When it comes to an IMPACS resolution the PWA remains hopeful but not confident!

At a press conference on December 19, 2018 the president of the Police Welfare Association, Travis Chicot, reminded attendees that justice delayed is justice denied, and called, for the umpteenth time, for a resolution to IMPACS by early 2019. In November 2018 National Security Minister Hermangild Francis, echoing the US State Department and the EU, stated that those suspected of participating in the so-called “gross violations of human rights,” which left twelve individuals dead, must be prosecuted.   

Before Francis, former Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony, in a televised address on March 8, 2015, revealed that an investigation he had initiated two years earlier had uncovered “extremely damning findings,” among them that  all the police shootings reviewed were “fake encounters” staged by the police to legitimize their actions. Further, that the weapons supposedly found at the scenes of the alleged extra-judicial killings were from sources other than the victims. By Anthony’s telling, the IMPACS investigation discovered that the weapons were “planted on the scene of the shootings”. 

Anthony later claimed the matter was before the then Director of Public Prosecutions, Victoria Charles-Clarke. However, in 2015—after a government minister had publicly accused her of sitting on the matter and consequently delaying a resolution—the DPP revealed at a press conference that the report had been handed her following two televised addresses by the prime minister. Moreover, that while it contained several serious allegations, she had received no evidence supportive of them. She also stated a number of related things about the investigation and that the report “did not conform with the requirements of our laws in Saint Lucia”.

In an interview with the STAR on Tuesday, Chicot once again complained that the matter had been lingering for too long. While the association will not interfere with the decision-making process, he said, the situation needs resolving. He lamented that police officers are providing a service while their fate hangs in the balance. Chicot recalled that “some time in November this year the Minister of National Security announced that his office would deal with IMPACS before the tenure of the government is over. But we believe that was not a calculated statement. The statement has further demoralized the men and women of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force.” 

On November 27, 2019 Minister Francis was a guest on Timothy Poleon’s Newsmaker Live programme, at which time he assured the population there would be some prosecutions before the end of the government’s term in office. Asked whether his comments could do more harm than good, Francis reiterated that prosecution does not in any way mean a conviction. He reminded viewers that suspects are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by the appropriate authority. 

But Chicot has taken issue with the minister’s comments. He said the IMPACS matter had been turned into a political football match. He advised the authorities to be careful they do not further reduce police morale with more careless statements. Pronouncements should always be responsible and well thought out, he said. “They should not be made only to appease certain people. We’ve already had too much of that.” 

Chicot expressed confidence that 2020 will be an eventful year for his association. He said the PWA planned to grab the bull by the horns and spare no effort in organising activities to benefit its membership. He is hopeful that a number of policies, including those of sexual harassment and ethics, will be implemented. Training programmes and conferences covering financial management and higher education are also on the cards.

However, Chicot is not holding his breath when it comes to a resolution of IMPACS. “I’m not going to give myself any false hope,” he said. “Based on trends that I have seen, I believe nothing will happen in 2020 and we’ll be singing the same old song, to the detriment of all concerned.”