Last Updated on May 22, 2026, 7:58 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew, who handles the responsibility for the Ministry of National Security, welcomed local, regional and international delegates from the United Nations Development Programme and some CARICOM jurisdictions. The officials attended the official launch of the CARICOM–UNDP Diagnostic Document and CARICOM–UN Action Framework on Thursday,
During the launch event, Prime Minister Drew said that they must move beyond traditional law enforcement measures. The Prime Minister added that the solutions to the problem of crime and violence will come from broader societal intervention.
According to the Prime Minister, law enforcement and judicial interventions are very important for national security. However, they have to deploy a more comprehensive strategy that can look at the various underlying social, psychological and environmental conditions that often serves as a precedent for the criminal activity.
The Prime Minister spoke at the launch event by drawing from his own experiences as a medical. He also talked about the issue of crime and violence in his capacity as the Minister of National Security of St. Kitts and Nevis.
The Prime Minister also talked about the influences that have shaped his approach to tackling crime and violence. Dr Drew said that he has spent time understanding crime through a public health lens.
The approach of looking at crime through the lens of public health has been utilised significantly to shape the national security policy in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“I’m simply saying, that, that alone is not the answer, and invariably, when law enforcement and the judicial system really get involved is at the end of a long process of bringing somebody to that point,” said Prime Minister Drew, who further suggested “the prevention aspect is the aspect that is not being explored sufficiently in the Caribbean.”
According to the Prime Minister of the country, implementing this crime prevention strategy will require support and work from several stakeholders. Health professionals, Education stakeholders, social development agencies, community and political organizations, people from the the private sector and security agencies come together for a collaborative effort.
The Prime Minister also added that similar work is being done in St Kitts and Nevis initiatives such as the Citizen Security Secretariat (CSS). These initiatives have helped improve the situation significantly in St Kitts and Nevis. Dr Drew also said that campaigns and programmes have focussed on prevention, early intervention and community engagement.
As a result of these interventions Dr Terrance Drew said that crime had fallen by between 75 to 80%. The Prime Minister also said that he was proud to see other CARICOM nations are interested to learning more about this approach.
The interest has been increasing in light of the results that the stratagy has begun showing in St Kitts and Nevis. Dr Drew said, “Diagnostic Document and Action Framework as a significant step in institutionalizing preventative and evidence-based approaches across the region.”
The Prime Minister said that the partnership between UNDP and CARICOM can lead to positive outlook for the future generations of the country.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
