The St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers’ Union (SVGTU) has called for justice without delay following the death of 17-year-old West St George Secondary School student Tafari Browne.
Browne died on Monday, October 12, from injuries sustained in a stabbing in Arnos Vale on Friday, October 9.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 13, SVGTU President Fiona Charles-Williams said the union was “in mourning” and condemned the “senseless killing” in the strongest terms. “No child should go to school and never return home,” she said. “Tafari was a child entrusted to our education system, our colleagues’ student, our nation’s son.”
The union urged the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force to carry out a swift and thorough investigation and bring those responsible to justice.
The SVGTU said it is deeply troubled by rising youth violence, which it insisted is “not just a police matter” but “a national crisis that demands an all-hands-on-deck response.”
The union also made the following appeals:
- It asked the Ministry of Education to provide sustained counselling for students and teachers at West St George Secondary and surrounding schools, beyond the initial intervention.
- It called on the nation to recommit to values education, conflict resolution, empathy and mentorship in every school, and to create safe spaces where children can express anger and pain without turning to violence.
- It urged parents, churches, community groups and young people to choose peace, saying a knife, a cutlass or a gun is never the answer to conflict.
Charles-Williams encouraged teachers to remain “guardians of peace” in their classrooms during this difficult time. To students who are hurting, angry or numb, she urged them to talk to someone they trust, such as a teacher, counsellor, parent or pastor, adding that violence “only creates more grieving families.”
The union said it hopes Browne’s death will be “a turning point, not just another statistic.”
On behalf of its executive and membership, the SVGTU extended condolences to Browne’s family, particularly his grandmother and mother, as well as his classmates, teachers and the wider West St George Secondary School community.
END
