By Cherisse Sutton
Reporter - SKNVibes.com
 |
| St. Kitts and Nevis Flag. |
(Basseterre; St. Kitts): The year 2006 is over and the people of St. Kitts and Nevis have experienced a very interesting and gloomy year with a total of 17 murders and several shooting and criminal-related incidents during the year. Even though the year showcased some positive highlights, the increased murder rate overshadowed the good.
In January, Prime Minister Douglas assured the people that his governing St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Government which has been in office for 10 years has created at least three jobs in the Tourism and the other booming sectors of the economy for every job lost in the Sugar Industry.
St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, the Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas lead the delegation to the Formal Inauguration of the CARICOM Single Market in Jamaica and later in January the Prime Minister was also amongst the Prime Ministers from six nations who signed a declaration formalizing their entry into the Caribbean Single Market Economy. ~~adz:Right~~
Early February, St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas turned the sod to begin construction of St. Kitts newest resort at Frigate Bay. "Ocean's Edge Resort" a US$100 million five-star resort of 300 rooms to be spread over 40 acres, promises to further enhance the tourism product of St. Kitts and Nevis.
 |
| St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, the Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas |
March started out with shooting incidents as police investigated one which took place in Gingerland and citizens were urged to take a stand against crime.
In April, officials stated that St. Kitts and Nevis is best equipped to handle the challenge of hosting Cricket World Cup 2007. At that time Warner Park was on the verge of completion for World Cup. Also the Federation discussed recent incidents of crime along with officials from Canada and ways of reducing crime in the federation.
Tragedy struck in May as a couple was shot in the early morning at their home in New Town. The twenty-one-year-old female victim received wounding in both of her legs while the seventeen-year-old male victim received a wound in his left hand.
On May 19, fire officers received a call about a fire in the early hours at the Treasury Department. The reports stated that the fire caused serious damage to the contents on the southern level of the building which also houses the Planning Unit on the second floor and the Ministry of Finance on the top floor.
 |
| Treasury Department. | |
 |
| Illegal Drugs Destroyed by Police Officials | |
Another fire took place in June, but this time this one was started by the police as they destroyed five million dollars worth of drugs.
Also in June, the Deputy Prime Minister Sam Condor announced a period of amnesty for the turning in of illegal firearms for the entire month of June. However, this did not prevent criminals from shooting a 33-year-old man dead in the Frigate Bay area on Tuesday, June 13. Neither did it prevent a masked man from entering a shop at Saddlers Village and firing several times at the person inside.
~~adz:Left~~Things were looking up in July for Nevis as the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) lead by Joseph Walcott Parry was elected to run the affairs of Nevis for the next five years. NRP's victory ended the Concerned Citizens Movement's'15-year stint as the ruling government in Nevis. The NRP captured three of the five seats.
However, it was back to tragedy in St. Kitts once again as police investigated yet another shooting incident of a 23-year-old which occurred in the vicinity of the St. Johnson Village. A few weeks later police investigated the shooting death of Venroy "Paulie" Hazel. Hazel was gunned down and found hanging on the hospital grounds from a clothes line.
 |
| Venroy "Paulie" Hazel. |
The month of August was no exception as a woman was shot in her legs in an incident that occurred at Delisle Street, Basseterre in the vicinity of KFC at approximately 4:00 p.m.
Three days later officers discovered twenty-four-year-old Vincent Gray alias "Fatman" of Fry's Village, dead in the LaGuerite area with multiple gunshot wounds to his body.
Later that month popular Kittitian medical doctor, George Mario "Jamie" Astaphan passed away on August 18th at his home from a heart attack.
In September, police received more reports of gunshots being fired on Central Street; when they arrived at the scene they found EMS personnel treating a 47-year-old male for a gunshot wound to his neck. The man was hospitalized then later died.~~adz:Right~~
Two days later police found the body of 51-year-old Robert "Scottie" Osbourne of Upper College Street, Basseterre, in an abandoned house on that street. He was found with a gunshot wound to his head.
Three days later tragedy struck us again as a 16-year-old boy died due to a stab wound. The incident took place near the St. Paul's Primary School grounds where the opening ceremony of Festival De Capisterre took place.
 |
| STOP THE CRIME....PUT DOWN THE GUNS |
In the midst of all the killings St. Kitts and Nevis became the one hundredth and second nation to join the International Criminal Court (ICC). On September 19, St. Kitts-Nevis reached another milestone where we celebrated our 23rd birthday under the theme "Partnership, Discipline and Productivity for a Transformed Country."
Just when everyone embarked on another year of independence for the nation, crime showed its ugly head. This time the very people who are appointed to serve and protect the citizens of this nation were the ones being injured. The nation grieved the death of Sergeant Clive Benjamin who was killed in the line of duty while attempting to apprehend an escaped convict Nigel Langley.
The incident took place at about 5:15 a.m. on Sunday, October 1st, in Frigate Bay. Langley also lost his life due to a gun shot wound and Constable Keith Pemberton and resident of Frigate Bay Mr. Paget Terry Isaac were both injured.
A few weeks later in October, news spread through St. Kitts of the shooting incident which took place in Miami taking the lives of a mother and her 7-year-old son. Kittitian-born Carla Queeley, 34, and her son, Shaquon Watson lost their lives at Shaquon's birthday party. Police believe a robbery was the motive.
 |
| Sergeant Clive Benjamin |
Of the many murders which took place over the past year, the one that will be most- remembered is the death of Michelle Weekes-Benjamin whose body was found in an unfinished septic tank on November 1, at a building under construction on Rosemary Lane, after she was reported missing for some time. Leroy Benjamin Jr. the husband of Michelle Weekes-Benjamin, and his younger brother William Benjamin were both charged in connection with the death of Weekes-Benjamin.
Different circumstances surrounded the death of this other person in late November. A traffic accident took the life of 33-year-old Walcott Webbe of St. Johnson Village, Basseterre. The incident took place on the Frigate Bay Road.
There was another murder for the year when Police investigated the killing of Alexis Gilbert. He was stabbed in the chest when a fight broke out at the Parsons Community Center at about 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 26. He died within hours of the incident and a 14-year-old was charged with the murder.
As the Federation celebrated National Carnival in December, the year ended with one death and a few shooting incidents. The shooting death of Jason Marsham of Godwin Ghaut occurred outside his home on Dec 6. Marsham's death brought the number of murders to 17 for the year of 2006.
 |
| Michelle Weekes-Benjamin | |
 |
| The body of the late Michelle Weeks-Benjamin being removed from the building on Rosemary lane | |
Later in the month, in apprehending Gregory Spencer, the police came under fire. Spencer was wanted in connection with the murder of Jason Marsham. In the pursuit, Spencer was also injured. Police also investigated a shooting incident which occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday Dec. 19, on the Infirmary Road, just south of the Patsy Allers Playing Field. The incident left a 16-year-old male of Basseterre hospitalized at the J.N.F. General Hospital with gunshot wounds to his back and abdomen.
The New Year also started out with a shooting incident which took place in the Carty Alley, Newtown area on January 1. The young man was hospitalized from a gunshot wound.~~adz:Right~~
After all the murders and shootings of 2006 let's hope for a brighter and less violent 2007.
