As the Barbadian Senate took up debate on the groundbreaking Criminal Gangs (Prevention and Control) Bill Friday aimed at curbing the island nation’s surging violent crime and gang activity, independent senator and Anglican cleric Canon Dr. John Rogers delivered a somber, impassioned address that framed the current crisis as a defining failure of the country’s social and moral fabric. Opening his remarks with a heavy heart, Rogers drew parallels between the proposed new legislation and oppressive control laws enacted during the colonial slavery era, noting that centuries ago, Barbadian parliament passed harsh laws to dehumanize and control enslaved Africans, classified then as dehumanizing terms like “bucks” and “wenches” as chattel property. Today, he lamented, the country once again finds itself forced to pass sweeping control laws to rein in widespread criminal violence — a marker of how far Barbados has drifted from its foundational values, ahead of a series of landmark national milestones. “Barbados has become a foreign place,” Rogers stated, explaining the shift extends beyond changing demographics to alien, harmful ideologies that have taken root across society, coinciding with upcoming milestones including the 400th anniversary of the island’s settlement, the 60th anniversary of national independence, and the fifth anniversary of Barbados’ transition to a republic. Next year will also mark 400 years since the Anglican Church was established on the island, a history Rogers acknowledged is tied to the transatlantic slave trade, but he emphasized that faith institutions across denominations have been a cornerstone of Barbados’ moral and social development. From Anglicans and Methodists to Roman Catholics, Moravians, Adventists and Pentecostal congregations, religious groups have shaped generations of young Barbadians through youth programmes like the Church Lads’ Brigade, Church Girls’ Brigade, Pathfinders and Cub Scouts, building the social fabric that holds communities together, he argued. Turning to the substance of the anti-gang legislation, Rogers warned the bill cannot be considered separately from the interception of communications law passed last year, noting that modern Barbadian gang activity is no longer limited to local neighborhood factions. Today’s gangs are deeply connected to regional and international transnational criminal syndicates, creating a systemic challenge that extends far beyond the island’s borders, he explained. While Rogers expressed clear support for the proposed bill and its provisions to close legal loopholes and strengthen penalties for gang affiliation and activity, he stressed that legislation alone cannot reverse the tide of rising violent crime. To meaningfully address the crisis, the country must confront the root causes embedded in the core of society, working to transform the harmful mindsets that fuel criminal behavior, he argued. Echoing earlier calls in the debate to reclaim local communities from gang influence, Rogers said lasting societal change will require open, difficult conversations about core values, personal accountability and social discipline. He welcomed the Ministry of Education Transformation’s ongoing review of school grooming policies, arguing that educational institutions have a responsibility to prepare young people for entry into the workforce. Allowing young male students to attend school with unkempt, unkempt hair and little regard for personal presentation sets them up for long-term failure, he argued, as employers will be far less likely to give these young people opportunities to build stable careers. Rogers also doubled down on long-held concerns about drug decriminalization, first raised during the 2019 debate on cannabis legislation, warning that the widespread proliferation of cannabis on Barbadian streets has directly contributed to the current crime surge, with visible fallout across communities. Beyond drugs, Rogers linked rising crime to broader shifts in cultural norms, calling out what he described as increasingly vulgar and degrading messaging in popular music and entertainment showcased during the annual Crop Over festival. The content of modern cultural output shapes how Barbadians value one another, particularly how women are viewed and valued by society and themselves, he said, urging cultural creators and practitioners to prioritize uplifting, values-driven content that strengthens rather than erodes community standards. A pervasive reluctance to hold young people accountable for their actions has also weakened social guardrails, Rogers argued, noting that decades of shifting attitudes toward discipline have left many children without clear boundaries. Today, society fears even constructive discipline to the point that children are raised without expectations of accountability, he argued, likening the overprotective approach to raising fragile eggs rather than resilient, responsible young people. Compounding this issue is a growing culture of entitlement, Rogers said, where too many young people expect wealth and success without investing the effort of attending school, building skills or working their way up. “Only the grave digger starts from the top,” he noted, urging young people to take entry-level and available work while pursuing better long-term opportunities, even when formal employment options are limited. Early intervention is critical to steer at-risk children away from a path toward violent crime, Rogers stressed, explaining that young children who do not learn impulse control and basic accountability grow into adults who are willing to use lethal violence without considering the harm to innocent bystanders. He also called for a renewed emphasis on civics education to help all citizens understand how criminal behavior damages families, destroys communities and tarnishes Barbados’ international reputation, which is critical to the island’s economic and social standing. Becoming visibly emotional during his speech, Rogers mourned the recent fatal shooting of a former student and cricketer he had coached, offering condolences to the young man’s family and holding the killing up as a painful example of the human cost of the current crime crisis. He also recalled the killing of a local small business vendor, who was killed by a stray bullet while working to build a better life for his family — an incident that has continued to weigh on him in the months since the shooting. Closing his address, Rogers made a direct appeal to parents, particularly single mothers raising children alone, to take greater responsibility for guiding and monitoring their children. He reiterated his earlier historical parallel: when a community allows behavior that violates basic social standards to become normalized, society is ultimately forced to enact restrictive laws to control that behavior. “If we’re going to behave like bucks and wenches, laws will have to be passed to control us,” Rogers said. “Tie your children.”