by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI
On December 30 last year, the three major daily newspapers in T&T highlighted the way in which two Special Reserve Police Officers, male and female, treated Robby “Sharky” Ramcharitar, a homeless, disabled man in a wheelchair on Lower High Street, San Fernando.
Swift action was taken to suspend them, pending investigation, and criminal charges have since been laid against them – to which they have pleaded not guilty.
It would be helpful if the T&T media could do as The Guardian newspaper in the UK did in 2012 and collate “cases where police officers have faced court, internal discipline or allegations for offences against individuals”.
The motto of the Police Service is “to protect and serve with pride.” Members of the Service take an oath to act without malice, ill-will or favour.
Christians are supposed to hunger and thirst for justice. As Pope Benedict XVI said in his encyclical God is Love, Christians “cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice”.
If Mr Ramcharitar was drunk and was cursing and spitting on people, the police must be trained in how to deal with those who are intoxicated. Alcoholism is a social problem and the Police Service must have a protocol to deal with this issue. The policeman allegedly slapped Mr Ramcharitar, while the policewoman is alleged to have pushed the wheelchair causing it to roll and hit a parked vehicle.
The video-clip of the incident also recorded laughter and a comment by a woman that she was sure Mr Ramcharitar could walk, implying that he was pretending to be disabled.
We need to work to create a society that is more caring, compassionate, and loving.
As I watched the video-clip, I recalled how Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 patients at a centre for the elderly and people with disabilities near Rome on Holy Thursday last year. In his homily then, he reminded Christians to always be at the service of others.
The manner in which we serve others is also important. Remember the words of St John Chrysostom: “Helping a person in need is good in itself. But the degree of goodness is hugely affected by the attitude with which it is done. If you show resentment because you are helping the person out of a reluctant sense of duty, then the persons may receive your help, but may feel awkward and embarrassed. This is because he will feel beholden to you. If, on the other hand, you help the person in a spirit of joy, then the help will be received joyfully. The person will feel neither demeaned nor humiliated by your help, but rather will feel glad to have caused you pleasure by receiving your help. And joy is the appropriate attitude with which to help others because acts of generosity are a source of blessing to the giver as well as the receiver.”
We show our love for God and for neighbour by serving others – selflessly.
This year, each of us should read and re-read Matthew 25: 35-36, 40 and reflect on how we treat the least of those among us.
Our Catechism tells us: “The duty of making oneself a neighbour to others and actively serving them becomes even more urgent when it involves the disadvantaged, in whatever area this may be. ‘As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me’” (CCC 1932).
