Police Act to be amended
A Cabinet minister is adamant that concerted efforts are needed in the fight against crime and violence in this country.
That’s according to Minister of Health John Boyce. He made the point on Saturday evening in a press conference at his constituency office, during which he expressed concern about the two separate incidents of violence which occurred in his Christ Church South Constituency in recent time, including a robbery at the Ixora Bar and Restaurant on January 6, which interrupted the popular Saturday pudding and souse and karaoke lime. Referring to that robbery in which three men robbed owner Denis Tull of an undisclosed sum of money, Boyce said he met Tull last Sunday and was told that security at the facility has been beefed up.
“We have to continue to fight this incidence of crime in Barbados. A couple days before that, a not so young man returning from work at three in the morning or so, was gun-butted in the area of Hilton Road; I met with him too. These are unfortunate realities of our society and it is good to be able to sit here in a safe environment and have a little chat, but recognise still how important our work is to bring this thing under control,” he said.
He added, “It is not satisfactory to say it is happening all over the world, I think it is something we especially are uniquely concerned about.”
With that in mind, Boyce who is Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly, said that when Parliamentarians meet today, the amendment to the Police Act should be one of the items up for discussion. He indicated the aim of the proposed Police (Amendment) Bill is to give powers to the Royal Barbados Police Force to help them to better handle the crises they encounter.
“It is a different struggle today I’m sorry, and it is a very, very challenging struggle. We can look forward to that debate and it would be interesting to see what support we get and how the support we get goes. But as a government we have to continue fighting for the safety of our people,” he said.
The Bill which is available for perusal on Parliament’s website, indicates that the aim of the amendment is to increase the statutory powers granted to the Commissioner of Police and the RBPF, “to protect the life and property of the citizens of Barbados, to ensure peace and public order under the Act with the use of cordons and curfews, and to provide for related matters”.
Also on the Order Paper today, which consists of 25 items, are three supplementaries in the names of the Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Adriel Brathwaite; Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Christopher Sinckler and Minister of Environment and Drainage, Dr. Denis Lowe, in the amounts of $253,997, $1,130,825 and $300,000 respectively. (JRT)