"What monkey see, monkey do." I refer to the murder of the boy from Ferncourt by the boys from Marcus Garvey and Ferncourt. Please note the word 'boys' and the police said they were 17 years old. What a loss! The violence in the community is now in the school. So the children behave at home, so they show their stuff abroad and I have talked with students from both schools and they said the 'war' among the students was not new.

Thirteen people were reported murdered over the HEROES' HOLIDAY weekend. In fear and trembling we called our friends and talked. But the talking should stop today. We must take some action now and I suggest the following: Immediately withdraw the students of Marcus Garvey and Ferncourt schools from all school competitions for one year.

Competitions

They should not be represented in School Challenge Quiz, JCDC activities, Manning/daCosta, Sunlight Cups, music and science exhibitions, Boys' and Girls' Championships and none of the Ministry of Education's competitions. The students of Marcus Garvey and Ferncourt will stay in their schools, follow their regular time-table and help each other through this bad patch. Where there is murder, stabbing, chopping of limbs while others watch, students will soon learn that the whole school is withdrawn from public view for a year, while their criminal classmates get treated by the courts as adults.

We have to start somewhere to stop this insanity. Isn't this the third murder in schools since September? Please, let us try this.

I am, etc.,

V. CARNEGIE