Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has issued a national statement on gun violence appealing for a national effort and urging the nation to “step up…see, touch, engage, participate and become champions in building “a common peace”.

KEY POINTS:

We must immediately address the absence of religious and moral grounding in our children. They must learn the difference between right and wrong and the need to respect human life.

We need to control the inappropriate use of social media to circulate memes that hurl insults or share videos that denigrate people, promote the attraction of guns, send direct messages to issue threats or deliberately generate fake news.

We must monitor and balance excessive screen time and exposure to violent content.

Children are being desensitized to violence. Children and parents are being desensitized to guns and killing.

There must be zero tolerance for guns and drug abuse.

People are urged to reduce the number of guns in society by turning them in.

People who know of people in possession of guns must say something.

PM Mottley urges each Barbadian to pause for five minutes this Saturday, at midday, for silent reflection wherever they are and whatever they are doing, other than the essential services. Radio and television stations are also urged to pause for this five minute period and to play appropriate music for reflection and to encourage the building of a common peace in the country.

Calls on all Summer Camps on Monday to speak to their children.

Urges that all religious services across the island this Saturday at midday for 5 send up prayers for the fallen and for national resolve to build a peaceful Barbados