Hours before Barbados recorded its 49th murder for 2019, Attorney General Dale Marshall reminded all who live in this nation that they have an interest in saving the country.
Describing 2019 as a challenging year for crime, Marshall said police need assistance from residents in curbing the worrying spate of crime and violence.
“The police are not magicians, they need evidence, and they need witnesses to come forward in order to present a proper case to prosecutors, so that prosecutors can present a proper case to the judges so that justice can be dispensed.
“Every single thing about this is connected and what I will ask for in the coming year is that our communities realise that they have a vested interest in protecting our social fabric and our social environment and they need to support us in every way,” he said.
The Attorney General commented on the crime situation as he spoke to members of the media at the Berea Seventh Day Adventist Church, St Elizabeth, St Joseph, last Saturday, where temporary High Court Judge Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell was honoured for her contribution to helping deviant youth of that parish when she served as Magistrate of the District “F” Magistrates’ Court.
The following day, 22-year-old Kirk Bowen of Redman’s Village, St Thomas was shot and later died from his injuries.
Police said around 7:15 p.m., a group was liming under a shed at Redmans Village when there were several loud explosions. The victim was said to be passing through the area and was shot.
“In the last few days alone we have had a number of shootings and these things change our society. People who normally feel comfortable going about Barbados can easily move from relaxed to feeling that they are under siege.
“And we have to determine as a society if we are prepared to accept that. As Attorney General I am not and I don’t think that my constituents in St Joseph, or I don’t think any Barbadian is prepared to accept that,” Marshall said.
The Attorney General also announced that while the appointment of new judges to the Court of Appeal and High Court of Barbados in October had begun to make a dent in the backlog of cases, there was more to come.
He said when three additional judges are sworn-in early next year, Barbados will have 13 permanent and two temporary High Court, and five Court of Appeal judges.
“I am sure that as the months of 2020 unfold we will begin to see some changes. But the truth is, it will take time because in the High Court civil bench, we have thousands of cases that are yet to be heard. In Bahamas for example, they have 13 High Court judges that do nothing but criminal matters.
“Trinidad must have certainly over 70 or 80 High Court judges. The fact is that we need to put more justices in place to dispense justice and we then need to provide the support that they need in terms of staff resources and things of that sort,” Marshall said.
Marshall also indicated that his office would be seeking permission from the Ministry of Finance to recruit and engage more prosecutors to better tackle the backlog of criminal cases.
“We now have five criminal courts in the High Court but in order to adequately service five criminal courts so that people can work to their best as a prosecutor, and the judges can benefit from that, we need to make sure that we have more prosecutors,” he said. anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb
