Christ is the answer, not crime, says Bishop
Roman Catholic Bishop of Barbados Neil Scantlebury is calling for a collective effort to rebuild the family and fight evil in the wake of the death of 13-year-old Shawnathon Chase.
In a statement yesterday on the shooting incident which claimed the life of The Lodge School student, who was watching a netball match at Silver Hill, Christ Church, on Tuesday night, Scantlebury said it pointed to “deeper issues”.
“Acts of crime are a stark indicator of deeper issues within our society. Barbados is experiencing a moral decline and its social fabric is unravelling. We must all take responsibility for this state of affairs and commit to doing whatever is necessary to correct the wrongs,” he said.
“The family is the foundation of society. If we are to rebuild and transform our nation for the better, we must prioritise strengthening family life. The church urges everyone to seek guidance from the Word of God, for Christ is the answer, not crime. Love is the answer, not hate. Forgiveness is the answer, not revenge.”
In offering condolences to Chase’s family, the Bishop said while words of comfort might be difficult at this time, they can “take solace in the knowledge that God’s love remains ever-present, even in moments of deep sorrow”.
“No parent should have to endure the unbearable experience of losing a child to gun violence. It is unimaginable that a young life could be taken while simply watching a netball game in what should have been the safe surroundings of his community.”
Fellowship and brotherly love
Scantlebury said this should be a clarion call to fight the forces of evil, reclaim the soul of the nation and transform Barbados from a country plagued by violence to one defined by fellowship and brotherly love.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Representative for the Eastern Caribbean Area, AbdulKadir Musse, said they were deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic incident but, increasingly, children were falling victim to acts of violence.
“We also recollect with incomprehension the recent murder of nine-year-old Chantel Crump in Antigua and Barbuda. Children have also lost their lives to violence in St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago within the last few months,” Musse said in a statement.
“As Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley has said so forcefully, we can and must come together to make sure that our children’s lives, our communities and our nations are not blighted by this violence. We need to act jointly, and with resolve, to keep our children safe.
“At UNICEF, challenging violence against children is at the very heart of what we do. We are working with partners – including government, schools, parents, policymakers and researchers – on expanding violence prevention programmes and interventions so young people live lives free from hurt and harm.”
He said beyond shock and sadness, this should also inspire action to find new ideas and strategies to ensure no child suffers a similar fate. (PR/SAT)
