PRESS RELEASE
SLP ADVOCATES FOR CONTINUED HOLISTIC APPROACH TO TACKLE CRIME
19th November, 2024
CASTRIES – The Saint Lucia Labour Party empathises with the civilians who witnessed or were affected by the tragic shooting incident that occurred in the City of Castries on November 18th.
We understand the psychological and emotional effect this incident may have caused to those affected and continue to pledge our efforts to work collaboratively with civil society, the government, the public and other groups to help fight this crime scourge. We have noted that organisations such as Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia, have already offered support services including emotional debriefing and counselling to help individuals and families cope with the trauma.
When this SLP administration took office, a diverse approach was taken to implement various policies that would help tackle crime. Some included:
● Increasing penalties for illegal possession of firearms
● Appointing a Firearm and Licensing Board to regulate firearm licences
● Expanding the Witness Protection Program
● Reinstating and increasing the police training vote to allow training in crime detection, surveillance and modern crime-fighting techniques
● Procuring a ballistic comparison microscope -$417k
● Providing 150 ballistic vests to the RSLPF
● Enacting new Police Powers Act
● Equipping the RSLPF with 40 new patrol vehicles, 15 motorcycles, 5 ATVs and 4 jet skis
● Bringing in the Regional Security System to assist with citizen security
● Training 80 new recruits to strengthen the police force
● Providing drones, dashboard and body cameras to police officers
● Allocating $1 million to the Swift Justice Program
● Establishing a Coroner’s Court
● Enacting legislation for the Judicial and Legal Services Commission to appoint a Special Prosecutor
● Establishing the First District Traffic Court
● Ascending to the Caribbean Court of Justice (decrease in costs and case time)
● Renovating the Southern Divisional Police Headquarters $4.5 million
Soon, this SLP administration will see the completion of:
● Custody Suites $4.5 million
● Northern Divisional Police Headquarters $35 million
● Drug Squad Building $3.7 million
● Halls of Justice $145 million
The Saint Lucia Labour Party calls on all Saint Lucians to work together to fight this scourge of violent gun crime in our country and we urge the Saint Lucian public to stay vigilant, be each other’s keeper and report any suspicious activity to the police. The Saint Lucia Labour Party will continue to play its part in advocating for and supporting a strong multi-faceted approach to this problem.
It should be noted that Prime Minister Hon. Philip J Pierre is currently in Guyana where he will be attending Caricom’s Second Regional Symposium on Crime and Violence as a Public Health Issue, which emphasises a holistic system approach, particularly a whole of Government and whole-of-society approach to combating crime.
End
