SKNVibes | Criminals must be stopped! Combative measures outlined

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Posted: Thursday 29 November, 2007 at 10:16 AM

Criminals must be stopped! Combative measures outlined

By Shawn Seabrookes
Senior Reporter-SKNVibes.com

Hon. G. A. Dwyer Astaphan, Minister of National Security

Basseterre, St. Kitts: In a response to an alarming three murders in four days and a number of incidents of crime in the past few weeks, the Minister of National Security, Hon. G.A. Dwyer Astaphan has outlined a number of measures to be taken by the Security Forces, to curb incidents of crime and violence.

The Minister unveiled the anti crime and violence tactics were outlined during a press conference at his office, yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, November 29th.

The National Security Minister says he, and by extension his Government, have called on the Security Forces to exercise a strict zero tolerance policy on idlers and loiterers on the street because these persons cause concern among law abiding citizens.

There was also a directive to the Security Forces commanders to address the

Major Leroy Percival, Operations Commander of the Defence Force

matter of young men wearing “hoodies”, bags on their backs and a number of scarves about their bodies. Minister Astaphan said he was fully aware that such traits also cause unease among citizens and the habits must be discouraged and dispelled.

Other tactics that will be employed by the Security Forces include the forbidding of vehicles to be tinted beyond the legal limit, the expansion of the K-9 Unit to sweep any part of St. Kitts and Nevis at any time, in the confines of the law, increasing the number of substance searches and continuous “agitation” of known troublemakers in an effort o discourage them from criminal acts and while utilizing the opportunity to quash criminal behavior.

Austin Williams, Acting Commissioner of Police

Minister Astaphan also noted that he was not ruling out bringing in external assistance to aid in the curbing of crime and violence.

“The criminals must understand that they will not run the country. They will pay the price,” the National Security Minister stated.

Minister Astaphan indicated that curbing crime and violence must be a concerted effort- between the Security Forces and the community- to identify, discuss and find solutions for the problem.

For 2006 there were 17 murders recorded in the Federation and 16 have been recorded so far for the year (2007).

Minister Astaphan noted that even though there are statistics, the figures are not the most ideal way of judging positively the efforts against crime and violence.

To illustrate his point, Minister Astaphan revealed that 14 guns have been recovered from the streets so far for 2007, compared to 8 last year.

He indicated that a recent World Bank Report indicates that crime is a developmental issue in the Caribbean but at the same time he advised that proactive measures must be taken to combat the poison of criminality. ~~Adz:Right~~

Astaphan briefly outlined some preventative practices such the Men at School Programme, where responsible men go into the schools to serve as positive role models for the youth to follow, and the Circle of Peace Programme, where corporate citizens are encouraged to adopt and mentor young persons and also indicated that every effort is being made to improve community policing.

“Additionally, young people in society must take a positive step in educating, elevating and edifying themselves,” he concluded.

The Minister was accompanied at the head table by the Acting Commissioner of Police, Austin Williams, and the Operations Commander of the Defence Force, Leroy Pervical, who both spoke of a crackdown on criminal elements.