Minister Lashley’s Statement In Response To Recent Criminal Activity

My fellow Barbadians,

I address you today on matters pertaining to my ministry and regrettably, on the heels of recent multiple murders and gun play which took place on March 9th.

Let me say at the outset that my responsibility is clear.

My job is to work with the police, with the courts, with the prosecutors, with the prison service, and with every part of the criminal justice system to make sure they have what they need to do their job, and indeed to do it well.

That means funding where funding is needed. That means equipment where equipment is needed. That means policy reform. That means research. That means the change or introduction of new laws where new laws are required.

And that means modernising our systems so that our police service and our justice system are fit for the third decade of the 21st century, not resting on systems, practices and rules that were settled fifty, sixty, seventy, or even a hundred years ago.

So let us be very clear about roles.

Operational matters are for the police. The Minister does not run police operations from an office. The police must be allowed to do their work, and to do it aggressively. My duty, and the duty of this Government, is to make sure they have every lawful tool, every piece of equipment, every policy support, every legislative support, and every institutional support they need to execute their duties.

That is where we stand. We are going to be aggressive in carrying out our responsibility, and we expect the police to be equally aggressive in carrying out theirs.

Because the truth is simple: when disorder is allowed to take root, breaches of the peace follow. And when breaches of the peace follow, crime grows. And when crime grows, ordinary Barbadians become victims. We cannot accept that. And we will not accept that.

This is why I will be working closely with my Prime Minister and  my ministerial colleagues, on building out an aggressive and modern crime prevention policy. Because if we are serious about fighting crime, then we must be serious about understanding crime.

And let me say this too: crime is not limited to any one age group, but we would be making a mistake if we did not focus part of our prevention strategy on young people, especially those between 16 and 25. That is a crucial stage of life, and if we are serious about prevention, then we have to intervene early, reach them directly, and give them support, direction and alternatives before negative influences take hold.

And let us be honest about what we are seeing. In too many recent cases, mental health issues have been a factor. We are seeing irrational behaviour. We are seeing dangerous obsessions. We are seeing substance abuse playing a major role. 

There are too many stories now of young people becoming addicted to pills, to molly, and to what my colleague Adrian Forde has rightly described as polydrug use, where people are using more than one drug at a time without any real understanding of what it is doing to their body and to their minds.

We are still dealing with alcohol abuse and the violence that can come with it. We are still dealing with domestic violence, which remains a serious concern in this country. And then there is the most dangerous element of all: those who are involved in illegal activity, whether robbery, burglary, corruption, or the trafficking of drugs, and who use guns as tools of trade, who defend territory, and who create fear and panic in public spaces.

So our response has to match the reality. It has to be layered. It has to be coordinated. It has to be modern. And it has to be firm.

That is why we will continue to work with the police and all stakeholders, continuously, not once, not occasionally, but continuously, to identify what is needed, what is changing, what new threats are emerging, and what tools, systems and approaches are necessary to respond to those changes in real time.

Crime changes. Criminal behaviour changes. Society changes. Technology changes. Our response must change too.

And as those changes happen, this Government will remain on top of it. We will do the policy work. We will do the legislative work. We will do the research. We will make the investments. We will strengthen the systems. We will provide the tools and the equipment so that the police can execute operationally with the very best support behind them. That is our responsibility, and we are not shying away from it.

The Barbados Police Service has already been doing important work to demystify some of these drugs and to sensitise the public so that people know what they are looking at when they see these substances in their homes or communities. That kind of public education matters, and it will continue, because this has to be a whole-of-nation approach.

And if it is going to be a whole-of-nation approach, then people also need to understand this: you cannot be harbouring dangerous persons, hiding them, shielding them, and protecting them while the police are trying to find them. That cannot continue.

Where a person poses a clear and grave danger to ordinary Bajans going about their business, there must be consequences for those who choose to assist them. We are looking at strengthening the penalties, because public safety must come first.

And let me come to one of the most important matters. The gun court is a priority. Not something for the distant future. Not something in contemplation. But it is a priority.

We are serious about it. We are not wasting time. We understand the urgency, and Barbadians should know that we intend to move on this in short order. The creation of the gun court must send a very clear message where guns are concerned. This country is going to respond with speed, seriousness and resolve.

Now, no serious person will pretend that this will all be solved overnight. It will not. But equally, we do not have the luxury of taking our foot off the gas.

Every one of us has a role to play. Government has a role. The police have a role. The courts have a role. Communities have a role. Families have a role. Citizens have a role.

My commitment is that I will hit the ground running. I understand the law. I understand the system. I understand the pressure points. I understand that the country is looking not for excuses, but for action. That action is exactly what this Government intends to deliver.

So to the people of Barbados, I say this: something different is happening. There is a seriousness about this moment. There is urgency about this work, and there is a clear commitment to ensure that our police and all other stakeholders within our criminal justice system have every single thing they need to protect this country and its people.

We are going to stay on this. We are going to keep listening. We are going to keep adjusting. We are going to keep strengthening the response. And we are going to keep moving with purpose. Because Barbados deserves nothing less. (PR/GIS)