However, must law enforcement and citizen security hinge solely on the Commissioner’s “thoughts and prayers”?
By January 21st, 2024, Saint Lucia recorded 7 homicides and citizens have yet to hear from Sister Pelius. If you were lucky enough to be amongst the chosen, you may have been treated to her rare sighting at Police Chaplaincy on Friday, January 19 where she was slated to be the guest speaker – praying for the faithful and admonishing the sinners.
Despite the noteworthy efforts by the Minister for National Security, Prime Minister Pierre in providing unprecedented resources to the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Descartes-Pelius seems to be following the blueprint of her recent predecessor, installed by the former Prime Minister, and seems unable to stymie the rising homicide trend in Saint Lucia. I will admit however that this may be an unfair request as the trend in the region suggests that violent crimes, particularly firearm-related homicides are grappling the region, threatening its very survival. Saint Lucia nor any country in the region manufactures guns. Our neighbour, the United States does, but we know that they are not coming to save us. They cannot even agree to strengthen laws on gun purchases, despite the thousands massacred yearly in mass shootings
The latest news out of Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and the Bahamas paint a very bleak picture with countries like Barbados not too far behind. Is the task at hand insurmountable? Should the citizenry bow their heads in defeat and lift their hands to the heavens like Sister Pelius or even take to the altar like the Commissioner of Police in Trinidad and Tobago?
At the very least, Saint Lucians deserve some “tough words” and reassurances that the police are “doing everything in its power” to “stamp out this scourge of violence”.
Aside from those who want to score cheap political points and others who declared “Kenny Anthony could not stop crime but I will” – citizens, in the main want some words of action from their Commissioner of Police, who is charged with the operationalisation of the police force. No one is claiming that her task is easy, particularly with the resurgence of Laure at the Police Welfare. However, people are looking for hope and must be encouraged to do their part in stamping out criminality.
Only we can save ourselves and of course, God – He helps those who help themselves, right?
By: The Patriot