By
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is assuring the nation that Government will be doubling down on its call for a “whole of nation approach” to tackle the criminal elements, especially in light of the recent incidents, which included violent attacks on the elderly.
Additionally, the Prime Minister has announced that the Cabinet had extended joint patrols between the Barbados Police Service (TBPS) and the Barbados Defence Force for another year, on what she described as “deeper and broader terms” to include other serious matters of concern to the country.
This, Ms. Mottley said, would not only calm the fears and anxiety of citizens but also give members of the TBPS greater support as they patrol communities across the island.
- Advertisement -
She was speaking at a press conference yesterday at Ilaro Court to address matters of crime and Government’s response to ensure its citizens feel safe as they go about their business in the country.
Ms. Mottley also said a series of meetings will commence next week, starting with the Social Partnership and subsequently with civil society groups, media managers, the church, and others to hear how they can assist Government in the crime fight.
The Prime Minister stressed that these incidents cause citizens to display a range of emotions, from anger to frustration, and even anxiety.
- Advertisement -
She insisted that “it is therefore important that on an island this small, that we recognise more than ever, that this is the responsibility of all of us and that what is required of us, is simply a whole of nation approach”.
Ms. Mottley continued: “I say so conscious that we’ve started the process of conversations, but we are going to continue now at pace…. This is a time when we cannot be on the sidelines, nor can we be expecting a sprint is going to solve these problems. The reality is that the nature of the concerns that we have had this year has changed. We’ve had 22 homicides in a year, but 13 of them have been guns. The rest of them, nine, have been by knives.
“When you look at what happened with respect to them, the issue is not simply a gang issue. The issue is one of how we manage anger, how we resolve conflict, and how indeed we deal with issues of dishonesty, whether it be outright stealing or aspects of corruption, and this is going to require all of us acting together.”
The Prime Minister stressed that she is satisfied that the police and other law enforcement agencies are “executing a robust plan with the appropriate equipment and skills available to them to contain and fight the crime”.
Ms. Mottley also spoke of the proposed legislation to permit the use of wiretap information as evidence in courtrooms, truth verification testing, more commonly known as lie detector testing, for individuals who have access to certain secure spaces, among other areas.
julie.carrington@barbados.gov.bb
‘A Whole of Country Approach’ Needed to Tackle Crime added by Caribbean American Weekly on
View all posts by Caribbean American Weekly →