The opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has strongly criticised the government over the current crime situation, following what party Public Relations Officer, Lenard ‘Spider, Montoute described as a ‘bloody weekend’.
He said the situation was ‘unacceptable’ and could not be allowed to continue.
“We just experienced over this last weekend what I refer to as a bloody weekend, another bloodbath, Saint Lucia being drenched in the blood of our young sons in particular,” Montoute told a news conference on Tuesday.
He noted that the country had recorded five homicides between Friday and Sunday.
The fatal shootings included two separate double homicides at Marchand, Castries and Rodney Bay.
In addition, a police officer shot and killed a masked man during a home invasion at the officer’s Augier, Vieux Fort residence.
Mountoute told Tuesday’s opposition press conference that the government seemed to accept that it was ‘business as usual’ to the extent that at the time he spoke, there had been no decisive, definitive statement regarding the administration’s plan to deal with the crime surge and calm citizens’ fears.
The former Gros Islet MP reiterated a call for the Prime Minister, responsible for National Security, to dismiss the ‘ineffective and failed’ Minister of National Security.
Montoute accused Pierre of playing a gimmick on the people recently by appointing Micoud North MP Jeremiah Norbert as Minister of Crime Prevention.
He told reporters Pierre did not explain what the portfolio entailed.
According to the UWP official, if Norbert’s job is crime prevention and in one weekend five homicides occurred, apart from other criminal activities, the Micoud North MP has already failed.
“The government has to take stock. Come out and say to us what is your plan, especially in light that the opposition has offered suggestions and recommendations to the government,” Montoute stated.
“And the Prime Minister, who is the Minister of National Security no less, made a public statement that he discarded the recommendations and suggestions, that he threw it in the bin,” he recalled.
Montoute asserted that the Prime Minister had two options – retrieving the recommendations from the bin or replacing the National Security Minister with someone who would do better.
He said crime was under better control under the United Workers Party watch, than it currently is.
PHOTO: Lenard ‘Spider’ Montoute stock image
Gordon’s Gin
Let me start by saying “colonization had a conscience “. Why is the UWP blaming the government over the crime situation. This crime situation is inherited from the UWPS. Remember the kidnapping in Gros Islet, the Pajoah letter, 3 million for the foundation at St. Jude end up paying 9 million. All these are crimes.
The same thing was happening under UWP government.. so you’re saying government is telling people to go commit crimes ! Same UWP that call for WAR ..
Can the PM use the two options as a third choice?
What are the differences in the situations? The same approach has brought the same results. Gassa, just sit down until you have something to say. Just take another shot of your favorite refreshment.
Comments like Spider’s make me believe that political parties are not serious about non-partisan ways to fight crime. Crime reduction is political, but do you have to be so ‘none savvy about it?’
The UWP and Spider in particular, his comments on crime usually occur after something happens and his comments are usually about the number of murders. In an effort to win political points.
But here is what I would love to hear from Spider instead,
1) The UWP was actively involved in crime reduction through active engagement with youth on the ground. Note the use of the word ‘active’. Paint the high-risk areas yellow and actively engage.
2) Stop making vague and meaningless recommendations such as the list of recommendations given to the PJP last year. The recommendations were goals. And goals are usually vague statements such as reducing gun importations into the country. Here is a better recommendation
a. “Change the law (insert the title of the law) to expand Police stop and search with or without
articulated probable cause.”
b.Or, here is another, invest $2M in community safety grant programs and mentoring programs. These
programs have proven to be effective in French Guyana. The new money can be raised by adding
$0.50 to the departure tax over 5 years.
c. Or, one more, tackle the issue of training by hiring 10 overseas experts in various areas of policing
to work as TO (training officers) on the ground with regular rank and file. These men are TOs without
rank. They can be former or current cops with expertise in areas such as Intelligence, Firearms tracing
and retrieval, communications, and so on. The current model is that the officers get this training
through workshops. But that is not good enough for sustained cultural change (my humble view).
3) Acknowledge that when you were in office the crime situation was just as bad so you are a partner in finding workable solutions and not a self-describes – savior!
4) Mobilize the UWP community to take action against crime. Many people know who have the guns and some of them can be your own members. Mobilize your people on the ground through an active campaign. The UWP tlaks about the thousands of supporters the have but don’t mobilize them or atleast message to them. It is just so weird.
Maybe it’s me but I am just more impressed with action than words. I don’t have a short memory. I remember the shootings during the reign of the UWP government! I remember the UWP had a crime plan and the ‘best people’ in the positions and also highly paid consultants and yet here we are!