By Claudia Liburd
Nevis Reporter
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| Hon. Dwight Cozier |
(Charlestown; Nevis): Junior Minister, Hon. Dwight Cozier has pronounced the NRP-led Nevis Island Administration's zero-tolerance mandate for the use and sale of narcotics and other illicit substances.
The Junior Minister in the Premier's Ministry with special responsibility for Research, Audit, Elections, Urban and Rural Development and Craft Production has been entrusted with the maintenance of Public Safety and Order pursuant to section 107 of the St. Kitts- Nevis Constitution by Premier Joseph Parry.
"I have been given the responsibility by the Premier to relate to the police and look after the affairs of the police and other police initiatives. This is pursuant to section 107 of the Constitution order 1983 of St. Kitts-Nevis which speaks to the Protection and Maintenance of order and safety in Nevis under his ministry," he said.
With respect to the zero-tolerance mandate on drugs and narcotics, Cozier outlined various means that the NIA plans to use to prevent the use and sale for profit of illegal substances.
"We will establish a Canine Unit in Nevis and a special vehicle will be allocated for police dogs. We plan to have a trained Bicycle Patrol unit where the police would be able to patrol Charlestown and its environs on bicycle, a Police Helicopter unit which would operate out of St. Kitts but which would patrol Nevis on a random basis to ensure narcotics prevention."
He added: "In addition to this we want to have a Coast Guard vessel to patrol the waters of Nevis to ensure that narcotics and so on do not come in. Right now we are seriously cranking down on narcotics and crack-cocaine and we are issuing a warning to all who are using illegal drugs for sale and profit of, because our police unit will have a zero- tolerance for narcotic activities and illegal drugs."~~Adz:Right~~
In addition to the Zero-Tolerance Narcotics Policy, Junior Minister Cozier noted that police stations island-wide would be undergoing various renovations and would be further equipped with state of the art equipment to assist police in criminal investigation.
He said that in the Charlestown Police Station they want to re-establish finger-printing capability and a finger-printing machine will be re-established for police to store data on criminals.
"We plan to finish the Gingerland police station and add a wing to the existing building in Gingerland to give the police the extra room that they need to carry out their operations," he said.
"I have been seeking ways and means where I can construct a state-of-the art police station on Cotton Ground and I am also organizing plans to repair and renovate the Newcastle police station."
~~Adz:Right~~
Presently, he noted that plans are underway to construct a new station in Cotton Ground to house the Cotton Ground Police Corps which are presently being accommodated at Ozzy's Guest House.
"The Cotton Ground police were relocated to Ozzy's Guest House because we had to rent it to accommodate them. The old government had them in an old building with wood lice and rat droppings falling all over them and on them and so we had to move the police station to make sure that the police men are protected in terms of their health. Presently, plans are underway to construct a brand new state of the art station in cotton ground."
Finally, Hon. Dwight Cozier noted that the refurbishments were done in aid of the people of Nevis whom he intimated were long neglected by the previous administration.
"I am consumed by the concept of empowering our people in Nevis. I plan to do this by always giving them factual information because once they have information they are operating from an informed perspective and they are operating from a position of strength,"he said. "People have been living for a long time without knowing a lot of things but right now the engine that drives me is the plight to give the people of Nevis what they deserve."
