Mayhem on Vieux Fort Streets

Gun violence in Vieux Fort Thursday escalated to a whole new level when two males and a female died after sustaining gunshot wounds to their bodies. The violence also left a nine-year-old nursing gunshot injuries at hospital.

According to reports, the shootings occurred less than an hour of each other. The first incident occurred shortly after 4:00 pm at the Fisheries Complex, the second at Bruceville and the third on Clarke Street while police were processing the scene at Bruceville.

Loop News (St. Lucia) reported much wailing in Vieux-Fort Thursday afternoon. The three gunshot victims were all residents of Bruceville and were shot dead in public view.

Dead are Dylan Bastien who was shot in the canteen located in the Fisheries Complex in the town, Rufus ‘Breco’ Stephen, shot dead in Bruceville whose son it was reported was killed a few weeks ago via gun violence in the Fisheries Complex, and Lorraine Savery, an employee of the Vieux-Fort South Constituency Council her lifeless body falling in a drain on Clarke Street.

As a result of the relentless shooting spree in Vieux Fort, Thursday, the Ministry of Education advised that all schools within the Vieux Fort community were to remain closed yesterday.

A Ministry statement said that due to “the current unstable environment …and after consultation with the Royal St Lucia Police Force [RSLPF],” it was decided that the schools within the vicinity of Vieux Fort town would be closed for the day.

The schools closed yesterday were Beanefield Comprehensive Secondary, Beanefield Post-Secondary, Vieux Fort Primary, Vieux Fort Infant, and Vieux Fort Special Education Centre.

The Ministry apologized for any inconvenience caused due to this new development and advised parents/guardians to make all necessary arrangements to keep themselves and their children/ wards safe during this period.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Representative for Vieux Fort South, Dr. Kenny D. Anthony issued a statement in the wake of the three residents killed.

“March 9, unidentified gunmen unleashed an unprecedented carnage in Vieux Fort when they shot three citizens to death, in three separate incidents,” said Dr. Anthony.

“These acts have caused considerable pain, sorrow, fear and anxiety among the citizens of Vieux Fort. The killers were brazen. They acted with impunity, totally unconcerned by those around them and the trauma they unleashed on the community,” the Vieux Fort South MP added.

Dr. Anthony said he was “deeply saddened and distressed” by these latest incidents, since he had known all the victims personally.

He explained, “Dylan Bastien, who was 28 years old at the time of his murder, played a key role in my campaign in the 2021 General Election.

“Ruphus Stephen alias “Brico”, who was 62 years old at the time of his murder was a well-known fisherman who owned several boats. Lorraine Savery was 59 years old. She was an employee of the Vieux Fort South Constituency Council and was a caretaker of the Town Square. She is the mother of six children,” Anthony said.

The Vieux Fort South MP, who has represented that constituency for the past five terms, lamented: “It is inconceivable that in a small community like Vieux Fort, the perpetrators of this wave of brutality are unknown.”

He stressed that under no circumstances should the town “be held hostage to gangs.”

He noted that commerce has been affected since persons from the environs were fearful of travelling to Vieux Fort, resulting in citizens being “afraid to walk the streets to visit stores or to engage in social activities. By evening, Vieux Fort has virtually become a ghost town.”

Dr. Anthony said community engagements involving civil society groups has not been able to dissuade the gang members from this violent behaviour and “there has been no respite in the wanton killings.”

While proposing for a “dramatically” different approach “to fighting crime in Vieux Fort”, he declared: “The citizens of Vieux Fort feel that they are unprotected by those charged with the responsibility to protect them. This has to change if the community is to co-operate with law enforcement.”