Jesse D. Torres, Kagman Komunidat Association president, said the kidnap-rape case involving a 16-year-old Kagman student “should serve as a wake-up call.”
“Crimes are getting worse as a result of a failed government and poor economy,” he said in an e-mail.
One out of four Kagman adult residents are jobless, he added.
He believes that if criminals have jobs, “this [incident] probably wouldn’t have happened.”
He added, “It is sad that a teenage girl would have to experience something this traumatic. Her attackers need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Stand up vs. crime
“We call on all residents to stand up against crime by attending important community meetings, especially Neighborhood Watch and Crime Stopper meetings,” Torres said.
The community needs to get more involved, he added.
He noted, however, that only a few residents attend these meetings.
“We all need to do our part and participate,” he said.
Lawmakers, for their part, should “tackle unemployment so that fewer crimes will occur.”
“Raise the minimum wage now and focus on attracting more residents to find jobs. Create more jobs for locals so that they don’t get into trouble by looking for crimes to commit. Raise the local hire requirement from 20 to 50 percent. Employment is the key!” Torres went on to say.
The streets and the sidewalks need better lighting, he added. “Bright lights would serve as deterrence at night.”
Torres said “keeping the youth busy would keep them from committing crimes.”
“We are trying to install pool tables and dart machines at the community center and run it as a youth center,” he added.
Torres already found several volunteers and a supplier of pool tables and darts.
“We are waiting for the Department of Finance to waive the installment tax so that the supplier can install the machines,” Torres said.
“The Kagman Association does not have money to pay $150 per pool table. We hope that [Finance] can act quickly,” he added.
