Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre told reporters on Monday that the police have all the legal powers to combat crime.
Pierre, responsible for National Security, spoke amid a sharp spike in deadly violence, claiming ten lives so far in 2024.
“I have said publicly, and I will say it again, that the police have all the powers within the law to bring an end to the situation. All the powers within the law and the observance of human rights of individuals,” he asserted.
“We have given the police more resources than the last government gave for the last five years in power,” observed Pierre, whose Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) surged into office by a landslide after the July 26, 2021 general elections.
The Castries East MP also observed that his government had given the police more independence and increased their numbers.
“We are increasing their physical space,” he told reporters at Monday’s regular pre-cabinet briefing.
In addition, the Prime Minister said the government was doing what it could.
He recalled that last week, the police received two vehicles, and this week, they will get two more.
Pierre disclosed that his government had given the police drones.
“I have just signed to improve their fingerprinting capabilities,” he noted.
And he took issue with suggestions that the government and opposition should come together on crime.
“There is no division. If the opposition wants to create division with crime and violence, then they need to come together,” Pierre stated.
“So the idea of coming together as if it is something that you should be divided about is superfluous. You come together on things that divide you. But there ought to be no reason why we ought to have any doubt that crime is not good for a country. So why are there two sides as it relates to crime? Why is there an opposition side and a government side?”
He recalled that a leading opposition member, a former parliamentarian, had accused more than fifty percent of the people of being criminals.
Former Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee declared last week that many perpetrators of crime are Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) supporters.
However, Pierre attributed the statement to ignorance, frustration at being in opposition, and an indication of drowning men clutching at what they can.
He said he was happy with the response of the people not falling for such rhetoric.
Pierre told reporters there was no reason why any government or citizen would want crime in a country.
If the police have all the tools to fight crime then they not doing their jobs properly. Time to apply pressure and fire or reassign those persons not up to par.
“So the idea of coming together as if it is something that you should be divided about is superfluous. You come together on things that divide you. But there ought to be no reason why we ought to have any doubt that crime is not good for a country. So why are there two sides as it relates to crime? Why is there an opposition side and a government side?”
WTF??
smh!!
This whole sentence resonated with me for quite a few minutes.
And within the sentence, is this …
“You come together on things that DIVIDE you” – PJP
*sigh
i await other comments – since this whole article has me shaking my head …
The police may have the power to combat crime, but they are not using it ! When someone calls to report a crime, and the police ask that person their age and birth date first thing! We are in serious trouble. What kind of stupid question is that to ask?! This happened to a friend of mine when they called to report a crime that had just happened. The police do not know what they are doing. Bring in some real police from any big city in America and let them deal with our crime. If the crime continues like it is, we will lose tourism, and then we’re really doomed.
There are times when I have seen criticism of PhIlip Pierre and have rightly understood it to be opposition talk. We know how politics go.
As time has gone on thought, we now KNOW particularly on the issue of crime , that Philip and the SLP hierarchy are incompetent, clueless and dishonest managers of this country.
10 murders in 5 weeks! That extrapolates to over 100 by year end and that is all that gargoyle has to say to St Lucians.
It also makes me begin to realize that every little community has dozens of guns in the hands of trigger happy feral creatures with no sense of right or wrong.
It means no matter how well placed you are in society some little piece of crap can take offence at something you say on the road and just blow you away!
We are now a fully militarized country with thousands of guns ready to go off at any moment to silence anyone.
Can you imagine this is Sweet Helen!
Here we go again – another episode of Pierre telling the public he has no clue what he is talking about. He continues to play cheap politics and blame everyone but himself. Pierre needs to make sure his hands are clean before he points fingers.
It is quite obvious what ever he has done (nothing) is not working. The guy refuse to revisit whatever solution in place. We all know the criminals are free to kill in slu and there is nothing that can be done about it. The only person who is not aware of that is Pierre. He is waiting for the powers of the police to work. He is waiting for the new vehicles to be in motion. He is waiting for the newly renovated police stations to be painted so he can score political points. He is waiting for another bloody month before he can come up with some other nonesense.
Pierre we need you to start to lead the security team. Set up a command centre with all your security guys (if any) and lead the team for the next six months. We need you to monitor the progress and report the results – please do something
Apart me thinking that what Fedee said was utter ridiculous, I will also say what PJP has said there utter RIDICULOUSNESS as a PM. “The Police can bring an end to crime/” Like seriously PJP. U lead a system which sends a child who has failed Maths miserably to a secondary school to learn Maths and harder new subjects, setting up the child for failure and u put full blame on the Police. U preside of a system that revels in Lucians being “poor” or malaway, your only form of employment is govt contracts to known criminals and STEP and U put the blame fully on the police. Thank God I don’t vote. Pppl like u must pay for what I call crimes against humanity. Every trip u make to OKEU or St. Judes ot Tapion is pay back for your crimes against humanity. Watch your predecessor. U eh c he looking like z……e.
Dude sure knows how to deflect from his failings. At this rate we on track for 42% more killings than 2023.
My daddy was a policeman.
Stop burying your head in the sand. This is one problem you cannot wait out and hope that it goes away.
It is happening right under your nose, and will only get worse, not better, so stop deluding yourself.
You sure are not fooling the rest of us (well, probably some at least).
The fellas afraid to get hit with them big shots the ghetto ‘youts’ have at their disposal. Thats the police force problem. They are too concerned about their shot of bounty than the general public. They wont risk it for a bunch of youts who are kiling each other.. that being said, i wouldnt promote “protect and serve” if them little boys we call officers are to scared ro do what they took the bloody oath for..
Pierre tell them like it is….they want to make this a political football and they still can’t score….. you have given the green light to the police and you have stated this MORE THAN ONCE with can be interpreted as if you want kick down doors and kick fellows ass you have my blessings DO it. He is doing his job of funding the police with the resources they need to combat crime SO THEY HAVE LITTLE EXCUSE you can’t have a police for and don’t have vehicles that’s to your response time and reachability………ANONYMOUS YOU A BIG JACKASS. Pierre the problem I have with you now and you then and you have to be more assertive with the Clowns. I told you long time ago you have to kick sand in a bway face sometimes and keep it going GET GANGSTER with them especially the ones who constantly judging you by your demographic. Over to you police commissioner the ball is in your court. Bam bam bam Gros Islet again another one bites the dust go get them what he crystal ball told you.
Utter disbelief when you hear this insensitive, incompetent, indefensible, indifferent remarks from a PM who is ill prepared, ill advised, illogical, illusory and plain and simple infantile in his management of this dire situation… This sorry excuse of a leader is making light of an issue that is a public health crisis and he has nothing to say but spew that which cometh from the rear and smells not sweet, and though it bloweth, it plays not a military fanfare..boy I tell you, as quick as boiled asparagus we are doomed. We need more prominent voices to criticise this charlatan on social media, on television, on radio waves… because this guy has no shame whatsoever…None, zilch, zock, zero… We are losing young men to violence, 10 murders in 5 weeks, that is 2 murders per week and this grinning lump has nothing to say but deflect, deny, Saint Lucians deserve this because they accept mediocrity even when it slaps them in the face. This year will be, I sadly say, one that will push the fabric of society to the limits…while you have this incompetence sitting in his Prime Ministerial Palace grinning like he has some chronic plague induced spastic smile…
Sometimes I wonder if St Lucians expect the PM to micro-manage crime. So much baseless criticisms with almost no practical suggestions/solutions. The PM’s role is to PROVIDE resources consistent with the demands made by the commissioner. If anything the PM needs to replace the hierarchy in the RSLPF with proven foreign nationals to ameliorate the issues of corruption and bolster new perspectives. Too much political interference has proven to be detrimental to the police force. Outside of the need to overhaul the honchos in the force the PM is doing a satisfactory job at providing support. Be mindful that this upward trajectory occured in 2017 under the last administration when the annual percentage increase in homicides skyrocketed to 62.5%. Reversing this quagmire is no walk in the park. The horses have bolted…
Mister minister what are you doing about the judicial system. This is the main standing block.
What are you doing….
Lets switch shoes:
If you were a police arrested someone for guns and ammunition, you life on the line and tomorrow he is out on bail in the streets like an ordin citizen what would you do or how would you feel??? Answer this…
The problem in this country is that we have allowed petty crimes and misdemeanors to go unchallenged. Ever heard of the “tipping point”? In effect, petty criminals have now graduated to perpetrators of hard-core crimes because of the lax, ineffective and fexkless law enforcement system in this country. Take for example the Corinth/Grande Riviere Road; sheer madness, where bus stops are used as parking lots or mechanic shops for private vehicles. There is absolutely no enforcement of traffic laws particularly , riding a motorcycle without a helmet. I am mortified almost beyond endurance to see how lawlessness prevails and the tail is wagging the dog. Further, how on earth can you ever trust the police when they simply do not operate in good faith? Take for instance, the abominable case in Zenon, Soufriere where a mother and her 4 sons broke into the house of a neighbor at 2 in the morning, broke down doors and shattered windows, and the victim brutally beaten to the point of unconsciousness,, but the perpetrators are still walking around scot-free. Why haven’t these people been arrested? What is going on in this country? The miscreants are now going around claiming that the investigating police officer is their friend, so nothing will come of the case. Isn’t that exactly why crime has reached crisis proportions in the country? People do what they want in this place and are not held to account for clear premeditated crimes. The Soufriere Police Station needs to address this reprehensible circumstance immediately. Enforce the law dammit!!!
Boy oh boy….this country is going down and down,the article clearly shows those guys real intent…they are more bent on earning political milage than actually resolving the actual crime situation to combat this unscrupulous times…
When a leader makes a statement like we have given more resources to fight crime in 3yrs than the opposition in 5yrs,this clearly shows their ulterior motive is trying to gain political points and not actually dealing with the real issue….don’t this guy have a political advisor?to guide him of what is appropriate and inappropriate to say?
When a government is more interested in staying in power more than dealing with the ppl’s plight then criminals will take over and run the country amok…..
I do not have clear evidence that majority of criminals are labourites but the evidence clearly shows that when those clowns are at the helm the criminals get more leeway and are more rampant….
My statement is endorsed by mutual observation as i have never voted for any party in my entire life for neither party and still doesn’t have any future reference on voting of any party any time soon and mind me I’m over 5 terms of adult suffrage.
Is there any more proof needed that General Pierre is a mere private? There can be division in crime-fighting if both parties have opposing strategies. This doesn’t mean to say that they don’t share a common objective. As a matter of fact, historically, there have always been philosophical battles during world confrontations. World War 1 and 2, Algerian War, Vietnam war, 9/11, etc.
Yes, General Pierre may have given the police everything they wanted. Unfortunately, some of the tools has to come from him via laws. The police can’t deny anyone bail. The police can’t build a detention center and lock up criminals on their own. The police employ tactics and strategy within a limited realm. For grand strategy, that’s where the politicians cooperation is needed. What’s Pierre’s grand strategy? Does anyone know? Just giving vehicles and equipment to the police and expecting success is a pipe dream. Poor St. Lisi. Happy will be the day when General Pierre loses his epaulettes.
What a joke!
Just imagine if the US government had only issued equipment after 9/11. They went further by passing laws towards the grand strategy. Example, every time one goes through a US airport, they go through a scanner. If one is caught with dangerous forbidden items, they face serious prison time set by LAWS. There are tens of legislation to fight terror after 9/11. The big word is deterrence.
The numbers are increased yes the majority are untrained hundreds of police on the job have little to no training. The authorities are refusing to send these person’s to the police academy to get the standardize requirement training to become a police officer. Therefore to cut cost and return the citizens of this country must suffer.
I have read all the comments from both sides (hacks and all), but the big question is do you feel safe? Has our leader instilled confidence of being safe in all of us? Do you see the patrols in the new vehicles? Has the law been amended to increase bail or cause long detention and swift justice? The truthful answer is No. Therefore in the public (online) court you have dailed…… again.
Tic TOC…. Lucians are counting the days to remove those failures out of office.
Coming together on the things that divide us is just another way of saying unity in the face of adversity. Not saying that I’m in total agreement with what else was said, but in context and otherwise the statement is indeed in order…
Clearly Mr Pierre, the hundreds of vehicles you provide the police with is definitely not the answer. Call any police station to report a crime now and you will be told we have no transportation. Imagine the police is called before the fire service and yet the fire officials are on the scene sometimes more than half an hour before the police. This is really a case of passing the buck. Now you throwing the police under the bus, because you have given them vehicles so they should do the job of the judiciary and that of the Minister of National Security
99% of the commenters have seen the writing on the wall – except for THLH who is the other 1%
@Anonymous yes yes and yes I have seen more offers than usual, more road blocks, all by rain forest, Savannes Bay, Michaud, all the buses they checking, police up and down in their new pickups in the Heights yeah we get protect a serve up here but you don’t know what’s going on the police are out there.
Apparently not Mr. Pierre, if your Tourism Minister is saying tourists arrested with illegal firearms are being released with no repercussions.