BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ALL ‘fallen victims’ who lost their lives from gun violence or other violent acts from 2007 until now will be remembered at a Peace Concert tomorrow Saturday, June 2 at the Independence Square at 2:00 p.m.
This morning, (June 1), Police Constable Lauston Percival, President of Operation Future - the group that will be organizing the concert - said that a cross has already been prepared for the recent murder victim Dale ‘Hot Boy’ Wattley, who was gunned down in McKnight last evening sometime after 9:00 p.m.
Percival said that for every person that died from 2007 until now, including those who were reported missing, a painted white cross bearing his/her name and picture will be mounted at the front of the concert’s stage.
“We want to make people aware of how many persons we have lost to gun violence or tragic deaths,” he said. “It is not to bring up anything from the past, or to remind people about their sorrows, but it’s just to sensitize people about what happened and for them to appreciate the horrific impact that this violence has had on all aspects of our nation and how we must bring an end to it and prevent further pain and suffering.”
Percival said they have 139 crosses that will serve as reminders for each person lost and that family members of friends of the deceased can walk with a rose or even a photograph of their loved one and lay it by their cross.
“We want to encourage everyone to come on out and see what we have to showcase. If anyone feels like they would like to contribute, whether through song or through poetry, they could always contact me, Officer Percival, at 668-0856 and we would be able to fit you in the concert,” he said.
The lineup of artistes for the concert include Nicha B, Jazzique Chiverton and his band, King Astro, King I-Soursop, drummers from various schools, dance groups and Ashkenaz.
This is the second annual Peace Concert organized by Operation Future, as the first was held following their conference in August where it was reported that some two thousand persons came together to hear the message of the artistes in the community - musicians, poets and dancers - all delivering a single message, “the violence must end”.
"Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it" - George Santayana. In the first five months of 2012 we have seen 8 murders and 1 youth has gone suspiciously missing in our small nation. Operation Future believes to successfully arrest the plague of violence in our nation, we must all come together in unity.
Following our conference in August of 2011, Operation Future hosted our first Peace Concert with the assistance of our local musicians and entertainers. Almost 2000 people came together to hear the message of our arts community as musicians, poets and dancers came together to deliver a single message, “the violence must end”.
The lineup will also include inmates from Her Majesty’s Prison who will be singing and speaking about the error of their ways and encouraging the young not to follow in their paths but to learn from their mistakes and live a positive life.
