Wednesday 27th September 2006, St. George’s: Minister of Youth Development Senator the Honourable Emmalin Pierre has called on the parents of the nation to take back their parenting responsibility. The Minister was speaking at a forum organized by the Royal Grenada Police Force at the New Hampshire Community Centre on the issues of Youth and Crime.

Senator Pierre took the opportunity to expound on the various factors causing youth delinquent behaviour such as lack of parental control and guidance. She stated:  “As parents we need to take back the responsibility of parenting.”

Senator Pierre also spoke of the various projects undertaken by the Department of Youth Development in 2006 to deal with the issue of juvenile delinquency, and to otherwise positively occupy the time of the nation's young people.  “Key to these programmes is the issue of conflict resolution, as crime is due mainly to our inability to resolve conflict.”

Fellow panelist, President of the Grenada Bar Association, Mr. Ruggles Ferguson stated that there is not a rise in violence in Grenada, but simply a change in the types of violence and the persons involved.

Panelist, Pastor Stanford Simon added that the church has failed society by not dealing with the youth population and that it was time now to stop using religion divisively.