PAM aims to reduce murders by 50% in first year if elected

By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

Opposition leader, Lindsay Grant

“We have set out for ourselves the target of reducing the number of murders by half in the first year of our administration, and by the end of the first term, return this nation to the peace, stability and tranquility we once knew. As a government, PAM would not pay lip service to this fight against crime, and we surely will not send any mixed signals,” the political party’s leader, Lindsay Grant, said.

Grant said that PAM would achieve these goals through a program of “active” initiatives aimed at addressing the root causes of crime. He spoke to establishing a National Youth Program which would be a holistic approach to crime.

“We have to deal with discipline in the schools.  We need to bring back a system whereby every single child passing through the education system in St. Kitts and Nevis must go to some institution of discipline,” he said, referencing the Girls Guides, the Boys Brigade, the Scouts and the Defense Force youth programme. 

He further said that properly equipping and motivating the Police Force and other measures would go a long way toward reaching their goals. ~~Adz:Right~~

“We are confident that if we have a buy-in from the community [into our program] we are definitely going to get the results that are desired.

“I’m not saying we are going to eradicate murder…but I am saying that we must set goals, because if we don’t set a target goal, there is going to be nothing for us to achieve,” Grant stated.

Comparing the initiatives to those recently put forward by the ruling Labour Government, Grant said that PAM was taking an active approach to fighting crime as opposed to mere “talk”.

“The Denzil Douglas administration has set up a new committee [the Anti-Crime Task Force]. It is another talk forum on crime. It apparently is set to replace the National Security Council, which never did function. We are going from one functionless committee to another,” he said.

However, the Prime Minister said Tuesday (Jan. 13) that his government was indeed pursuing active initiatives against crime, including contracting former Federal Bureau of Investigation Assistant Director Mark Mershon for “on the ground” work.

“He is not on the ground to speak to the government is some highfalutin way. He is on the ground to put his hands into the matter, to actually be engaged—specifically in getting to the root of gang culture and showing people that there are alternatives to getting involved in gangs,” Douglas said on his weekly radio programme.

Additionally, the PM said the Labour Party will be “making a series of announcements pertaining to our joint efforts and programs” as well as encouraging a dialogue between rival gangs to end “this nonsense about turf”.