THERE needs to be a national approach and a more relevant discussion on how to manage the issues of drugs and gun violence in Barbados.
This is the view of Prime Minister the Right Honourable Freundel Stuart, who conceded that this will not be an easy task, but will require a national effort including the Church, the State and other organisations to bring back moral values, or run the risk of courting chaos.
His comments came as he delivered the featured address at the National Consultation on the Barbadian Family hosted by the Diocese of Barbados, under the theme “Restoring Our Barbadian Family”, at the Ivan Harewood Centre of the Christ Church Parish Church yesterday morning.
The Prime Minister said that the crime situation is having an impact on families, even though it is not as widespread as some may suggest.
“I hear the cries of people who wonder how we have got to this stage... where so low a premium is placed on human life by that very small segment of our society. I make that point because I don’t want anyone to believe that we are talking about the bulk of the society. All the intelligence I get from the RBPF satisfies me that we are dealing with a very small circle of people, but their activities can have profound and troubling consequences.”
He lamented that there is a segment of society that does not know right from wrong, but are only interested in the material gains that can be acquired from their criminal exploits.
“As we pronounce against the illegality of firearms, and the trafficking of drugs, and we should continue to do so, it is entirely probable that a dialogue of the deaf is taking place. Because when we are discussing crime, the people we are talking about are discussing work. This is how they put food on their families’ tables.
“This his how they get some of the luxuries that we who occupy mainstream society enjoy and as far as they are concerned, it is alright for them to talk, because we are comfortable where we are. But if the society is pushing them to the margins, they too have to survive and this is their way to survive.
“What is going to have to happen is that more relevant debate is going to have to start taking place on this issue. We should never condone what is happening... I am making the point that unless our societies develop the capacity and the flexibility to respond to the diverse needs and aspirations of our people, young and not so young, this is a battle that we will have profound difficulty in fighting it and winning it.”
To this end, he told the leaders in attendance that the Church and the State have to come together to see how best to frame the dialogue on this issue.
“And to see how best we could come up with solutions to some of the challenges posed by a sense of alienation of those who are involved, that makes them easy candidates for recruitment for that nefarious drug trade,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the distinctions between right and wrong, good and bad, just and unjust, fair and unfair, blameless and blameworthy should be emphasised at all levels of society.
“Those distinctions are eroding because of a consumerist culture, Madison Ave. taste has managed to take over our consciousness, but if we want to build a Barbados that we want to feel proud in the future, these are concerns which we have to address,” he said. (JH)
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