Dear Editor, Over the years Nevis has been known to be a land of quiet tranquility where peace love, and respect abounded.” Sadly, there has been a dramatic shift in the social fabric of our little island. Violence has taken hold almost to the extent that it has seemingly become fashionable as more and more of our young people have been caught up in this tsunami.” The days when people would sit down and discuss a problem to try and find a solution seem to be long gone and our people have turned to the guns, knives and machetes to settle simple misunderstandings. There is a spirit of violence that has invaded and seemingly taken up residence in this our island home. It appears that our young boys deem it more fashionable to identify with a particular gang than with a church or other civic organizations. What is even more troubling to me is the deafening silence of our government as our country gallops unchecked towards an apocalypse if action is not taken immediately.” It is true that the old proverb says “Silence is golden,” and that’s maybe why the government and all the other social groups that should be responding aggressively to this blithe on our economy, have seemingly fallen asleep. I wish to coin my own proverb as it regards to this situation, “Silence is criminal.” Our economy depends heavily on tourism and when the world looks and sees that we are rated #two (2) in the world with regards to murder it does not auger well for us and that is why the posture of the government is so puzzling.” I was heartened a few months ago when the government convened a crime symposium and I waited expectantly to see some new initiatives coming out of this symposium that will help to combat crime.” Sadly there has been nothing. Here is a chronicle of the government=s response thus far to the rising crime situation on Nevis. 1. The first 2 murders: – callous response from persons closely associated with the government, “Only two murders, what is that, hundreds get killed in Jamaica and England.” 2. Crime Symposium””””” We have heard nothing from that 3. Total Silence. How much more must be killed before we get some action from the government, is it 5, 10, 50? The situation calls for an aggressive approach to solving this problem, and I am calling on the Prime minister and the Premier to lead. That is all we are asking, show some leadership in this fight against crime. Your mandate is first and foremost to protect your people and the statistics show that you are failing in this regard. “The month of December is budget month and I am hoping that we will get a budget both on St. Kitts and Nevis that is dedicated” towards fighting crime and keeping the economic viability of our country intact. “If that is not the case, then it is clear; the bell is tolling, let us repeat the benediction, it=s time to go.
