As Barbados recorded its 17th murder for the year – months before the halfway mark – behavioural expert Professor Dwayne Devonish is warning that the country remains on an “unhealthy trajectory” in violent crime, and the situation is poised to worsen under mounting economic pressures.
Speaking to the Weekend Nation, Devonish said Barbados was in a critical moment where bold, multifaceted interventions must be enacted swiftly to prevent the situation from spiralling further out of control, especially in light of the looming global trade war and a likely surge in the cost of living.
“This is indeed a very disturbing trend,” Devonish said. “I have said this before – the situation is going to get worse before it gets better. Crime and violence must now be treated as a national fight, it can’t just be left to the police alone or communities alone. All stakeholders – Government, civil society, and private entities – must be involved.”
While emphasising the importance of long-term preventative strategies, Devonish called for an immediate crackdown on violent offenders and intensified surveillance to disrupt the movement of illicit firearms and identify criminal hotspots before more lives were lost.
“Many of these gun-related offences are happening in open air,” he said. “We need more boots on the ground, both community and police. I am certain that law enforcement is aware of many of the hotspots and movements of illicit firearms. It’s time to be more aggressive in targeting those areas.”
Devonish stressed, however, that enforcement alone was not enough. He urged policymakers to expand and reimagine the country’s social protection net, not merely through welfare payments, but by creating real pathways to economic empowerment for at-risk youth.
“As it stands, crime, particularly hired gun violence, has become a viable means of income for some. Young men especially are weighing their options between washing cars and being paid to kill; that’s the disturbing economic logic some are operating under,” he said. “If a young person sees no other way to earn, the decision to enter criminal activity becomes more attractive; even when the consequences are deadly.”
He warned that the projected ripple effects of the global trade war which was already inflating prices and threatening supply chains, would worsen the financial strain on vulnerable communities. That in turn could drive even more people, especially young men, into crime.
“There is a direct correlation between rising cost of living and increased criminal behaviour, particularly among certain demographics,” Devonish said. “Government cannot completely stop global inflationary pressures, but it must create resilient social systems that protect the vulnerable, not just by handing out money, but by investing in their development.”
He proposed retraining, reskilling, and mentorship programmes that demonstrated the value of legitimate income and long-term stability over quick criminal payouts. “Our social safety net must not just protect the vulnerable, but uplift them, give them reason to believe that a better life can be earned lawfully.”
Devonish warned that unless the twin challenges of enforcement and empowerment were met with urgency and innovation, Barbados could face even more violent years ahead.
“We’ve been talking about these things for decades. Now, with the economic challenges coming our way, the clock is ticking faster. If we don’t act decisively, across all sectors, we risk normalising violence as a way of life.”
