Norbert notes that while most people are aware of the prevalence of gangs, they cannot identify the characteristics of gang warfare. This, he says, prevents citizens from reporting.

“Most people are aware of the situation, what the hotspots are and there is the need to do more in terms of enlightening some individuals and educating people as to what to look for. We will be going on a mission to educate and sensitise people as to what will happen,” he explained.

The Minister also highlights the porous nature of the country’s ports of entry and the widespread importation of firearms.

“These firearms are not being manufactured in Saint Lucia, they are not home-made guns, as we used to say a long time ago. These firearms are being brought here from overseas and we will be giving serious consideration as it relates to our ports of entry and reconsidering how we do business there,” he said.

The Crime Prevention Minister also stressed the importance of social initiatives to discourage youth from engaging in criminal acts and joining criminal gangs to begin with.

To that end, he says, the government has met with the Community Relations Branch of the RSLPF to understand their needs.

“The Community Relations Branch has a mandate to go out there and engage youth at the school levels. I can tell you that we’re more than open to giving them the support they need to do their work because we understand the importance of nipping the situation at the bud,” he said.

Over the weekend, the country recorded four homicides with regional counterparts like Barbados and Trinidad Tobago reporting similar trends.