Teachers’ Union Calls for Justice Without Delay in Tafari Browne Killing 

By Val Matthias. Updated 11:02 a.m., Tuesday, October 13, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4). 

The St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers’ Union (SVGTU) is calling for justice without delay following the killing of 17-year-old West St George Secondary School student Tafari Browne.

Browne died on Monday, October 12, after sustaining injuries in a stabbing in Arnos Vale on Friday, October 9.

In a statement issued on October 13, SVGTU President Fiona Charles-Williams condemned what the union described as the “senseless killing” and urged the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force to move swiftly to establish what happened.

The union is calling for a swift and thorough investigation, with those responsible brought to justice.

The SVGTU says the death has also highlighted what it describes as a rising tide of youth violence and argues that the issue cannot be treated solely as a police matter.

“This is not just a police matter,” the union said, describing youth violence as “a national crisis that demands an all-hands-on-deck response.”

The union is also calling on the Ministry of Education to provide immediate and sustained psychosocial support for students and teachers at West St George Secondary School and surrounding schools, extending beyond the initial intervention.

It wants a greater national focus on peace and values, including values education, conflict resolution, empathy and mentorship in schools.

The SVGTU says safe spaces must also be created where young people can express anger and pain without turning to violence.

The union is appealing to parents, churches, community groups and young people themselves to choose peace, stressing that weapons should never be used to resolve conflict.

Charles-Williams also appealed directly to teachers to continue serving as guardians of peace in their classrooms during what she described as a difficult time.

To students who may be struggling with grief, anger or numbness following Browne’s death, she urged them to speak with someone they trust, including a teacher, counsellor, parent or pastor.

The Teachers’ Union says Tafari’s death should become “a turning point, not just another statistic.”

The union extended condolences to Browne’s family, particularly his grandmother and mother, as well as his classmates, teachers and the wider West St George Secondary School community.

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