Catholic Commission for Social Justice
GCL Press Release
1 October, 2015
The Greater Caribbean for Life (GCL) joins the global movement for the abolition of capital punishment on 10th October 2015 to commemorate the 13th World Day against the Death Penalty. This year’s theme is Drug Crimes. The aim is to raise awareness of the need to reduce the use of the death penalty for drug-related offences.
The Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) calls on each person to lend a helping hand to those who are struggling this Christmas. Leela Ramdeen, Chair of CCSJ says:
“Christmas is a time of joy, anticipation and celebration as we wait for the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. It’s a time when the spirit of giving is alive and well in TT and around the world. As we give, let us not hold back; let us remember the words of Mother Teresa who said: ‘I must be willing to give whatever it takes to do good to others. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise, there is no true love in me, and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.’ The writer Robert Louis Stevenson is correct; we can never love without giving.”
December 10, International Human Rights Day, is a day when the world observes the UN’s ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
Sixty six years on and we still have not learned how to live in peace and harmony with each other. Violation of human rights plagues every society in our world on a daily basis. And such violation takes place not only in countries in which wars are being waged, but in our own country of Trinidad and Tobago where life continues to be devalued in a myriad of ways.
Leela Ramdeen, Chair of The Greater Caribbean For Life (GCL), will commence a Speaking Tour from 3 October – 17 October to commemorate the 12th World Day Against the Death Penalty, which falls on 10 October. This year the theme is:Mental Health – drawing attention to people with mental health problems who are at risk of a death sentence or execution.
The Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ), urges citizens and visitors to demonstrate by their actions that they respect themselves, others and the environment during this Carnival season.