By The Bajan Observer
If I had my way, I would fire both of Mia’s police commissioners. We are watching a leadership crisis unfold in real-time while Barbados bleeds, and frankly, the response from the top has been nothing short of insulting.
One joker is only now talking about “getting serious,” and for what reason? Not because the public has been under siege for months, but only because the police themselves finally came under attack by a gunman. It takes a direct threat to their own doorstep to wake them up?
Let’s look at the reality they’ve been ignoring. Gunmen have been robbing and killing with impunity since last year. The statistics don’t lie—we saw over 50 murders in 2024, and so far we have recorded 44 murders for 2025, putting us on track for another record-breaking year of bloodshed. Robberies have skyrocketed, leaving members of the public running for cover in their own communities.
Yet, we have a Commissioner who seems to have just discovered the crime wave. “Wuh rock he now come from under?” Where was this “serious” energy when grandmothers were frightened to sit on their verandas? Where was this tough talk when our young men were being gunned down in broad daylight? It is reactive, too little, and far too late.
And then there is the other one. To the average Bajans watching, he looks like he is simply collecting easy money. He was never any good at the job to begin with. There is a feeling across the island that he should have stayed exactly where he was sent—HOME. We don’t need retirees or seat-warmers; we need tactical leaders who can actually secure our streets.
The government recently passed the Police (Amendment) Bill 2025 to try and stiffen penalties, but legislation means nothing without competent enforcement. When leadership is weak, the criminal element feels emboldened. We see it every day.
Barbados deserves better protection than this. If the current leadership can’t get a handle on the gunmen running loose, then they need to step aside for someone who can.