The People’s Party for Democracy and Development (PdP) has found the Mia Amor Mottley’s administration guilty of having a knee jerk reaction to crime.
This is coming from the party’s spokesperson on Justice and Governance, Maria Phillips, as she joined her colleagues to introduce their candidate for the upcoming by-election for the constituency of St George North David Walrond at Sam’s Place, St George, on Saturday evening.
She said more can be done to redress the crime which impacts on the lives of Bajans daily.
“When this administration was in opposition they made a big hurrah about it and now they are in government they don’t seem able to know what they are doing. There seems to be a knee jerk approach to what they are doing. One minute they are bringing something and there is a big outcry about it and they have to remove it and start again,” said Phillips, an attorney at law.
She said most of the crime in Barbados was drug related and with high unemployment, there will be criminal activity.
“The Pdp has given this government a failing grade as it relates to the management of the crime situation … .Just last year there was an attempt to appoint a deputy commissioner of police and that was not done in a lawful manner. Even though our senator was very vocal about it the attorney general came out and said it was okay and they had to retract and ensure it was corrected and they brought the right Bill before Parliament to [rectify it].”
She said the government was sending a number of signals to the society that showed that they were not managing the crime situation.
“You just can’t just bring a piece of legislation, appoint judges. [There must be] a holistic policy to address crime as it relates to drug offences. In the Throne Speech it was indicated to us that they are now going to decriminalise small quantities of marijauana, but that is almost like saying you are free to do it, you are just going to be fined,” said Phillips who also condemned government for taking policies from other countries which could not work in Barbados. (JS)
