(Excerpts of Cheiftain Neptune’s presentation at the NDP’s Town Hall Meeting)
Over the past two decades, St Vincent and the Grenadines has experienced an increase in crime. We all know that crime negatively impacts our communities, local businesses and the country’s ability to attract foreign investors.
The statistics has shown that there is a symbiotic relationship between productivity and the quality of life. Crime must therefore be eradicated by all means necessary and we must do so if St Vincent and the Grenadines is to remain the jewel of the Caribbean.
Past and present administrations have taken a more reactive approach in managing crime. The emphasis has been placed on detection, legal action and punitive measures. But, the New Democratic Party has proposed to utilize a more proactive and contemporary approach in managing crime. The focus will be on deterrence, prevention, prosecution and rehabilitation. We must tackle the orientation and training at the police training centre. In doing so, we must incorporate customer service, conflict resolution, rehabilitation training at the police academy because we want to rebuild the bridge between civilians and the police.
The police must regain the trust of the citizens. There should be a budgetary provision for the training programs. We will offer refresher training for these police and further build the capacity and ensure effective succession planning for the police recruits and for the hierarchy of the police force.
In keeping with the preventative measures, we must come up with the concept of community policing and we have proposed to re-introduce adult and youth groups within the communities. This initiative will serve to foster the relationship between the police and the community to help discuss with other stakeholders within the communities of how we can prevent crimes. What measures should we take, what are the challenges being faced by these communities and together we will propose solutions.
These initiatives should also be joined by the police service. The police should be an integral part of these town hall meetings. We should offer skills training, computer technology, entrepreneurship, parenting, self-defense, sports, behavioural skills and social development programs. These activities will bring the community closer together and more interaction between the police and the community. I must emphasize the importance of rebuilding the bridge between the community and the police. We are seeing murders today that are not being solved. If we rebuild trust between the community and the police, we will see some of these cases being solved quickly.
The New Democratic Party will facilitate the reintroduction of police involvement in schools where the police deliver lectures and presentations which are in line with the schools’ curriculum. The key to crime prevention is gaining the support and trust of the public and making the community members active participants in the process. We all share this responsibility for crime prevention and in tandem, the police must execute their job with accountability, justice and transparency.
The position of the NDP is zero tolerance to crime. We have proposed strategies that will prove that crime can be effectively managed. We do not intend to disregard the rights of individuals in combatting crime but to implement a framework that build pillars of prevention, justice and prosecution and rehabilitation.
Studies have shown that there are four common denominators that contribute to crime: poverty, unemployment and underemployment, low incomes, and lack of readiness of citizens to report incidents of crime. We in the NDP have already taken a holistic approach in combating crime in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Our five priorities for a brighter future will help in this regard. We have also identified four pillars to develop the economy which will enhance the lives and livelihoods of Vincentians.
Dr Friday had mentioned the Spiritual Social and Redemption Chater and Major Leacock had done his studies. I also came up with a twenty-point plan for the improvement of safety and security in St Vincent and the Grenadines. They are overlapping strategies but we have to know how to marry them and come up with the best strategies in managing crime in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
My twenty-point plan: the implementation of a crime stoppers program. This includes, hot lines for anonymous callers to give information, conversations with students, school staff and parents about personal school safety, identifying crime affected areas and take profound steps to prevent the crime before it occurs.
Reduction of poverty: access to education is critical for breaking the cycle of poverty. Job training programs are also a key strategy for reducing poverty and improving the economic situation of low-income individuals and families. The government can fund programs that provide jobs and training for individuals in areas such as construction, community improvement and infrastructure development. Child care and elderly education program also help to provide affordable childcare and early education service to low-income families. Therefore, allowing parents especially single parents to work knowing that their child is being taken care of.
The others are: increase social program, creation of youth camps, implementing a multiple stream program for at-risk youth, strengthening the capacity of creating police youth clubs, crime prevention through environmental design, creation of studies in innovation to enhance the capacity of our residents, youth entrepreneur program, strengthening of the security apparatus, implementation of a National Youth Service Program and strengthening the police capacity through training.
Also, remedial education training for schools dropouts, community policing, de-labelling of stigmatized communities, reintroducing of neighbourhood watch, focus on crime prevention, but also on intervention and suppression, media engagement with security focus and crime awareness programs in conjunction with the media. I am hoping that we are not desensitized to crime. I am fearful if we get to that stage where crime is seen as a normal part of our society.