Police have launched a homicide investigation after a bullet-riddled body was discovered along the Marc Road in Bexon.
The discovery was made at about 2 am Saturday, and the deceased has been identified as Nyaim Calendar, a resident of the community.
Gun violence has plagued Saint Lucia in 2024, claiming 77 lives so far, while setting a new record for homicides on the island.
The deadly gun violence has continued despite police commissioner Verne Garde’s vow in September not to allow criminals to overrun Saint Lucia.
“Although I’m not an individual with a loud voice or a loud shout, I have a lot of action to complement it,” Garde told reporters at his first news conference after his appointment as Acting Police Commissioner on a six-month contract.
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You mean “Gun violence has plagued Saint Lucia in 2024, claiming 277 lives so far…” cause we are not “highlighting” crime which also happens in New York, “didn’t you hear!?” “You not following the news!?” According to our crime minister….smh
What will Pierre do next, after brilliantly seizing the record for murders?
a. attend a critical regional crime meeting?
b. consider a crime symposium for “stake holders”?
c. threaten criminals that the end is nigh?
d. appoint a third security person (triumvirate)?
e. all of the above.
I wrote second response and mistakenly left out my username.
We have awoken to this murder nightmare that almost everyone saw coming. This man needs quit that portfolio because lives are at stake. Forget about what “Chas go say.” It’s a right decision for the country.
Jane Doe the article says 77 homicides so far to date and not 277. Stop exaggerating. Apprendre read.
Oh my goodness 77! Is this a record? Didn’t we have 78 last year? Just asking because I seem to lose count of these homicides. What a disasterous Christmas period. From the news around we almost had 80. A stabbing and a shooting in Vieux Fort, a shooting in Corinth. From what I’ve heard only one of those 3 victims is in stable condition. We need a new approach Mr PM and Police Commissioner and may I add the other two Ministers with responsibility for crime, policing and crime prevention.
2020 – 55, 2021 – 75, 2022 -71, 2023 -75, 2024 – 77+…. Homicide figures for the past 5 years. My thing is OPM makes statement about unemployment figures and Tourist arrival figures, but nvr hv anything to say about these figures. So much expenditure such as vehicles, both for the road and the sea yet the results show no slowing down. Legislation, New appointments, Extra minister, specialist minister. There is even a consultant for School Security. I getting a feeling dem men eh care about the crime situation in the country. Enough Protection of The Victory. Time to protect the ppl.
Wow this new commission already has a new high record
Anonymous @11:57 am on December 28th. Permit me to add to your list:
F) Give the police more vehicles
G) Stick to the narrative that crime is everywhere so what’s the big deal.
Crimes can only be solved by taking a proactive approach. The problem in St Lucia is that we are waiting for things to happen and then we start moaning “Oh it’s 77 murders too many” What are we as a society doing to stop this epidemic? For too long many of the persons committing the crimes are being sheltered by their parents, family members and police who are related to them. That needs to be stopped immediately.
If someone is carrying weapons and other contrabands that will result in another person’s death then we have an obligation to report this person/persons to the police. When someone is charged with weapons possession as well as hard drugs they should not be out on bail. There are defence barristers who will go all out to ensure that people charged with serious offences are given bail. That should not be the case. There’s been quite a few instances where suspects are related to the police and as a result are let out because of this connection.
There’s a case where a man killed his girlfriend in Fond St Jacques a little while ago and he escaped to Germany where he is living right now. There’s been no efforts to extradite him back to St Lucia to face the music. He burned down the shop the woman was running to look after herself and family. This man is related to a policeman in Soufriere. I am not saying that he may have helped him but you never know. There’s another case where a young woman was allegedly shop by her police husband/common law husband and according to reports he is still out there galivanting away without a care in the world. There are plenty of other cases but time will not permit me to go into all of them.
In St Lucia the criminals can easily be stopped but due to the aiding and abetting that is going on in this country I see no end in sight. Then there is that “hoodoo crap” where the suspect’s family will use words like “There will not do anything to my son” after they have contacted gardeurs and so called hoodooists to cast spells so that their sons who have committed vile and heinous acts can escape justice. Recently someone discovered a tree between Dennery and Bexon where people were writing all sorts of incriminating and injudicious stuff in the vain hope that it will do their bidding. That is gross and sick.
We need to stop aiding and abetting criminals and shop them to the police. The police need to then prosecute these crimos with the help of the Crown Prosecution Service. Right now the CPS is inactive and incompetent and its no wonder crime is escalating in the country. A lot of the police are not competent neither. Last year there was an incident involving two Lucians on a flight from the UK. What became of that? Nothing is the simple answer! The police in St Lucia are not trained to detect crimes and to apprehend suspects. They sit around all day doing nothing on their fat behinds. That needs to be stopped. The police needs to declare an all out war on the criminals in a bid to take back the streets. You cannot allow crimes to rear its ugly head in the country. Something needs to be done and to be done quickly.
Thanks for the info La Verdad but I want to think Rest My Case may have a point. When we had our 76 homicide this year many news reports indicated that we were on par to break last years record. That would indicate that last year’s figures were at least 76 or higher. This leaves a lot to be desired of our journalism in St Lucia or those persons responsible for giving the statistics.