Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Culture Senator Dr Shantal Munro-Knight is calling on Barbadians to return to values of love, unity and community this Christmas season, warning that the country is at a critical point as it grapples with social change and rising violence, particularly among young people.
In a statement issued ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays, Munro-Knight said the festive season should be a time for reflection and collective responsibility, urging citizens to recommit to the principles that have traditionally underpinned Barbadian society.
“For Christmas and for New Year, I really want, I really hope that we can get back to the Barbados in which we love one another, in which we see value in community,” the minister said.
“I think right now Barbados is going through a bit of a transition, you know, we talk about our young people and what has happened with that violence within our communities.”
Munro-Knight stressed that addressing the country’s social challenges would require more than policy interventions, pointing instead to the importance of everyday relationships, shared responsibility and respect across generations.
She urged Barbadians to reclaim traditional community values, including the role of elders and extended family networks in guiding and supporting younger people.
“So those values about valuing our elders and our aunties and those within our communities, that’s what I want to see,” she said. “I want to see peace, I want to see love, I want to see unity.”
The minister’s message comes at a time when community cohesion and social harmony remain high on the national agenda, particularly as Barbados continues to shape its identity and values as a Republic.
Munro-Knight said the holiday season presents an opportunity for Barbadians to pause, reconnect and play an active role in strengthening communities, noting that meaningful change depends on collective effort.
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