Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Dr. Fraser- Point of View
June 29, 2012

This Calls for Urgent Attention

The news from SVG continues to be depressing. In fact, it might be better to say frightening, or even alarming. These are descriptions for many things in SVG, but I want to focus on a particular area. On June 15, there was a murder in Vermont; June 17 one in Belvedere; June 24 one in Mount Wynne. On June 12, according to the News, workers at a restaurant in Paul’s Avenue had a narrow escape.{{more}} It appears that the RSSU was chasing a suspect accused of marijuana possession and a ‘spent shell’ from a shot fired at the man got into the kitchen of the restaurant, narrowly missing the workers there. I had indicated in a previous article that there was a lot of ‘satanic’ talk around, but I noticed, a letter, I believe it was, in one of the papers referring also to the presence in the island of the ‘spirit of jezebel’.

Although all murders should command the same kind of attention, the implications of the one at Belvedere are significant. The victim was Jennifer Lewis, whom we are told had returned from abroad to look after her aging parents. While here, she made a considerable contribution to the cultural sphere with her artistic skills and expertise. This is, however, not the aspect to which I want to draw attention. In recent years, we have had a number of Vincentians returning to SVG, building homes, making investments in different aspects of the life of the country and bringing their particular expertise and experience. What signal does this send to others who are contemplating returning home? There has, in recent times, been a lot of adverse criticisms about our health service. This is obviously an area of immense concern to someone who is retired and is considering returning home. You might argue that the crime situation in the area of the world from which they are coming might be worse than that in SVG, but their hope might have been that they were getting away from it. But to find at home the same situation from which they are running is something else. The small population also means that any murder will impact more heavily on you in this land, because there is always the likelihood that you know either the person or some relative or friend of the person.

I must profess ignorance about the steps that are being put in place to dealwith the increasing criminal activity. We have had prayers for the nation.

There has been a recent demonstration against violence in the country and there are constant appeals to the people of the nation to resist from violence. Although necessary, I am always amused by the latter, because this appeal has little effect on those who commit crimes or are prone to commit crimes. In an article in the Midweek edition of the Searchlight, a group that calls itself “Leave Out Violence in SVG Association (LOVNSVG)” reflected on the root causes of crime, touching on poor parenting skills, peer influence, drugs and alcohol, income and education, the easy availability of hand guns and the discouraging of crime through stepped up security, neighbourhood watches and the presence of more police officers on the street”. So far so good; this article points to a multiplicity of causes, but some of them are long-term. In fact, the article says that “The only way to decrease criminal activity is reformation – remodelling the system (educational, economic, jurisdiction(sic)… that breeds criminal activity is a core necessity.”

There should be little disagreement that a holistic approach is needed and that we have to re-examine all aspects of our society. (I believe that this is what the NDP’s “Redemption Charter” is all about.) But a lot of this is long-term and the matter cries out for urgent attention. So, can we identify measures that could immediately be put into action that might begin to have some impact? The article on “Root Causes of Crime”, while seeing greater police presence as a necessity, drew away from this by stating that our economic health is not at its best and this will affect enrolment in the police force. I share a different opinion. Despite the poor state of our economy, (some persons, however, doubt that this is so), we have to prioritize and put resources into critical areas, bearing in mind, too, that high rates of crime can affect investment in the country. Are there areas into which we are putting money that are not priority areas? The talk of increased police presence is not new. I might be wrong with this, but I am not conscious of any increased police presence on the streets.

Whatever it is, something has to be done urgently. I am assuming that when we hold rallies against crime and violence that part of the objective is to mobilize people with the intention not only of making their own contribution, but also of putting pressure on the authorities to take action. One sometime gets the impression, however, that the government thinks that this is completely out of their control.

Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian.

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Villa woman in  hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Front Page
    Villa woman in hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Police are said to be carrying out investigations into the stabbing of Rafia Sardine, a 20-year-old female of Villa. Reports are that Sardine, a FLOW ...
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Front Page
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    In St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), an analysis has found that the most hacked government entity was the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Polic...
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Front Page
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Leaders of Governments and institutions from countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the continent of Africa, gathered at the weekend for ...
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Front Page
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is proud of the persons in his constituency who continue to aim for higher education. Dr Gonsalves is the parliame...
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Front Page
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A van conductor, who beat his five- months pregnant ex-girlfriend after she refused to get back with him, has been remanded pending sentencing. Onez J...
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    From the Courts, News
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A Lowman’s Hill man who struck another villager in his head with a piece of steel will know his fate tomorrow, September 10, 2025. Kevin Roberts, 25, ...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok