The following statement is issued by the Parliamentary Representative of Vieux Fort South, Dr Kenny D. Anthony, in the wake of the murder of three citizens of Vieux Fort, yesterday, March 09, 2023.
“Yesterday, March 09, unidentified gunmen unleashed an unprecedented carnage in Vieux Fort when they shot three citizens to death, in three separate incidents.
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.
For my part, I am deeply saddened and distressed. All the victims were personally known to me.
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.
No words can ever be sufficient to console the families of the victims.
It is inconceivable that in a small community like Vieux Fort, the perpetrators of this wave of brutality are unknown.
It cannot be acceptable that the town should be held hostage to gangs. Today, schools have been closed. A District Sports Meet has been postponed. Commerce has been affected as persons in nearby communities are fearful of travelling to Vieux Fort to conduct business. Citizens are afraid to walk the streets to visit stores or to engage in social activities. By evening, Vieux Fort has virtually become a ghost town.
Despite marches against crime and violence in the community, prayer vigils and engagement of influential individuals by civil society groups to urge peace and the disarming of gang members, there has been no respite in the wanton killings.
There can be no question that the approach to fighting crime in Vieux Fort has to change
dramatically. There has to be a complete re-thinking of the strategy of fighting crime in Vieux Fort. The present approaches are simply not working. They are not yielding results.
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.”
MOVE there soucer you forget what you did to the police when you gave them up to the us for operation restore confidence?
messay you know if these fellas make up their minds there can be mass murders everyday and no one can stop it. cause like he said the more people do things and say things to encourage people to stop it they just keep going on killing people. What i don t get about people is they always blame the Government but fail to see that each time the Government changes none of them can do nothing about the crime. Right now slp cah do nothing bout crime, if it was uwp that won this term they would still not be able to do nothing. the people who got shot people know he did it they just dont want to talk mostly because of fear
For his part, he is deeply saddened and distressed, he says.
Mr. former prime minister and present parliamentary rep, you can do better than that.
How is that helping anyone? If you know them so well, perhaps you know their killers and can help in their prosecution and prevention of further escalation.
I am deeply saddened and distressed that you do nothing to prevent the problem, then express the common rhetoric. Just like the US politicians after the daily mass shootings.
Kenny, I am glad you have put out a statement and in there you have stated the fact the actions taken have yielded no results. These criminals are brutal and one cannot expect any results from just Marching the streets for a few hours. Most Lucians will agree with me when I say we have no leadership in slu to combat crimes and violence. First of all, the line which segregate us or divide should not be in the way. We should come and fight crimes as St. Lucians and not as SLP and UWP. This is our biggest problem and there will be no results with us being divided. We need a leader who can and will bring the people together – remove the party lines and get down to fighting crimes. One criminal activity is just too many and right now in less than 90 days we have a total of 17 homicides. Where are the leaders to lead. Are they too busy trying to take SLU to the CCJ ? Are they too busy trying to edit the most important book of the country – the constitution ? Are they too busy trying to create a job for the Micoud North Rep ? Are they the same ones who have their priorities wrong ? Are they the same ones who have Mother Helen bleeding to death and say nothing to calm the same people who voted them into office ? We have just too many questions with no answers right now – the people need to get to the streets to demonstrate their frustrations with those careless politicians. To be honest, I am just too disappointed in those guys. People are still waiting for the leader of the country to share some hope and calm all those who are living in fear right now – Where is Pierre ?
Gassa, you are there for decades. What does Vieux Fort have to show for your tenure? The place has not changed. Your whimpering, groveling letter tells the whole truth. If you were a man of honor, you would resign immediately, so someone who is competent can take the helm. Unfortunately, this is above you. The addiction to the public purse is too strong. What a shameful episode.
Don’t lay all the blame on the police. Look into the mirror without blinking.
Nothing much you can do Papa every body believe you carry a Big Stick and control everything here. They are trying to establish themselves, years ago when they started out at La Clearly and reck havock who thought they would get this in far
the murderers are you all brothers and families you all know who they are but all you want is government to stop crime how can that happen when you all hiding them
Shut your trap Kenny. This is the fallout from IMPACS. You never thought that it would have affected you where it matters most. The police are now at their weakest all because of your decision to grab political power by whatever means necessary, destroying the RSLPF in the process.
And the police response to the Vieux Fort crisis is to ask our businesses to close early. Branches of Masy closed at 6:00 p.m today and school were ordered shut for the day. What a shame that our security forces have capitulated and handed over the night to the criminals. Pretty soon it looks like we good citizens will be ordered by the police to stay at home and allow the criminals their way. What a f…ing shame.
“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.”
Yea right!! I am not surprised at this failed politician, blaming the police for the state of crime in Vieux Fort and Saint Lucia by extension. The police are just his scapegoats. You Sir are the problem. Your actions as Prime Minister is what destroyed the RSLPF. By the way, whose law firm is representing the head of of one of the gangs involved in the killings in Vieux Fort. Which law firm represented that drug and gang leader in the case where his money was seized by the Marine Unit and customs? So Sir you can’t and won’t fool us for we clearly understand that you are two faced. Vieux Fort didn’t get that way over night – it got there right under your watchful eyes. You should be ashamed Mr. Former PM. So don’t blame the police, for they too are your victims. What a shameless human being
By evening, Vieux Fort has virtually become a ghost town. > wasn’t it so when he was in office as well? What will cause a gun man to shoot and kill those personal and well-known people to you just like that? The carnage that has been evident in your district is not just because of lacking of opportunity it is also being neglectful, unrighteousness and being deprived or taken advantages of. Apparently, those who commit the heinous crime may not be from the area and are just hitman. A lot needs to be investigated from a secret stand point.
I’m sad and distressed too that I was tricked into thinking I was coming on vacation to a peaceful paradise where I could explore all this beautiful place has to offer. We are not safe and can’t wait to leave. Most people are wonderful, but it only takes a few to ruin it. Like someone above says, some of you know who these murderers are and if you don’t say anything, you may as well have pulled the trigger yourself. Sad for the good people here, your tourism industry will soon end if you can’t stop this.
There’s a Speech given by the Rep.There will be no peace in Vieux.Fort South. Here’s is it .Mr.Kenny D. Anthony .
There are no jobs in the south for the Young men as the politicians and the system has neglected the people young girls have children at the age of 15 children from the age of 12 are stealing on peoples farms and selling the food by the road side . There is to much poverty and the young people do not want to go and work for 3 to 5 EC dollars an hour as the same kenny Anthony did not enact a minimum wage it’s like they want the touted to work for them for nothing so they can live a lavish lifestyle…