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Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, expressing concern about the current crime situation in Saint Lucia, has disclosed that troops from the Regional Security System (RSS) will be here.
“We are bringing RSS troops into Saint Lucia to assist the members of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force. They should be here sometime in July,” Pierre, responsible for National Security, told a news conference on Thursday.
The Castries East MP’s remarks followed his recent trip to Barbados for talks with RSS officials and came amid a surge in gun violence in Saint Lucia.
“We are very concerned and we understand the people of Saint Lucia have to be concerned. We have nothing against people expressing their concern and even their outrage about the crime situation. I too, I am outraged and this is why we are working with the members of the police service to see what we can do to alleviate that situation,” Pierre told reporters.
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He expressed condolences to the relatives of those who have died due to violent crime.
And at the same time, Pierre spoke of the need to address the ‘deeper’ reasons for crime.
“It’s not something that you can just deal with on the surface. You know what’s happening the crime situation is concerning and the government is concerned and within the resources that are available to us we are trying our best. But the situation is not good and I would be the first person to tell you it needs to change,” he stated.
“Our safety as a people cannot be compromised, but with the best will in the world, we have to be able to back it up with resources. We’re trying, and I am in the process of signing an agreement that would give the police 40 new vehicles,’ Pierre, also responsible for Finance, noted.
“The training vote that was stopped by the last government has been reinstated this year with $200,000. It could be more but that’s what we have now,” the PM told the news conference.
Pierre also spoke about the government’s ‘swift justice’ programme and $2 million in the budget to reduce the backlog of court cases, especially murder cases.
And in terms of accommodation for the police, he stated that construction started on the Gros Islet police station.
At the same time, he revealed that it would cost over $2 million to repair the Vieux Fort police headquarters.
“In the budget this year there’s money to repair police stations. We are looking into the possibility of drones for the police service. We are trying and we are starting by, as I said, bringing in the RSS and we are seeing how we can increase the numbers in the force,” Pierre told reporters.
He also said the government is seeking to boost the morale of members of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force.
Pierre disclosed that he has met with the Police Welfare Association, discussing plans to stop or limit some of the problems.
“We are trying,” Pierre explained.
Headline stock photo: Saint Lucia police at crime scene in Castries.
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