Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart
Barbados’ Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has summoned a meeting of the National Security Council in the wake of gunplay as the Crop Over festival came to a climax yesterday.
One man was killed and 20 others, including a six-year-old, sustained non-life threatening gunshot wounds.
This pressed the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to activate its Incident Command and later issue an emergency statement urging Barbadians to only seek the services of the Accident and Emergency Department in cases of life threatening injuries.
Speaking on radio this morning, Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite condemned the incidents as he assured Barbadians there was no need to panic.
He explained that the shooting on Spring Garden, which ended in the death of 20-year-old Taried Junior Rock, was a result of gang violence.
“Two alleged assailants, possibly from one gang…began shooting….In order to escape them, he [the deceased] ran on to Spring Garden and rather than cease shooting they [the gang] continued to shoot at him,” he said.
Brathwaite categorically denied suggestions that the shootings were related to recent social media postings issued by gangs threatening retaliatory action against law enforcers.
“Based on what the [police] are telling me, they don’t see any link presently between that posting and the incident yesterday. They believe it is gang-on-gang violence,” he said.
The Attorney General expressed concern that Barbados has a “gang problem” and a greater effort was needed to “develop strategies that move away young people from getting involved in gun activity”.
He stressed the need to also provide alternative vocational education.
Brathwaite also said the force would be boosting its efforts to rid the streets of illegal guns and tougher legislation would be forthcoming to help tackle the problem.
“We must do all within our power to remove these illegal firearms from these shores and from our young people.
“We have to stem the number of firearms that are coming through our port illegally,” he said.
The Opposition Barbados Labour Party shadow Attorney General Dale Marshall condemned the violence, saying it marred a beautiful day beyond repair.
“This is not the Barbadian way, nor is it how we behave. We know that, but we want those of you visiting us to know that this is a total aberration. Barbados and Crop Over belongs to us all and we must not surrender to the forces who would seek to destroy our country and our way of life,” he said.