est. 2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

Crime Wave

Against the background of a spike in the number of murders for 2019 – up by 200% compared to 2018 – the attempt by Deputy Commissioner of Police Erwin Boyce to assure the public that although the increase in the number of murders for 2019 is a worry, the overall crime rate was down to support his summation that Barbados is not gripped by a crime crisis.

The blogmaster understands the role Deputy Commissioner Boyce attempted to play in the prevailing environment. It is not dissimilar to what the late Prime Minister David Thompson, former Central Bank Governor Marion Williams and the late Supervisor of Insurance Wismar Greaves did when news broke that CL Financial in Trinidad had encountered hard times in 2007.

The time has come for Barbadians to accept that there is enough blame to go around to explain the current state that has seen 14 murders for the year. As the blogmaster is tapping the keys to post this blog there is a report of another shooting in the Black Rock area. On the ground what we are hearing is that gangs in Barbados have become very active in a fight for turf. This is not a situation that can be solved overnight by throwing security forces at the problem. There is irony in the memory of that time when the former Attorney General Maurice King pronounced that there were no gangs in Barbados.

We have to stop with the effusive rhetoric and political gamesmanship when discussing the escalating crime situation in Barbados.  The blogmaster sides with the view that politicians will say anything to be elected which conflicts with what is required to govern. Some people give the impression they revel in the crime situation unravelling in Barbados. A true Bajan cannot feel joy at this time

For many years the blogmaster has been posting about the weeds sprouting on our manicured lawns. Many then accused BU of being overly negative, yet here we are. Our education system continues to graduate children who are functional illiterates and lack the capacity to exercise logic and reason among other deficiencies.

Where do we come from here?

The blogmaster is aware that in every community across the island they are citizens who if they were to listen to conscience are able to expose the criminal elements to the authorities.  We have the opportunity to win back our little country by a few people doing the right thing. If as a country we fail to persuade those in our midst with information to share with the authorities, it will get worse. Is this the Barbados we want for our children?

182 responses to “Crime Wave”

  1. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    ” THERE ARE SIX MAJOR GANGS in Barbados, and guns are being circulated or rented for up to $10 000.
    ..
    These were among the findings from a study conducted by the Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit, and director Cheryl Willoughby said there were over 50 blocks in Barbados in both rural and urban areas.

    She said the Royal Barbados Police Force’s Special Branch had identified these six gangs, which ranged from 25 to 50 people, while smaller ones had a membership of 15 to 30. The general age range was 17 to 40 years old, with the average age of members in the mid-20s, but research showed some as young as 15 were frequenting the blocks.

    The crimes committed by those groups, she said, included theft, robbery, drug possession and distribution, firearm possession, serious bodily harm, woundings and murder, and they were “very organised”.

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/238677/study-gangs-guns-rent

  2. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    This is the kind of crap that passes as serious criminological research in Barbados. Let us see the methodology. Are people in the blocks the only ‘organised’ gangs in Barbados? Identify the 50 blocks. What about those in the gated communities? This is classism; poverty is not a crime.
    Are these gang members employed? Still in school? It is another example of learning by rote, the adoption of foreign ideas in to Barbados without any local nuance. Critical understanding is to question all these bogus received wisdoms, no matter the source.
    Who believes there are six gangs responsible for most crimes in Barbados? Six gangs across 50 blocks; what about territorial fights? Who believes that gangs rent guns at Bds$10000 a time? What is the lifestyle of the people who can afford these rents? One reason why this is difficult to believe is because forensic tests would identify each gun involved in a crime and the person caught with a well used gun would face a number of charges they knew nothing about.
    Further, Special Branch are members of the police, so if they have all this information, including knowing who the quartermasters are who are renting out these guns for illegal purposes, why are they not arresting them?
    Do the attorney general and commissioner know all this? If so, why are they not acting on this information? Why has parliament not been told of this development? More importantly, if we know the 50 blocks, why are there not 24 hour police patrols in these areas? Stop victimising the poor.

  3. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    If gun violence is threatening the public peace of Barbados …then Duty Commissioner of Police Boyce must form a Drug and Gang Taskforce to speciality deal with violent crimes … The only way to come this senseless violence is for the Drug and Gang Taskforce to keep up the pressure on these criminals day and night …

  4. kammie holder Avatar
    kammie holder

    The Emotional Intelligence among these young men is near Zero. A cycle of kill or be killed coupled with a flippant attitude towards life will only make it worse before it settles down. Our biggest problem are politicians who lack vision to put personal aggrandizement aside over a vision for future a socially cohesive nation. This fall out was long in the making as the socialization of crime starts years in the past. Where are the policies to save our young men? The wealth of the country has be skewed towards a few while many are been left behind. #EducationEqualsLowCrime and social mobility. What we have are many youngsters who the educational have said are failure by the nature of its ancient modus operandi.

  5. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    Barbados really trying hard to make #1 on the VIOLENT CRIME DEATH LIST per capita, well on the way, Trinidad, Jamacia, Brasil and Venusuala take note.

  6. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    Kammie Holder

    We need solutions to address this kind of senseless violence … we can no longer afford to take the path of blame anymore … we have to say to ourselves: am I doing all I can to assist the police in their efforts? What does my Civic Duty requires of me?

  7. Fractured BLP Avatar
    Fractured BLP

    Blame Darwin Dottin !

    Since the Mottley administration REBRANDED him and brought him back to public life…….crime has escalated to 200 % .

    Barbados is ROTTING !

    Because of DOTTIN !

  8. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    Fractured BLP

    Stop the nonesense:

    In what way is Dottin responsible for this new wave of violence in Barbados?

    Maybe his strategies in fighting violent crime aren’t working as successful he would have wished, but I doubt it very much that he is the one putting the guns in the hands of the young people, and sending them out on the streets of Barbados to killing, rob and injured innocent Barbadians…

  9. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    It is troubling reading the comments on social media outlets from barbadians on what occurred yesterday on London Rd
    I suspect from tbose comments that Barbadians are comfortable living in a police control state and an enviroment of vigilante justice
    In other words if the govt have no answers to crime situation
    Barbadians have no.problem with police shooting to kill first and seeking answers after
    Well of course until it happens to one of their close family members

    #######:#werethereisnovisionthe

    Peopleperish

  10. David Avatar
    David

    @Lexicon

    Why nott ignore frivolous comments?

  11. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    Angela Cox

    Do we really have command of all of the facts as related to the police shooting on London Road? Running from the police and in possession was of an illegal firearm … what do you expect?

  12. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Pretty sad when it is a bigger offense to fly a kite than some of these crimes, no crisis he says…lol…. I think that means no tourist killed yet

  13. David Avatar
    David

    Barbados is still a good place to move around but we need to be concerned. There is no doubt serious crime is moving in the wrong direction. We need a plan from all leaders in society to pull in back.

  14. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    a couple of public hangings would be a good start

  15. David Avatar
    David

    @lawson

    Practical suggestions needed.

  16. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    Won’t change a thing … If state sanctioned execution worked there would have been no need for death row … or the crime of murder… There are public executions in some of the South American and the Middle Eastern countries for rape and murder and people still rape and murder …

  17. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Yes but there is one thing we will be sure of…they wont do it again

  18. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    What is the source ? Citizens commit crimes and we determine what kind of citizen we want. We have reduced at least 40 per cent of our population to hopelessness because we have failed to address such issues as:
    An archaic educational system
    Progressive Land Reform
    True worker participation
    Inferior wages
    Progressive economic enfranchisement
    We are stuck in the late 60s to mid 70s
    Over and over we we warned that you cannot produce a 2019 model on an 1819 production line. We choose to bury our heads in the sand.
    Almost thirty or so years ago a police commissioner declared: “ My hands are tied.” I think RPB made a calypso about that.
    The question here is : What kind of student is coming through our primary school gates at 3:00 PM;
    what type of people are we electing to parliament; who are theses people who pretend to be the saviors of the country.
    In other words what we become is what we produce .
    Hal is once again correct in his analysis of the nonsense that passes as in-depth analysis.

  19. Talking Loud Saying Nothing Avatar
    Talking Loud Saying Nothing

    @ Hal,

    You can see why crime in Barbados is set to soar. Look at the majority of comments from the various bloggers. Are they really so naive?

    Barbados has become embedded as a destination drug’s route. The traditional narco states such as Colombia came under heavy pressure from the Americans to limit the flow of drugs into North America. The drug’s cartel switched their strategy and decided to transit their contreband via the small and economically weak Caribbean islands.

    These cartels would have done their homework and would have realised how vulnerable these Caribbean islands were to becoming infiltrated. Firstly, they would have looked at the happy go nature of Caribbean natives. Secondly, they would have seen the high tourism numbers of the region. Thirdly they would have looked at and tested the points of entries for the importation and the transshipment of their cargo. Fourthly, they would have created shell companies as cover to facilitate their business activities. Fifthly they would have paid a high number of our politicians and government employees to turn a blind eye or in some cases would have partnered up with them.

    The drug’s trade has become such a lucrative market that even our business communities from the elite to the bit-part player have become immersed in it. Have you noticed that a number of MP’s from the previous administration have curtailed their foreign adventures?

    We have a high number of foreign residents and foreign businesses that are making inroads into Barbados. We seem oblivious that a number of them are sowing the seeds of harm and distraction in our society.

    It would appear to me that the commentators to date appear to be condoning the drug’s trade whilst at the same time refusing to accept that the re-enactment on our streets of “Gun fight at the okay coral” is as a result of those at the top of our society. There lies the complete hypocrisy of our “God fearing nation”. We don’t care about how we earn our wealth so long as those dumb black men stop using their guns to settle their disputes.

    The only way to eliminate this problem is to ask the Americans and the British to step in and to “assist” our weak and incompetent government.

  20. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    When the “boys of BU” were studying serious things like medicine, engineering, law, accounting, construction, etc. I was “wasting my time” studying “fluff” like sociology.

    I can’t help but notice that none of the men murdered in recent years was married. And the accused are all unmarried too. People who study sociology understand the marriage has a “steadying” effect especially on young men. We understand that a few of these murders have taken place in the daytime, but most take place at night. Decent married women like to have their husbands at home before nightfall (unless he has to be out to work, church or some other serious activity). Men who are in the beds of their wives at night rarely get shot, and rarely shoot anybody.

    I think that a big part of our problem is that marriage and its steadying effect on men has been thrown out the window. And our young men of marriageable age are suffering the consequences. But the hard part is how can we persuade our young men that a wife is more valuable, and a lot more fun [lolll!!!] than their buddies on the block?

    But marriage has become devalued from the top all the way down. In the good old days the Governor General, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice, and other such high level officials were all married people. If our high level officials by their example do not value marriage for themselves how do we persuade our young men that marriage is an excellent good thing? That married men actually live longer and healthier lives than single men?

    My parents who were together for 70 years, married for more that 60, had an old fashioned country people saying “two poor cows does make up good down.” For those of you not raised in the country, this has nothing to do with literal cows, but the understanding that two people even if poor can create a relationship that is loving, nurturing, emotionally and spiritually enriching, and even financially enhancing as they put their slim resources together to create a better life for both of them and for their children; just a two old cows can create a rich fertilizer which then nurtures crops, and the nurtured crops then nurture the people.

    We have abandoned marriage, and some of our young men are dying, and some are facing a lifetime of imprisonment.

  21. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    William Skinner

    “We become what we produce”

    I was rare to know right and wrong…

    To say good morning when I pass my elders in the morning or evening…

    To respect people’s property…
    To work hard for what I want…
    To respect the law …
    To open a door for a lady
    To give a woman or child my seat on the bus…
    To walk on the outside of a woman…
    To allow a woman to go first…
    To respect the privacy of others … etc

    So Sir… It all boils down to choice … men and women of my generation and prior generations were raised with good morals … how we choose to exercise what we have been taught it a matter for all of us…

  22. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ Talking Loud,
    Recently we had a Cuban (or Colombian, he was not sure which) resident in Barbados who claimed he had changed his ways and wanted to live in Barbados. One of our leading lawyer/politicians even campaigned on his behalf.

  23. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    SirSimplesimon

    More that haft of those men who are home with their wives at night probably beat their wives and kids… so the problem is not being at home … but how do we manage male testosterone which is a precursor to male violence and aggression…

  24. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    SirSimplesimon

    I know you are probably suggesting an antiviolent or estrogen pill for some of these violent young people…

  25. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    But marriage has become devalued from the top all the way down. In the good old days the Governor General, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice, and other such high level officials were all married people. If our high level officials by their example do not value marriage for themselves how do we persuade our young men that marriage is an excellent good thing? That married men actually live longer and healthier lives than single men?(Quote)

    Marriage has also been devalued by the irresponsible CCJ.

  26. Lawson Avatar
    Lawson

    I agree with SS married men are more likely to commit suicide.

  27. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    ” The elderly mother of Lester Holder, 47, who was shot and killed moments after bidding her farewell at Clevedale, Black Rock, last night, has made an impassioned plea for an end to the gun violence that is robbing the nation of sons like hers.”

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/02/28/mums-word/

  28. SirFuzzy (Former Sheep) Avatar
    SirFuzzy (Former Sheep)

    Crime statistic for overall crime maybe be down. But statistically since murders are up, it can be said that you are more likely to be killed then robbed or raped or defrauded or burgled. None of the above is something that anyone will put on there to-do-list but that is just a statistical look at wha the increase in murder and decrease in general crime stats can be interpreted.

    Just saying

  29. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    And Married men are more likely to walk pass their homes occupied my their wives and singles men who are purported live much shorter lives than married men…

  30. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    David

    Check your mail. Sent you something

  31. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @Hal Austin February 28, 2019 9:00 AM “Marriage has also been devalued by the irresponsible CCJ.”

    Not true.

    Why don’t you stop trying to mislead the blog?

    In the CCJ decision, the man and the wife of his youth had by their mutual consent, and with the consent of the Barbados courts ended their marriage many years previously. That marriage, sadly was dead, dead, dead. Dead as a doornail.

    The ex-wife had no role in the CCJ case. The dead man’s SIBLING’S, and NOT his ex-wife were disputing his right to share his life and his home, and his assets after his death with a second lady of his own choosing.

    We know very well that i am speaking of marriages that have never taken place. People who never marry, or even liv’ wid. Not about marriages which sadly have died.

  32. David Avatar
    David

    @SSS

    Noted

  33. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    @Lawson February 28, 2019 9:11 AM “I agree with SS married men are more likely to commit suicide.”

    When are you going to stop telling lies on me?

  34. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    Lawson if your marriage(s) have ended, i am truly sorry to hear, but I trust that you will find some nice lady to accompany you as you wait in the departure lounge of life.

    i truly do.

  35. Talking Loud Saying Nothing Avatar
    Talking Loud Saying Nothing

    So the topic has descended into the marital status of males. How typical of BU! Donna, darling – the voice of reason – can you please steer this debate back on track?

  36. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    No. Not the martial status of males, since males cannot be in a marriage alone. But the martial status of males/females.

    Lawson needs to stop telling lies.

    Hal needs to stop misleading the blog.

    And yes, young men for their own safety, health, freedom and longevity, needs to find nice young women and enter in to loving, faithful, lifelong marriages with them. Do you see anything wrong with that?

    if so please tell me what?

  37. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    NEMISIS=the inescapable agent of someone’s or something’s downfall.

    Every prime Minister of Barbados has had his NEMISIS. This one too. And ALWAYS the nemisis is someone, or some people who pretend to be friends/supporters of the Prime Minister.

  38. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Barbadians are living in denial
    Unfortunately the horse as bolted
    The drug lords have seen an easy opening to inflitrate the youth sitting idly on the block having no.jobs or prospect of having a job
    The question govt needs to be asked
    What are the alternatives govt has planned to detour the unemployed youth from resorting to criminal activity as formla for livelihood
    Govt feet must be held to the fire until govt can produce policies as prevention methods in helping our social enviroment from becoming a hell hole of crime and poverty for the most vulnerable

  39. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    Mr Blogmaster to my moniker I suggest that this spate of killings for all practical purposes is not a ‘crime wave’ … yes in the normal daily gossip lots of Bajans will term in so …BUT still everyone of them would go home and basically feel safe and free of being assaulted or killed.

    Yes we absolutely need to arrest this drug gang lawless killing spree before it spreads into everyday life but we are thankfully not currently caught in some island wide crime spree which puts fear into our desires to enjoy daily life (as u noted).

    We are in a bad place and has Lexicon suggests a concerted police dragnet is needed.

  40. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    The Court decided that the mischief the Act intended to remedy and the solution it prescribed were clear. The right of the survivor of a non-marital union to benefit from the estate of the deceased partner was not dependent on the status of marriage, but on the duration of cohabitation with the deceased immediately preceding death. The statutory period of cohabitation for five years immediately before the death of the deceased was determinative of the right to inherit as a spouse, being the period which the legislature determined was a credible indicator of a commitment to a true union comparable to formal marriage.(Quote)

    Does this not mean that for inheritance purposes the length of co-habitation could determine the right to inherit?

  41. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    Understand that I am not suggesting early and life long loving marriages as the only solution. I believe that we as a people can walk and chew gum. So if the business class are importing drugs, lock them up. If the political class and civil servants are taking money to pretend that they don’t see, lock them up too. More police boots on the ground, yes. Better education for all of our children. More and better skills, technical and vocational training for all who can benefit, all who want it. Land reform, yes that too. And not land reform where the land is transferred from the old planter class to the political class and their friends who don’t know a thing about farming and who only are looking to sell the land for foreign currency which will stay in Miami bank accounts. Land reform where land is transferred to people who are willing and able to work the land. Better parenting for our children. All of our children DESERVE to be loved by both their mothers and fathers.

    And we can’t do these things sequentially. We need to do them all. And we need to do them all NOW.

  42. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    I will cook myself some cou-cou and red herring today. Today I will not be entertaining red herrings on the blog.

  43. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Here we go again
    Police !Police calling for more law enforcement to solve a crime crisis
    If police solve crime there would be no criminals in civilzed society
    The eventuality of having a police State becomes more realized
    Govts must rethink their policies those of havimg univited guest to eat at their table

  44. WARU, Crazy & Unstable, Hogging the Blog Avatar
    WARU, Crazy & Unstable, Hogging the Blog

    “When are you going to stop telling lies on me?”

    Lol…can’t help himself.

  45. David Avatar
    David

    @Dee Word

    Trying to understand your point. If the murder rate has spiked to 200% we are free to call it a wave. It is about diverting a worrying trend.

  46. Barbados Underground Whistleblower Avatar
    Barbados Underground Whistleblower

    @ Hal Austin

    Further, Special Branch are members of the police, so if they have all this information, including knowing who the quartermasters are who are renting out these guns for illegal purposes, why are they not arresting them?
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    You have asked the $Billion question.

    There are a number of Policemen and Policewomen in the Special Branch who are receiving kickbacks and favours from the Druglords to do their biddings and protection from ARREST.

  47. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    More police is not the answer, but more inventive ways of fighting crime … the old beat down and shoot police tactics of the past will not work in a world where criminals are becoming more smarter ….

    Moreover, I have seen this movie played time and time again … and I do understand what it will take to restore the civility, peace and safety to the Barbadian society…

    Law-enforcement cannot do it alone … It will require the involvement of the religious leaders; community leaders; the business community; and the vigilance of the citizenry …

  48. Lexicon Avatar
    Lexicon

    Barbados undergroundwhistleblower

    Question: how would the Druglords know members of the Special Branch? I lived behind a major police station Barbados from a child, and I only knew one member of the Barbados Special Branch, and I did so because his uncle who was a coporal in the Mounted Branch back in the 1970s I knew personally… My point is … you do not really know the guys in the Speacial Branch unless you are/were closely associated with them …

  49. Overseas Observer Avatar
    Overseas Observer

    @ Lexicon

    You are an ass and seem to be living 30 plus years ago of Barbados in a bygone era.

    Did you ever have the major financial DRUG AND RACKETEERING resources of today’s druglords whilst living in Barbados in the distant past?

    Money talks whilst Bullshit talks.

  50. Redguard Avatar
    Redguard

    @Lexicon “It will require the involvement of the religious leaders; community leaders; the business community”

    I get your point, but when we grew up life was different. The community back then had skilled tradesmen (carpenters, mechanics, tailors) who welcomed apprentices or even just allowed the neighborhood boys to hang around and learn. And it wasn’t just the boys who weren’t gifted academically. My uncle who went on to be a surgeon is so competent in carpentry that he built some of the furniture in his house (he picked it up as a boy growing up).

    The church was a safe space for teenagers to converse and socialise, now they have instagram and whatsapp.

    Everyone played a sport and every community had a team and access to skilled sportsmen willing to teach and coach. You get in a fight while playing, the coach would part you, talk to each of you and make you sort out your differences and he wasn’t trained at any university in conflict resolution.

    Today the tradesmen are gone, the coaches are gone and the churches while still there are only active on Sundays.

    The children stay in their homes and play video games, watch netflix etc. With no tradesmen around to attract their attention, the ones who do go outside gravitate towards the block where the businessman who needs some packages delivered, picked up or distributed recruits them.

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