Charlestown Nevis (March 1, 2004) Officers of the Nevis Division in the Royal St Christopher and Nevis Police Force have been commended by the Premier of Nevis, the Hon Mr. Vance Amory for their hard work and dedication in ensuring that law and order is maintained on the island. 

He was at the time delivering brief remarks at the inaugural awards ceremony held at the Old Manor Hotel on Saturday February 28, for eleven police officers who had worked beyond their call of duty during the year 2003. 

Said Premier Amory: “I deem it a special honour and a pleasure to represent the Nevis Island Administration at this very important ceremony.  I think there is not too much praise that we could shower on the officers of the police force in Nevis, who have worked so very tirelessly to ensure that we maintain the law and order and the safety here in Nevis.”

According to the Nevisian Leader, “We in the administration have over the years sought to systematically supported the police with our own limited resources because we believe that the police reside in Nevis and although the police is the responsibility of the Federal Government, we have a direct interest in ensuring that the police continue to perform well, continue to do their work efficiently to maintain the peace and the safety of Nevis.”

He observed that although the police officers had worked under very trying circumstances, unsatisfactory conditions of their stations, less than adequate equipment and resources, they managed to reduce the crime level by 36%.

“The results which have been achieved in helping to reduce the level of crime in Nevis is testimony to your dedication to duty, and your commitment to the oath which you would have taken when you became police officers, to ensure that you fought against crime at all cost, and that you would use every resources at your command to detect crime and to bring perpetrators of crime to justice.”

“Your efforts have gone a long way in keeping the island of Nevis peaceful and safe and this is essential for us as a small island economy seeking to attract investment, to attract visitors an to enjoy the peace and tranquility of our country,” said Premier Amory.

“As an administration, we recognised the importance of establishing strategic plans to deal with the issue of crime and peace keeping, and so it is that I sat on occasion with the high command in Nevis to hear from them and to give them the benefit of my own concern and the administration’s concern and I do believe that we have share some ideas on how we should approach the issue of dealing with crime,” Premier Amory commented.

Mr. Richard Luppinacci, proprietor of Hermitage Plantation Inn gave the keynote address while Commissioner of Police, Mr. J Calvin Fahie and the Minister of Justice, the Hon Delano Bart, gave brief remarks.  The Deputy Governor General, His Hon Mr. Eustace John, presented the certificates and gifts to the awardees.

Among those in attendance were the Governor General, His Excellency, Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, Commander of the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force, Mr. Patrick Wallace, the Deputy and Assistant Commissioner, Mr. Robert Jeffers and Mr. Clayton Mills respectively, other gazetted officers, and the Force Personnel Officer, Mr. Joseph Halliday.

The officer who emerged as officer of the year 2003 was Constable No 540 Royston Isaac.