The operation to increase school security in Saint Lucia remains a timely and essential undertaking.
During a pre-cabinet briefing last week, Education Minister Shawn Edward revealed that a former inspector had been recruited to strengthen the Ministry of Education’s efforts. “Very recently we recruited, at least for the north of the island, the retired Inspector of Police, Mr Innocent. He comes in highly trained, highly recommended; he worked with the RSS, he worked at the Special Services Unit for a number of years, and Mr Innocent has brought to the Ministry of Education a new dimension to the whole security apparatus and the whole discourse on school security,” Edward stated.
The Minister said hiring effective security personnel and adequately securing school buildings has been a priority for education officials.
In an earlier meeting with the National Principals Association (NPA), Edward noted that the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Finance had provided additional resources to bolster school security.
Edward also said ongoing initiatives, including the installation of cameras and alarm systems on school premises and the review of individuals recruited to serve as security officers were underway.
When asked about further details on current plans, NPA President and Principal of St. Mary’s College, Neal Fontenelle, told the St. Lucia Times:
“Because it is security you must understand that there’s some sensitive information that we cannot divulge. What I can say is that the authorities are aware of the situation, and they know that we have to take certain measures, and certain things have to be put in place to ensure that the schools remain safe.”
Concerns about crime and gang activity have also surfaced as potential threats to school safety. Fontenelle acknowledged these issues and described how schools are addressing them.
“We know that that activity has permeated the schools’ boundaries. We are aware that certain students are members of gangs, and internally the school administrators are doing what they can to weed out those students and get them help. It’s not just about punishing them—it’s about helping to get them out of those gangs and even in many ways, rehabilitate them, work with their parents, work with the different stakeholders to ensure that this situation does not spiral out of control. For now, I can say that we have it under control, but of course we had to take measures to ensure that it does not spiral.”
The urgency of strengthening school security has been underscored by incidents over the past year, although the issue has been a longstanding concern. In January 2023, the Saint Lucia Teachers Union (SLTU) highlighted the need for enhanced security measures during a meeting with Education Ministry officials.
In March 2023, it was announced that former Police Commissioner Ausbert Regis had been contracted to assist with school safety and security for an initial six-month period.
In June 2023, Castries Comprehensive Secondary School Principal Marva Daniel publicly expressed her concerns about school safety, citing repeated intrusions on the school compound during the day and at night. In an interview with St. Lucia Times, she thanked the Community Relations Branch of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) for their support while urging other police units to take further action.
In his recent St. Lucia Times interview, NPA President Neal, Fontenelle noted that schools have so far avoided major security breaches during normal operating hours.
“Of course, we’ve never really had a major situation in terms of security breaches that are fatal at schools, especially during the running of the normal school day. But these are things we have to consider to be possibilities, especially in the current climate that the country is operating in, so in many ways we are also trying to pre-empt any such situation by ensuring that the schools are ready.”
