Youth urged to resist exploitation

Deputy Commissioner of Police Adrian Broomes is urging Barbadian youth to resist negative influences and protect themselves from adults who are manipulating children into criminal activity.

Speaking during the Youth Sunday service at the Whitepark Wesleyan Holiness Church, held under the theme “Come to Yourself,” Broomes told young people, including members of the Barbados Cadet Corps, they must think independently and make choices that safeguard their futures.

He warned that some adults were deliberately targeting minors to carry out offences, believing that children would face lighter consequences.

“Where I sit as deputy commissioner, there are some adults who are manipulating children to do their bidding because they think that if the children go to jail, they’ll come out soon. But they’re ruining their lives,” he said.

Broomes urged young people to resist peer pressure and avoid becoming “someone they are not,” stressing that even in an age shaped by artificial intelligence, they must remain grounded and authentic.

“What AI tends to do is cause people to accept the impostor, the fake. I am encouraging you not to be fake, be yourself, stand true to who you are.”

He told the youth that courage often lies in choosing a different path rather than following the crowd.

Broomes also praised the Barbados Cadet Corps for upholding high standards, describing them as “jewels” and “flowers” among their peers.

He encouraged all young people to take ownership of their futures and refuse to let others dictate their direction.

“Do not let anybody write your story for you. It is your story, your life. You stand up for you.”

Broomes added that individuality should be embraced, reminding youth that their differences are part of who they are.