When law enforcement hides behind silence, it invites public distrust, erodes its moral authority, and signals that accountability is optional — a dangerous message in any democracy, but especially damning in Barbados where promises of transparency have become hollow echoes from authority figures.
ABUSE OF POWER
Police transparency is not a luxury; it is the foundation of public trust and legitimacy. When officers abuse their power — as in the widely circulated incident on Kadooment Day 2025 where a policeman slapped a citizen — swift, open investigation is not optional; it’s a democratic imperative – see video on the BU Sidebar. Yet, despite public outcry, the Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce has failed to release any findings or even a status update. Boyce’s silence is deafening and undermines the tenets of a democratic society. It signals to the public that there are two sets of rules: one for citizens and another for those in uniform. In a small society like Barbados, where everyone knows someone in power, this breeds cynicism, fear, and growing resentment. When the police cannot be trusted to police themselves, the social contract with citizens breaks down. People begin to question the integrity of the entire justice system. Transparency is not about appeasing critics — it’s about proving that no one is above the law. The Bajan public deserves more than promises; it deserves answers. And until those come, the stain of that slap is on the entire force.
WANTON LAWLESSNESS
Are we beginning to reap the whirlwind of our inaction given the rampant lawlessness being witnessed here there and everywhere on our small island? There was a time not too long ago the number of murders every year were in the single digits, motorists ‘feared’ getting report and having to suffer the indignity of appearing in the courts, elderly people were respected enough for us to abhor the idea of violently assaulting and robbing them, smoking a spliff was done behind a paling. Do not mention PSVs. How many blogs have been posted in this space about Nero fiddling while Rome burns or the weeds sprouting on well manicured lawns?
CANT BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM
This week the Barbados Police Service (BPS) held a Police Pun D Road parade where the hierachy of law enforcement and policymaking – including Commissioner Richard Boyce and Attorney General Dale Marshall – were seen slow-jamming to soca music on Broad Street. Although the most openminded understands what the public relations arm of the BPS attempted to do, when placed under the glare of cold analysis, it failed the optics given the prevailing high crime rate in the country. The blogmaster would have prefered if interventions were at the community and parish level in the attempt to win back trust from citizens ‘block by block’.
It is unfortunate the issue of crime has evolved to be uber-political with BOTH BLP and DLP. Clearly crime is an issue that should be taken off the table as one for political parties to win brownie points. We have to learn from the Jamaica experience because we do not have a prominent person to match Robert Nesta Marley to sponsor a one love peace occasion.
Allow the blogmaster to be clear by using words from the Bajan lexicon ALL Bajans should understand.
Commissioner, wuh happen to de report? Yuh forget, or yuh hopin we forget?You stood up, clear as day, and promised the people a report. You weren’t misquoted. You weren’t misunderstood. You made a public commitment. And now? Silence.Bajans ain’t foolish. We know delay when we see it — and we know a disappearing act when it playing out in real time.So leh we ask you plain: Where is your report about the slapping incident? What is the holdup? Why the hush? Don’t mistake our decency for stupidity. Don’t insult the public. Transparency is not a favour. It’s your duty. You made the promise — now honour it.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.