Barbados launches campaign against harbouring criminals

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The Barbados Government has launched a new public education campaign reminding citizens of the penalties attached to harbouring gangsters and fugitives.

The Ministry of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice said the campaign is part of the ministry's wider Crime Prevention Programme, which began with the release of two public service announcements (PSAs).

One is entitled "Hiding Them Will Cost You," which warns against harbouring fugitives, while the other, "Gran is Not Going to Prison," addresses harbouring gang members.

Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Minister Michael Lashley explained that while one of the PSAs addresses the general penalties for harbouring fugitives, the other is specific to the recently passed Criminal Gangs Act, which imposes "very strong" penalties for harbouring gang members and those who recruit gang members.

"Now, I want to say that there will be a wider national education programme with respect to crime prevention, and this will involve reaching out to the schools, community engagement and other service clubs. Of course, we need to have all players involved that touch and concern the Crime Prevention Programme....

"We have now to reach out to the public, engage the public, and one of the best ways of reaching out to the public is not using the traditional media but to use other forms, particularly whether you call it WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, whatever, to reach persons. And this is the first start of the engagement of community persons because we are using community persons who played a very important part in the development of these two PSAs," Lashley said.

He said he wanted Barbadians to view the PSAs not only as warnings but also as catalysts to encourage others to join the fight against crime.

"Yes, in some instances you will be loyal, but you can't let loyalty bring you into breach of the law, and that is why the Criminal Gangs Act places a specific provision in relation to relationships, and that if these relationships redound to punishment, the relationship would also act as a mitigating factor, but it's still an offence," the Legal Affairs Minister said.

He said he had full confidence in the new Commissioner of Police as they reached out to communities, noting that the problem could not be solved through enforcement alone and that authorities must also engage communities and reach persons who are on the brink of "touching the criminal justice system".

"Persons who are young, vulnerable, who might not be part of the criminal justice system but might be vulnerable to leaders, gang leaders, and drug leaders, and that we must go at the other end and say, 'You know what, let us get the positive community leaders to be involved in this Crime Prevention Programme.' So, I want to endorse the PSAs, and I look forward to working with all community groups, all the law enforcement agencies, in this fight against crime," Lashley said.

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