By Lesroy W. Williams Observer Reporter
(Basseterre, St. Kitts) – Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas has come out in a fiery attack on the criminal elements in the St. Kitts and Nevis society that has reaped an unprecedented murder rate and mounting crime like never before in the Federation’s history. In his weekly program “Ask the Prime Minister,” Dr. Douglas registered his disgust at the spate of gun violence sweeping the country that has resulted in 22 murders for the year in the Federation. “I am absolutely sickened by the violence and the brutality that has infected our society. I don’t want to hear that this is happening in Trinidad and Tobago, I don’t want to hear that it is happening in America, I don’t want to hear any of that because I know what life used to be like in St. Kitts and Nevis and I want this cancer out of the society. I want this pathology out from St. Kitts and Nevis. I want an end to this madness that is taking place in our beloved country,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister said that this type of behavior cannot be normal in the society. “This is not normal. This is not good for us as a people, a peace loving people in this Federation,” he said. “Human-beings are not supposed to be witnessing these things. Shooting and stabbing up each other cannot be normal in St. Kitts and Nevis.” The society has to wake up and parents must be more vigilant of their children, he said. “Parents saying to me that they can’t rule their children is absolute nonsense. If you have a child, it is your job to teach that child what is right and what is wrong,” he said. “If you have a child it is your job to stay at home at night with that child. Locking up your children and going out to have a good time creates big problems for the rest of society. It creates unstable children and neighbours need to speak up when they see this kind of neglect, this type of abuse and this kind of slackness taking place,” Dr. Douglas said. Parents must not buy into the “brand name culture” and “buy, buy, buy, culture” with their children because it creates problems for all of us, he said. “We have to stop thinking we are what we wear or what we have. That is a kind of sickness that leads to destruction, it leads to criminality,” he said. The Prime Minister sent a strong message that older men seducing under-age girls will not be tolerated in the Federation. “Older men having relations with young girls and then leaving them with their babies creates lots of problem for us. In addition, it is a crime. These men need to be prosecuted and thrown in jail,” Dr. Douglas said. “When older men cause young girls to have babies that they cannot afford to take care of or when these girls are so irresponsible and childish that they have no idea of what parenting is all about, this creates major problems for the rest of society,” he said.” The latest spate of gun violence took place on November 30 outside a popular disco in Cayon Village where two masked gunmen went on a shooting rampage, killing two young men and wounding several others. This has sparked outrage in the society and many are saying enough is enough.
