St Kitts and Nevis: PM Drew unveils tough measures to combat crime

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Terrence Drew emphasized the rise in criminal activities throughout the nation in his address on 24th July 2024. The Prime Minister Drew in response to the crime, highlighted the stringent measures which should be taken to overcome it

PM Drew while his address stated that “Every life is precious. We, therefore, cannot tolerate the wilful violence that has resulted in the unacceptable number of homicides”

Drew further expressed his deep condolence to the families, friends and relatives of the ones who lost their lives in response to the crime. He further assured that the federation will provide clear justice to the families stating that every life is precious and they can’t stay numb over the violent activities.

Two-thirds of the homicides were gang-related, and Drew explained that the increase in violence was due to significant money and sophisticated weapons that has been used in gang activity. “I want that statistic to sink in” PM stated.

Notably, The prime minister highlighted the weekly meeting, which is held with the National Security Council to ensure strong amendments to sustain the safety of the nation. It is to be noted that the new policies led have shown a 50% increase in the detection of homicides for this year, However, the prime minister in response to this stated,

“We have seen a rate of 50% detection and homicides for the year, an increase over the last year. This is admirable, but for me, not good enough.”

According to Drew, detection, charging and prosecuting the persons involved in crime is not the key to safety. Although, it is important but specific measures to prevent these actions is crucial.

Drew indicated that the National Security Council meeting that was held recently also held in accordance to discuss the suppression of crime related activities and vowed to prevent the expansion of the criminal activities.

The PM in his address warned the individuals involved in criminal activities to change their lifestyle and if they didn’t the authorities will find and jail them.

Drew in response to the efforts made for prevention of crime mentioned the joint security operational tactical team will regularly be patrolling the criminal hotspots. The Prime Minister also provided an update on the work being done to strengthen national security, outlining a four-point agenda. This included increased security deployment in communities, collaboration with regional and international security specialists, improved intelligence capabilities, and a widely expanded CCTV infrastructure around the island.

Prime Minister Drew called for a nationwide consultation on crime and violence, encouraging all political and civil organisations to work together to find solutions. According to Drew, “fighting crime is not a matter of partisan politics,” and as such, everyone is invited to join the task force in an effort to stop the decades-long pandemic of violent crime in St. Kitts and Nevis.