STUDENTS, staff and administrators at the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) in Mandeville, Manchester were yesterday encouraged to be strong as they mourn the passing of Joseph Burrowes, the 22 year-old biology student who was found murdered on Wednesday.

“The seriousness of crime and violence doesn’t really come home to any of us unless it hits close to home, unless it affects a member of the family or someone we know very well,” the university’s president, Dr Herbert Thompson said at a worship service Wednesday as the university mourned the loss of the young student.

Burrowes, who went missing last Saturday, was found dead on Wednesday along the Winston Jones Highway, in the vicinity of the Kendal community in Manchester. The decomposing body had gunshot wounds.

Said Dr Thompson: “Saturday evening it never in my wildest dreams dawned on me that after I had spoken (at a men’s summit to speak out against crime and violence) that Joseph was going to be abducted”.

“In spite of our difficulties, we intend to continue the fulfilment of our mission here,” the NCU president said as he urged students, many of whom wept openly, not to let Burrowes’ death be in vain, but to pick up where he had left off.

“The lesson in all of this is that you didn’t die, you are here, make certain that the privilege of your being here translates into a readiness to do what God calls you to do. It would be a terrible waste if his passing has taught you nothing. We cannot let the devil win, we have to fight this. we must,” continued the NCU president.

Pastor Keith Albury, president of the Bahamian Mission Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, also encouraged students not to be gripped by fear at this time because of the incidents of violence.

“Ultimately, sin will not write the final chapter of our human experience, the last chapter will be written by the King of Kings himself. He provides the ultimate security,” said pastor Albury.

At the same time, president of the United Student Movement at NCU, Ryan Wiggan, who himself had survived many violent situations as a young man growing up in the inner-city, charged NCU students to continue to “break the silence, go out and teach others to stand up for what is right”.

Just last month, Wiggan, along with student leaders from the University of the West Indies and the University of Technology, led thousands of students in a march through Spanish Town, against a spate of violence which had erupted in that community.

Meanwhile, president of the West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and chairman of the NCU board, Dr Patrick Allen, urged Christians to get up and take a vocal stand against crime and violence.

“Christians cannot just sit by and believe that they are sheltered from violence. We must get up, open our mouths and do something to curb this wave of crime and violence affecting everyone. But as a university, we must also let the world know that we are not defeated. yes, we are going to cry and sorrow. But we will come out of this the better.”