In the wake of a robbery of two elderly women on Thursday, Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, is cautioning all Barbadians, especially the island’s seniors, to be vigilant during the Yuletide Season.
He offered the advice as the National Assistance Board received a $105,000 Toyota 15-seater van earlier today, thanks to the Maria Holder Memorial Trust. The handing-over ceremony was held at the National Assistance Board’s Lancaster House, at Lancaster, St. James.
Mr. Humphrey said: “Barbados has gone from a point where there was a lot of respect for older persons, to a point where it became indifferent, to a point where there was some disregard and then yesterday, where…two women were robbed ….
“And I am asking the older citizens in Barbados…not elderly people…but everybody really, just to be careful during the holiday season. And of course, we want to just chastise and castigate those persons who continue to wreak havoc in the Barbadian society.”
He continued: “I think now that they have found an easy target, or think that they have found an easy target in older persons, especially older women. So, we are asking the older women to be particularly careful. I am also asking the police to do what they have to do and the court system to do what it has to do, so that we can protect all Barbadians, especially our older population and our older women.”