On Friday, July 19, 2024, about 2:00 p.m. a female presented to the Office of the Commissioner of Police, with an incomplete application for a mass crowd activity dubbed “Bra-zil” slated for the following day, at Sandy Beach, Vieux Fort.
This was the first instance any individual, whether in person or electronically, expressed an interest in hosting the said activity, at the said office.
All mass crowd activities must be ultimately approved by the Office of the Commissioner.
There is a standard of twenty-one (21) days prior to the date of the activity, by which all documents relating to the said activity, must be submitted for review. Notwithstanding, the office is accommodating, understanding that at times, the other prerequisite permits may not be in possession of the applicant within the stipulated time.
These applications are therefore accepted incomplete, and promoters are allowed to submit documents from other agencies in due course. This was in no way the occurrence in this instance.
A gentleman on the evening of the 19th, presented to the office of the Commissioner, past closing hours, seeking consideration for hosting of the activity. At the time, no individual present had such authority.
Dialogue was initiated in the ensuing hours, however given the near impossibility of completing all checks and balances to ensure overall safety of patrons and the general public, as most of the other partner agencies involved were already closed for the weekend, it was recommended that the activity be rescheduled, with a promise to work collaboratively to ensure its future success.
It is unfortunate that there are now accusations against the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) of malfeasance, as there was no part of the delay which could be attributed to the organization.
This was a clear instance of delayed submissions by promoters and efforts by the organization to ensure despite this, the activity could be hosted in future.
It is important to note that the RSLPF is not the sole agency responsible for the process of granting approvals for mass crowd activities.
The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), the Saint Lucia Fire Service (for certain medical emergency, lifeguard services, etc.) the National Conservation Authority (in the case of beach activities), electrical companies (for electrical connections), medical practitioners, insurance agencies, the Labour Department (for non-citizen groups), the Ministry of Health and many more agencies, play critical roles in the process depending on the nature of the activity.
As a consequence, the RSLPF requires reasonable time frames to conduct verification and engage these external partners, before granting approvals. It is imperative that requests for permits be submitted as early as public advertisements and ticket sales are initiated. This will ensure a hassle free process for all involved.
In this instance, stakeholders, including the parliamentary representative, were engaged, despite the tardiness of the submission by the promoters.
Ultimately, there was no clear path to approving the activity given the timelines. There was no unilateral decision taken by the organization or any of our representatives in this matter.
Every intention and limitation were clearly articulated to the parties involved.
We wish to encourage individuals seeking permission to host activities, to apply within reasonable time periods.
We understand the value of entertainment to the public we serve, particularly in areas where the injections of revenue and activity are much needed.
We look forward to continuing to work with all event promoters to ensuring the success of all activities.
Anyone seeking to host an activity can contact the office of the Commissioner of Police via email [email protected] for details regarding the application process.
SOURCE: Royal Saint Lucia Police Force
