Not enough focus on crime in budget...says Brantley

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

Hon. Mark Brantley

In response to the St. Christopher and Nevis 2009 Budget Address which was delivered on Monday, December 15, 2008, Brantley said he was “bemused and confused” with the content of the Budget as it relates to National Security and the fight against crime in the Federation.

Making reference to the $9M increase for the Ministry of National Security, Brantley told his parliamentary colleagues and the nation that it is far from adequate and is indicative of the government’s view on the issue of crime.

“Mr. Speaker, this concerns me for it suggests that the Government still does not see crime and violence as the greatest threat to our national security and our way of life. For me, Mr. Speaker, there is no more pressing issue facing our nation. I sounded the alarm last year and was ignored. I sound it now again in the hope that someone will this time hear me.”

The Hon. Leader of the Opposition spoke extensively on crime in the Federation, making specific reference to the 23 individuals who were murdered for the year.  He said it was only one year ago that he stood in Parliament and singled out crime as an issue to which the government must pay greater attention. His cries then, he said, have seemingly fallen on deaf ears. 

Recognising the seriousness of the matter, however, he did not hesitate to reiterate his previous stance and called for the government to channel more resources in the direction of the crime fight.

In support of his argument, Brantley explained that his investigations revealed that St. Kitts and Nevis is “the second most murderous place in the world at 51.53 murders per 100,000 of population when our population is extrapolated”. A fact with which, he said, the Federation has to grapple.

“Just so the harsh reality of our predicament is made manifest Mr. Speaker, St. Kitts-Nevis has a higher murder rate than Sierra Leone (50 per 100,000), Honduras (49.9 per 100,000), Venezuela (49.4 per 100,000), Jamaica (49 per 100,000), Angola (40 per 100,000), South Africa (38.6 per 100,000) and Colombia (37 per 100,000).

To put this in context for our people Mr. Speaker, the rate in New York is just 7.3 per 100,000 people and that in Los Angeles, with its own gang culture, just 12.4 per 100,000 people. It is now safer statistically to walk the streets of New York and Los Angeles than it is to walk the streets of Basseterre or Charlestown. Is this what we want for our country?” he asked.

Brantley said the current crime situation is “a stinging indictment” of all political parties and all others groups and members of society. He accused all of hem of “doing too little or doing nothing at all”.

~~Adz:Right~~The Opposition Leader reiterated that the government’s focus has not been in the apposite place, which is evident by the prevailing crime situation.

“I have decided to use that stark language as a touchstone of my presentation on crime today as a harsh reminder that we as a nation have for years neglected to confront this problem, tolerating it and, even in some cases, harbouring and encouraging it.

As a government, this Labour Party has stuck its head in the proverbial sand like an ostrich, and the main political parties have been engaged in petty tit for tat politics; a petty blame game, fiddling melodiously while Basseterre and Charlestown burned.”

Brantley said just as he did last year, if the safety and security of the residents of and visitors to St. Christopher and Nevis cannot be guaranteed, previous, present and futuristic developmental projects would mean nothing.

“Last year I recognised the clear and present danger of the situation and made bold to say that the Budget last year should have been a Crime Budget. I said that, Mr. Speaker, for to me, all the high sounding words in the world, all the big foreign investment in the world, all the major projects in the world, geothermal energy, water sufficiency, Christopher Harbour, Kittitian Heights, Live Nevis, Amman Resorts, Three billion redesign of Basseterre, all the Martin Lutheresque speeches from the shores of Frigate Bay to the mountain top of Nevis Peak are ultimately meaningless unless we can guarantee the safety and security of our people and visitors to our shores.”