Confronted by Rising Homicide Rate Pierre Calls For Unity And Conflict Resolution!

“When you see wrong happening, do you just stand by and say that’s not my business?” The rhetorical question was posed by legendary American comedian and actress Mo’Nique during a recent episode of Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast. The video garnered over three million views in less than 24 hours.

I came across the interview shortly after perusing the latest news reports of several shootings, a fatal stabbing incident, and a chopping incident at a school just outside the city—all having occurred in one week. Mo’Nique’s words resonated with me, bringing to mind the fact that the number of local homicides had steadily been increasing over the last couple of years, particularly so at the start of this year. Recently, there have been almost weekly instances of gun violence, most resulting in death. Meanwhile, the police seem helpless or uninterested. As for the nation’s prime minister, whenever he is mentioned in relation to local crime what dominates the discussion is his well-publicized statement to news reporters that he had never been himself a police officer, and therefore should not be confused with his deceased father who had served several years on the Royal St. Lucia Police Force. 

In the course of the Club Shay Shay interview, Mo’Nique had reminded the host that when a person knows something is wrong and takes the position that it’s not their place to speak out against it, sooner or later such person will succumb to what he or she silently encouraged.

Sadly, and for various reasons including fear of reprisal and a lack of public trust in the police, Saint Lucians keep vital information to themselves, even when they are casualties of criminal behavior. This  week the mother of the island’s ninth homicide victim, Ryan Henry, told a reporter she knew little of her son’s private activities, only that he had “always been good to me.”

 In the earlier mentioned school incident that involved a machete, two students were injured and hospitalized. Both are minors. By all an aunt of one of the students told reporters, it seemed what concerned her most was that no teachers had accompanied her relative to the hospital.  

As usually happens following school incidents, the Ministry of Education released a statement of condemnation, and pledged counselling services for the affected students and school staff. While emphasizing safety and mental well-being as priorities, the ministry urged students to settle their disputes without violence.

 On Wednesday, February 7 two men were injured in a Bocage shooting. Later that day, Donald Joseph, a 24-year-old who is said to have been a national cyclist, was fatally stabbed in Dennery. The following day the police announced that a 16-year-old female of the same address had been taken into custody. Also this week Rick Kisna, a 37-year-old mechanic from La Resource, Vieux Fort, described as a “gentle soul,” was fatally gunned down in front of his home. The incident is “under police investigation,” as are over sixty similar incidents that occurred in 2023.

Anthony Popo, the uncle of Barry Augustin, who was shot at Morne Fortune on February 4, shared his frustration with local media. Popo described the incident as “horrifying.”  He explained to reporters  how it felt to have discovered the body of his 36-year-old nephew who had “never done nobody no wrong.” Ryan’s bullet-ridden body had been fished out of a muddy drain.   

Social media commentator Irvin Springer, is well known by the local financial and entertainment community. In a February 8 Facebook post, Springer shared insights gained from a conversation with a police source, among them that the Criminal Investigation Department and the Major Crimes Unit are confronted by major challenges in their efforts at coping with the escalating number of homicide cases.

As for Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, in a brief statement this week he said: “We’ve given the police more resources than the last government gave them. We’ve given them more independent operational strength, we’ve increased their numbers, we are increasing their physical space.” Not for the first time, the prime minister also declared the safety of “citizens, inhabitants, and visitors a non-negotiable priority.” He also reassured the nation that his government and the police remain committed to apprehending those responsible for the countless unresolved homicides