Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and Crime Prevention Minister Jeremiah Norbert issued stern condemnations Monday following a surge in gun violence that claimed at least ten lives in just eight days, one of the deadliest stretches this year.
Norbert also served notice that the network of organised crime in Saint Lucia will be dismantled “by any means necessary”.
Expressing deep concern over the widening reach of violent crime, he highlighted a troubling shift in homicide patterns.
“Whereas once upon a time, when we had a series of homicides, they were concentrated in one location, right now we have a situation whereby the geographical spread of these homicides; there’s no geographical boundaries,” he told reporters.
Recent killings have struck communities from Soufriere in the southwest to Dennery in the east, with incidents also reported in Castries and Monchy, straining the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force’s (RSLPF) “limited resources”.
Pierre was unequivocal in his rebuke of the violence: “I condemn all acts of violence, I condemn the fact that we have been losing young lives, productive lives. I have absolutely no room for criminal behaviour; there’s no excuse for criminality.”
He vowed full operational support for law enforcement, stressing that officers must “use all legal means while observing the rights of individuals” to combat crime.
Pierre also lamented the senseless brutality among perpetrators, many of whom share close ties.
“What would cause you to go to school with somebody, to know his mother, to know his sister, and all of a sudden, because you are in a gang, you put a gun and shoot him in his head?” he asked.
Beyond policing, he emphasised social interventions, noting the recent assignment of a criminology-trained RSLPF officer to the crime prevention ministry to coordinate anti-violence programmes.
Norbert, however, framed the crisis as systemic, with organised crime networks now entrenched across society.
“We have credible information and we are going to be dealing with it …what we realise now is the situation where we have organised crime, where we have different people from different strata of society involved and it has become a network that we must dismantle by any means necessary,” he declared.
The minister also took aim at the judiciary, arguing that court rulings often undermine legislative efforts, such as tougher penalties for firearm offences, taken in the public interest.
“A judiciary has a responsibility to ensure that what happens in the courtroom aligns with the action that we take in the Halls of Parliament. Sometimes it is not always the case,” he said.
Despite his criticism, Nobert reaffirmed respect for judicial independence, insisting the government remains “dedicated to restoring citizen safety”.
Just face it. They don’t know what they are doing. Gang mediation is passé. Name a serious country that defers its security to the goodwill of thugs? In St. Lucia zero tolerance for illegal weapons means releasing perpetrators on bail for illegal weapons. When you have the ingredients for chicken broth, don’t expect a fish meal.
Unfortunately you are still more interested in locking up people who have a crystal ball and Wiccan bible. Instead of tackling 21st Century crimes youe are stuck in 17th Century.
I am still not HEARING any credible SOLUTIONS!! Only a lot of talk to soothe some of the populace. This news article is no comfort.
Stop the talk and act. It’s not now you incompetent people know about organised gangs. Go in there and root out the gangs. You incompetent people are just reactive rather than proactive. If you know where the gangs are go after them, simple as that … talking hubris by saying organised crime will be dismantled across Saint Lucia by any means necessary and then doing nothing about it serves no body’s interest. It’s better to root out the problem early rather than letting it take root. Your bravado serves only your interests to show you are talking tough whilst doing nothing at all to sort this issue out. Crime will damage the hard work to tourism, island image, civil society achieved over decades . You people have no clue…you don’t play with crime…you will only quieten down till the next unpalatable episode happen again and then come and give more sound bites.