PM Ralph Gonsalves urges police to step up their crime fighting strategies

Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has warned that poor policing can give criminals space in which to operate even as he acknowledged there are criminal challenges in every society.

“I want to emphasize that the police do not cause crimes but suboptimal policing or poor policing can provide more space for criminals,” Gonsalves said in a joint video statement with Commissioner of Police, Colin John.

Gonsalves, who is also the minister of national security and John addressed the nation after a meeting between the prime minister and the top brass of the police force over the last weekend.

“And the important thing is for the police force to be so organized and perform and operate in a manner as to narrow the space to the furthest point practicable in relation to the criminals,” Gonsalves said, adding “that criminals don’t have the space to function, the gunmen don’t have the space to function.”

Gonsalves spoke a day after the island recorded its ninth murder this year, with the death of Purlinea Greaves, who was shot in the head on her way home. She became the second woman and the third person in the country to be killed in just over a week in the country.

- Advertisement -

“And, of course, we rely on the society’s, ordinary people’s support and cooperation and, of course, for the judicial system to deliver justice and for us to have a country respecting law and order and for St. Vincent and the Grenadines to maintain its reputation as being a place which is safe and secure,” Gonsalves said.

In the statement, Gonsalves said there are criminal challenges in every society, adding “we have to make sure that any such challenges are kept to the most minimal level, the level of which right-thinking persons may say, ‘Well, something there is wrong but we’re very safe.

“In other words, people have a sense as to when they’re safe and when they’re not safe. And the police have to build that confidence more and more through its day-to-day work and actions.”

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said different crimes have different causes and impulses, “but it is generally recognized that if you have good family upbringing, if you have solid values being inculcated in the young in the home, in the schools, in the churches, in the communities; young people, especially young males take advantage of all the opportunities which are available, that they will not be tempted by greed or any other weakness to go towards criminal activity”.

CMC/

 

 

More Stories

Guyana Government to assist sugar workers

Guyana in diplomatic talks with US over Cuban medical missions sanctions

The Government of Guyana is engaged in diplomatic discussions with the United States to address concerns over the expansion of US restrictions on Cuba’s...
Nearly six thousand people killed Haiti in 2024

IACHR expresses concern over worsening security crisis in Haiti

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has voiced grave concerns over the escalating security crisis in Haiti, citing a surge in extreme violence...
Owen James

Jamaican media mourns the passing of veteran journalist Owen James

The Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of veteran journalist Owen James, hailing him as a trailblazer in...
Turks and Caicos

US warns Americans not to travel with firearms or ammo to Turks and Caicos

The U.S. Department of State has issued a forceful warning to American travelers, urging them to leave all firearms and ammunition at home when...
Barbados to host 69th CARPHA

Barbados to host 69th CARPHA Health Research Conference focused on mental health

Barbados will host the 69th Annual Health Research Conference of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) from May 7 to 9, with a...
Stuart Young

Stuart Young to be sworn in as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago on March 17

Energy Minister Stuart Young is set to be sworn in as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago on March 17, following Dr. Keith Rowley’s...
Issa Trust Foundation

Issa Trust Foundation expands neonatal training in Jamaica

From February 28 to March 14, 2025, the Issa Trust Foundation spearheaded a critical initiative to enhance neonatal care in Jamaica by providing specialized...
eGov Technology Showcase

Jamaica advances digital transformation at eGov Technology Showcase

The future of Jamaica’s digital transformation took center stage at yesterday’s eGov Jamaica Limited GOJ Digital Government Technology Showcase at the Jamaica Pegasus. The event,...
Jamaica tufton

Jamaica’s health minister: No evidence of forced labor among Cuban medical workers

Jamaica's Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton has dismissed concerns that Cuban medical professionals working in Jamaica are victims of forced labor, reaffirming...
imf

IMF highlights St. Lucia’s strong economic performance

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has commended St. Lucia’s economic recovery, citing strong growth in tourism, construction, and manufacturing. In its 2024 Article IV consultation,...

Latest Articles

Skip to content