Government Reviews Anti-Crime Strategy and Plans Upgrades

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Honourable Sam Condor (right) talks with Prime Minister Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas before the start of the new Parliament on Wednesday.

St. Kitts, March 11, 2010 (SKNIS): Government has unveiled plans to carry out “a comprehensive review” of current crime fighting initiatives and has signaled further resource commitment to ensure all residents of St. Kitts and Nevis can live in peace.

While reading the Throne Speech at Wednesday’s opening of a new Parliament, Governor General His Excellency Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, said in recent years, Government has introduced a separate gun control and anti-gang unit, mounted closed circuit television cameras around the capital Basseterre, strengthened crime laws and established K-9 units in both the Police and Defence Force.

He revealed that measures are in place to determine the impact of various anti-crime strategies “with a view to evaluating their effectiveness, committing more resources to the initiatives that are achieving results and developing new community-based approaches to the fight against crime.”

The security forces have also been targeted to ensure that they are adequately prepared to police in a rapidly developing society.

“We have exposed our law officers to advanced training in the use of the latest law enforcement methods and technologies and have procured technical assistance from law enforcement agencies in advanced countries to assist the police in the implementation of a crime fighting plan,” the Governor General stressed, while speaking in the National Assembly.

“… We have improved the police facilities through the renovation of the Basseterre Police Station and the upgrading of the Frigate Bay Police Station (and) we have started the construction of a new Police Station at Dieppe Bay. … Moreover, we intend to implement an EU (European Union)-funded project to comprehensively improve and upgrade the accommodation and facilities of the Police and Defence Force.”

Governor General Sebastian announced that as part of this project, Government is pursuing a proposal to build a new Fire Station and a new Police Training Academy at Lime Kiln. The property that currently houses the station and training school will be transformed, as residential units for the police will be constructed.

The announcement comes on the heels of a consultation exercise with security forces by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Honourable Sam Condor. Minister Condor pledged to work closely with authorities to ensure they are equipped with the necessary crime fighting tools and can respond to the challenges of the new economic landscape of St. Kitts and Nevis.

It is anticipated that the allocation of additional resources will also be laid out when the Budget for the fiscal year 2010-2011 is presented in the National Assembly in the coming weeks.