The ‘believe you me’ refrain uttered in many forms repeatedly by Prime Minister Mia Mottley has loss resonance with an adulating public. Her most recent pronouncement came while debating the Criminal Gangs (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2026 in the House of assembly this week. She asserted that “we are not going to surrender one witness. We are not going to surrender one police officer or one prosecutor. We are not going to surrender a square inch of this country to an insidious culture that has no place in our jurisdiction.”
For a lowly blogmaster who has heard it all before, prime minister Mottley’s utterance can be quickly labeled has hogwash or more euphemistically, balderdash. She further deliberated that gang activity is not as prevalent in Barbados as other countries but action is now warranted. A terrific insight from one of our preeminent politicians. In fact, it reminds of that time a former Attorney General Maurice King assured the country in all his wisdom that the idea of gangs operating in Barbados was abhorrent.
Again the blogmaster in the words of the late learned and legendary Jeff Cumberbatch, there is no need to be prolix with the state of affairs regarding criminality in Barbados. The government along with too many managing households have allowed the horse to bolt and lack the nous to fix the problem. Here is the bleak outlook, as a people we are clueless to solve for the crime situation and are being consumed by the momentum of popular events.
I want this country to be one of the first in the world that says that we can turn back the issue of gun crime not through legislation alone, not through direct edicts alone from on high but because the people of the nation understand the horror and the terror and on 166 square miles we cannot tolerate it. I want to talk to those people who have conspired to work in a corrupt manner to allow people to bring guns and drugs in this country.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley
A look at the BU homicide tracker in the sidebar confirmed we are up to 26 reported homicides as we approach mid year. Based on historical ‘performance’ Barbados will exceed 50 in 2026, the highest number since the tracker was implemented with data sourced from barbadoscrimeblog.
Similar to what occurs in Jamaica and other crime ridden countries, it is not unknown for local politicians and prominent citizens to be seen unabashly fraternising with known shady characters. Are our ‘leaders’ too daff to appreciate that social fallout would be a consequence? Does anyone care?
Crime has embedded itself in the fabric of our tiny society, reversing it will demand tough, long term corrective measures. A review of enforcement strategies in the last decade demonstrate we do NOT have the appetite to do what is required. The business as usual approaches will not arrest the problem.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Minister Michael Lashley, Commissioner Richard Boyce and the other actors leading the crime fight will fail. Men (and women) are judged by what they do, not what they say. Let us work harder to build local reputations to match those that are growing in the international arena.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.