BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CONTROVERSY surrounds the status of a report submitted to Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas by the National Task Force on Crime (NTFC) as one member reveals that he is unaware of such a step being taken.
The NTFC was established in January to implement the recommendations from the National Consultation on Crime held in December last year. It is comprised of a wide range of stakeholders, including the Ministries of National Security, Legal Affairs, and Education; the St. Kitts National Youth Parliament Association; the Clergy; representatives from the Nevis Island Administration; and other civil society organisations and interest groups.
“I have seen the draft copy of the final report of the Task Force’s work. As you know, it will form the basis of the work of the National Crime Commission...yes, the Task Force has produced that report.”
This was Dr. Douglas’ response to a question from a media representative during a press conference on Monday (June 22) after the opening ceremony of the Regional Conference on Youth Crime and Violence. He informed that the report had identified the causative factors of youth crime and violence and had put forward a number of activities to meaningfully engage young persons.
“One of the important aspects of the report is looking at the causative factors to youth violence that we’re seeing in St. Kitts and Nevis and how we can put alternative activities to the young people so they can turn away from being attracted to gangs and getting involved in youth violence and gun violence. We have heard from the report there’s need for wider community participation in the activities for finding solutions to gang violence and youth violence. The partnership that I stressed in my own presentation has been a very important theme in this report from the stakeholders,” Douglas explained.
However, according to Llewellyn Parris, NTFC member and Advisor to Nevis Premier the Hon. Joseph Parry, he is unaware of any report being submitted to the Prime Minister.
“The NTFC did meet and we compiled our recommendations to be collated into one document. But we were supposed to have a final meeting to solidify the report before it was presented to the Prime Minister. I had no idea that something had already been given to him,” said Parris.
SKNVibes contacted NTFC Chairman His Excellency Ambassador Errol Maynard, who directed this media house to Astona Browne, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security. At the posting of this article, attempts to reach Browne were unsuccessful.
