The request from the family of the late Joy St Omer for an independent Commission of Inquiry will be presented to Cabinet for consideration.
In a brief statement, the Office of the Prime Minister confirmed that it received correspondence from St Omer’s family the previous day around 10:30 a.m.
“The matter will be presented to Cabinet for consideration, after which an appropriate response will be provided to the family,” the statement said.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre also reaffirmed his Government’s commitment to protecting citizens, “particularly women, children and vulnerable persons”.
In addition to writing Prime Minister Pierre, the family also petitioned the Governor General under the Commissions of Inquiry Act.
The family’s request follows the May 20 killing of 24-year-old St Omer. Police have charged her estranged husband with her murder.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Joy’s mother, Bertillia St Omer, said the family was not seeking to interfere with the criminal proceedings against the person charged in her daughter’s death.
Instead, she said, the family wants an independent examination of how the various systems and institutions responded to Joy’s repeated requests for help before her death.
Among the issues the family wants examined are police protocols, the monitoring and enforcement of protection orders, the sharing of information about bail and court proceedings, and whether agencies have adequate resources and trained personnel to deal with domestic and gender-based violence.
The family also wants the inquiry to examine whether Saint Lucia’s existing laws and enforcement mechanisms are sufficient to protect women from repeated threats and breaches of protection orders.
St Omer said an internal review by the same agencies would not be sufficient.
“Only an independent commission can call witnesses, compel evidence and report publicly,” she said.
The family’s attorney, Giovanni James, said they were not seeking to dictate who should conduct the proposed inquiry. He said the final decision would rest with the Government and Governor General if they agree to establish the commission.
James suggested possible commissioners could include retired judges, retired police officers or people from outside Saint Lucia.
