Barbados - Island Paradise?

A few years ago there was a march against violence in Barbados and about 20 persons showed up. Now this is a small island - only 166 square miles - yet the population is almost 300 000, so it is one of the more densely populated land masses. So 20 people at a march is a ridiculously small amount, especially when compared to 15 000 who go to watch cricket (the national sport), or jump in our annual carnival called Crop Over...

It wasn't for lack of advertisement, because one of the persons organising is a well known real estate agent and she used the airwaves, social media, etc. to get word out. I think we were just apathetic. Not interested. Just didn't care. Thought violence happens to "other people" not really here in Barbados.

Over the last few weeks, there has been an unfortunate increase in violent acts on the island culminating with 6 women being killed in one attack last Friday when two robbers held up a clothing store in town, and then upon exiting threw a "fire bomb" into the store. The 3 employees and 3 shoppers were trapped in the building and eventually died. The perpetrators are still at large. This act did not happen out of the blue! There has been a gradual degradation of our society that we have been ignoring. Neither is this the final act - there will be worse situations (sad to say).

I just wonder if the next march against violence will have more people? And if it does - great, but then why are we such a reactive society instead of a proactive one?