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Posted: Monday 27 March, 2017 at 12:19 PM

US Gov’t maintains ‘no support’ policy for St. Lucia Police Force

By: Staff Reporter, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE US Government has recently announced that it would continue to support areas of justice and law enforcement in St. Lucia, but not that island’s Police Forces.

     

    This pronouncement was made by US Embassy Official in Barbados, Drew Blakeney at the recently-concluded meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Regional Services System held at the Marriott Resort, St. Kitts.

     

    “Per our lengthy law we cannot provide material or training assistance to the St. Lucia Police either directly or through the RSS…unless or until the authorities take credible steps to bring to justice the perpetrators of the string of extrajudicial killings…that occurred during 2010 and 2011,” Blakeney said.

     

    He explained that the two countries enjoy “friendly and productive relations” and that the US provides “assistance to other rules of law entities in St. Lucia, including the Court, the DPP’s Office, the Customs and Prison service”.

     

    Following a period of high crime rate in the CARICOM member state between 2009 and 2010, the government launched “Operation Restore Confidence”, which was geared at flushing out those masterminds behind the criminal activities.

     

    Twelve persons, who were reported to have links to these crimes, were killed. 

     

    Following the death of these individuals, a number of media reports indicated that some of the shootings were staged. 

     

    Additionally, reports from several media outlets including the Jamaican Observer noted that the names of some of the individuals who were killed were reportedly part of a “death list”. 

     

    The US States Department, back in August 2013, had stop providing assistance to the Royal St. Lucia Police Force, according to reports published by the Jamaican Observer.

     

    “The Department of State has made a policy decision to withdraw training and material assistance to the Royal St Lucia Police Force due to credible allegations of gross human rights violations."

     

    Blakeney told the meeting that investigations are currently ongoing on the island to bring those perpetrators to justice.

     

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