BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE recent spate of violence on the streets of the Federation has raisied concerns in some quarters and had forced the Minister of National Security to hold a meeting with all the top brasses of the Police Force.
Within the last seven weeks, the Federation has reported three homicides, several instances of stabbing and gun play, with the most recent happening on the weekend.
According to a statement from the St. Kitts-Nevis Information Service (SKNIS), Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew met with a number of Heads of the National Security apparatus this morning (Jan. 30) to discuss the implementation of joint operations “as part of the Ministry’s mandate to employ and strengthen its crime fighting strategies”.
On December 26, last, a young man was stabbed in one of the streets of St. Kitts during the return of the J’Ouvert activities.
Several days later, Carnival Chairperson Shannon Hawley, while announcing the winners of the various road activities, revealed that an individual was hospitalized, which SKNVibes understood was as a result of a reported stabbing incident.
On January 11, 26-year-old Javon Grant of Maddens Estate, Nevis received gunshot injuries and succumbed while being treated at Alexandra Hospital, and 45-year-old Javier Charles of Bath Village was injured during that said incident.
Police described the victim of the most recent homicide as 29-year-old Dequan Maloney, who was reportedly killed between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on Thursday (Jan. 26) and left in a vehicle in Bird Rock.
During today’s meeting were the National Security Advisor, Major General Stewart Saunders; Commissioner of Police, Hilroy Brandy; Assistant Commissioners of Police Adolph Adams, Andre Mitchell and McCarta Browne.
According to the SKNIS, “the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis continues to work diligently to ensure that the security agencies maintain a zero-tolerance approach to crime, focusing on the preservation of law and order within our communities”.
The official crime statistics for 2022 have not yet been released by the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, but, from all appearances, there may be a decline, including the number of homicides committed.
