GOODBYE TO Combatting gun violence
THE CROWN
tion is serious about such a major transformation,
they need only to refer to the
fact that Barbados has abandoned the
British Privy Council as its final appellate
court and uses the Trinidad-based
Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as
its final judicial tribunal for criminal
and civil appeals. This is as others like
Jamaica, Trinidad and the Eastern Caribbean
nations, come up with a plethora
of reasons, including fear of having to
live with corrupt or compromised CCJ
judges, to avoid taking the step of joining
and supporting their own regional
final appeals court. Court defenders
argue that no evidence to substantiate
these fears have surfaced since the
court’s establishment back in 2005.
Further proof its desire to have major
positions and symbols to be more local
in nature can be gleaned from the
fact that Barbados has already removed
the overbearing and vexatious statue of
19th century British warmonger Lord
Nelson which had been, for more than
a century located, not accidentally in
Trafalgar Square, renamed as national
heroes square about 20 years ago. London
has a Trafalgar Square as well.
One of the main city thoroughfares
in Bridgetown, the capital, is Nelson
Caribbean L 34 ife, MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2021
Street. As an indication of how “British”
the island is seen, major districts,
streets and buildings bear names like St.
George and St Phillip. Like is the case in
England, the main sporting facility in
Barbados is the Kensington Oval. British
Airways, Virgin Atlantic and United
Kingdom-based charter carriers make
daily trips to Barbados. The ‘highbrow’
Concorde flew to Barbados during winter
peak seasons in its heyday, allowing
the nation to have the distinction of
being one of the few in the Americas
which could so brag and boast.
Government says the public would
have an input in events leading up to
November as “Little Britain or Bimshire”
moves to exert its nationalism in
a major way.
Continued from Page 1
solutions to violence must be a priority
in our fight against gun violence.
“I believe our faith leaders have an
important role to play and can help
us turn these crime upticks around,
because they have the experience, credibility
and the resources to support victims
of crime and to reach vulnerable
youth and set them on a better path,”
he added.
“I especially want to thank Pastor
Monrose and the 67th Precinct Clergy
Council, which has been engaged in
street level interventions to reduce gun
violence in East Flatbush for more than
a decade,” the Brooklyn DA continued.
“They have an impressive track record
of success and have offered to share that
experience and knowledge with other
Clergy Councils and our community
in order to help us reduce gun violence
across Brooklyn.”
Monrose, who was born and raised in
the US Virgin Islands of St. Lucian parentage,
said, “Clergy Councils have long
served as a liaison between law enforcement
and the communities they serve.
“By building on this collective of clergy
leaders, and growing on this collective
of comprehensive, community plan
to decrease young people’s involvement
in crime and gun violence, while providing
support to victims of violence, this
partnership will embody a holistic, multi
pronged approach with the help of our
very diverse Brooklyn clergy,” he said.
As part of the program, the 67th
Precinct Clergy Council, located in East
Flatbush, will provide strategic, supportive
and technical assistance to neighboring
Clergy Councils in the 69th Precinct
(Canarsie), 70th Precinct (Flatbush), 71st
Precinct (Crown Heights), 73rd Precinct
(Brownsville), 75th Precinct (East New
York), 77th Precinct (Crown Heights)
79th Precinct (Bedford Stuyvesant), 81st
Precinct (Bedford Stuyvesant), 83rd Precinct
(Bushwick) and 90th Precinct (Williamsburg).
Gonzalez said that extended program
will introduce a strategic and valuable
relationship with his office that
will aim to decrease gun violence and
youth involvement in the justice system
through street-level intervention, victim
services, clergy care, social support
services and the Flatbush Leadership
Academy.
The DA’s Office will utilize the Clergy
Councils in several ways, such as: referring
young participants in diversion programs
with mentorship opportunities
and other forms of support; flagging
local disputes among our youth that can
benefit from clergy intervention; offering
internship and work opportunities
to graduates of the Leadership Academy;
prioritizing community-based programs
as alternatives to incarceration; and,
among other items, offering supportive
assistance to victims.
Continued from Page 1
Barbados PM, Mia Mottley. Photo by
George Alleyne