The fight against firearms trafficking must be an all-of-society endeavour.
Attorney General Dale Marshall reiterated this view today as he delivered an address at the opening of the three-day CARICOM IMPACS Crime Gun Intelligence Unit’s In-Country Sensitisation and Awareness Meeting.
Mr. Marshall stressed that the firearms fight should not be restricted to only The Barbados Police Service, but citizens must also recognise that they too have a part to play.
Stating that the scourge of gun violence is of particular concern, the Attorney General said: “It is a feature of the prevalence of gangs in our countries and it certainly is creating a fair amount of instability in Barbados….” He stressed, however, that The Barbados Police Service has been working very hard to address the issue.
He added that he had been advised by the Director of Public Prosecutions that at September last year there were 292 firearm cases waiting to be tried, and for this year, approximately just over 250.
Mr. Marshall continued: “In terms of firearm related offences, The Barbados Police Service stats show that between January and June of last year, we had 75; over the same period this year, we have 63. In terms of actual trials, in the 18 months ending last month, we had 142 firearm trials. I bring these figures to show that the fight is multifaceted.
“The courts are involved in this; The Barbados Police Service is involved in this; but obviously the missing element that we don’t talk about too much…is the involvement of our communities. I constantly say that The Police Service is only called in after things happen; nobody thinks to call them in and say, ‘we heard the fellas on the block talking about guns’ and giving us the kind of information that we want. The fight against firearms trafficking has to be an all of society endeavour. It cannot just be The Barbados Police Service.”
The Attorney Generalsaid he was pleased the United States is playing an increased role in regional collaboration in the gun trafficking and gun violence fight. He gave the commitment that police officers would continue to undergo the necessary training to improve their skills as they deal with the various issues.
The three-day meeting is being held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael.