BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – PRIME MINISTER Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas is urging opposition parties to stop using crime as a “political football”.
Dr. Douglas was at the time responding to comments that the government is failing to curb the nation’s growing crime problem.
“The macho political challenges thrown out by opposition members whenever someone is killed constitute neither sound policy analysis, serious legislative preparedness nor committed policy formulation. Yet other political parties insist on using crime as a political football,” he said during Tuesday’s (Apr. 13) “Ask the PM” radio programme.
“It is not enough for the opposition leader to simply claim the government has not mobilised enough resources in tackling crime. That is a cop-out and an irresponsible statement. The people of this country deserve far better.”
Douglas’ sharp rejoinder came after Hon. Mark Brantley, Parliamentary Opposition Leader, told SKNVibes that insufficient resources were being allocated towards crime-fighting.
The Nevisian politician suggested the government is not acting as though crime is a serious problem, and he said it was time for Douglas’ administration to wake up and stop throwing a “blanket of silence” over the situation.
The nation’s annual homicide rate rose to 13 this week after three separate deadly shooting incidents claimed the lives of Bradford Tweed, James and Mildred Daniel, and Elvan Warner within a six-day period.
The dramatic rise in violent activity comes as St. Kitts-Nevis has experienced record highs in murders each of the last two years (23 in 2008 and 27 in 2009).
Douglas said the March 23-25 Budget Debate would have been the perfect time for opposition parliamentarians to announce their own crime-fighting ideas, but noted that instead of using that opportunity, they were absent for most of the discussion.
“We had [Brantley] literally flying away on a plane. The other opposition members were off...no one knows where. They were missing in action during that very critical budget debate and were not in Parliament tending to the people’s business.
“It is there a parliamentarian’s true thinking on violent crime matters because the hard work is done there. Every man or woman who has been elected must know the importance of being in the National Assembly whenever Parliament is in session, doing the work they are paid to do.”
The PM underscored his government’s determination to wrestle the “great monster” of crime to the ground, and stressed that the full force of the law, security apparatuses and the criminal justice system would be used to solve these cases.
“Any and all persons responsible for these unspeakable acts of brutality will be effectively pursued, captured and dealt with within the parameters of the law.
“Persons committing these acts of violence must be made to feel the handcuffs around their wrists, or even the noose around their necks, as provided for under the laws of this Federation,” Douglas added.
