The President of the National Principals Association (NPA), Valerie St. Helene-Henry, has called out Saint Lucia police over their follow-up after receiving reports of school burglaries.
The NPA President spoke after a burglar entered Castries Comprehensive Secondary School (CCSS) offices and made off with several items.
CCTV cameras recorded the illegal entry.
Valerie St. Helene-Henry noted that the CCSS break-in was the latest in a spate of such incidents at the institution, which staff find frustrating.
“It affects their morale,” the NPA President told St. Lucia Times.
And she disclosed that based on what she learned, there is no police follow-up despite providing CCTV footage and identifying suspects.
St. Helene-Henry recalled an incident at her Ave Maria Primary School earlier this year when a man entered the institution and took a teacher’s laptop computer.
She told St. Lucia Times that CCTV footage clearly showed that it was an individual well-known in his neighbourhood as a thief.
The NPA President said the police received all that information, but there was no follow-up.
“Up until today, the police never came back to the school or to the teacher to give any information whatsoever. It was just left hanging,” she lamented.
St. Helene-Henry disclosed that other schools had the same experience, including Ciceron and Sir Ira Simmons Secondary Schools.
She asserted that based on recent break-ins, the thieves seem to know their way around the schools they target.
The NPA President said she knew the Ministry of Education was trying to improve school security, but officials explained that it would require lots of resources.
As a result, St. Helene-Henry said the Ministry would have to prioritise where to direct the resources and at least start with very vulnerable schools.
“We also have to look at the type of watchmen we have. Some of them are not even present when an incident takes place,” the NPA President stated.
I am so sorry for the late news for St. Lucia news
Same with gros islet police a friend had property damage to their Wasco pipes from a lunatic neighbor,, they went to gros islet police over 10 times for this property damage dispute casenbas right up the road, no follow up call ,nothing, every excuse in the book oh the officer is not there u have to wait for that officer absolutely ludicrous bull shyt abosolute shyt police work from well known officer in dept, long standing officer in GI! An check rogue officers throwing rocks in vehicle smPH WTF! How u expect people’s to trust popo wit this shyt behavior and no follow up calls or in person visits for a simple case smph!!!…. This is why StLucia is Run by the People of this country period not the police!…..smph
This not good PR for RSLPF. There isn’t that much happening that police can’t follow up within 24 hours. The Chief Education Officer and the Ministry of Education need to address this matter with the Police Chief. The police while out on community patrol should be briefly checking in on schools, but not to engage with school procedures and interact with students and teachers.
I have experience the same attitude from the police after a break-in into my house. I reported the matter to the Gros Islet Police Station. They said they would come to take evidence. It is two years now, I’m still waiting for them to show up.
If they not following up at a school which is a Government Institution, you think is a private home they will follow up on. St.lucia Police is a waste of time.
This clearly shows the competency of the police here in St. Lucia ..
regardless of the public dislike of foreigners we can’t do without them .. turn the matter over to the regional police force .