NDP leadership wants to hear government’s plan to fight crime

The Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) has called on the Gonsalves-administration to outline the plan to address the rising crime in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

During a press conference on Wednesday, July 26, led by the Party’s President, Dr Godwin Friday and Vice President, St Clair Leacock, a number of suggestions were tabled to deal with the increase in crime, particularly gun-related murders.

The opposition shadow Minister for National Security, Leacock, criticized what he said is the reactive approach by law enforcement to weed out criminal activities. He put forward the proposal of implementing a gun amnesty to get the illegal firearms off the streets.

“We will not say that we know definitively that it will yield a better result and so we will well have to consult. Clearly the notion of providing an amnesty offers itself to us. Whether that should be voluntary or whether we should use an enticement by paying or rewarding those who have guns to bring them in, with a proviso that if you don’t there will be revised laws to punish the offenders.”

The Member of Parliament for Central Kingstown stressed the need for more programmes to divert the youth away from crime, and also to give others chances at rehabilitation.

In his remarks, Dr Friday called on all to lay political affiliations aside and join a national vigil in Kingstown on Thursday, August 3.

“As the leader of the Opposition, I am calling on our people to come together for a time of prayer, a national vigil so to speak. I am calling on the churches, civil society including trade union leaders, business leaders, men and women of decency and courage to come together. I invite the government, including the Prime Minister, to join us at such a rally in Kingstown. I invite the police, including the Commissioner of Police to join us and pray for peace and healing in our land.”

The national vigil and rally against crime, Dr Friday said, will take place on Thursday, August 3, at Heritage Square, noting that the issue of crime is “out of hand” in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Friday added, that the upward trend in murders suggests that the country will surpass the record number of homicides for last year, which was 42, and emphasized that serious interventions need to be put in place to prevent this from becoming a reality.