SIX-YEAR-OLDS ADVANCE to grade one. They are like school bags that are colourful imitations of the most famous cartoon characters. They take all their books, pencils, crayons, and if you allow them, the whole house to school.
Six-year-olds know everything and they can do everything. They are geniuses and magicians in their own right. How else could you wrap 200 pounds around one centimetre?
Six-year-olds are always happy. You can never scold them enough for them to keep a grudge or malice. They are polite and extremely inquisitive. They want to meet everybody and they are usually so cute and innocent, you are forced to take the time to accommodate them. Shanika Anderson was six years old.
Something must be wrong with a country and a people who are killing and raping their own children. A society that is murdering its children has lost its moral compass.
In less than two years, 36 children aged two to 13 years have been brutally murdered. Of this number, nine cases are still open. This means that not only are there predators among us, but there are families who need closure, families who cannot start the healing process.
DEADLY HINDRANCE
The police have been selflessly doing their job. The only thing stopping them is your support. But the tradition that giving information is a bad thing is a deadly hindrance to the advancement of justice. Only through the sharing of information can a civilised society police itself.
Realising that the police cannot do it alone THE STAR has partnered with them. We have gathered here today, taking a stance that we are ready and prepared to 'Hunt For Child Killers'. But THE STAR cannot do it alone. In the same way it takes a community to raise a child, it takes a country to save them.
THE STAR's campaign will be offering a reward totalling $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and charge of the person/persons responsible for each of these crimes. In total, THE STAR is putting $1 million in this reward fund and is urging the nation to 'Hunt for Child Killers', for the next six months. Crime Stop will be collecting and managing the information provided by the public and will maintain full confi-dentiality of anyone who provides information.
As a country we argue daily for justice. We say the police are abusing us and that the politicians have neglected us. Today, the tables have turned and the power is in the hands of the people. It is now your turn. All we ask you to do is share whatever you know. It does not matter how small or seemingly insignificant the information could be. Remember at Crime Stop all information is kept confidential.
The children's blood is on our shoulders if we continue to protect their killers. Let's hope they don't follow us home.
