Dear Honourable Prime Minister, In view of the prevailing situation of crime and violence in our country, the mounting concerns of the people of Saint Lucia and the need for decisive action to bring this matter under control in the quickest possible time, I write to you in the spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship.
In the last couple of weeks, we have seen and experienced unprecedented acts of gun violence in Saint Lucia. Our people live in fear and our country stands at the precipice of lawlessness. Such acts of violence and crime threaten the very fabric of our society. We are faced with the destruction of families and communities at the hands of criminals. We grapple with the social decay and increased levels of disruption caused by the continued implications of post covid trauma: the recent rise in inflation, supply chain issues, and the Ukraine war.
The instances of crime, in the last two weeks, demand that as a country we move with alacrity to find and implement solutions that would have the effect of bringing internal stability to our country, while at the same time removing the threat that has created fear amongst defenseless people and is paralyzing our economy.
With the state of crime being worse than it has ever been, and the economic implications to follow, we as leaders must come together to fight this scourge. Our very social and economic existence is threatened if we are unable to arrest the growing issue of crime in our country.
The intention of this letter is to offer to you some ideas that will help to slow down the current trends and hopefully contribute to a significant longer-term reduction of violent crime. It is my strong belief that it’s only through government led coordination with civil society and inclusion of the Opposition that we can create the greatest opportunity for a sustained solution to the problems that we now face and put a stop to the flagrant criminality and terror being perpetrated on the people of Saint Lucia, in particular, the gun related murders that have now reached new levels.
We can learn from the past experience of two government initiatives, the Operation Restore Confidence (ORC) in 2010-11 and the Covid Pandemic of 2019-21.
While I recognize that there are mixed views on the success of ORC, we must appreciate the fact that most Saint Lucians think it was successful and would welcome its return. ORC not only produced a dramatic reduction in crime, but also sent criminals into hiding. What we have learned is the flip side that ORC led to the IMPACS report and allegations of targeted killings which was at the center of sanctions imposed against the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force. So, it was not so much the intention but how it was implemented that resulted in the imposition of sanctions.
During Covid the country successfully managed the impact of this global pandemic. During the first six months we had the least number of infections and no deaths. As we quickly realized that we could not afford to keep our economy closed, we adopted the policy to “co-exist with Covid”. The key was to create a structure that would allow an immediate inter coordination of key agencies and facilitate the inputs of technocrats, policy makers, civil society and the public. So, a Command Centre made up of government agencies and key technocrats was established and met on a daily basis to share information and to review the effectiveness of the management of the various policies.
The Command Centre provided weekly updates to Cabinet, highlighted inefficiencies and gave recommendations to improve effectiveness. Cabinet then reviewed these reports and recommendations and provided the necessary resources. Through NEMAC, Civil Society was engaged to provide their input. A Press Conference was then held to inform the public on final decisions taken. The Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of Finance were integral to the process.
Mr. Prime Minister, I agree with you that crime should not be political and let me further emphasize that, like Covid, crime does not discriminate. I genuinely believe adopting the no tolerance and seriousness of ORC and the transparent and efficient management of Covid should be combined to combat our current crisis. We can only succeed with all of us working together and in coordination.
The United Workers Party believes in a “Secure future for all Saint Lucians”. Crime affects us all and cares not about party or affiliations. It is in this vein that I propose the following initiatives that will assist in immediately addressing the issue of crime and in particular violent crimes in Saint Lucia:
1. Adoption of the Covid Command Center structure which will now become the Crime Command Centre to offer policy and strategic guidance and expertise on crime fighting initiatives. Identification and recruitment of citizen security experts within and outside the government service to serve as advisors to the Command Center. The Command Centre should be made up of government security, private sector security, and key Ministries; Customs, Immigration and those others involved with security.
2. Properly appoint dedicated, technical, administrative staff to the Command Centre.
3. Advance the administration of the Border Control Programme.
4. Institute an equivalent entity to NEMAC for Crime.
5. Mandatory polygraphing of Customs and Police officers.
6. Amendment of licensing requirement for all sea vessels registered in Saint Lucia, making vessel monitoring systems mandatory.
7. Fast tracking of KLED and CCTV installation.
8. Rewards programme for information on illegal weapons.
9. Implementation of court backlog project and bench trials.
Of course, credible leadership is a necessary ingredient and those correctly identified by the IMPACS report and by you and your Party as contributors to crime must be dealt with if we are serious about a solution and the difficult decisions that must be taken, and if you are to be taken credibly.
I sympathize with those who have lost loved ones to or have been victims of violent crime. We can address this problem through a concerted and united effort
I am available to discuss this further with you and assure you of my own and my Party’s support.
May God continue to bless our beautiful Saint Lucia.
Sincerely,
Allen M. Chastanet
Leader of the Opposition
Kenvil Atkins / Lewis December 8, 2022 At 3:08 pm
BEULAH LAND
Oh beautiful St. Lucia Island in the sun
I did not leave because I hated thee
You are dear to me like a cup of cool
Clearwater
But the pioneer spirit would not let me be
It’s in my blood and pushes me onward
But I vouch someday to return my love
Today my soul mourns for thee seeing your
Dying ambers
The young and old have been taken, hostage
Rule by a government of weak hearts
There is a brewing cancer governed by a nest
Of scorpions and vipers of all kinds
For a few trinkets, they come by the shipload
To your shores
Recking havoc on a then our peaceful nation
Of God-fearing people who live by the rules
Now it is too late your birthright has been stolen
Sold to the highest bidder
By the very same people you love and protect
They open your door to strange people with
Strange custom intending to dominate
Placing a choke hold around your neck force
You into submission slavery
Some came bearing gifts making us a gluttony
People rotten fruits at that poisoning this
Generation for gain and security
Now they openly bear arms against us killing
Our people at random
Our loving citizen of the sun Island will soon be no more
The killing has become a way of life a vice adopted
By devels and passing it on to our youth
For a mere trinket
While our leaders twirl their fingers looking for another
Bribe another dollar of useless infidels
Our creole heritage is soon to become a thing
Of the past
Replace it with Twanise jumbo Mombo or Chinese
Chin Chung
Our land of peace our beautiful St. Lucia has
Become a vipers paradise
Fellow brothers and sisters beloved of St. Lucia
There is no time left for slumber
Open your eyes to the destruction around you
The degradation and dysfunction of warm people
I am not at present with you but urge you to
Harness your God-given birthright
And rise to a new beginning a new dawning
Arm your selves with integrity love and fellowship
Trod on the belly of the snakes and shout upon the
Rooftops a call to arms
Cleanse the land that gave you birth the land of
Hills and valleys Farest Isles of all the earth
I came back to see you live among you
But you plunder my resources and left me wanting
Nevertheless, I love you like my brethren’ mind and body
The die is cast now is the time to root out evil in your
Community your villages your cities and yourselves
May the glory of Jehovah whom I served shine upon
You as you fight the good fight
The age of killing must stop now and only you can
Accomplish this if not prepare yourself for a mass
Burial of a once peace-loving creole people
I now leave you to summon up your courage as
People of St. Lucia
Once a force to reckon with alas our true leaders are gone
The poet
Kenvil Atkins/ Lew
“……………alas our true leaders are gone.”
Sir, you have ended your Poetry with a truth – that truth is one which has been bothering me and a lot of other St. Lucians. Like yourself I left St. Lucia many, many moons ago, I did at one point made frequent visits to see the old folks; but alas today I fear to set foot at a place I love so much. I cannot comprehend what it is that has caused the male in our society to be so bedeviled, to cause the death of some seventy Souls; I ask, ‘where are the true Leaders’ where have they gone? it saddens me to think that they of that kind dare not show their faces for fear of the treatment. Since when that our Creole Folks have to trip half way around the Globe with Hat in hand looking for help from a strange people, where is the pride as a Nation, why do we keep electing international beggars rather than those in the past, quite capable of providing its people their daily needs; I thank the Almighty in the words written “anything you ask the Father in my name He will give it to you.” if as a nation we should stand together, on a regular basis and shout to the Lord, I know our humble Prayers will be heard. This is the faith I live by, and I’m happy to see, even but a few, have come to attend this session. May they all be Blessed and may St. Lucia receive a glorious Blessing from on High for a stop to this Nightmare.