CHARLESTOWN, Nevis, Jan. 04.18 – PREMIER, Mark Brantley has given his firm commitment to assisting and representing officers of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force on Nevis against criticisms, while pointing out that people are becoming agitated with violent crimes.
Addressing the Force’s New Year’s Celebration Service yesterday at the Charlestown Police Station, he said: “We will ensure that we make things as comfortable as we can for you, but we also ask that you give us the necessary effort that is required to ensure that St. Kitts and Nevis remains one of the safest places to live and work and to do business.”
He told ranks, that as Premier, he will come to the defence of officers since in an age of social media, there are always suggestions that police are always wrong.
“Because, when something goes wrong, the public is very quick to criticize, very quick to condemn. One officer can do something that is untoward, and the entire force comes into condemnation.”
Against that backdrop, he pointed out that the Nevis Island Administration “will be there shoulder-to-shoulder with the police because I think we recognise and we understand and we accept that our development and the development not only of Nevis, but St. Kitts and Nevis, depends in large measure on the security forces getting it right.”
Adding that, “If you don’t get it right, it matters little. No other development, frankly, is possible because security is a precondition for meaningful and lasting development.”
He noted that there is no sense in talking about the economy and education, when people do not feel safe in their own homes, in their communities, or in their business establishments.
Brantley, who is also responsible for Security in the NIA, marveled at the detection rate on the island for 2016, highlighting that the figure stood at 56%, but for 2017 that number decreased to mid-40’s.
However, he commended the Divisional Commander for keeping the detection rate above international standards.
With the detection rate on the decrease, Brantley stated that there must be an all-out effort to get crime further down.
Adding that people are more agitated by violent crimes, and that that is the category that has over the years appeared to be the most stubborn “in terms of how we deal with it”.
According to statistics, the sister island had on record eight homicides for the year.
