Last Updated on June 7, 2023, 4:49 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew has addressed the nation following a concerning rise in the number of violent crime incidents in the country. The Prime Minister stated that the reports he has received concerning the incidents suggest that the incidents are linked with gang violence and retaliation. The incidents are highly concentrated within the Central Basseterre Constituency.
The Prime Minister took the opportunity to extend his deepest regrets and condolences to the families who are grieving the loss of loved ones who succumbed to the violent crimes. He opened his support and stated that as the minister of national security, it is his responsibility to stand firmly by the side of the community in these trying times,
The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis shared the community’s concerns. He acknowledged that life is precious and they must try to preserve the life and security of all the country’s people. He stated that the reduction of crime is a joint effort. Accordingly, he asked the country’s people to cooperate with the security forces while they started the implementation of the security measures.
As per the Prime Minister and Minister of National Security in the government of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, the security forces will increase security presence in the communities through various methods. The security forces will seek to work with regional and international security experts.
The government leader stated that they are working on strengthening the intelligence capabilities of the security forces and expanding the CCTV infrastructure island-wide. The security forces of St Kitts and Nevis will further enhance the evidence-gathering capabilities to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
The Prime Minister’s further High Command of the Police Force will hold a press conference tomorrow to give the general public more detail on these initiatives. Further, to curb the rise in criminal offences, the federal cabinet has agreed to table legislation in the National Assembly. Under this new legislation, they seek to increase the penalty for illegal firearms offences from 15 to 25 years in prison.
The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to assert that the country’s law enforcement agencies are working diligently to ensure that the streets of the country may remain safe for the law-abiding citizens of the country. Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew stated that while Government believes in providing a second chance to our citizens and residents who have fallen afoul of the law, it does not translate into an opportunity to repeat criminal offences.
Accordingly, the government, led by Dr Terrance Drew, is working to reform the PEACE programme. Dr Drew noted that the programme has rehabilitation at its core. He announced that the crime-fighting task force, which he commissioned recently, will work on a behaviour-changing initiative, “Crime and Violence as a Public Health Issue”. Dr Terrance Drew believes this is a more scientific, sustainable, holistic approach to crime fighting. The process will include dealing with the issue of violence from a public health perspective.
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.
