By Dr. Richard A. Byron-Cox
Over the last score years, I have been saying that violent crime in SVG will take a terrible turn, putting us alongside Jamaica and Trinidad. Now SVG has left these in its wake, becoming the top Caribbean killing field. Actually, in murders per 100, 000, we are “numero uno” globally. Apart from being besieged with housebreakings, we have had cutlass attack in church; public servants stealing the nation’s wealth; graduated to mass murder American style; and our MCM Hospital is now a stage where the crime spree is dramatized in living colours. Criminals have an absolutely free reign, which begs the question, why? I here postulate, there is an SVG crime-enabling moving in volving from government downwards, and mothers upwards giving full endorsement to criminals.
In keeping with ideas postulated before Hobbs and Locke, and after Malcolm X and MLK jr., the state’s primary responsibility is citizens’ safety/security. Over the last decade, the SVG government and police can’t claim a 10% drop in homicides in any year. On the contrary, we are chalking up records in murders. The authorities are bankrupt of ideas to fight crime. The home of the blessed is now the home of the cursed with crime. I am persuaded that apart from the Prime Minister, his inner circle, and the rich, no one is safe. NO ONE! The government’s response to this malady, is throwing millions of dollars at the police, and the Prime Minister on radio, with stupid rhetorical lameness, “I beg the young men to put down the guns.” Taking this cue, the police offer a statement, “We are conducting investigations, and we ask the public to provide us with information. We extend condolences to the bereaved.” The matter and crime in general are then dismissed until the next deadly episode warranting repeat of this nonsensical exercise!! The government and police are knowingly or unwittingly part of this crime-enabling movement.
The parliamentary opposition has unashamedly voluntarily signed up to this movement. Having lost several elections, the NDP trumpets, “NO JUSTICE; NO PEACE!” Their non-leadership has declared, “We have taken the peaceful out of the protest.” In fact, one proudly informed that he knew in advance of a murder committed, but refused to inform the police. Another boasted that criminals come to him seeking money to buy bullets, and so dared the Prime Minister to go up to Sharpes. Crowning it all, he threatened a Commissioner of Police. Still another in all but violent vehemence, tried desperately to persuade rank and file offers to disobey the police high command. Notwithstanding all that, people vote them into parliament time and again. This enabling crime movement is no tiny circle!!
Then there are those lawyers who rub their hands in glee when these horrible crimes are committed. While victims and their families try to come to term with these terrors inflected by those scumbags, these lawyers pray for more such criminal excesses, rallying the perpetuators, and deceiving sections of the public that to hold murderers and other violent criminals to account, is to trample on their human rights. These serialists have beheaded, disembowelled and shot in the back innocent citizens; kidnapped, raped, and murdered young women; attacked and beaten school teachers mercilessly; and have committed contract killing for as little as 150 dollars per head; yet these lawyers insist that to let the hammer of justice fall on these perpetuators’ heads, is infringement of their human rights. An evil recently cold-bloodedly murdered his wife, his lawyer declared the jury mad for finding this evil guilty. This lawyer and others of his ilk are determined to destroy the moral fabric of this society, while smiling all the way to the bank. They are the true profiteers of the crime-enabling movement.
While I appreciate the dictum, “Can a woman’s tender care cease towards the child she bear,” I am also aware that “Everybody’s monkey is pretty.” There are mothers in SVG who profit from the diabolic practices of their sons. Consequently, when their cultivated Satan is caught, they come out seeking sympathy for the demon they raised, telling the world that the police are evil, and have mistreated their son. These women are the most loyal foot-soldiers of the SVG crime-enabling movement; and consequently, among the most DANGEROUS!!!
There are also NGOs, churches, trade unions and CBOs which have enlisted in this movement, thanks to their vanity of self-promotion. But most repugnant is that there are many members of John Public who endorse this nonsense, for as Sparrows says, “We like it so.” Our relishing of the Soca artistes’ pull down this and mash up that is ample proof! Membership to the SVGCEM is permanently open.