OUTSIDE THE PULPIT: Cash-for-gold must be stopped

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. – 1 Thessalonians 5: Vs 4-6
When Inspector David Welch made a recent announcement that members of the public should refrain from wearing jewellery in public and should leave it at home, I could not help once again but ask myself “what is my beautiful country Barbados coming to”?
What is the purpose of having jewellery if one cannot wear them? I do feel that one should be free to wear one’s jewellery whenever one cares and wherever one chooses. Leaving the jewellery at home will create another problem for home owners.
Persons are being robbed of gold virtually everyday.
Everyone knows that the cash-for-gold business is partly fuelling this greed. Every day we hear of new incidents where people have been accosted and molested simply to snatch gold items.
I am sure these days people are afraid to wear their gold jewellery in public. Something has to be done about it now for the problem has the potential of destroying our tourism industry. Are we going to allow this to happen?
We as a country must bring this cash-for-gold to an end at once for it is out of control.
I do believe that the media have played a part in fuelling the greed for gold by their constant “ads” which glorify the trade and this must stop. Legislation alone won’t solve this problem. What is really needed is enforcement and the work of the police has to be visible.
Let us stop this Cash-for-Gold right now!