Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, declaring that the vexing issue of crime constituted the ‘monster in the room’, has reiterated the need for zero tolerance of criminal activity.
Pierre spoke on the issue in a New Year address on Sunday night.
If, as a people, we can all adopt a zero-tolerance attitude to crime, whether it involves running a red light, knowingly driving a vehicle unfit for the road, tossing garbage and broken furniture into the river, child molestation, or peddling untruths on social media, chances are we will think a lot harder about arming ourselves with illegal weapons, to kill, injure or rob our fellow citizens,” Pierre asserted.
Referring specifically to the increase in gun-related criminality, he expressed sincere hope that newly-enacted laws would have the desired effect.
The Castries East MP and National Security Minister referred to recent discussions with the governments of the United States and France regarding help in the anti-crime fight.
And he expressed confidence that Saint Lucia would get promised assistance in resolving the issues relating to illegal drugs, gun trafficking, and unsolved homicides.
In addition, he recalled that in recent weeks the public would have read of several successful police raids resulting in the seizure of dozens of weapons, high-powered automatic firearms, and ammunition.
“The raids will continue this year with increased intensity,” Pierre announced.
“The government acknowledges and thanks the successful special efforts by the police under its new Commissioner that resulted in a peaceful 2022 Christmas.,” he stated.
In addition, Pierre said he did not doubt that the police would prove similarly effective throughout 2023.
“Crime must be everyone’s concern. As your Prime Minister, I took an oath to keep all who live in or visit our country safe. I fully intend to do everything necessary to deliver on that pledge,” the PM said.
“My family and I have been victims of crime. I know only too well how traumatic it can be to have one’s home violated or attempts to tarnish one’s reputation. All Saint Lucians must come together to defeat this crime pandemic. It’s a life and death situation that we cannot afford to lose,” Pierre declared.
Zero tolerance for criminal activity= not letting persons out on bail when caught with illegal firearms. Are these guns even traced to find links to other crimes committed? Keep letting murderers out on the loose and then give lip service to putting a stop to crime.
Dude, the crime situation is a reflection of the general disorder and lawlessness in this place. If it is anything goes when it comes to vending, parking, driving, garbage disposal etc, don’t you think that will extend to everything? St. Lucia is a jungle masquerading as a country. And even jungles have more order than this place. You want to fix the crime you need to fix everything else.
Punishing people for crime has to be implemented across the board evenly. There must not be harsh punishment for poor, and mostly Black people, and light or no punishment for the rich and mostly Non-Blacks.
@Garfield very well said .. you have my vote 100 percent on your response.
Criminals learning from the goverment it don’t have anything to do with bail prices. If you crying now you still have alot of crying to do.
With all that was said, when is the implementation of the special prosecutor? Please don’t wait until the third year to implement it, because as we all know things drag in St. Lucia, and if the 5 years come and it is not completed, slp will go.
There we go again with the black and white race card @JDorn when was the last time a white person was apprehended in St Lucia for a crime???
Well said most Honorable I heard your speech and it was more profound than any other past PM for sure. I am proud you mentioned the fact you and your family were victims of crimes and vicious bad mind slander. You should have call out the diaspora for adding and abetting gun crimes in St Lucia. For those Clowns who are complaining about release of individuals found with guns and ammunition when will they understand that for this to change it must it done by legislation to implement change to the bail act and you alone cannot change it they know that well. You are doing your best my brother, ignore the haters and just keep moving
@Garfield. These guys are living in an alternate universe. They are caught in rigid thinking. What they would like to happen is clearly never going to materialize. They want cooperation from the public, however, they are not setting safeguards. Who is going to inform on a gunman when that person is let loose? A wonderful opportunity to tie up loose ends. Even more frightening, the cops have a dismal record of solving murders.
I compare these guys to a person who is continuously using the wrong password on a computer. They keep on getting error warnings. However, they are not willing to change the entry, because they are confident they have the right password.
@just saying
Very well said. But, how can the lawlessness of vending be addressed when in opposition, when vendors were asked to behave civilly and not go against what is leggaly acceptable, these very people were condoning the illegality by saying that the government was trying to prevent the poor man from making a dollar, leave the people hustle and all that crap. Now Castries is like a huge ghetto, garbage everywhere, fish vendors on the side walks and vendors taking up all side walks and half the streets in the boulevarde with their massive tents. Now those saying don’t knock the hustle need to clean up the mess they created and do something quick.
The problem with this SLP government is that they thought winning elections was about milking the cow.
They lie, win elections and it is easy street from there for 5 years.
They had no plans other than winning elections. The complete opposite of John Compton.
They had no intention of putting in the work of solving crime, dealing with the fallout of Covid, building up tourism or dealing with inflation.
They are SHOCKED that they have to burn the midnight oil and actually work on problems affecting Lucians.
They are shocked that they have to manage rather than just enjoy the perks of office.
They are surprised that their PR mode of governance is not working. After all that is how they won elections. Constant lies and press releases with no evidence to back up their claims. But people fell for this so they think that is how government works.
So back comes Pierre with another press release regurgitating the same nonsense that cannot be implemented in a society where the internal security forces are not trusted.
Same ole same ole.
Lucians you all crying, you all have alot more crying to do
@ J Dorn – It is this stupid talks like yours with hidden hate and racism in your heart that in a way, has caused the killing of some life long white citizens of this poor sorry ass Island; killings that made headlines in every country, shaming us like this that has never been before, inflaming the hatred in the minds of some criminals armed with lethal weapons, doing what comes naturally to them. The very sad thing about it is, you are not alone. We are all from the same stock; God made us all, some darker than others and some less white and others whiter, do you care so much? have you ever travelled and worked side by side with white forks? are they all angels, are they all devils? I’ve met them all – you have no idea of the mighty storms I’ve managed and I’ve lived and worked with the best and the worse of them all, blacks and whites. To me, people are people God made us all; after death, don’t ever let the Soul at the resurrection face a judgement that is regrettable; I’ve seen stolen from, I’ve been deeply hurt, but do I hate them? I pray for them and some find this hard to believe, but there is ‘love, Hope & forgiveness’ the greater is Love. Amen.
The word of God is a 🗡️ Shield ❗
How long,O LORD,must we call for help, but you do not listen ?
Or cry to you, “Crime or violence !”
but you do not save ❓
Your eyes are too pure to look on 😈evil, you cannot tolerate wrong.
Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves ?
You have made men like fish in the sea,like sea creatures that have no ruler. The wicked foes pulls all of them up with fishhook….
O LORD,are you not from everlasting ? Our God,our Holy One,we will not die.
O LORD, you have appointed them to execute Judgement ⚖️ ; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish….
Why do you make us look at injustice ?
Why do you tolerate wrong,?
Destruction, violence and crimes are before us ; there is strife,and conflicts abounds….
Therefore the law is paralyzed ;the judge is blind, justice ⚖️never prevails, because the truth is nowhere to be found.
And so that ⚖️ justice is perverted ❗
Give the workforce a minimum wage so the thugs can be motivated to go and work the odd jobs like hotels and security as the thugs will never go and work for 2 to 3 EC dollars an hour
@ Freemason:- I am a little perturbed by the ones who constantly come here calling for better than 2 to 3 dollars an hour. Always wanting a minimum wage so lazy asses could get up and start working.
Sorry to inform you, but I think you know just as well, there’s this mindset on this Rock that life is better worth the living to just go out and rob somebody. In these adventures there’s always a shooting that often ends up in death; so your constant cry for a minimum wage is mute. Keep repeating the same thing over and over again, makes one to think there’s some thing wrong with this guy.
Do you work in construction, are you a Stone mason? or you just like the word Freemason. The members of this ‘secret society’ don’t talk or hint of their membership so you don’t belong. My dear brother, if you can get out from this Rock, do so sooner than never, that’s why people all over the world are doing the same. Be ye Blessed.