BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE strength of the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) has been increased by 28 and the new batch of soldiers were charged to continue the fight against the cultivation and sale of marijuana in the twin-island Federation.
This charge was directed to the successful members of the SKNDF’s Basic Military Course 1 of 2013 by the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, at their Passing Out Parade yesterday (Sept. 5) at Camp Springfield.
PM Douglas told the soldiers that there are many important national objectives in which the SKNDF is intimately involved and one of them is to collaborate with the police in combating crime and maintaining law and order.
“The Defence Force and the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force often collaborate, for example, on the important national priority of combating crime and maintaining law and order. There are those who choose to defy our nation’s laws and they decide to put the lives of our citizens at risk by growing marijuana illegally, for example, in various places around our Federation.
“I wish to remind you today that marijuana cultivation and sale is illegal. I remind you that it is considered dangerous and the government is committed to eradicating any marijuana that is grown in this your beloved country. Not only is it illegal, but marijuana use can trigger mental illnesses…it can bring you insane and forever ruin the lives of those whom it destroys. You have all seen with various people right here in our Federation.
“And so collaboration between the Defence Force and the Police on the hunting of marijuana cultivation and sale…then is key. And I am certain that in the months and years ahead you will be asked to play your role in this very important undertaking.”
He also told the young soldiers that in addition to the cultivation and sale of marijuana, the two organisations have a history of collaborating to apprehend violent criminals.
“Apart from the sale and cultivation of marijuana however, there are those within the Federation who have decided to adopt the violent lifestyle that you see on television. This government has no intention of allowing the foreign culture that we see on television or in the movies to take root here in St. Kitts and Nevis. And I am certain that you are all aware of the many instances in which the Police Force and the Defence Force have collaborated to identify and apprehend violent criminals in order to stop them from further undermining the peace and stability of this our Federation.”
Earlier in his address, Dr. Douglas told the new intake that the course they completed had exposed them to the culture and demands of the military environment, within which they had inculcated the rigors of military and personal discipline and they now have a keen understanding of the importance of cooperation and collaboration in pursuit of a clearly defined mission.
“All of this has been key to transforming you from ordinary civilians into persons who are equipped to contribute to the defence and protection of our nation in the years ahead. Both your recent and future training will equip you to maintain order in cases of unrest or in the event of an external threat.
“I do not expect that any of you will find yourself on the battlefield; for example… in Syria. But I believe that there are other battlefields that you will find yourselves engaged in, in order to protect other civilian lives. You will be key to ensuring that Kittitians and Nevisians return to normal lives after the devastating impact of hurricanes or other natural disasters; situations which often leave thousands without water, without electricity and sometimes without even a roof over their heads, and sometimes the victims of sharp or heavy objects having flown through the air and inflicted bodily harm,” he added.
Dr. Douglas also explained to the soldiers that in addition to their role in the protection of the sovernty and safety of the country and its inhabitants, they would be required to assist neighbouring islands in times of distress.
“In the years ahead, you will understand that your responsibility is not to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis only, but to our neighbours in Antigua and Dominica, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, in St. Lucia and other regional nations as well, who from time to time experience their own natural or other crises and therefore have the need for well-trained, disciplined, competent professionals to arrive from neighbouring islands like ours to do for them what they are unable to do for themselves. Here, I do refer to the Regional Security System with which you will become increasingly familiar in the months and years ahead.”
The Prime Minister congratulated the young soldiers on successfully completing the 14-week training course and urged them to become assets of the Defence Force.
“Now that you have completed your Basic Military Course, you have an obligation to maintain the high standards that you have observed all around you. Within this institution, you must commit yourself to add to the professionalism that you had experienced here. You must make sure that you are viewed as an asset to our Force. You must be the type of individual who is respected and valued by all those with whom you were and with whom you interact. Because, really, this is how we build stable communities. This is how we build stable nations, and this is how you will go about developing your God-given talents as you should.”
Among those present at the Passing Out Parade were the Governor General, Sir Edmund Wickham Lawrence; Government Ministers, members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps and Commissioner of Police Celvin ‘CG’ Walwyn.
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