,” recounting that two teenage boys were being held allegedly for the murder of another young man. He said all three — the accused and the victim — had attended the same youth programme, underscoring his view that existing interventions are not reaching the young people who need them most. “We are seeing what we’ve sowed, what we’ve ignored,” Mather said, questioning current priorities.
He pointed to the territory’s spending on high-profile initiatives — noting a $300,000 anti-crime summit — and asked whether such events deliver the targeted support needed to prevent young people from becoming involved in serious crime. Mather urged the collection and use of school-based data to identify and help at-risk students early. “If you can see a child who is in school, who’s acting out, you ask for statistics… on truancy, dropout rates, grades.
How are we helping them?” he asked, arguing that data-driven, targeted interventions must accompany any larger crime-reduction strategy. Turnbull agreed, stressing that while crime appears to be rising, the majority of young Virgin Islanders remain law-abiding and hopeful. “These young people who are committing these crimes need to be stopped,” he said, but added that many more need better guidance and opportunities.
He warned against lowering educational standards and called for programmes that support aspiration and skill development. Both men advocated for a balanced approach that combines firm law enforcement where necessary with prevention: stronger school counselling, community mentorship, accessible rehabilitation services, job training and family supports.
They also pressed for clearer accountability on how public funds for crime and youth initiatives are allocated and measured. For residents of the BVI, the message from the Opposition is straightforward: investing in early, targeted, data-informed youth interventions and meaningful opportunities may prevent further losses and reduce pressure on the island’s justice system.
As calls for action increase, community groups, schools and government agencies face renewed pressure to work together on sustainable solutions.
Primary source: BVI News