On Thursday, Human rights activist Catherine Sealys experienced a terrifying ordeal when she became a victim of a carjacking.
According to Sealys, the incident occurred around 6:45 a.m. as she returned home from a gym in Castries.
It was not until she got to Chase Gardens that a man in a yellow hoodie, who had hidden in the back of her vehicle, suddenly attacked her, choking her from behind while she was driving.
“Out of the blue, there was someone in my car. I didn’t know the person, I didn’t see the person,” Sealys recounted.
The Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia president says she tried to reason with the assailant, telling him he could have the car but let her have her gym bag, to which the bandit disagreed.
Sealys told St. Lucia Times her gym bag contained her phone, wireless headphones, gloves, a belt, her pink hoodie, and $20 cash.
“He came from behind and wanted the car, so I decided the person could have the car. I got out and let him take it, because cars you can buy, but you can’t buy life.”
After relinquishing the car, Sealys said she was unsure of what happened next.
Reflecting on the experience, she noted that while she had anticipated a potential threat due to her line of work, she had not expected it to come in that form.
Sealys’ Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to supporting women and children who are victims of gender-based violence and lack access to justice.
“I work in an area where one day I expect something to happen, but I thought it would be from an angry husband or boyfriend. But I did not expect that a young boy would out of the blue decide that I would be a target, because he wanted to have a car,” she stated.
Following the carjacking, Acting Police Commissioner Verne Garde visited Sealys.
In a St. Lucia Times exclusive, Garde explained the purpose of his visit: “I do intend during my course of operation to visit some of the victims of crime, this is just one of these traditional visits. I will do so to at least, sensitise myself to the eventualities and see how things unfold in regards to these individuals, and of course, express my empathy.”
The commissioner sent a stern warning to individuals who continue to break the law. “The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force will do all in its power to manage the crime situation in this regard.”
Human Right Activist????? Nou Sa Couyon St Lisi.
See this Animals only show sympathy because it’s Sealy, why haven’t he visited any other or past victims of crimes. That’s how these animals treat people of certain stature in our poor ass third world country.
These guys can never be professional they need to be debrain. They all are the same FULL OF S***
Perfect target now you can advocate to the growing and wosting crime situation plaguing this island to your PM. But anyway thanks God you are alive to relay your story .
It is the system that is responsible for all the crime . A few people have all the money and the majority of the population do not have anything lawyers, politicians and big business people not even a minimum wage that they want to pay . They want secondary school graduates with cxcs to work for 3 and 4 dollars an hour so people have to turn to crime just to survive .
Hmm yellow bandana …
Anyway car jacking in SLU a well known person vehicle sounds like an insane person committed this act .
Most importantly Catherine is safe and did the right thing by giving up the car .
I am sure the individual if not apprehended as yet soon will be .
Sad,but thankfully that’s all happened.
You can buy another vehicle,not life, however, continue doing the good work you’re doing.
“A Welcomed Idea”
This decision to visit victims of crime is a good idea and some other Senior and Junior police officers should follow and take a page from the Commissioner. Policemen are of the opinion that their work with crime starts and ends at the police station thus destroying the definition of “Community Police”. Another imitative should be provide advice, guidance for counselling to the victims of crime. Crime can lead to lifetime trauma thus destroying lives, families and careers. Added to crime, the Traffic Police should also add this to the social aspect of their roles and also provide advice, guidance for counselling to the victims of accidents. I APPROVE THE COMMINSSIONERS NEW INIATIVE OF BEING PRO ACTIVE. BY LAW!!!!!!!
Thankfully you are safe Miss Sealy. You do a wonderful job representing vulnerable women and children and no one should threaten you for the work that you do. It’s always the good for nothings who threaten and raise their hands on the weak. Keep on doing the work that you do. Saint Lucia needs it, there are people out there who needs you. I do hope the police find that turd who carjacked you and make an example of him.
You must be doing good work. You are under spiritual attack. Keep on in confidence. You have the victory already.
Happy that Ms Sealys is ok. My only problem with the article is identifying the individual as a human rights activist. She is not that in no way shape or form. I’ve seen her constantly violate the rights of persons with her vicious personal attacks. Call her something else please. However like I said happy that the lady ai ok and sympathize with her for having to go through this terrible ordeal. I thank God(lol) that she is safe!
…….@ truth of course it’s the PM fault only if he had taken that yellow crystal ball from Yellow Spider-Man he would have foreseen the bandit hidden behind the back seat……or better yet the crystal ball would have told him a crime is about to be committed against her therefore a cop should be station behind the Big Leaf banana tree outside the gym and as soon as
She came out he would have told her madam step away from the car ; Sir get out of the car now, in the name of His Majesty you are under arrest…..the yellow crystal ball saved another victim…….damn you Pierre you have failed again madam keep your car locked
Catherine its been three years since your government in power and you have never once raised your voice on any issue affecting this country although we’ve been plagued with so nany problems too numerous to mention,crime being one of them.Now that you’ve taste a little of it you had no choice but to break your silence.Instead tell your PM to do better.We are sick of you people.Mr Commissioner you must set a precedence. Since you took office there are several victims of serious crimes especially that of murders you have never visited but because she is one of you’ve showed support. Yea right,birds of a feather #Hyprocrites
Raise your voice president — yeah right?????
Can a loud political hack be a human rights activists? Can you be a human rights activist if you are a blatant racist?
Don’t human rights activists care about humans not based on their politics, race, gender, sexual bias or religion?