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| Premier of Nevis the Hon. Joseph Parry |
CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (April 19, 2007) -- Premier of Nevis the Hon. Joseph Parry spoke out vehemently against criminal activity and cited that his Nevis Reformation Party led Nevis Island Administration (NIA) would do whatever was necessary to stem any crime on the island.
Mr. Parry said during a televised address on Nevis Television on Wednesday April 18, 2007, that there seemed to be a level of recklessness in some areas on Nevis with an apparent lack of respect for life and limb.
"The NIA deplores what is taking place in crime and we are appealing to the young people especially the young men to desist from these acts of violence.
"We are particularly concerned because these incidents involve the use of guns. We are asking you the community to ask them (youths), to surrender or rid themselves of these weapons they have in their possession," he said.
The address came in the aftermath of two shooting incidents last weekend at Bath Village and at Newcastle respectively which resulted in the death of a 22 year old male and the hospitalisation of another 20 year old.
The Premier who is also the Minister of Tourism gave a sharp reminder that crime could threaten the reputation of Nevis as a quiet tourist destination with peaceful people and called on all to give their cooperation to the police and to become their brothers keeper.
Mr. Parry publicly threw the Administration's support behind the police and said in the short term would give the fullest approval to any action taken with the assistance of the Federal Government.
Notwithstanding, Mr. Parry said the Administration had been working on a number of programmes, though a long term approach, to deal with crime through education and training.
"Some of these measures will take time, they will work. We are using education and training and most of them are geared towards the young.
In the meantime, we as a community must band together to speak to, work and encourage the young people. We also said earlier need to support community policing. Let us work very closely with the police in a constructive and positive way to make sure that we keep crime under control," he said.~~adz:Right~~
He said the Administration had been concerned with violent activities at the schools and the emergence of groups which seemed to band themselves into gangs, some of who were involved in illegal and violent activities which stemmed from drugs.
"We (NIA) want the schools, churches, parents and community leaders to discourage our young men and women from using drugs. We need to work pretty hard together to stop this use of drugs," he said.
Mr Parry listed a number of planned programmes to be executed by the Department of Social Transformation. He indicated that a series of activities in anger management had been planned to commence this month. The activities would assist the youth to solve issues without resorting to violence.
A series of island wide town hall meetings is also being planned in April. Ministers of government would use the opportunity to encourage persons to exercise control and to continue to demonstrate maturity and good behaviour which Nevis has been reputed for.
In the month of May the Department planned to work with single parent groups in an effort to help position the parents to better manage their homes and children especially the young boys.
"The programme will especially seek to target delinquent boys at schools and in the community and to assist them in structuring comprehensive programmes that would help reduce delinquency," Mr. Parry said.
In addition, the Department has organised youth skills programmes which would target youths aged 16-24 who will be assigned in groups of 15 to skilled persons who would work with them for six months before they are placed into the workforce.
He spoke of an ongoing computer programme with 99 participants enrolled in the parishes of St. Johns and St. Georges and also the Homework Assistance Programme which has been active in St. Pauls and St. Johns parishes so far.
