BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - PRIME MINISTER and Minister of National Security, Dr. Timothy Harris has reported that there have been a 27 percent decline in the number of crimes occurring in 2020 for the period January 1 to October 13.
While updating Parliament today (Oct. 15) on matters of national security, Dr. Harris disclosed that during the nine-and-a-half-month period compared with the same span last year, data showed that there was a decline of more than 400 crimes.
Providing the full statistics to highlight the decline, the National Security Minister revealed that for 2020 there were 781 reported criminal activities compared with more than 1,100 in 2019; a decline of some 404.
“So, in 2019, major crimes in the country fell 27 percent…This of course should be good news for all lovers of St. Kitts and Nevis, as we are seeing a trend of declining crimes,” Dr. Harris explained.
Attributions were made to the “Peace Initiative and the Explorer's Group” for the continued decline in criminal activities in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“Thanks to the hard work of our Government, the security agencies, the judiciary and the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. The diminution in gang conflict as the consequence of the Peace Initiative’, our build-out of the Explorers Club and more effective policing - that is intelligence-driven - are among the various factors responsible for the dramatic success we are now experiencing,” Dr. Harris noted.
In the breakdown of various offenses that occurred for the year, Prime Minister Harris revealed that there were only seven homicides recorded up to October, in contrast to the 11 on record for the same period in 2019.
Other areas seeing significant declines were Shooting with Intent: one recorded for 2020 compared with four in 2019 and Attempted Murder 3 reported for 2020.
While not providing the exact figure for the offence of Serious Wounding, Dr. Harris disclosed that there was a 13 percent decline, and the offense of Robbery saw a drop of 27 percent.
With regards to Sexual Offences, it was explained that there was a decline of 20 percent when measured against that of 2019.
In the area of Detection, according to the Prime Minister, the police also had successes in the four major areas: Homicide, Sexual Offences, Serious Wounding and Robberies for an overall rate of 35 percent.
Homicide saw a 57 percent detected, Sex Crimes 73 percent, Serious Wounding 72 percent and Robberies 42 percent.
Dr. Harris emphasised that the country is safer than in previous years.
