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Assistant Commissioner Vernon Francois: His usual ‘investigations are continuing’ line is not enough to quell the outcry from the public over the crime situation.
Shooting claims life of youth! Student fatally stabbed! Singer shot dead! The haunting headlines scream from every newspaper and news broadcast and the first words out of the mouths of St Lucians on island and abroad who have heard news of the like much too often are along the lines of, “Nowhere is safe. What is happening to St Lucia?”
On Wednesday the phone lines at Radio Caribbean International were buzzing with furious callers demanding to know what the government or the police had to say about the state of crime in the country barely one month into the New Year. Callers were reacting to news that another man had been fatally shot on Tuesday night, near the intersection of Bisee and the Vide Bouteille Highway.
According to police reports, Sirvaugh Gilbert was in the company of a young woman when he was shot several times. He was taken to the emergency section of the Victoria Hospital by ambulance, where he later died. Reports indicate that the young woman who’d been with him at the time was not injured.
Further, police officers recovered a loaded firearm which they say was concealed in Gilbert’s pants. The deceased was on bail for a murder offence. In a release police said no one had been arrested in connection with the incident. Gilbert’s death brings the murder toll to five for the month of January.
As if the death of Calypsonian ‘Ratchie’, Meandad Raggie on Saturday, January 23 wasn’t shocking enough, two more incidents made the start of 2010 even bloodier. Raggie was shot at about 11:30pm in Leslie Land, Castries.
According to reports the young Calypsonian who attended the Sir Ira Simmons Secondary School, was in the company of friends when he was approached by a man who robbed him of his silver chain. He made an attempt to retrieve his chain when the man pointed a gun at him.
Raggie and his friends immediately fled the scene but the individual fired at them and hit Raggie in the back. He continued running until he fell near a restaurant on Chausee Road, Castries. The singer was taken to the Victoria Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. No arrest has been made in connection with this incident. Police are appealing to anyone who may have information to contact the Major Crime Unit.
Meandad Raggie was a member of the “Take Over Calypso Tent” and he was the father of three young girls. Over the weekend, the social networking site Facebook was filled with comments from friends who could still not believe the news
One friend wrote: “RIP my boy. You were a wonderful man and you had a beautiful soul… I wish I could have seen your smile one more time. Miss you more than anything.”
Another wrote: “I really eh want to believe it’s My Ratchie.”
On the Monday following Ratchie’s death 22-year-old Jamal Ledgers, also known as, “Too Slack,” from Conway, Castries was fatally stabbed in Conway at around 12pm during an altercation. He was later pronounced dead at the Victoria Hospital. An all too familiar line, “No one has been arrested with this incident,” ended the police press statement.
Another incident on Monday, January 25 left 17-year-old Martalie Gustave from Laborie injured after being shot in the head.
Police say Gustave was traveling on a motorcycle along the Testanier Highway along with her sister’s boyfriend when several shots were fired in their direction. She fell of the motorcycle after being hit in the head area and was taken to the George Odlum Stadium for medical treatment. She was later transferred to the Victoria Hospital where she remains in critical condition. No one has been arrested in connection with this incident, however, police say investigation continues.
Another shooting on Friday, January 22 left two men, 32-year-old Donovan Mayers from Marchand and 21-year-old Brad James from Bocage nursing gun shot wounds. Mayers was shot in the back by an unknown individual while speaking to a friend at about 11pm that day. Police say Brad James was also shot in the left shoulder, at the George Charles Boulevard in Marchand.
The recent incidents follow two violent killings in the start of the year, one involving 26-year-old Doran Donelly from Morne Du Don who was shot on Saturday, January 9, in an area at Sarrot near the Chaupin junction by two masked men. One day after that incident, 18-year-old Cindy Mandy Lacoubinere from New Extention, a student of Micoud Secondary was fatally stabbed near her home. The incident occurred about 2:30pm on Sunday, January10 on Lady Mico Street, Micoud, where Lacoubinere was allegedly stabbed in the lower part of her abdomen during an altercation. A 16-year-old female has since been charged with her murder.
chain. He made an attempt to retrieve his chain when the man pointed a gun at him, say police.
Raggie and his friends immediately fled the scene but the individual fired at them and hit Raggie in the back. He continued running until he fell near a restaurant on Chaussee Road, Castries. The singer was taken to the Victoria Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. No arrest has been made in connection with this incident. Police are appealing to anyone who may have information to contact the Major Crime Unit.
Meandad Raggie was a member of the “Take Over Calypso Tent” and he was the father of three young girls. Over the weekend, the social networking site Facebook was filled with comments from friends who could still not believe the news
One friend wrote: “RIP my boy. You were a wonderful man and you had a beautiful soul… I wish I could have seen your smile one more time. Miss you more than anything.”
Another wrote: “I really eh want to believe it’s my Ratchie.”
On the Monday following Ratchie’s death 22-year-old Jamal Ledgers, also known as, “Too Slack,” from Conway, Castries was fatally stabbed in Conway at around 12pm during an altercation. He was later pronounced dead at the Victoria Hospital. An all too familiar line, “No one has been arrested with this incident,” ended the police press statement.
Another incident on Monday, January 25 left 17-year-old Martalie Gustave from Laborie injured after being shot in the head.
Police say Gustave was traveling on a motorcycle along the Testanier Highway along with her sister’s boyfriend when several shots were fired in their direction. She fell of the motorcycle after being hit in the head area and was taken to the George Odlum Stadium for medical treatment. She was later transferred to the Victoria Hospital where she remains in critical condition. No one has been arrested in connection with this incident, however, police say investigation continues.
Another shooting on Friday, January 22 left two men, 32-year-old Donovan Mayers from Marchand and 21-year-old Brad James from Bocage nursing gun shot wounds. Mayers was shot in the back by an unknown individual while speaking to a friend at about 11pm that day. Police say Brad James was also shot in the left shoulder, at the George Charles Boulevard in Marchand.
The recent incidents follow two violent killings in the start of the year, one involving 26-year-old Doran Donelly from Morne Du Don who was shot on Saturday, January 9, in an area at Sarrot near the Chaupin junction by two masked men. One day after that incident, 18-year-old Cindy Mandy Lacoubinere from New Extention, a student of Micoud Secondary was fatally stabbed near her home. The incident occurred about 2:30pm on Sunday, January10 on Lady Mico Street, Micoud, where Lacoubinere was allegedly stabbed in the lower part of her abdomen during an altercation. A 16-year-old female has since been charged with her murder.
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Reading these stories about the crime situation just make me angry.Our country is just 27 miles long by 14 miles wide, 238 square miles.I leave in London which is 628 square miles and the crime situation is not that bad compare to St Lucia which is just a dot on the map.I am a soldier in the British Army and have consulted other soldiers and ex soldiers and we are really thinking of coming back home to try to stop this crime situation.We will be working with the police and the relavant athorities.People would say but why soldiers? we are not at war, well we are at war, a war with criminals and criminality,citizens need to feel safe, people needs to live in comfort and without fear.Well i served in Iraq and just finish a tour in Afgahnistan keeping the peace, so there is no way we cannot keep the peace in this little island of ours.We would like to go out on the streets to patrol and keep the peace whiles the police who are train in crime invetigation,carry on with that task. So people let me know if you would like some ex British soldiers to help the police keep the peace in St Lucia.
Wake up people and face reality. LET”S JUST FACE IT HEAD ON There is no more crime free society in the Caribbean anymore. Sometime ago and they still do ; the talk would be don’t go to that or this island because of the crime situtation there ; well guess what the chickens have come home to roost. The problem with St. Lucia is that the people have not yet been desensitized to some of the crimes mentioned above (rightfully so), because that’s not the norm, so when crimes of this nature happens they freak out, but It’s just reality. Everyone can write or call in and complain about what the politicians are not doing , bring back the death penalty etc and bla bla bla, you just have to face the fact that things will never be the same anymore . The goverment can try to contain crime but most types are here to stay and you just have be aware of your surroundings and movements and get out of that false sence of security that it can’t or does not happen here. Before this article is removed you are going to see some of the Stiff Upper Lippers writing and useing that old clich’e of yesteryear that it’s the invasion of other cultures “INFLUENCE” that’s behind the upsurge of certain crimes and lawlessness (yeah right). No one will ever give credence to the lack of responsibilty by parents, the lack of goverment spending to eleviate poverty (the slums are still the slums) the lack of the goverments responsibilty to adopt new crime fighting initiatives to keep in trend with todays society ; am I the only one noticing this that since the invasion of Cable TV some things have gotten worse as far as the developments of our youths are concern. They can now see what they have, how they behave and they wan’t it all. It’s a diffrent world and times we are living in people ; and the sad concept that our beautiful homelands is safe and easy going is no more. It’s only January, so hope and pray and brace yourself .
No one has been arrested for this crime…. This statement invariably appears in every crime report. It would appear that nobody sees anything or hears anything. The police crime tip line should be ringing off the hook with the valuable intelligence that will help the police solve these crimes.
The citizens who want to live in peace and tranquility, as much as this is possible, must play their part. We must not subscribe to the “snitches get stitches” philosophy that the criminals espouse, rather our mantra should be “nowhere to run, nowhere to hide”. Make the criminals uncomfortable by letting them know that we will not keep quiet if we have the evidence that will ensure their apprehension.
I was heartened to know that both an opposition spokesperson and Minister “Machine” Frederick are proposing a non-partisan, collaborative, approach to identifying solutions, formulating strategies and policy prescriptions to combat this evil that is quickly engulfing our country. Just last week, in the other publication, The Voice, I made such a suggestion in response to an article alluding to a supposed unified approach between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police in crime fighting.
Coincidentally, Chester Hinkson called for this collaborative approach as well in his maiden speech as President elect of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The politicians, leaders of industry, civil society, the punditocracy and literati of St. Lucia should do well to read these boards for they will find, hidden among the garbage, some nuggets of wisdom, and fresh innovative ideas there once in a while.
The way I see it if all concerned parties come together to address the crime issue, it would serve the both the incumbent as well as the government-in-waiting well, as they would be better able to focus their energies on the bread and butter issues that seem to be lost in the fray and the debate about crime in St. Lucia.
What is happening to St.Lucia? What is happening to our small villages such as Laborie. If immediate steps are not taken, St.Luica will be no more. Where are the parents to take responsibility for their children? We must reinstate capital punishment to get rid of these unwanted elements in our society.
At this point I see why so many are not feeling safe. I am not a bit surprised that this happens. Lack of proper policing training, investigations ,etc. It is patent that they can not find a solution but they are too feebleminded and indolent to explore any options. HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMm
An all to familiar line: No one has been arrested in connection with this incident. As a reporter you should know that thorough investigations into a crime should be made so that the police are exact in the arrest of a perpitrator. Everybody now seem to blame the police for what is happening, but do you honestly believe the police can be everywhere at once. The youth in our society are also to be blamed as they seem to be metting out their own justice and taking the law into their own hands. What is more intrigueing our citizens do not give a hoot of what is happening out there, untill that is the effect of this crime wave nears their homes or communities. Why I ask, don’t the witnesses to these crimes committed assist the police by giving them the information they know about the crimes and criminals, no we choose to instead be silent observers. It is human nature to pass the buck/ blame on to anyone else( in this case the police) but ourselves especially when it involves something we are not part of directly. In this case the blame for the crime wave now hitting StLucia is being wholly and solely put on the law enforcement authority. Law enforcement is the direct responsibility of the police but we as citizens of our country also have a big part to play in the maintenance of those laws be it indirectly. To castigate the police or policing stratigy for every criminal act of murder committed on the islandis wrong as in the same way one can not conclude that every person who dies in our hospital is the direct fault of the doctor. Our citizens need to take a look at the undeniable overburdened police force that is ill-equipped and under- staffed and with reasoning try to see how we can assist the officers who risk life and limb to protect us(the citizen) daily. I am not suggesting a ward of informants but being able to give the police information which would lead to the capture of those brazen gun trotting criminals would go a long way in assisting them make Helen…
This rash of lives lost is unacceptable..Five murders in January alone..Absolutely nonsense.The judgement has to be wift and harsh..The eyewitnesses at almost all of the shootings should not be afraid and give descriptions of th eshooters and they identity has to be held in the strictest of conffidentiality…As i erad the article i kept saying why aren’t these witnesses speaking out….What’s the problem…Some of us apparently don’t understand the ecconomic recuperations of crime in such a small society and in a country that depends on Tourism..Chasnet just spoke of the situation..Jazz is around the corner and i am planning to visit..This scares you trust me..This situation call for drastic steps.”When the going gets tough .The tough gets going” A total out war on those perpertrators has to be formulated..I would advise the Tourist Board and Police to get together and come up with a plan.. Tourism has to launch a nation wide campaign on the ills of crime and how it will be detrimental to our Industry and ecconomic gains..No Tourism.No Hotels and other businesses that cater to the Hospice business.The ripple effect is vast…There has ro be a all out and full scale WAR on Crime..This cannot be taken lightly..Five murders in January..The entire Country has to unite on this issue..All The Best St.Lucia…
It is sad, and whats even worst it’s not going to change.
We need well trained investigators, we need the Prsecutors to do thier job with a passion
.AGAIN I say i have no problem in paying taxes as long as persons are being well paid to do thier jobs.we need persons who knows what to look for. letting Lucian know about crime scence and contamination..
We have persons who couldn’t careless only when it happens close to home they scream and shout, People may have seen and are afraid to call and give information. can’t blame them some may not feel safe.some just do not care.
I was a victim of armed robbery and for my trouble got sacked, and it was hard dealing with PTSD and person wondering if you weren’t really envolved.
There is an increasingly desperate need for a reassessment of the fundamental values that underlie St. Lucian society the need for a radical rethink of its commitment to community as the driving force of any balanced society. Every action or reaction at every level of state and society should be adjudged in the light of its impact on community enhancement as a driver of or a barrier to an enhanced community, a greater sense of connectedness, and a more cooperative outlook at all levels. St. Lucian’s need to be made to feel more in charge of their own destiny and the views and needs of the armies of ‘have nots’ taken into account at every juncture.
Increasing levels of crime have been a symptom of modern Western oriented societies for longer than we would care to remember, however moves towards a fairer, more inclusive society must be a step in the right direction.
Only then will a road plan to a viable way forward be found; there are no simply solutions here no immediate obvious answers that history points to as providing the solution to these sort of ills from the ‘flog em and hang em’ brigade to ‘alls fair in love and war’ coalition and not forgetting the ‘forgive and forget’ mob.
What is required is a quality of leadership in government, the media, the business community, and civil society in general that is currently sorely lacking in St. Lucia
The responsibility must be accepted at all levels of the society to think creatively and with community in mind to bring about the desired change towards a more compassionate society confident in its sense of self with the ability to protect the rights of all its citizens and culture citizens with the capacity and the unrelenting desire to fulfil their responsibilities.
The solution can only be found by way of a roots and branch, warts and all, reassessment of the society and an increased capacity that is capability at all levels of state to build a fairer more cohesive social…
Interestingly enough i do agree that the enforcemet of the law is the responsibility of us police officers. Truth without a doubt. It is again true that the safety of the public and that of the security of the island is also ours. But let me remind our fellow Saint Lucians that whilst they keep on calling and blaming the police for a break down in society with an upsurge of crime, this country belongs to all of us. The same citizens that are blaming the police should asked themselves the question is it the police committing these crimes or citizens. My point is stop blaming and play your part, stop shielding criminals in our society and report a crime. It takes the police and the citizenry to make a country safe.
The responsibility must be accepted at all levels of the society to think creatively and with community in mind to bring about the desired change towards a more compassionate society confident in its sense of self with the ability to protect the rights of all its citizens and culture citizens with the capacity and the unrelenting desire to fulfil their clearly identified and agreed responsibilities, such responsibilities arrived at by way of consensus
The solution can only be found by way of a roots and branch, warts and all, reassessment of the society and an increased capacity that is capability at all levels of state to build a fairer more cohesive social infra-structure along side more solution oriented and competent judicial and executive infra-structure.
As for the governtment I need to say stop blaming the police making the public believe they have the full power of operation. Please Mr Internal Security Minister untie the hands of the police and let them do the job that they are entrusted to do.
Yes amazing but true.
And let us fellow officers give our 100% and stop blaming everyone for our short comings. If you not dedicated to continue that job PLEASE RESIGN dont be there for the three C’s. The CLOCK the CALENDAR and the CASH….Its better we have a 100 dedicated than 700 just mark timing. And finally Mr Commissioner i believe we have too many gazetted officers who have outlived their usefulness in the force thats why we have so many demotivated juniour staff. Its ime the govt ask them to send in the towel.