The Unity Labour Party (ULP) government has failed miserably to combat violent crime in St Vincent and the Grenadines. One of the promises of the ULP during its elections campaign was to be tough on crime and the causes of crime. We are now seeing that crime is spiraling out of control. Fifty-five (55) homicides were recorded last year, breaking the record of the previous year of forty-two (42) homicides. It appears that we are heading for another record-breaking year. For the year so far, fifty-one (51) homicides have been reported.
The ULP does not care about Vincentians. The ULP government has overseen the worst period of criminal violence in the country’s history. It gets worst every year, not just in numbers but in how the killings are done: mainly by gunshots; involving young people, committed in broad daylight and multiple victims in an incident. Last year, there was a mass shooting in Kingstown where five persons lost their lives and recently three persons were shot to death in Kingstown.
The ULP government does not care about the escalating crime situation in St Vincent and the Grenadines. The ULP does not care about the negative effects that violent crime has on the economy, the health sector, the emotional and psychological effects of relatives and friends of those affected. It is trivialized by those in authority with statement such as, ‘Some men have chosen a life of crime because they have to mind pretty, high maintenance women.’
Studies have shown that unemployment and poverty are contributing factors to crime. Yet, the ULP government has failed to address these critical issues that are plaguing our society. St Vincent and the Grenadines has a youth unemployment rate of 41%; the highest in the OECS. Growing poverty is also a grave concern. Poverty has gotten worse over the period of the ULP government, moving from 30.2% of the population in 2008 to over 36% in 2018.
We have also seen a drastic decline in our moral values during the period of this administration, a reflection of the ‘Education Revolution’. St Vincent and the Grenadines now has an education system which has failed to inculcate societal norms and values to students. This critical function of education was thrown out with the advent of the ‘Education Revolution’. This was well thought out by the ULP government. It is the opinion of many scholars that the decline in moral values has contributed significantly to the rising crime in the country.
Instead of addressing the crisis seriously, the ULP government does not seem concerned. They have failed to appreciate the gravity of the problem. Tackling it requires tough choices and a willingness to be decisive and consistent in combatting crime, but they just do not care. The ULP government has failed to create a national crime plan to address the rising rate of crime across the country. We need an effective plan to address the rising rate of crime. This should encompass a new and integrate national policing plan to target key areas of violence, increased international cooperation and resources needed to tackle crime.
The NDP continues to recommend the following measures: focus on crime prevention: invest heavily upfront on crime prevention by implementing our Spiritual Social and Redemption Charter which will steer vulnerable young people away from criminal behaviour and towards positive social behaviour. Restore trust and confidence in the police and the criminal justice system, introduce community policing, a well-resourced and well-equipped criminal justice system is needed, protect women and girls from sexual violence and domestic abuse with dedicated services, professionalize and modernize the police service and establish a forensic lab. It is obvious that the ULP does not care, otherwise, they would have taken the crime crisis in the country seriously and implement measures that will combat crime.
Developing the Economy
Apart from our plans that we recommend to combat crime, the NDP will also develop the country’s economy. We will build an economy that delivers real and tangible improvement in wages, encourages the growth of new business and provides opportunities for our young people to live and work here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The centre-piece of this, is our strategy to develop the four pillars of the economy – Tourism, Agriculture, the New Economy and the Blue Economy. These four pillars are the engine room of our economic development with the potential to rapidly grow the economy, create thousands of new jobs, increase exports, and generate more revenue for the country.
To do this, we need to ensure that each sector has the support needed to grow. This means that we will have a targeted export plan to open new markets and increase exports annually. We will establish a National Development Bank which will benefit businesses. We will also set up an innovation campus to drive innovation and skills agencies to better support employers. We want to make St Vincent and the Grenadines the shining light of the Eastern Caribbean.
We will deliver more jobs for our young people. As a country, we are in desperate need to ensure that we make a meaningful impact on young people’s life. Too many of our young people face bleak and dispiriting choices. Too many of our young people do not have sufficient opportunities. Creating jobs is not an end in itself. Creating jobs allows our young people to build a life here in St Vincent and the Grenadines and to contribute to our society.
Too many of our young persons do not have work or the prospect of a well-paid or meaningful job. Instead, many of our young people are trapped in makeweight work provided by the government. The NDP is committed to developing the economy which will create opportunities for all Vincentians.