Home Affairs Minister Dr. Virginia Albert-Poyotte has asserted that the police must heed threats and innuendoes, including those directed at them.
“There are a number of little innuendoes and threats that are issued around the place and these are things that the police need to pay close attention to,” the Minister stated.
She said some people dismiss the threats.
“But we can treat it as a threat against the police if the police are carrying out their duties and somebody felt they were not satisfied with the decision of the police, that they could put their photos or their names on record for further forms of reprisal or action,” Albert-Poyotte told reporters on Monday.
“This, I find, is not correct. It is not acceptable and our law enforcement officers are also paying close attention to the individuals who are actually articulating these expressions,” the Minister stated.
On Saturday, during an opposition United Workers Party (UWP) protest march in Vieux Fort, former Diaspora Affairs Ambassador Dr. Jocelyne Fletcher urged protesters to take photos of the police.
“We will deal with the police and every single one of them, so go back. Today is their power; tomorrow, the power is ours. So go back. Mark their faces. Take their pictures so you all don’t forget them,” Fletcher declared in a brief video that went viral on social media.
But she said the video told only part of the story and that she was urging the protestors to obey the police, although she felt they were wrong to prevent the marchers from entering a public road.
Fletcher also said she was not endorsing police victimisation.
The former Ambassador explained that her comments were in response to a question from supporters, and the intention was that once the UWP was back in power, the officers’ should be asked why they acted in that manner.
Home Affairs Minister Virginia Albert-Poyotte said too many times people see the police as adversaries.
However, Albert-Poyotte said the police are supposed to be friends because they protect citizens.
“If we begin to change our attitude towards the police, we will get a lot more out of them, rather than the confrontational aspect,” the Babonneau MP stated.
She urged people to work with the police and understand the sacrifices the officers make to protect the country, including putting their lives on the line.
The Minister praised the courage of those officers.
Since 1997, our country has faced serious challenges under the SLP leadership. In 1996, the homicide rate was just around 8 per year, but by 2002, it had surged to 40 per year, a staggering 400% increase. The Debt to GDP Ratio also skyrocketed during this time, with little benefit to the country. The SLP government has been in power for 4 out of the last 6 terms and shares responsibility for these issues due to their failed policies. You can verify these facts with a quick online search for “macrotrends Saint Lucia murder rate chart.” It’s time to get informed and take action. Let’s rally and urge our government representatives to do better, embracing proven strategies that can steer us toward a brighter future.
@Oh Really get a life and stop regurgitate the same tired b#!! $%!t over and over again.
Madam Virginia, I believe you are more effective and the public will have more confidence in you when you keep quiet. For you to take some excerpts from a political rally and try to score points with it is called gutter politics. You just do not make any sense. My recommendation to you is keep quiet and wait until the Constituency of Babonneau votes you out office. Take your time in office as your dismissal notice. There is no way Babonneau can make that mistake twice – you as a rep.
Imagine there are so many things you pending a comment from you and this is what you choose to make news. We have the passport investigation, Sexual allegation within the police services, Richards comment with the police providing him with confidential information and the list goes on. Where is your voice in all of that – Is this a matter of selective memory in your case.
I think the police need to investigate themselves preferably with independent outside help (not from Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, Syria, Russia or Communist China as the SLP might wish).
The public have lost every bit of confidence in certain members ofthe police being fair, impartial, just, accountable or honest). When a government minister, who had his visa revoked by the USA and who is linked in an independent report on corruption and extra-judicial killings, can claim to have huge amounts of personal and confidential information being given to him by unscrupolous policemen, then we are finished as a democracy. This information needs to be forwarded to the Europeans, Americans and British as soon as possible so that they can keep an eye on these individuals since we the citizenry are so powerless under this cabal.
i am not even going to take my time to read this BS cause that is what the media does. they dont take the whole argument they always taking just what they think is relevant and publish it then painting a bad image of the person who said the message and making people interpret the message the wrong way it was not intended to be said look at what BBC did to Andrew Tate all now so Andrew Tate made a Mockrey of them and their journalist that his content is banned in the Uk
To make it worse the pitbull say police feeding him with information so police working for the highest bidder
POLICE SUPPOSE TO BE OUR FRIENDS BECAUSE THEY PROTECT US, BS!!!!! THEY PROTECTING THEMSELVES. THEY ARE DIRTY THEY ALWAYS GIVE CRIMINALS A HEADS UP BEFORE THEY ROLE UP FOR A SHAKE DOWN, THEY COME IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOODS WITH WINDOWS UP AND TINTED, THEY DONT COME TO HELP OR BE FRIENDLY , THEY SPYING AND INTEMIDATING PPL, SO MADAM DO UR HOME WORK BEFPRORE YOU TALK. YOU IN YOUR OFFICE, WE ON THE GROUND.
Aye aye you mean the police have not been taking threats and innuendos seriously??? When will they?? Oh ok
one thing lucians really forgetting fast or the know what to choose to forget. not too long ago police was given the command to stop people with red clothes. st judes was highly secured by police not even media personnel could enter there to take pictures of cladding walls. so what happened now
Cabot is threatening its neighbors, cap have all heard over broken Wasco pipe lines and land!,,, How is a little Sicilian VP of Cabot getting away with this bc according to him he has everyone in his back pocket!,,,,,, please take note government and HP of old casenbas beach road and see Cabot running 6-8 foot pipes on privatize section of the road not Cabot side of their bought 360 acres yet they still taking more I guess for Queens chain!,,,,, anyone paying attention?
Where’s are WATEr Wasco?…..? Smph
@ lang caca…right on…. Check it’ woiiii WTPH When a government minister, who had his visa revoked by the USA and who is linked in an independent report on corruption and extra-judicial killings, can claim to have huge amounts of personal and confidential information being given to him by unscrupolous policemen, then we are finished as a democracy. This information needs to be forwarded to the Europeans, Americans and British as soon as possible so that they can keep an eye on these individuals since we the citizenry are so powerless under this cabal.. AA SMPH
Y’all nose in all shit except things that matter… Let’s please talk about the surging crime rate. What’s the update on the passport saga and The Briefcase and the promised investigation? Any update on the allegations against the Ex Acting Commissioner of Police? What’s happening with our judiciary? Any plans on how we decrease the huge backlog of cases? The meeting you held with the Bordelais prisoon officers who were on strike and you promised to address their concerns, any update on that? What about the police officers who are working under inhumane conditions? Have you addressed the mold issues in Castries headquarters? These are things I’d like a press release/ conference about. Two home affairs/ national security Minister’s and it’s worse than when incompetent Hermingild and Lacobs were in office.
Just wow!