CABINET Minister Steve Blackett says it is a worrying omen for this country if the bandits responsible for the recent Bridgetown firebombing that claimed the lives of six young women are home-grown.
“Most Barbadians seemed to have thought that it was a crime that is foreign to our culture but if these perpetrators are of Barbadian origin, then we may have turned the bend when it comes to the committal of crimes in Barbados.
“I am hoping that the security forces can nip this kind of crime in the bud,” he said.
Blackett, the Minister of Community Development and Culture, made these comments minutes after attending a service at the Church of the Nazarene in Bank Hall which served to launch the public relations education programme of the Film Censorship Board.
The minister made the call for a national ecumenical service for the six women, who perished by smoke inhalation on September 3.
Dying in the Campus Trendz store, Tudor Street blaze were employees Kellishaw Olliviere, 24, Shanna Griffith, 18, and Pearl Cornelius, 18; shoppers Kelly-Ann Welch, 24, Tiffany Harding, 23, and Nikkita Belgrave, 23.
Blackett said he expected a committee, under the Ministry of Family, would meet with Monsignor Vincent Blackett to coordinate this service.
Blackett said he hoped that the villains responsible for the crime would be brought to justice and “very shortly we can bring some closure to the investigations”.
At yesterday’s service, Reverend Anderson Kellman said these were difficult times for all and it was important to give praise to God.
“Sometimes, we get so busy with our own personal lives, we forget to give praise to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We must give him praise. He has been a good God to us.”
Kellman, a trained counsellor, saluted the efforts of the Film Censorship Board.
“We live in times when children are parented by television and imbibe the values of Hollywood. It is good to have the Film Censorship Board restore some balance.”
Kellman spoke before a congregation that included board members Cedric Best (chairman), Ryvan Humphrey, Eleanor Blackett, Trevor Waithe, Sharon Johnson, Joan Weekes, Adrene Chase, Joyce Bowen and Debra Hinds.
