EDITORIAL: Preventing crime and violence is paramount
The latest act of gun violence which claimed the life of 58-year old Colleen Payne is another painful reminder to all of us that this issue of crime and violence in our country is no joke, and has to be wrestled to the ground sooner rather than later.
Barbados remains a relatively safe place to live, work and indeed play in comparison to other countries within the Caribbean region and further afield, but we cannot take too much comfort in that, when innocent lives are being lost because of lawless behaviour. While the perpetrators are in the minority, we cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand and pretend that there are not serious issues that we need as a country to address, as this seemingly growing trend, unless steps are taken to thwart it, has the potential to damage the good reputation successive administrations and Barbadians in general, have worked so hard to achieve.
Some may suggest it is not really that the crime situation has worsened, but that the reporting of it has become more intense, with persons accessing information not only via the traditional media outlets, but the ever popular social media outlets. The latter especially has helped the news of assaults, robberies and murders (though few) to spread like wildfire, and while it is good that persons know what is going on, the way in which it is communicated is sometimes alarmist and can incite panic, and has even come across as something to be celebrated. Certainly persons need to be more responsible in how they broadcast such information.
In fact, it is our belief that society on a whole needs to tackle what appears to be increasing criminal activity. It is not enough to say we have a problem and complain about it, each and every one of us has a duty to work towards keeping crime to a minimum. There has to be a multipronged approach, where the legislators ensure that the appropriate laws to successfully prosecute offenders are in place and current; law enforcement use those laws to bring the offenders before the courts; the prosecutors get convictions to deter others from following suit and, last but by no means least, the public is prepared to report crimes wherever they happen. Those who have vital information regarding any crime must be willing to come forward and make it known; they cannot afford to stay silent. As a country which has tourism as its main income earner, and an international business sector which is also identified as a top source from which we derive revenue, we must get a handle on the situation without too much delay.
The reality we must appreciate is that crime, if allowed to mushroom, has the potential to seriously threaten our development, and for that reason we must not allow the situation to reach epidemic proportions. We must therefore identify the root causes of crime in our society, even if the current economic climate, which has seen rising unemployment and high taxes, are partly to blame, and find solutions to stop it in its tracks. If we do so, we would ensure that our people and visitors to our shores can all continue to feel safe wherever they choose to go in this country.