BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FORMER Minister of National Security Dwyer Astaphan agrees with most of the measures taken by Prime Minister Douglas in combating crime, but warns of the impending dangers financial rewards could create.
The parliamentarian was at the time speaking with members of the press at his Port Zante office on Friday, March 6.
In response to the recent homicides committed in St. Kitts, the PM held a press conference on the evening of Wednesday (Mar. 4) and informed the nation of a three-point plan to combat the growing phenomenon of gun-related crimes and other criminal activities.
PM Douglas told the nation that a reward of EC$10 000 would be posted for information leading to the arrest and trial of persons involved in the recent shooting death of Collin ‘Izum’ Matthew, Jusan Hendricks, Akimba ‘Oil’ Whyte, Kwesi Twells and others.
He also said that a monetary reward would be given for information leading to the recovery of any firearm and the highest priority, in terms of the amount of the reward, would be given for firearms used in the committal of any crime.
He further said that there would be full mobilisation of the police and Defence Force throughout St. Kitts and Nevis. “In this regard, all vacation is suspended for both agencies of the security forces. All senior personnel on vacation are immediately recalled. Also all members of the NCO ranks of the St. Kitts Nevis Defence Force will be sworn in tonight by the acting Commissioner of Police with local constabulary powers thus providing assistance to the police.”
Astaphan said there are some brave and cooperative individuals in the community who provide the security forces with information without looking forward to financial gains. He however warned that “we have to be careful about creating a culture in which everything, civic or otherwise, comes with a dollar price…because we have reached the point where you will never get the right price for the things that you require”.
“Having said that,” he continued, “we must always be able and ready to show citizens our appreciation and respect for being civic minded and cooperative. However, financial reward is a reality; it is a fact of life. But in order to make it work we have to appreciate that many people who are in a position and willing to share information cannot financially wait until a case is completed. A case could take three months, six months, three years or more.”
He noted that a number of those persons who know what are going on among the criminals live in very desperate circumstances and on very short financial cycles. “So, a system needs to be worked out, whereby the security forces can, on a regular basis, take care of such persons so that informers can survive financially until the cases are successfully completed.”
Astaphan declared that a system was already in place for financially rewarding informers, but it is a sluggish one and individuals have to wait for months before they get their rewards. He pointed out that it results in frustration, weakens the informers, demotivates them and compromises the chances of the authorities to complete the prosecution in order to get a successful case.
Astaphan said that during his tenure as Minister of National Security, he had spoken of this particular issue in official circles and also in public. He is of the view that the country was not listening to him, but noted this is not the time to dwell on the past.
He however outlined a strategy, which he thinks, if coupled with the Prime Minister’s plans, would eliminate the frustrating red tape and routine required for the collection of rewards.
The parliamentarian opined that a special account should be established and operated by the Royal St. Christopher Police Force and the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force. This account, he stressed, must be separate from the Consolidated Fund.
“Into that account, money will be deposited and, from it, rewards will be paid for informers and witness protection operations could take place,” Astaphan said. He explained that the money would from revenue collected for ‘ticketable’ offences.
“The money would come as a percentage; say 10 percent, of the revenue generated from the expanded base of ticketable offences. Minor traffic offences, small charges, among others…make them ticketable. You will be saving the court’s time; you will be saving money and generating money.
“Twenty percent of monies generated from the fines and from the courts would go to the fund and should be shared on a quarterly basis by the personnel in the security forces. These are working people, they want to be motivated by money and nothing is wrong with that. We want them to be more proactive and more professional.”
Astaphan said that from the remaining 70 percent, 50 percent would go to a special account controlled by the National Security for witness protection. He pointed out that witnesses would have to be flown out of the Federation to other parts of the Caribbean, and even as far as the USA, for their protection and safe houses have to be rented for their protection.
“That is a critical reality in the justice system we face not only here but all over the world. And from the 50 percent, monies would also be directed towards repairs and replacements in the national security and justice system, while the other 20 percent will go to the Consolidated Fund,” he added.
In relation to the recovery of firearms, Astaphan said a system is already in place but it does not work efficiently, and the authorities should be wary of scams.
“We have to be careful that we do not set up a scam, whereby people deliver guns to the security forces and get a reward as happened in St. Lucia, where the then Prime Minister set up a system saying anybody who delivers a gun to the police would get a $2 500 reward.”
Astaphan said the criminals on that island established a business importing guns from Martinique and only handed in a certain amount to get the monetary reward, while the remainder was on the streets in the hands of their cronies.
This, he said, is what the authorities have to take into consideration when implementing financial rewards for gun recovery.
