Another young man has lost his life through gun violence. This brings the number of homicides in the country for the year to eleven. The New Democratic Party is deeply concerned with the increase of violent crime. And, has reiterated its call for the commissioner of police to unveil his plan to fight crime in the country.
What is even more disturbing is that a significant percentage of these homicides remain unsolved; as the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force seems unequipped to deal with the situation. Further, the Minister of National security has failed to be tough on crime and the causes of crime as promised. The Gonsalves government has overseen one of the worst periods of our history and worryingly they offer no hope.
At the last sitting of parliament, Leader of the Opposition, Dr. the Honourable Godwin Friday, tabled a Motion on crime which called for a broad-based national approach to address the problem of crime. As usual, the motion was not debated. The following is the Motion:
“WHEREAS one of the most pressing problems we face today is the epidemic of crime sweeping our country and becoming more prevalent in our communities, including theft on farms, and on our streets;
AND WHEREAS crime affects everyone, directly or indirectly, and undermines our personal safety and peace of mind and economic activity;
AND WHEREAS the first duty of any government is to protect the lives and livelihoods of its people by promoting safety and security throughout the country;
AND WHEREAS last year was one of the most violent periods in recent memory with a record number of forty-two homicides in a year;
AND WHEREAS the police lack the tools to fight crime effectively and many officers feel unsupported and demoralized in part because their creditable efforts are not recognized or rewarded by improved working conditions, training, and promotions;
AND WHEREAS unemployment has increased and poverty has worsened moving from 30.2% of the population in 2008 to over 36% in 2018 and against this backdrop, criminality projects an emboldened face in our country;
AND WHEREAS many young people drop out of school without a certificate or skills and are unable to find jobs or other opportunities for personal advancement
AND WHEREAS there is a need for positive community-oriented programs that would steer vulnerable young people away from crime towards socially positive behavior.
AND WHEREAS the Leader of the Opposition in a national address on crime recognized the urgency of the problem, outlined measures to address it and, as the Opposition has done over the years, signaled a willingness to cooperate with government, civil society organizations and other social partners in pursuing a national response to the problem of crime;
BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House acknowledge the worsening problem of crime, recognize the need for urgent solutions and, accordingly, support a broad-based approach that includes the Government, the Opposition, religious organizations, civil society organizations and other relevant partners to address the problem of crime in our country.”
Dr. Friday also has also addressed the following: tourism related crimes, praedial larceny and domestic violence, and offered solutions. He said, “Praedial Larceny is another area that requires special attention. Agriculture is critical to our economy. But the stealing of farmers’ crops and animals is out of control and is destroying agriculture and farmers’ livelihoods. There can be no tolerance for such crimes for though they don’t make headlines, they hurt farmers badly and do terrible damage to our economy. Combating praedial larceny requires more than just rural constables; it requires a comprehensive approach that involves tracking agricultural commodities and punishing offenders who are detected, including those who aid and abet thieves by buying the goods from them at cut rate prices! The upholder as well as the thief must be held accountable! And we must be serious about that.
Specialization is required in combatting tourism-related crimes that are so damaging to our economy. A special service to investigate and prosecute such crimes, including against yacht visitors, is urgently needed because they require a quick response and measures to keep victims properly informed about their cases even after they leave our shores.
Domestic violence and sexual offences against women and girls are a plague in our country. One case is one too many; the current widespread nature of the problem is a national disgrace. It must be addressed urgently and seriously. These types of offences require sensitivity and specialized training to investigate and prosecute effectively. A Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Unit in the Police service staffed by specially trained officers and counsellors is required for success in combatting such crimes. Also, wherever possible prosecution must be pursued, even when the victims do not wish to proceed.”
Contributing factors to crime
The government needs to address the issue of poverty and unemployment in the country. For example, that unemployment is extremely high. The World Bank reported that our youth unemployment is a staggering 41% of persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years. This rate exceeds our neighbours in St. Lucia (38.7%), Barbados (30.6%) and Trinidad & Tobago (12.7%) and far exceeds the average for Caribbean small states of just over 25%.
Poverty has gotten worse under the Unity Labour Party government. As governments before had done, the present government commissioned an assessment of poverty. The report of that study, for the period 2008-2018, has still not been released by the government. But we obtained the report and made it public. The damning evidence was that poverty in this country has gotten worse over that period of the ULP government, moving from 30.2% of the population in 2008 to over 36% in 2018. In some communities, the situation worsened dramatically.
We will ensure that are our streets are safe, our women and children are protected and provide opportunities for our young people.