BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A strong message has been sent by the Minister of National Security Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris that “a new approach to discipline and order” is to be adopted if law and order are to be maintained within the Federation.
Dr. Harris – who assumed the Prime Ministership in February 2015 – was at the time making a presentation at the first of his Government’s town hall meetings for 2017. The event was held in his constituency at the Joshua Obadiah Primary School, Molyneaux, earlier this week.
The National Security Minister warned the listening audience about habouring criminals in their homes, reminding that security begins at the individual and family levels.
“...And this favouring up of people in our communities who we know are on drugs, who we know have guns, we have to stop it for the safety of our country and all of us have to play our part. Security begins with you. Security begins with you! And when you have people in your house who you can’t control, ask them to leave, ask them to leave! Because once they are under your roof they must be subjected to your control.”
Dr. Harris indicated that whenever the operatives of criminality and those of ‘safety and security’ come to a head, the latter must always emerge successful.
“I am concerned because I know in some of our communities a lot more can be done. People must be able to walk any corner of St. Kitts and Nevis, anytime of the day to go about their legitimate business, whether it is in George Street or McKnight or Phillips’. We nuh want no guns out there. And we will give every encouragement and every support to the security forces to do their work.
“And…I repeat it, whenever the agents of law clash with the agents of unlawfulness and illegality, the agents of law must win! Every time! Because we have to wipe out lawlessness to build the kind of prosperity to which we as a team are committed to. And I make no apologies, no apologies, because on this matter of law and order, I draw a line in the sand. You are for safety and security of the country or you are for hoodlums driving about with their rifles shooting even in front of churches. And I say I will not stand for it. I will not stand for it!”
The Prime Minister’s impassioned presentation continued with him declaring that persons caught with illegal substances and items should not bother requesting his intervention in such situations as his support lies with the safety and security organisations of the Federation.
“And when people get caught with guns and drugs… I want to remind you, do not call me to intervene. I am the Minister of National Security and I stand fully and uncompromisingly in support of the security forces and I want you to stand with me… There is only one way in which we will turn the tide and we have to be clear…. A new approach to discipline and order…
In calling for the dispensation of swift justice as it relates to criminals, Dr. Harris explained that, “We have to turn the tide and we have to take a stand. Sometimes when you hear them on the radio talking, you wonder if they want to make the police the criminals and the criminals the saints. ‘Well, de police rough dem up!’ They should-a rough them up more for what they doing to our country and need to be put under heavy manners, heavy manners! Because if we don’t get it right, they will destroy investor confidence in the country…
“It is not too late to turn back the environment of upsurge of crime in our land and to achieve…prosperity… 2017 must be the year in which we say no to drugs, no to crime, peace forever in St. Kitts and Nevis.”
