BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE government, yet again, came under criticism for its apparent blasé attitude and approach to the problem of crime and violence with which the Federation continues to face.
“I believe that if there is one abiding and continuing failure of this government, it has been its inability to secure the homeland, to secure our people in their homes and their businesses and by extension, to secure visitors to our shores.
“Since my entry into this Parliament, I have consistently argued that the government must wage an all out assault on crime and violence and direct the resources of the State towards the eradication of this scourge which now engulfs us. Crime and violence presents a clear and present danger to the Nation of St. Kitts and Nevis and we cannot speak of or realise any meaningful development unless we can ensure the security of our people,” said Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition in the Federal Parliament Mark A. G. Brantley.
Brantley expressed these sentiments during his Rebuttal Presentation to the 2010 Budget Address forwarded by the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas.
Since he first assumed the position of Opposition Leader in 2007, Brantley has held crime as the biggest problem facing the Federation, as it threatens to derail the social and economic gains the nation has made over the past years.
He, in rebuttal, continued in his attempt to impress upon those who hold the reins of power to urgently act in ridding the Federation of the cancer of crime which is eating away at the fabric of our society. The government, he suggested, needs prioritise and channel more of its resources towards the crime fight.
“In 2008, I recognised the clear and present danger of the situation and made bold to say that the Budget for 2009 should have been a Crime Budget. I said that, Mr. Speaker, for to me all the high sounding words in the world, all the big foreign investment in the world, all the major projects in the world, geothermal energy, water sufficiency, Christopher Harbour, Kittitian Heights, Live Nevis, Amman Resorts, $3B redesign of Basseterre, all the Martin Lutheresque speeches from the shores of Frigate Bay to the mountain top of Nevis Peak are ultimately meaningless unless we can guarantee the safety and security of our people and visitors to our shores.
“This Budget ran to 52 pages and comprised some 158 paragraphs, but only a mere four paragraphs covering two pages were directed to what I consider to be the single biggest threat to our nation’s future. This tells me that the government still continues to ignore the very far reaching ramifications of crime and criminality on our society and on the fortunes of our country, our Land of Beauty where peace used to abound.”
The past five years have seen a dramatic escalation in the number of murders taking place within the Federation with eight occurring in 2005, 17 in 2006, 16 in 2007, 23 in 2008 and an unprecedented 27 last year; most of which were committed with the aid of a firearm. This year, just three months in, is not without its share of bloodshed with a total of nine homicides taking place thus far.
Brantley reminded that the government is on record as saying “it takes no responsibility for crime”, and while he noted that he could not cast blame on the government for the escalating crime and violence, it must lead the charge in dealing with the phenomenon.
“While I cannot blame the government for rising crime and violence, I ask rhetorically if the government takes no responsibility then who must lead on addressing this issue? Can the Opposition mobilise the police, provide them better pay and equipment? Can the church order the security forces to patrol troubled areas? Can the parents ensure that the prosecution service is properly funded and staffed? Can the schools patrol the ports and the coastline to prevent the landing of illegal weapons? While we certainly all have a role to play, it must be the responsibility of the government to lead on the eradication of crime and violence. We cannot continue to fiddle melodiously while Basseterre and Charlestown burn.”
Topping the murder rate charts of the Caribbean and ranking considerably high on the world’s, as noted by Brantley, the government must rethink its crime-fighting strategy or risk the possibility of the escalating crime having unwanted effects on the nation’s ‘bread and butter’ industry, tourism.
“We now have the highest murder rate in the Caribbean and second highest in the world. Such a dubious distinction is entirely and violently incompatible with the promotion of tourism that we have all worked so hard to engender. We need only reflect on Natalee Holloway in Aruba or the recent murder of a tourist in Antigua, which saw an entire cruise ship pull out of Antigua, to recognise the direct causal linkage between crime and violence and our economic fortunes. I know the Honourable Minister of Tourism (who now holds the dubious distinction of having been Deputy Speaker for less than 24 hours) is serious about tourism. If so, then he must also be serious about national security. The two go hand in hand.”
Following the reading of the 2009 Budget Address, the Opposition, as Brantley explained, proceeded to outline its proposals to tackle the alarming upsurge in crime which were not heeded save for two measures. Brantley, as Leader of the Opposition, pledged to forward “refined proposals” to the Minister of National Security and advised that, “We in Opposition have the necessary will to tackle this problem but it is for the government of the day, this rainbow coalition of Red and Green, to lead. And if they will not lead and secure the homeland, then perhaps they should step aside and allow us to do so.”
