BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, November 24th 2009 (PAM Secretariat) - In an unusual third sitting of Parliament in three weeks the compromised Attourney General moved a Bill, which subsequently passed, that established a corps of Island Constables. This body is said to be envisioned as an auxiliary to the police force and is expected to assist the police in carrying out unspecified duties with the glaring exception of dealing with social emergencies including riots. At no time during the debate did either the Attourney General; participating despite his contempt conviction, nor the Prime Minister who seconded the Bill make any reference to training for this new constabulary nor indicate any specific function for this body besides dealing with riots.
There are many things that are alarming about this latest development; many of which were identified from both the government and opposition benches. As mentioned above there is no provision for training, there is also no provision made for the dramatic increase in the government wage bill that this new “security” force will entail, there is no explanation of exactly how this new force will assist the already large security force that currently exists; among other concerns. However, most troubling of all is the insistence that this new force is needed to deal with riots.
There is no history of social breakdown leading to riots in this Federation except the terrorism that was deliberately incited and instigated by the Labour Party led by then Opposition Leader Denzil Douglas between the General Elections of 1993 and 1995. It certainly begs a serious question therefore as to why now all of a sudden this threat has re – emerged and is considered so serious that the police force that is the largest per capita in CARICOM has been preemptively judged incapable of dealing with it. The fact that another General Election is now overdue just adds to the anxiety about this new legislation. Again, it must be repeated that the only connection between riots and elections in the history of this Federation was fatefully made by the ruling Labour Party. A reference to the most recent General Election of 2004 will recall the disturbing fact that armed forces in military fatigues were called out to patrol in Constituency #4 only while Denzil Douglas illegally and repeatedly entered polling stations there and this undoubtedly suppressed the voter turnout of opposition PAM supporters. In light of this history the creation of a new “security” force on the eve of another election only invites fearful speculation.
It is certainly unconvincing if not specious to claim that this new force is in response to the record breaking crime wave. If this is claimed the government certainly has to answer why only now after 25 killings in 2009, 23 killings in 2008, 16 killings in 2007, 17 killings in 2006 etc. this new force is considered necessary. With a National Debt already in outer space and continuing to climb in the range of $3 billion and a government wage bill already of serious concern to the IMF and other reputable lending partners, can we really afford another election gimmick to bribe people, another YES program called Island Constables? No we cannot.
This Federation does not need and cannot afford Island Constables. The money that will be found to pay them can be used to support our already substantial police and defense forces. It is dangerous for the Prime Minister, acting without a democratic mandate, to create a new “security” force for riots he alone ominously predicts on the eve of an overdue election. This is not a banana republic and will not be allowed to become one. Your time is up Prime Minister Douglas with or without your new “security” force. It is time for change!
