The quotes are famous and come from Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” about an orphan boy who has a miserable existence in a workhouse and then an undertaker. He escapes and joins a gang in London although he is unaware of the gang’s unlawful activities. Oliver enjoys being with the gang members because they make him feel part of a family. He experiences a form of love he has never had before. The story was written at the beginning of the 1800’s but it could easily have been written here in the Cayman Islands in 2011.

There are, of course, differences. I am sure not one member of our gangs suffered the hardship and poverty levels Oliver suffered. Oliver, in turn, did not suffer poverty that is prevalent in the world today. Latin America (132 million live on less than $2 a day and 57 million less than $1 a day), East Europe and Central Asia (97 million $2 a day and 24 million $1 per day), Sub-Saharan Africa (50% of the whole population live below $1 a day – the worst extreme poverty area in the world), North Africa and Middle East (23% of population live below $2 per day), Southeast Asia (of a population of 1.3 billion 85% live on less than $2 per day), and Eastern Asia and Pacific (50% of 2 billion population $2 per day).

The absolute nonsense I hear every day on the radio call-in shows, the blogs on the media websites, even at the local town hall community meetings called to discuss our gangs problems, all pointing the blame at government decisions and expats, because our teens don’t have a job and “they have had no choice but to join a gang to rob and kill.” One such caller yelled, “Poverty is rampant on our streets and no wonder teens have guns.” Rampant? Does the caller know the meaning of the word? How many beggars do you see on our streets? So poverty is a reason to carry guns. Don’t guns cost money?

If the real impoverished people from these countries came here they would praise God for finding the land of milk and honey. Compare the photographs of the gangs found on their Facebook pages here with ones of these impoverished countries you see every day on BBC World News.

So what are our gangs fighting for? What do they stand for? What excuse do they have for being the cowardly, lowlife scum they are? Why do we, as a society try to make up excuses for their behaviour? They care nothing for us except a blood lust and death for themselves. Yes, they will die and they might just have well never lived. Their disgusting behaviour has had a terrible effect on all of us living here. They are not human beings. They are like rats and soon they will be trapped and I will yell a big ‘Hurrah!’

They care nothing for life and why should we care anything for them? The laws we made to protect us also protect them. They think they are invincible because even if they get caught the witnesses are so terrified the courts will never get a conviction. If these gangsters are able to read, they haven’t a chance in Hell and that’s where they will be heading. Historically, no one has escaped the net. Other mindless hoodlums from rival gangs either shoot them down or law enforcement officers. And if you think you can outgun our law officers you are in for a shock. My fellow countrymen, help is on the way. Gang members get out whilst you still can and you place any value on living. Turn yourselves in and turn your lives around. You are on borrowed time. The net is tightening around all of you.

“That boy” may not be “hung” but he will most surely be shot. “Please, sir, I don’t want (to be a member of a gang) any MORE!”