by ROBERT BEST

WHENEVER A VISITOR is a victim of the criminal-minded in our community we find it necessary to retain sound judgement in order not to overreact.

While we should not be complacent, it is known that Barbados has one of the lowest crime rates in the Caribbean, although this fact will indeed be cold comfort to anyone who has been a victim of such crime.

Still it was good to hear from Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin that crime in Barbados is still at the level it was 20 years ago. Even with increased affluence we have not experienced an increase in the crime levels that would imply we cannot adequately deal with the situation.

Although there has been an increase in gun crime, we have managed to avoid the daunting statistics associated with this in a number of neighbouring territories.

Our small size might have given us an advantage in this regard. But we still need to be alert as far as the number of illegal firearms around are concerned, and how these might be coming into the country.

Experience has shown that there is a direct link between an increase in gun crime and the number of illegal arms that surface in a country. It is as if the possession of firearms prompts the criminal-minded to become more "adventurous"; or encourages some to become criminal-minded.

The ongoing challenge is to ensure that our environment remains safe for Barbadians and visitors alike. The visitors might not always be too concerned when the locals are victims of crime. However, the picture changes when they are the victims.

In Jamaica, for example, the crime rate is high, but it is only when visitors are the victims that greater concern than usual is expressed.

This is because when visitors are the victims, it leads to unfavourable Press reports that can adversely affect the country's tourism industry.

At the same time it does not take many such incidents to create this anxiety. Where Jamaica is concerned the challenge has been to keep the crime threat away from the areas that feature prominently in the country's tourism.

This challenge is repeated throughout the region wherever tourism is vital to the economy.

It is known that the creation of a safe environment cannot be realised by concentrating merely on what must be done to protect visitors to the region. A safe environment for Barbadians is also paramount.

Signs of open discontent, whatever their origin, will not encourage outsiders to come among us, not even to do business, far less to enjoy relaxation and recreation.

This is why the image we present to the outside world is so important. If we do not project the type of image that makes outsiders feel happy and welcome, they will look for, and seek these features in other places.

So it is a mistake to believe that when we reflect certain commendable characteristics, that we are doing those who recognise them as such, a favour.

Furthermore, the record has shown that when we make those who come among us feel happy to be here, they will keep coming back. In the same way, if we make them feel uncomfortable they will not want to return.

It is also through our tourism that hundreds of Barbadians have come into contact with people from other parts of the world, enabling them to form lasting friendships. At the same time, many outsiders who will tell of how friendly Barbadians are, also have friends in Barbados.

These people are not reacting to what they might have seen in a tourism brochure. They talk from experience. This experience also includes the knowledge of how safe a place our country is for those who seek to enjoy the Bajan experience.

This is why even when outsiders might have suffered bad experiences at the hands of some of our people, they do not hesitate to point out that such behaviour is not typical of our country.