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| Members of a guard of honour bow their heads as fellow officers carry the body of Sgt Hayden Manwaring to the Tableland public cemetery (Newsday photo) |
The outspoken priest made the comments at the funeral service for Sgt Hayden Dale Manwaring, who died last week from gunshot wounds inflicted while he was trying to apprehend suspected thieves. He was shot with his own gun.
Dottin made reference in his sermon to the brutality of the murders committed in recent times including the beheading of a man, and called on everyone to speak out against criminals.
“We have Latin American assassins in this country. How are they here? And who gave them permission to be here? Why are they squatting on our noble land?...
“Criminals have no heart, they are insensitive. And we cannot remain silent when adults are also recruiting children and teaching them to kill and shoot...
“We have lost a solider, a dedicated police officer, one of the best police officers not just in the Caribbean, but in the world. We cannot remain silent...
"And we cannot remain silent when a mother is bludgeoned to death savagely. We cannot remain silent when decapitation is now the best revenge strategy in the underworld. What manner of schizophrenic monster, that is the kind of hooligans we have here in this country?
“Here is a man who sacrificed his life. He believed in not punishing criminals but to transform them. This man must not die in vain. We must preserve his memory, we must write about this honourable man....
“I want to warn the mafia he may be more powerful in death than in life because he provided the catalyst and courage that we could get others to fulfill their responsibility with courage."
Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams said, “All of us must seek out and make a difference in our country. It is hurting everyone of us as we feel the pain as young men continue to lose focus and appreciation for their brother and sisters...
“Here is a man who sacrificed his life. He believed in not punishing criminals but to transform them. This man must not die in vain. We must preserve his memory, we must write about this honourable man....
“I want to warn the mafia he may be more powerful in death than in life because he provided the catalyst and courage that we could get others to fulfill their responsibility with courage."
Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams said, “All of us must seek out and make a difference in our country. It is hurting everyone of us as we feel the pain as young men continue to lose focus and appreciation for their brother and sisters...
"None of these criminals have dropped from the sky. They are the son, brother, sister of someone and the death of Sgt Manwaring must make a difference,” he said.
"If Sergeant Manwaring's death could make a difference for us let it make a difference in jolting us into the reality that every single citizen has a part to play. Do not stand on the side and be overwhelmed by fear and say if I say something, some bandit will come and snuff out my life...
"Our country is hurting and everyone of us will feel the hurt and pain as young men continue to lose focus and appreciation for their brother and sister in this land...
"There are so many ways we can make Trinidad and Tobago a better place. We need to start to do some introspection. Introspection to recognise that the people causing us pain and hurt in Trinidad and Tobago are the sons, the brothers, the cousins, of law-abiding citizens in this land," Williams said.
Mourners at the funeral included Minister of National Security Jack Warner, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, Minister of Justice Christlyn Moore, and Minister of National Diversity and Social Integration Clifton DeCoteau.
Hundreds of police officers from all the police divisions turned out, as well as members from the Fire Service, Coast Guard, traffic wardens, Prison Service and Air Guard.
Williams assured Manwaring's widow, Kim Manwaring, that the Police Service would give she and her two children, Keddeal and Kyla, all the necessary support.
"If Sergeant Manwaring's death could make a difference for us let it make a difference in jolting us into the reality that every single citizen has a part to play. Do not stand on the side and be overwhelmed by fear and say if I say something, some bandit will come and snuff out my life...
"Our country is hurting and everyone of us will feel the hurt and pain as young men continue to lose focus and appreciation for their brother and sister in this land...
"There are so many ways we can make Trinidad and Tobago a better place. We need to start to do some introspection. Introspection to recognise that the people causing us pain and hurt in Trinidad and Tobago are the sons, the brothers, the cousins, of law-abiding citizens in this land," Williams said.
Mourners at the funeral included Minister of National Security Jack Warner, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, Minister of Justice Christlyn Moore, and Minister of National Diversity and Social Integration Clifton DeCoteau.
Hundreds of police officers from all the police divisions turned out, as well as members from the Fire Service, Coast Guard, traffic wardens, Prison Service and Air Guard.
Williams assured Manwaring's widow, Kim Manwaring, that the Police Service would give she and her two children, Keddeal and Kyla, all the necessary support.
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