A renewed focus on border security and the flow of illegal guns is needed if Barbados is to curb gun crime, an opposition senator warned on Wednesday, arguing that new court measures will deal with offences after the fact rather than prevent weapons from entering the country.
While not opposing the establishment of gun courts on the island, Senator Karina Goodridge urged greater attention to stopping the smuggling of illegal firearms and removing those already in circulation.
She said: “Firearm court deals with the consequences of gun crime. It does not prevent a single illegal firearm from entering Barbados, and we must make that clear. It does not disrupt a single trafficking network. So the first line of defence against illegal firearms, in my view, may not be the courtroom.”
The leader of the Friends of Democracy party said that while the courts will address the consequences of these weapons, it is critical to tackle the root problem by cutting off the supply of illegal firearms through tighter border controls and other measures.
“The major question is how are these guns getting into the country? And that is something that must be answered. Also, it shows us that the major focus should be on border security and getting rid of the guns that are in circulation, because the focus here now is on the consequences that will happen when there are gun-related cases. But I want us to shift focus a bit and really look at the root causes of the problem because we must get rid of the guns that are in circulation in the country.
“Therefore, while I understand the government’s desire to establish a firearms division in the High Court, I respectfully suggest that the more fundamental questions are these: How are these weapons entering our country? What additional investments are being made in border security? What additional resources are being provided to Customs, Immigration, the Coast Guard, and the law enforcement agencies to intercept illegal firearms before they reach our streets? What is being implemented to ensure that police corruption does not affect the process?
“Let me be clear, I don’t have any evidence to say that there is police corruption, but if that does exist, ma’am, then my question here is what is being implemented to ensure that police corruption does not affect this process.”
As the upper legislature debated the bill to amend the Supreme Court of Judicature Act to create the gun court, Senator Goodridge said staffing was not the only concern, warning that outdated systems could hinder the effectiveness of any new court.
“If we are talking about modern justice systems, we can’t just look at personnel alone. They are driven by technology, and for years, I have seen that concerns have been raised by members of the bar, by litigants and judicial officers alike. I’ve been to the Supreme Court, and I’ve heard judges complaining many times about the technology infrastructure. They’ve been saying that when they have to record the matter, that certain infrastructures are not working, and we have to ensure that when this court is established, if all senators agree today and the bill is passed, that that is one of the areas that will be working efficiently.”
Senator Goodridge also urged the government to consider introducing online courts, as used in other territories.
(JB)
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