Crime in St Lucia
- Four homicides in one week, November 21-25, 2022
- Three people hospitalized after Dennery gun violence – Thursday, December 1, 2022
- National Security Minister urged citizens to fight crime
- RSLPF – ‘Taking a hard line on criminality, especially during the Christmas season when there is an increase in criminality’
- A weekend of carnage, December 3 – 4, 2022
- British ex-pat murdered in Soufriere, St Lucia, another in hospital – Saturday
- Indiscriminate shooting at a funeral vigil in Babonneau – 13 victims suffered gunshot wounds – Saturday
- Homicide in La Clery – Saturday
- Homicide in Vieux-Fort – Sunday
- St Lucia records 69 homicides, … and counting
By Caribbean News Global
TORONTO, Canada – Saint Lucia is existing in a blank space of national security at the limits of ‘gangsters’; meantime theorists, and The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) is said to “taking a hard line on criminality, especially during the Christmas season when there is an increase in criminality’ – part of the RSLPF’s mandate in ensuring citizen security,” says acting commissioner Benson Deterville.
Last Thursday, three people were shot in Dennery. On Saturday, masked gunmen opened fire at a bar in Soufriere, killing one British ex-pat, the other is in stable condition at hospital. Later that evening in Babonneau gangsters displayed their firepower during a vigil for a victim of a recent homicide, wounding at least 13 victims.
As if this was not enough, a drive-by shooting claimed another life in La Clery, Saturday. The southern town of Vieux-Fort on Sunday claimed the night with another homicide and a video showcasing ‘our toys’. These gangster-related activities preceded a week that witnessed four homicides.
The number of homicides for 2022, as of publication is 69.
The unmanageable and unprecedented increase in criminality over the years, and a dysfunctional judicial system tell the story, beyond present-day reality.
“ … Crime is big business in Saint Lucia and it is driven by people who are way up in the hierarchy of this country …”
Revealingly the report — Operation Restore Confidence (ORC) suggests that “the crime problem in Saint Lucia is facilitated by corrupt politicians/government officials, business persons and police officers.” Kenny Anthony added, “We cannot continue in a situation where we are viewed as a pariah state by our partners in the fight against crime and lawlessness.”
Prime minister and minister for national security in a recent national address titled: ‘A time to decide’ November 25, 2022, said, in part:
“It has been said before that crime is every citizen’s business, and we must all play our part in stemming its increase. Our neighbourhood watch groups must be reactivated along with organized sports clubs and wholesome community activities – in short, we must return to being our neighbour’s keeper.”
There is also the ideology from Saint Lucia’s national security theorists and expouse by domestic politicians on how crime should be reported – in guidance to the social and economic lifeblood of the economy – tourism, Citizenship by Investment (CIP) and financial services.
That said, many incidents of robbery on citizens and tourists, home invasion and even domestic abuse are unreported.
The RSLPF is said to be investigating multiple homicides, cold cases and corruption on the island with a population (185,636) in an area of 238 square miles (617 km2) 27 miles (43,2 km) long and 14 miles (22,4 km) wide – is at best – undesirable and void of essential information to the public and external inquires.
The plan and strategy relevant to the unmanageable crime situation in Saint Lucia are beyond the sole purview of local remedies.
The RSLPF are still subject to ‘Leahy Law.’ The RSLPF is operationally deficient in its current resource deployment of officers, and equipment. Moreover, planned release of statements and the RSLPF communication strategy are flowery of outflows in a straw basket at the riverside. Operatives, agents and informants to ‘gangsters’ are better adapted.
And meanwhile, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition are common possessions, on Thursday, December 01, 2022, an individual was granted bail in the sum of XCD$26,000.00.
In the blank state of Saint Lucia’s national security that says nothing and everything – # see not evil # hear no evil # do no evil – the infinite possibility lingers, that during the festive season, anyone breaking the law will be arrested.
Acting commissioner Deterville, reiterates:
“Crime is becoming more sophisticated. The criminal elements out there will take every advantage they get to instil fear in members of the public. But our job as police officers is to confront those individuals when they would want to instil that fear and to ensure that in confronting them that we put a nail on their heads of those.”
The Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture will convene on December 6, 2022, a symposium dubbed – ‘Security for Business’ in collaboration with several firms who provide security services for the Chamber. The intention is to bring the business community several practical approaches which can be applied to protect their team members and business from crime.
After years of superficial crime management, the central characteristics offered by the business, the political [ theoretical/policymakers ] and police operations [operational/resource deployment] add little to appeal to help fight crime and foster better relations between the public and the police.
The most important responsibility of government is to make the community and country safe – you cannot put a price tag on that. The defining depictions of Saint Lucia’s national security apparatus are blank.
Multiple crises facing St Lucia continue in a vacuous manner
