BPSA chairman: We must be proactive to prevent crime  

ALTHOUGH the country may be undergoing a tough period of restructuring and transformation, our Police Force needs to be suitably equipped and resourced to handle the type of policing required in Barbados at this time.

This is the view of Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association Edward Clarke who on Wednesday handed over the keys to the retrofitted outpost to be used by the Royal Barbados Police Force to service the Chapman Lane and New Orleans communities.

According to Clarke, “There has been a rise in the number of deaths due to the unlawful use of firearms and it seems such crime has become more prevalent in our society. We must try to reverse this trend in island not only by “after the fact” policing but by working proactively with people especially the youth within our communities to prevent such crimes.”

“We must work with our young people and build trusting relationships with them. We must be proactive in filling the void that exists in the lives of many young people. For many it’s not too late.”

The BPSA head said while there are those who may think this is outside of the RBPF’s remit, it has become clear that it is a very necessary part of the everyday community policing role.

“As Barbadians, we must ensure that we do what is required to protect all Barbadians and visitors to our island. The BPSA would like to see a strong relationship developed and maintained between the Police and the residents in this area, and in presenting this outpost to the RBPF we are offering our support to the members of our Police Force who are there to protect us, and we are asking the members of these communities and all Barbadians to do likewise.”

He noted that another one of the BPSA’s member organisations, the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association has already made a significant contribution in the provision of security cameras and monitoring equipment. “We have been advised that they will also be contributing to a new mobile unit in St. Lawrence Gap in Christ Church he said.

Clarke acknowledged the companies include that contributed to yesterday’s initiative including CIBC FirstCaribbean, Consumers’ Guarantee Insurance Company Ltd., the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados, SAGICOR and Container Services Ltd, the latter of which constructed the outpost.