The newly installed Minister for Crime Prevention, Jeremiah Norbert, has declared the Government’s intention to adopt a holistic approach to fighting crime.
Norbert said the strategy would include opposition input.
He noted that the Government is working towards implementing more stringent anti-crime measures.
The Micoud North MP also spoke of involving all agencies, civil society, and interest groups, including opposing political parties.
“Crime is everybody’s business,” he asserted, adding that the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) administration intends to bring all stakeholders together to tackle the problem.
“I will make a deliberate effort …to ensure that we get everybody involved,” he told reporters at a media briefing on Monday.
Norbert assured that the opposition would have a seat at the table.
“When Saint Lucia is doing well when we have less crime,” he added.
“It is not the government or the opposition, (it is) we as a people (who ) are doing well,” the Micoud North MP said.
Over the past years, the Government has sought external assistance in the fight against crime.
Recently, Saint Lucia received support from the Regional Security System (RSS), and lately, the French Government has also stepped in to assist.
“We have gotten assistance from various agencies and we welcome all the assistance that we’ve got,” Norbert, a former police officer, told reporters.
Nonetheless, he expressed confidence in the Royal St Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) members’ abilities.
He said there had been “a significant improvement” in the past weeks, with an increased police presence as officers performed their duties.
The minister said the Government is working to provide resources and training for the police.
However, he told reporters that the police could not do it alone but needed the public’s help.
Norbert said the upcoming Regional Security System’s (RSS) Unity Exercise 2024 (UNEX’ 24), scheduled for April 2 to 13, will significantly benefit the local officers.
“We see that the whole crime situation is an evolving one, and we need to ensure that the police officers are up-to-date in terms of their training and their ability,” he explained.
