In a compelling call to action at the 2025 Youth Speak-Off Finals, held on Saturday night, Tykairi Sargeant of the Men’s Empowerment Network urged Barbadians to unite in building safer communities, questioning the future that awaits if the current spate of crime continues unchecked.
“If we continue down this road, what society will there be for me, my children, your children or our children’s children?” he asked at the event held at Golden Square Freedom Park, as he pressed for a unified effort to tackle crime.
Arguing that emotional intelligence is the foundation of positive behaviour change, Sargeant stressed the collective responsibility of all citizens in creating safer communities. He highlighted the importance of mental health awareness, particularly for young men, noting that societal expectations often lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms and unaddressed trauma.
Second place went to King’s Trust International entrant Lumiere Clarke, and third to Romarr Corbin of the Barbados National Youth Parliament, both of whom stressed empowerment over fear and practical, community-led action.
Overall, the eight finalists presented persuasive arguments on citizen responsibility, crime prevention and community empowerment. The others were Roshauna Clarke, Ashriel Bernabé, Peter Sandiford-Scott, Relissa Mitchum and Dequan Thompson.
Hosted by the Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit (CJRPU) in collaboration with the National Peace Programme, the event was held under the theme “From Fear to Citizen Empowerment: Safer Streets, Stronger Communities.”
CJRPU Director Cheryl Willoughby applauded the finalists for boldly influencing national conversation and contributing to research-informed approaches to crime prevention.
“I cannot stand here as director without recognising the fantastic staff who made this possible. But more importantly, I want to publicly acknowledge the young people for their commitment and courage. You are demonstrating that the youth are key stakeholders in building safer, stronger communities,” she said.
Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey also praised the participants, noting that they represent the true strength of Barbados’ future.
“The persons we saw tonight are future leaders of this country. You may hear that young people in this country are only doing nonsense and while that may be true for some, the leaders of this country are also young people. I want to thank you for your resilience and I want to thank you for your leadership. You are all very outstanding and you are role models for a number of people. I also want to thank you for what you will represent to Barbados in the future and for what you are doing now.”
The competition also rewarded their efforts with tangible prizes: $2 000 for first place, $1 000 for second, $500 for third, and $200 for each of the remaining finalists. (DT)
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