BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN what was considered a successful town hall meeting, local security officials on Wednesday (Jun. 14) reassured students of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM), their colleagues, family members, spouses and US citizens residing in St. Kitts and Nevis that their safety and that of others in the Federation is of paramount importance.
The event, which dealt with the topic ‘Safety and Security’, took place on Wednesday (Jun. 14) and was hosted by the RUSVM in collaboration with the Ministry of National Security, the US Embassy in Barbados and law enforcement agencies in St. Kitts and Nevis.
In addition to the students, their colleagues and other US citizens, the 90-minute town hall meeting was attended by business owners and members from various communities within the federation, where they were engaged in a lively and interactive discussion with the presenters on a number of critical concerns in the area of safety and security.
Speaking with reporters after the session, RUSVM Dean Dr. Sean Callanan explained that the event was done to highlight what the learning istitution has been doing in an operational perspective with the Government, the Police Force and the US Embassy in Barbados.
“It was really to showcase to our students, to our American citizens, to our own community, and really it was an open invitation to many different people to get a flavour of the different ways we approach personal security and the tips we offer people when it comes to personal security.”
The Dean noted that the specific crime they see occurring against students is that of burglary, which he blamed on complacency.
“Some of it is where people are essentially caught off guard, and we keep reminding them, particularly around our student population. And, of course, most of our students have a very pleasant experience here but there is always a small percentage where things would go wrong, where their car was broken in too. Some of their valuables were taken and perhaps there was a cost at the time…but it is not large numbers…”
Dean Callanan also expressed his appreciation for the support the University continues to get from the Government and the community.
“I sincerely appreciate the continued support and active role the Government and the community is playing to help increase awareness as we all work together to support the well-being of all citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“We are happy to host this important event at our campus. This is yet another positive collaboration between the public and private sector in an effort to increase awareness, provide information and make a positive impact on the fight against crime. Community safety is everyone’s responsibility and by sharing new ideas, exchanging information, forging effective partnerships with community groups and stakeholders, and achieving mutual objectives through events like the town hall meeting, we can work toward building a safer community together.”
Consul General of the US Embassy in Barbados, William Bent emphasised that the safety and security of American citizens is always a top priority for the US Embassy and “want to share as much information as we can to help people avoid becoming victims of crime, and let them know what resources we can bring to bear if they need emergency assistance”.
He stressed that the US Embassy routinely shares safety and security information with American citizens across the region and that town hall meetings provide a good forum for sharing information on personal safety, crime prevention and what to do if persons are the victim of a crime.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Osmond Petty told the gathering that the things they would not do in the United States should not be done while in St. Kitts and Nevis, such as getting themselves involves in drug deals.
He pointed out that the Government has been collaborating with the police and the the University and it was important that he highlighted some of the areas on which they have been working so that “we can strengthen them”.
“The symposium that we had in February was financed by a private sector group, which is led by Ross University, and so it was very important that they understand what we’re doing. Many people focus on the failures, the crime statistics. My presentation did not highlight the statistics because they are not something to be proud of. But I try to focus on what we are doing to address the problem and I am confident in the short-medium term we are going to see results as the national crime prevention plan unfolds. So, this exercise was very useful to share some of those insights and to continue the collaboration with Ross University.”
The University has been an avid partner in the fight against crime in St. Kitts and Nevis, often providing assistance to their counterparts in the law enforcement arena through canine and vehicle patrols, while providing much needed other resources when necessary.
