Arthur: We need day of mourning

Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur has suggested “a national day of mourning” for the victims of last Friday’s fire in a Tudor Street, Bridgetown store.
And he told Barbados Labour Party (BLP) members and supporters the circumstances under which six females died in the fire at Campus Trendz were the sort that forced societies “to inflict the full measure of the death penalty to protect ourselves from that kind of savagery”.
Arthur made the comments last Sunday night at St Christopher’s Primary School, Christ Church, where the BLP Christ Church South constituency branch met.
He said Barbadians should use the day of mourning to let the families of the victims “know that we care”.
The day would also be an opportunity to send the message that the “home-grown terrorism” which caused the six deaths “has no place in this country”, Arthur added.
The fire that engulfed the store was started by an incendiary device thrown by one of two robbers.
Arthur said the people responsible for the tragedy must “feel the full measure” and weight of the law.
“Barbados needs to have a day when the whole society, from top to the bottom, (can rally) and let the families know that we care, we really do care, and we also want as one to say that this savagery has no place in this good, civilised society.
“As one, from the top to the bottom, we need to have a national day of mourning to join those families and embrace them and let them know that we care.”
Arthur said this was what happened after the tragedies at Arch Cot and Joe’s River. (TY)