As Saint Lucia prepares to enter the new year, Acting Commissioner of Police Verne Garde has issued a warning to lawbreakers across Saint Lucia, signaling a firm approach to crime and road safety.
Addressing the public through the media, Garde’s message was unequivocal: “2025 is a different year for crime and road safety. And persons who are in conflict with the law have to watch out!”
This stern declaration comes as the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) seeks to bolster its traffic department, following an alarming spike in road collisions in 2024. Saint Lucia has recorded over 1,000 accidents, many of which were fatal, including 22 road fatalities this year alone.
To address this crisis, the RSLPF plans to increase personnel within its traffic unit, an effort Garde deems crucial to tackling the root causes of road accidents. “Expanding the Unit’s capacity is critical at this juncture,” he noted, emphasising the RSLPF’s commitment to both prevention and accountability.
Since assuming office, Garde—formerly the director of Saint Lucia’s maximum-security prison—has made his zero-tolerance stance on crime abundantly clear.
Garde’s statements echo the government’s broader efforts to improve public safety.
Last week, the Government of Saint Lucia launched a socially inclusive and gender-responsive road safety awareness campaign spearheaded by the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ports, Transport, Physical Development, and Urban Renewal.
The campaign aims to educate the public about road safety while complementing ongoing infrastructure upgrades, including the rehabilitation of major thoroughfares like the Millennium Highway and West Coast Road.
The authorities expect the measures, coupled with heightened awareness, to make a tangible difference in reducing road fatalities.
SO for the rest of 2024 it will be the Helen of the Wild West?
Garde is all talk, job for the boys!
COP the police cannot do this alone. Where is the judiciary in all of that plan.
Where are you going to place the arrested people. Where is custody suites ?
Have you consulted all stakeholders involved in the process?
TALK-TALK-AND MORE TALK HOW ABOUT LESS TALKING AND SOME ACTON PAPI-SHOW…. YOU TELLING THE CRIMINALS WHAT YOU WILL DO BUT THEY AIN’T GONNA TAKE YOU SERIOUS ACTON SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORD…
Garde, this is all talk. On your own your words do not mean anything. There is not much you can do without some changes in the law. You need all the stake holders to not just sing it but implement all the required changes. At this point you are playing the part of a fool.
The criminals will not take long before they can prove you wrong. They will continue to meet their objectives and obtain good TV time whenever they hit their target.
We just had a first of its kind. A shooting in the middle of the city broad day light. Other than have some short term actions with the patrol of the police, what other changes have you implemented to prevent a repeat ? Have you attempted any arrest at this point ?
February is fast approach in about 90 days. We all know what happen on Independence day in 2023 and 2024. Have you done anything to prevent a three peat. The criminals are gearing for a three peat. I just hope you are aware and avoid the embarassment to prevent a three peat.
Nice, finally people taking their figure out…
Let’s start with those parking under the No Parking signs or on the double Yello lines. Bridge Street, Vigie Airport. Then the motor cyclist riding without helmets. And of course the persons leaving Gros Islet after Friday night.
Mr. Garde you have an unachievable task in an impossible timeline. The mindset of the vast majority of this country exists within the realm of chaos. They don’t believe in order. Adherence to law follows confirming to order. The culture is do as you please how you please when you please society and others be damned. We vend where we want despite the authorities erecting signage to the contrary. We blast music indiscriminately disturbing one and all. We park on the sidewalks. We stop in the middle of the road impeding all traffic for us to have a conversation. The lawlessness inherent in the people will take generations of unwavering education to change. The discipline to achieve that does not exist. The alternative is extremely robust enforcement. You can’t leave any stone unturned. No matter how small the infraction, it must be dealt with and swiftly. This is the only language people in this country will understand. You have been set up to fail.
It’s a all good….we need a safer St.lucia…just don’t forget the Cop Dealers….
I support it, but papa wha happen to rest of 2024 😳😳😳 🇱🇨🧨🧨🧨🇱🇨 WPC
WTH. Another Talker. None of these leaders ever comes out and say we did this or that to improve and here are the results using statistics and data. TALK TALK TALK. Am sure end of year PJP will come with the same talk. I just drove the CGRI Highway and not 1 Police in sight. I walked through Castries yesterday and still not one police in sight. What is this man talking about. CHOOPPSS TAN. Btw I should expect u to be a TALKER just like the ppl who chose u.
Another 3 months of this dude. Not sure whether to laugh or to cry.
These comments are so fake
So they are free to do what they want until 2025. WOW.