By Steve Thomas Observer Nevis Editor
(Basseterre, St. Kitts) ” An opposition leader is sharply criticizing the National Crime Consultation convened last week by Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas, saying all political parties should have been allowed to speak at the forum. PAM leader Lindsay Grant has in the past accused the Labour Government of bad faith by not bringing together leaders from all parties to discuss the issue of crime. According to Mr. Grant, this was continued at the consultation. “We were not even allowed to make a presentation at the forum. In fact we were not even recognized as being there present at the forum and I think that sent a bad message to begin with,” he said. “All the political leaders of the major political parties in St. Kitts and Nevis ought to have been at the table, discussing the matters and presenting their view on how they saw the climate in St. Kitts when it comes to crime. That did not happen.” A unified presentation would have sent a strong signal to criminal elements in the Federation, Mr. Grant said. On Monday, Dr. Douglas said the Cabinet had decided “put in place a broad based task force to implement recommendations coming out of last Friday’s National Consultation on Crime,” according to a press release from the PM’s office. The Consultation underscored ‘the need for strengthening of the capacity of the capability of the police. We shall see a specific programme targeting gun and gang related violence and crime which is really the major problem that is confronting the society at this time,” Dr. Douglas said in a telephone interview with the BBC Caribbean. Another component of the plan will provide alternative activities and support for youths leaving school without the academic qualifications, but who can become involved in training that will prepare them for a life of work, he said. No particulars on the makeup of the task force have been released. In the same interview, the PM, who also serves as Minister of National Security, said more police officers will be moved from desk jobs to street patrols in order to increase enforcement. The Royal St. Kitts-Nevis Police has jobs for 420 persons, but only 380 of those slots are filled at this time. “Just last week we have agreed that we need to increase the manpower, not so much in terms of recruitment of new people as that will take time, but redeploying trained police officers performing duties as immigration officers and clerks to the streets. These are going to be freed up immediately so that more trained police officers can be utilised not only to responding to crimes that are committed, but preventing crimes by patrolling on foot,” Dr. Douglas said.
