Hamilton calls on Douglas to institute Chamber’s recommendations
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – EVER heard of anyone attempting to quench a blaze by dousing it with fuel? Sounds ludicrous…doesn’t it? Well, believe it or not, it is actually commonplace!
Two men, or two groups of men, have a dispute between themselves (fire set) and, as a fitting remedy to this problem, in their minds, a gun is drawn and in a senseless act a man from group one is gunned down, presumably by a member of group two (fuel added).
Group one is obviously not pleased with the happenings believed to be orchestrated by group two, and retaliation becomes the status quo. And the fuel gives strength to the blaze which, if allowed to wreak its havoc, would waste no time in derailing all sense of freedom, tranquility and togetherness by which many communities are characterised.
Parliamentary Representative of Constituency Number Eight, the Hon. Eugene Hamilton recently spoke candidly with SKNVibes about the spate of killings that took place within the Federation over the past weeks.
He made specific reference to that which occurred in Cayon on Sunday (Aug. 14), describing it as a “tragedy”.
He said the engendered culture seems to be one which dictates that the most effective way to “RESOLVE” disputes is through the use of guns.
This, he explained, is an unfortunate and calamitous misconception which is costing the Federation the lives of its young men.
“What happened there (in Cayon) on Sunday night…it is a tragedy really. But the first and perhaps foremost method being used by people today to resolve disputes is to use a gun, and I would just like to say to the people in Cayon and even to the people of St. Kitts on a whole, using the gun where there is a dispute is not a resolution of the dispute. It really is an escalation of the dispute because each one has his family or his friend, and if the family or friend is to retaliate in the same way, then we would have no end to this kind of conduct by people who deal with disputes.”
Over the past years, the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis has experienced the effects of a steadily increasing homicide rate, although sporadic decreases were recorded.
In 2003, the homicide rate stood at 10; 11 in 2004; eight in 2005; 2006 saw 16; 17 in 2007; 23 in 2008; an unprecedented 27 recorded in 2009; 20 in 2010; and 26 thus far for 2011.
The MP expressed that he is “worried” and “troubled” that “the government is so slow in implementing measures to deal with what is happening, especially among our young people, especially with the use of illegal weapons”.
Prime Minister Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, as expressed by Hamilton, seems to have his priorities askew. And the Parliamentarian is calling upon the people of the land to demand that Dr. Douglas either gets his act together or get out of office.
“It would appear to me that the Prime Minister himself has to take on the recommendations of the Chamber, take on my own recommendations that I made in Parliament and to consider having a shakeup…a replacement of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Secretary so that there is more cohesion, more collaboration and greater emphasis being put on resolving the issues rather than to have bickering.
“I am really troubled by what I am hearing from the Prime Minister every time someone raises an issue which apparently is affecting or pointing to the Permanent Secretary in that ministry. He seems to have a problem with that person; the latest being what I heard with the Chief of Police.
“He better get his act together! And I am calling on the people of St. Kitts and Nevis to recognise that we have a Prime Minister whose act is not together and it’s time to get this Prime Minister out of office. If you want your children and your families to be more secure, then it is time to take action against this Prime Minister and or his team.”
