Education Minister Shawn Edward, Monday, condemned a chopping incident that took place in Choiseul, calling it an “evil and disgraceful” act.
The January 31st incident left four individuals injured, including a five-year-old boy, who Edward says is doing “fairly well… given the circumstances.”
“I must say he was in very good spirits when I saw him. His mother was there with him at his bedside,” the minister said at a pre-Cabinet press briefing on Monday.
“Let me say that this is something that the Ministry of Education emphatically denounces and we condemn any act of violence in this country, particularly when it is perpetrated against children of that age,” he added.
The government is assisting the child’s family.
Parliamentary representative for the community Bradly Felix also expressed his dismay at the situation.
Felix told St Lucia Times that “It is my understanding that an individual outside of the home who may have had a connection to somebody in the house, came in and apparently was extremely upset and everybody who was in the house at the time paid the price.”
He told the publication that the incident was unfortunate.
“I am happy that the perpetrator has been caught and it is a matter now of the family receiving psychological assistance. I wish them all the best and hope the whole chopping incident will not leave anybody maimed or handicapped,” he said.
Felix stated, “These are things that we need to address because apparently people have only one way of dealing with their grievances and… they believe violence is the answer.”