Low turnout at March Against Crime

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ORGANISERS of last week’s March for Hope, Unity and Peace reported that the event was not as successful as it could have been due to the non-attendance of invited institutions.

The march, which was held on Thursday, August 28, began at the Independence Square and ended at the CEMACO parking lot with a rally at which a number of prominent citizens were in attendance. 

It was organised by the HOPE Chapel Methodist Church and among the participants were Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas, Chief Medical Officer Patrick Martin, Archdeacon of the Anglican Church Valentine Hodge, Dr. Thelma Phillip Browne of the United National Empowerment Party and Eugene Hamilton of the People’s Action Movement. 

Eustace Warner, who spoke with SKNVibes following the event, in his estimation, declared that between 50 and 75 persons were in attendance despite the fact that invitations were distributed to most of the churches on the island.

“Participation in the march itself was not as expected. The attendance was very poor…I would say that between 50 and 75 persons attended the march. We invited 90 percent of the churches, if not all of them. I personally went through the island and delivered the invitational letters to the churches asking them to announce it in church and to encourage their membership to take part in the march. On Sunday gone [Aug. 31], we went around to those in Basseterre and distributed flyers to remind them that the march was going to be on Thursday, and very few people showed up.”

Warner explained that the idea for the march was as a result of concerns raised and questions asked by the public of the church.

“The event was organised after a number of persons called the church and the various radio stations and asked what the church is doing about the crime situation. So HOPE Chapel took the initiative, called a meeting, invited people to come and, as a result of that, a march came about and so that was the first step taken.” 

He said HOPE Chapel is by no means discouraged by the poor turnout at the event and is in the process of organising a number of subsequent events.

“I believe our next step is to have a meeting with NGOs. We want to invite youth groups, the Chamber of Commerce, the football clubs and all the youth organisations, and sit down and try and find a solution and then, hopefully present a White Paper of a conclusion of our discussions to the government for them to take action. There are a number of things which we are going to do. This is just the start of what we are doing.” ~~Adz:Right~~