Crime rate down for September
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – DEPUTY PREMIER of Nevis, the Hon. Mark Brantley emphatically stated that the Nevis Division of the Police Force is doing a good job despite circumstances, and that evidence lies in the reduced crime rate and improved detection rate on the island.
“Last week I dealt with the attack on the police by the Commissioner and I am satisfied what needed to be said has been said. And I am satisfied that the police in Nevis are doing a good job in the circumstances. The statistics show that the crime rate is down dramatically for the month of September that just ended. The detection rate is over 64 percent, which is unprecedented. The acceptable detection rate worldwide is about 33 percent and so they have now nearly doubled what the standard or accepted rate for good policing is, and I would want to thank them for that. And I am sure that the Commissioner, no doubt, would want to thank them publicly for that as well, because certainly they have been doing a good job.’
Brantley was at the time addressing a number of issues during his weekly radio programme ‘On the Mark’.
He made reference to one of the statements made last week by Commissioner Celvin ‘CG’ Walwyn during his interview with one of the local media houses concerning the balloon analogy.
“The Commissioner made comments about squeezing the balloon and that the air rushing to one end; of course that could only mean rushing to Nevis, about making the criminals uncomfortable in Basseterre and, of course, less comfortable in Nevis. And that was the unfortunate comment I thought. Of course he attacked the High Command in Nevis as well, which I thought those are matters better dealt with internally, not on the airwaves and not to score some cheap points.”
He insinuated that the Commissioner’s attack on the Nevis High Command was politically motivated.
“I feel that there is an agenda here; a political agenda to try and transfer out of Nevis good police and to transfer in people who they feel will march to a particular political beat.”
The Deputy Political Leader of the ruling Concerned Citizens Movement is of the view that crafty schemes have been hatched for the upcoming General Elections, and he is calling on residents of that island to cooperate with the police in order for the Nevis Division to be successful in its fight against crime.
“Elections are coming and clearly, in my view, the machinations have started. I do want to say that insofar as success is concerned, success of the police, success in the fight against crime will depend on you, members of the public. At the end of the day, I keep saying it, crime is everybody’s problem. It is a social problem and society must respond if we are to solve it. Commissioners will come, Commissioners will go, police officers will come, police officers will go, but what is always here is our society that we have in Nevis and that is why we have to work harder.”
He however expressed his sympathy to those individuals in St. Kitts who had recently lost their loved ones through violence and again criticised the Commissioner’s balloon analogy.
“We have heard of some recent criminal activity on St. Kitts, our sister island, and our heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones in firearm-related incidents over there, and we have heard of some robberies. And so this notion of squeezing the balloon, obviously the air is rushing back in the other direction. And so my suggestion, again, is don’t squeeze the balloon...prick it, burst it and let all the air come out. So don’t squeeze it in Basseterre and send the criminals to Nevis. Don’t squeeze it in Charlestown and send the criminals to St. Kitts, squeeze it everywhere until it goes pop. That is what we ought to be seeking to do.”
Brantley admonished Commissioner Walwyn for what he believes is not doing the job he is being paid to do.
“And so I admonish the Commissioner, as I always have. Do your job, focus on doing your job. Once you do your job you wont get any complaints from me, because I am a staunch defender of the police. But when you step outside and start to attack the very men and women in uniform who keep me safe at night, I am going to have a problem with that. I think fair warning has been served and let us now move on to focus on keeping the islands, the nation of St. Kitts and Nevis safe."
