Title: Addressing Rising Gun Crimes in Barbados: Government Initiatives and Societal Reflections

Gun crimes in Barbados are at an all-time high. This beautiful island of ours that we all love so dearly is seeing the ugliness of death due to the bullet becoming almost a weekly occurrence. Most will agree that this level of violent crime is foreign to the Barbadian way of life. So, what has changed? Why are we no longer a peaceful and loving society?

The recent formation of the National Advisory Council on Citizen Security is one of many measures that the government is using to tackle the upsurge in serious crimes. The arm of the Barbados Police Service is being strengthened with collaboration with the Barbados Defence Force and it is hoped that this united front can stem the tide of serious crimes and murders.

I welcome any and all attempts to return our country to a peaceful and loving place.

In grappling with the answer to the question of why has our society changed for the worse, I am convinced that the breakdown in good family life is at the centre of the crime and violence. A good family is indeed vital to building a good society. The family plays a foundational role in shaping individuals who form the fabric of society. It is in the family that our spirituality, morals and ethics are formed. In today’s modern world, fewer people are attending church or establishing a sound spiritual foundation. It was in the family circle where children first learn about right and wrong. Parents and caregivers instilled moral values, ethics and a sense of responsibility in children and these are characteristics crucial for the development of a just and compassionate society.

Thou shall not kill. God has given us all the precious gift of life. We must be grateful for all lives, ours and those of others. I want to remind people who find themselves on a slippery slope and a pathway to murder that they are breaking God’s law. I encourage would-be killers to pause, reflect and pray. There is always another way. It may not seem like there is another way when all the odds are stacked against you, but there is. Reviews of all murder cases prove that forgiveness and reconciliation would have mitigated the situation. My brothers and sisters, avoid hasty actions born out of vexation. These actions have tremendous long-term effects.

Go to God, not the gun. Before you load up that gun to take a life, get a Bible and read it, load up with the Word of God. There is always a better tomorrow. Trust in God. There is hope in God. There are many stories – not enough – about persons who have walked away from a life of crime and gangs and become successful individuals with families.

No man is an island, no man stands alone. Those involved in serious crimes and murders must reflect on the hurt and pain that they bring down not only on their victims but also on the victims’ families. The person you kill is a son, daughter, sister, mother, brother, father and friend to others, they will forever feel the pain of your actions which took away a loved one forever. Those of you who are shooting and killing please note that your family and loved ones also become suffering victims of your actions. Your actions may result in revenge on you or a lifetime in jail. No parent wants to know their child is locked in prison. No wife or girlfriend would like prison or death to end their loving relationship. No young child wants to be without the loving care of their father.

The repercussions of crime and violence are far-reaching and never-ending.

My prayers and appeal go out to those trapped in the vortex of crime. I assure you that with God, you have the power to turn your life around. You were blessed with life and made for a great purpose, live your life to the fullest and let others do so too with theirs. Go to God, not the gun. Load up your heart with the Word of God not a gun with bullets.

The Most Rev. Neil Scantlebury is the Catholic Bishop of Bridgetown.