BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Responding to the violent crime and murder plaguing the Federation, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CIC) is calling upon citizens to rally this week in a march signifying a national desire for peace.
The march, held under the theme ‘United: Working Together Against Crime and Violence’, is slated for this Thursday (Apr. 2). The march will begin at the Patsy Allers Playing Field and culminate with a rally in Warner Park.
Representatives of the business community, church and the political directorate are expected to address the rally in order to heighten public awareness of the deadly grip violence has on the populace of St. Kitts-Nevis.
According to a press release issued by the CIC, participants are asked to wear black and/or white coloured clothing to “reflect the solemnity of the occasion while allowing us to mourn the deaths of all the individuals who have been killed in this wave of violence”.
The Chamber opined that continued crime, violence and fear threaten to erode the freedoms of socialization and congregation.
“Clearly, these apparently senseless and certainly brutal killings threaten the welfare and security of citizens, and create a pervasive sense of anxiety at the national level. Indeed, such wanton destruction of human life not only generates a sense of chaos and insecurity but is erosive of the social fabric, striking as it does, at the very core and foundation of civilized society.
“Let us send a clear message that we will not be cowed by fear and intimidation. Let us take our Country back from the criminals and save the Nation’s youth from the path of destruction which some have chosen. Let us show that we love our Country and that we are true to our motto, Country Above Self.”
The march is the first in a series of initiatives to be jointly undertaken by the CIC, the St. Kitts Christian Council and the Evangelical Association to aid in the fight against crime and violence.
Earlier this year, the President of the CIC Mark Wilkin stressed that the Chamber would be committed to mobilize the community into action against crime, as its impact is “crippling to the economy”.
In 2008, the Federation recorded 23 homicides, five in Nevis and 18 in St. Kitts. To date, the country has witnessed 8 murders, all of which have occured in St. Kitts.
