Three laypersons and another group are set to join the National Advisory Council on Citizen Security, the Prime Minister’s Office has announced, as it was also disclosed that the body has already pointed to the need for approaches to steer teens from the block among measures to beat back crime.
In a statement on Monday, Prime Minister Mia Mottley named Sarah Holder, member of the Youth Parliament; Coreen Selman-Harte, mother of fruit and nut vendor Rodney Salman, alias Nutman, who was shot and killed near his home in 2020; and community activist Winston Branch.
The Board of the Barbados Association of Retired Persons will meet later this week to determine who will be their representative on the council.
Mottley revealed that since announcing the Professor Velma Newton-led council, several individuals and organisations representing various sectors have offered to join the body that has been mandated to develop a comprehensive approach to tackling the crime scourge.
She added that while she did not wish the council to be bogged down by being too large, it is expected others will be co-opted to lend their knowledge and expertise to the sub-committees the parent body will create.
“I am delighted to see that so many other Barbadians are keenly interested in joining the council and contributing to the creation of safer communities,” Mottley said. “While we cannot add everyone who would wish to help to the council, the council will call on you as the need arises.
“I take your desire to serve as a clear recognition that Barbadians have got the message that we all have a part to play. This must be a whole-of-nation effort if we are going to be successful.”
On Friday, the broad-based council which includes security experts, business leaders, union representatives and religious groups held its first meeting at Ilaro Court and were briefed by the prime minister, Attorney General Dale Marshall and Minister of State in the Office of the Attorney General with special responsibility for Crime Prevention, Corey Lane.
“Members of the committee engaged in robust discussion on critical aspects of the education system with agreement, in principle, on the need for approaches that would cut off the supply of teenagers to the block culture by eliminating unsupervised suspensions, as well as superannuation — except where all other reasonable attempts within the system at correcting their behaviour have failed,” the statement said.
In any event, Mottley made it clear that the government will put in place a mechanism and facilities to cater to difficult students who disrupt the learning process in secondary schools, but she is adamant they should never be turned away without a second chance at rehabilitation.
The council is slated to meet every other week. (BT)
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