St Kitts and Nevis launches training program to combat crime

St Kitts and Nevis: The government of St Kitts and Nevis launches a new training program in an effort to control Violence considering it as a public health initiative. This program was launched on Monday in light of enhancing the public safety through exclusive strategies.

Michele Delacoudray, the director of the national counselling centre has been appointed to train the participants along with the Deputy Director for Community and Social Development, Dawn Henry. The program will also include 20 interministerial delegates among various sectors.

The partners include the National Intervention Team, Sexual Violence Unit (SVU), education, disabilities, prison services, and social and community development. Delegates from the Nevis Behavioural Health and Wellness Centre will also be part of these training sessions.

 The activities are planned in accordance to provide an in-depth knowledge to the participants to prevent themselves from violence. The session will include a family-based model for counselling support, which has been developed from the USAID Family matters model.

“The approach is to provide the participants with practical skills and teach them some strength-based strategies so that they can address family challenges, malicious behaviors, and breakdowns,” Michele Delacoudray stated.

He further added that the program emphasizes providing practical knowledge to the candidates. This experience will enable community and civil-based stakeholders to instantly use the knowledge they have gained in their daily lives.

According to recent research, it has been found that such psychological activities play an important role in reducing crimes, violence, and other negative practices and thoughts from the participants.

Notably, the government of St Kitts and Nevis, has been continuously putting efforts in such crime or violence limiting practices. The Prime minister last month shared a video message sharing new initiatives that has been planned or already issued to fight the issue.

The government has announced a four-point agenda to combat crime in the nation. According to the agenda, the security is intended to increase in communities, collaboration with regional and international security specialists, and an advanced and widely spread CCTV infrastructure in the nation.

This is to be noted that the new initiatives led by the authorities have shown a significant decrease of 50% in detection of crime and homicides this year. This achievement becomes important as it has experienced a significant increase compared to last year.

PM Drew also held a meeting with National Security Council to discuss the necessary measures. Apart from this he also went to the summer soccer camp to address the children with rising crime and taught them some important instructions.