Fed up with increasing crime and a growing sense of fear, concerned citizens took to the streets on Saturday morning for the ‘We Don’t Feel Safe’ protest march.
The demonstration, which began at Kensington Mall and ended at Independence Square, saw participants calling for serious and effective solutions to the island’s crime problems.
Spokesperson for the ‘Loyal Opposition’ pressure group, Marcia Weekes, said the protest was non-partisan and that invitations had been extended across political lines.
“I think we need to look at a lot of things at the community level. Look at what is happening in the schools. We need to be able to nip it in the bud from early,” she said, even as she voiced opposition to proposed wiretapping measures.
This marcher carried a placard.
Pointing to Jamaica as a model, she added, “We see a lot of that happening in Jamaica, and the crime is actually reducing. They are systematically dealing with the real issues and not coming up with frivolous policies.”
President of the Democratic Labour Party, Senator Andre Worrell, who joined the march, told Barbados TODAY that Barbadians are living in fear and feel the government is not doing enough.
He said the tint legislation will do little to solve crime and suggested many elderly citizens were fearful of leaving their homes at certain times.
“A lot of them are not leaving home to go out in the mornings to walk; they are locking up their houses. They are not even going out to church meetings at night. We cannot have our elderly not enjoying their golden years but living in fear.”
Urging the public to be more vocal, Worrell said, “It is important for Barbadians to come out like this to show that we are not satisfied with the crime situation. Every day you wake up to hear about a different murder, a different robbery. You heard about a possible robbery of a nurse leaving work last night.”
He called for a more strategic focus on the nation’s youth, recommending an expansion of the Barbados Youth Service and the creation of more internship opportunities to keep young people meaningfully engaged.
“These are things that would have a significant impact on crime. The majority of people who are being charged with the crimes are between 16 and 25 years of age,” he said.
Worrell also suggested the revival of the BDF Sports Programme, noting it would help instil discipline in the country’s youth. (STT)
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