(Barbados Nation) Educator and entertainer Mac Fingall has identified the minibus, dancehall and gang cultures as issues fostering disorder in Barbados
In a fiery mood as he and other entertainers signed onto Crime Stoppers Barbados at the corporate offices of Guardian General, Collymore Rock, St Michael, on Tuesday, Fingall pointed to those subculture elements as signs of impending disaster in the society.
“The signs are clear,” Fingall said.
“The minibus culture, the drug culture, the dancehall culture, the gang culture, the bullying culture, the block culture, the ‘I don’t want to work’ culture, the glorifying of the ‘bad boy’ culture . . . all these lend to disorder.”
The former teacher also pointed to a lack of interest and awareness by the relevant officials in dealing with crime proactively.
“The people empowered to do something about this quickly approaching disaster seem not to be aware of it because of where and how they live. “But I must warn you that this, if left to fester, will affect everyone from every sphere of the society,” Fingall said.
Former calypso monarch Adrian Clarke levelled his own concern at the impact criminal activity was having on children in society, and said that was the pull factor in his joining the Crime Stoppers effort.
“I have kids and as far as children are concerned, they are the future, and if we really want a great future for our kids in Barbados, we have to be able to protect them; so being someone that can be in the forefront to say ‘report crime’, that is something superb for me and I’ll continue to support Crime Stoppers,” Clarke told the MIDWEEK NATION.
As Fingall, Clarke, reigning calypso monarch Stetson Red Plastic Bag Wiltshire, and broadcasters Maurice Norville and Patrick Gollop all signed on the dotted line to become official ambassadors for the seven-month old project, vice-chairman Julie Dash said the entertainers’ support would add credibility to Crime Stoppers’ attempt to increase awareness and cooperation from the public and corporate Barbados.
“We are pleased to announce the commitment of these esteemed gentlemen who without hesitation have decided to join with Crime Stoppers to use their voices and influence the society to help make Barbados as crime-free as possible,” Dash said, revealing that a advertising campaign would be launched using the new signatories.
She also lauded the current success resulting from tips and subsequent arrests, noting that to date 262 tips had been received and 14 arrests made through Crime Stoppers.