Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite
Attorney General, Adriel Brathwaite, has said that the apparent suicide of 12-year-old Shamar Weekes, in St Lucy, last week reflects a failure of Barbados’ society.
Addressing the start of a march from Independence Square yesterday, aimed at placing a focus on children rights and their protection, Brathwaite told the gathering of persons which included a number of the island’s religious groups that they needed to look out for each other and help in raising the nation’s children.
“In 2015 we in Barbados should lead the way. We should tell all of Barbados, tell all of our children that they are free to be children…free to dance, to sing, come and go and know that they can do so with peace and security,” he said.
Hundreds of Barbadians took part in yesterday’s march.
Organised by Reverend Ann Hamilton-Cutting, the march was under the theme, Breaking the Silence on Child Abuse’.
Reflecting on the St Lucy tragedy Brathwaite said: “I was particularly saddened because we heard of a young man who possibly took his life, and I thought, even not knowing the family, it is as if we’ve all failed.
“When something like that happens I think what could we have done. Even if we didn’t know the young man, what could we have done to support the family, the mother. We need to look at our neighbours. It goes beyond the children. See what you can do to help each other,” the Attorney General lamented.
“The simple message about love your neighbour as yourself, if we live it. And that’s what we all need to do, live that very basic tenet.”