Sacrifice, unconditional love should be our guiding force

by Bertram Pompey – Commissioner of Police Ag.

As we start feeling the air of the most joyous season of the year, I believe it is fitting and proper for all Vincentians to pause for a while and think of some act or deed that can be done by them to ensure a meaningful Christmas celebration for all. We must reflect on the actions and words of Jesus Christ, which must serve as a reminder that service to humanity is a fundamental prerequisite in our lives for a harmonious communal existence and that sacrifice and unconditional love should be our guiding force and our inspirations to lead lives of compassion, mercy and justice.{{more}}

The year 2006, so far was a relatively successful one for the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force. It is very encouraging and heartening for us in the law enforcement fraternity to witness a general reduction in the number of crimes reported for the year. Our successes are not limited to a decrease in crimes, but the ability to solve a significant number of the unsolved ones, especially murder. Without the cooperation of the general public, the hard work of the investigators and in some cases, the scientific analysis, these successes could not be possible.

Let us not gloat in these successes so as to incite in us a mode of complacency, but rather we should use them as the stimuli to promote the synergy that is needed to advance our causes as partners in the fight against crime.

The year has been equally challenging for us. We have witnessed with great concern, incidents of violence in our school. Violence in the society in general, is always of concern for the Police, but when it is manifested in social institutions – where values are shared and learned – it becomes an even greater cause for concern. This can only serve to engender social dysfunction or a reverse form of socialization.

The number of road fatalities recorded during the year was not so encouraging for us, especially when a large percentage of these involved our youths. The amendment to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, which provides for the wearing of seat belts and helmets, is welcomed by us.

I am appealing to members of the public to be resolute in their commitment in assisting the Police by continuing to lend your support in the difficult task of preventing and detecting crimes.

To the Gazetted Officers and other ranks of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, I say thank you for your support throughout the year and look forward to your continued support as we reshape and reform our Force to meet the challenges which obviously will arise in 2007 and beyond.

On behalf of the Officers and other ranks of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, the Auxiliary Police Force, the St Vincent Cadet Force, the Port Police, Tourist Police and Traffic Warders and on my own behalf, let me take this opportunity to wish the citizens of St Vincent and the Grenadines a Wonderful Christmas and a blessed and productive 2007.