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Posted: Thursday 17 August, 2017 at 11:27 AM

National Security Advisor looking to combat homicide problem

By: Jermine Abel, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – DESPITE receiving heavy criticisms from the Opposition, St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party, over a report that links him to the Tivoli massacre in Jamaica, Major General (Retd) Stewart Saunders is in the Federation and has gotten down to business.

     

    The former Jamaica Defence Force Major General, who has taken up an advisory position to Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris on National Security matters, held a closed-door meeting with journalist yesterday (Aug. 16) afternoon.

    Though the meeting was a private session – where he updated journalists on the findings of the Tivoli Report, his role and expectations in the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) and that with the government - Major General Saunders had provided answers (on the record) to a number of questions.

    He explained that his major focus is on stemming the gun violence that is affecting St. Kitts and Nevis.

    “I am simply hoping to ensure that we bring a more unified approach to addressing the crime problem so all of our resources can be brought to bear in order to solve the issues that are concerned. And, obviously, that entails ensuring that entities that are involved exhibit far more professionalism and are far better equipped and resourced in order to confront the issues before us.”

    St. Kitts and Nevis has been affected by a number of gun-related incidents in recent times, including homicides.

    For 2017 thus far, the Federation has on record a total of 17 homicides, a large number of break-ins and wounding with intent.

    Major General Saunders, though, is optimistic that changes could be made to address some of those issues.

    “The most pressing need is to address the number of homicides affecting the country. And so far, things have been trending in the right direction,” he responded to a reporter’s question on the most pressing need in St. Kitts and Nevis in crime fighting.

    He indicated that the purpose of the meeting with reporters was to learn from the media as stakeholders what their concerns are, while seeking to inform what he brings to the table and is capable of offering in dealing with the current situation.

    “I think we had a wonderful discussion and at least we know more about each other and what our responsibilities are,” Saunders said.

    The Major General has so far met with other stakeholders, including the Criminal Justice Strategic Board, the RSCNPF, the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force, Her Majesty’s Prisons and the Chamber of Commerce, to gather information in order to address all problems.

    “I sincerely hope that at the end of the day we would have a proper understanding as to how we would all go forward in unity to make sure that St. Kitts and Nevis is a better society to live in the very near future,” he intimated.

    According to the former Permanent Secretary, his tenure in the Federation at that post is two years, which is normally the case under contractual arrangements.

    Saunders pointed out that there is a similarity in crimes perpetrated in St. Kitts and Nevis with those in Jamaica, but he reiterated his concern with the amount of homicides for the size of the Federation’s population.
     

     

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