PRIME MINISTER Allen Chastanet says he has the solution to the problem of homicides in the country, but it is not one that will solve the problem overnight.
This brazen announcement by the Prime Minister made at last week Monday’s pre-Cabinet press briefing is bewildering, considering that the country registered 54 homicides so far this year — 23 more than last year, a year in which Chastanet governed for almost seven months after his party won the June 6 general elections.
Chastanet did not say what that solution was; neither did he comment on the reason or reasons why the solution appeared not to have worked this year, despite claiming that his party came into office with the promise of having the solution to the homicide problem in the country.
“I continue to say, and my administration continues to say, that we do have a solution for the homicide problems. We came into government promising that we have a solution, but unfortunately that solution is not something that’s going to happen overnight,” Chastanet said.
He pointed to the many social ills in the country as perhaps reasons why his solution to the homicide problem is not an instantaneous cure.
“These are problems that come over a longer period of time and are being supported by our porous border,” he said.
He indicated that his solution hinges on several practical factors associated with the efficient functioning of several key offices in the land.
“When we came into office, there was no coast guard, no marine police unit working, there was no surveillance, the two radar systems were not working, the forensic lab was closed, there was no DPP and the DPP office was depleted in personnel and resources. The court system was a mess. So when you think of all the things that you have to be able to fight crime and to protect the security of St. Lucians, all of that was at an all-time low,” Chastanet said.
“In one year and a half, with the Leahy Law still imposed on us, we have gotten seven coast guard boats up and running. We have a DPP, we have hired new lawyers in the DPP’s office, we have given them new equipment, the forensic lab is not working fully — only on basic stuff — that we are addressing,” Chastanet said.
According to the Prime Minister, government is addressing problems in the court system, streamlining it and preparing to build a new court building, a hall of justice on the site of the National Cultural Centre at Barnard Hill, which is going to cost government EC$34 million. This money is going to build the Hall of Justice and the Cultural Center on a new site.
Regarding the construction of a new headquarters for the police, the Prime Minister said his government is now going through the final details of the contract. Also on that site will be new headquarters for the fire service department and the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO).
The headquarters will cost US$34 million and will be located on the site that once held the Golden Hope Mental Hospital.
“So all your emergencies and central services will be operating from headquarters out of one area,” Chastanet said.
He spoke of bringing in new CCTV cameras as part of the LED public light system government is putting in place and of the monitors being installed in the new, pending police headquarters.
Everyone can clearly see that you Chastanet have no shame. You mean you have the guts to talk about how SLP had much less resources than you to tackle crime yet crime figures were lower during their term in office? Next time you will keep your big mouth shut.
……HANG THEM!!!..
…….Chastanet cannot stop BLACK PEOPLE from killing each other;…….look in the mirror, Dale!!..
I too have a solution; you kill – you hang – if it was not for self defense.
Dale Jacobs, why politicize crime? you guys just cannot live your lives
outside of politics. I suppose that’s how you make your living. But you
will get frustrated for trying to blame something like that on Chastanet
people wont buy it. Since you are such a wise guy, what plans do y’ll
have for making things better? show me, and print it. Have a great day.