NDP leader defends homicide count billboard at Gibson Corner

The political temperature seems to be already heating up ahead of the next general election due in 2025.

And, a billboard erected by the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), at Gibson Corner which highlights the record homicide count of 52 in 2023, has become the focus of attention. President of the NDP, Dr Godwin Friday said that is the first of three the party plans to erect to generate much needed discussion on how the government is tackling crime.

On Hot97’s AM Mayhem morning programme, on Tuesday May 21, 2024, Friday revealed that the party plans to erect two more billboards, one in Villa, and the other at the NDP headquarters in Kingstown.

“If people are concerned about this billboard now, they will see more when we address the issues that are confronting the country on all our billboards as we get closer to elections.”

Friday said he opposes how the government is tackling the issue of crime. The billboard is now generating public discussion on the issue which he said the government often pushes aside.

The NDP president said his party’s plan to address crime will be to have a commission where all parties involved in crime prevention can make their input on ways to tackle the problem.

Earlier in the programme, a caller who said they are involved in the tourism industry expressed disappointment with the billboard saying it may convey a wrong message to tourists heading to the leeward end of the mainland.

Friday in response said, “this is not attacking tourism. I am quite concerned about what is happening to the people in this country”, adding, “tourists are not as naive and ill-informed as you think. Some people seem to think that they will come here and see a billboard and suddenly decide that St Vincent and the Grenadines has been ranked as the place with one of the highest homicide rate in the world”.

He reiterated, “this has nothing to do with tourism. It’s about a place where our people can see it”.”

Additionally, the NDP president touched on the issue of crimes in the yachting sector, saying that in 2022, St Vincent and the Grenadines was ranked #1 for being the most dangerous for yachting. Friday said the NDP plan’s to have coast guard patrols in the areas known for having this problem.

In defending his party’s controversial billboard, Friday argued that over the last two years there has been an increased number of crimes which not only encompasses murders.

“Truth of the matter is, this situation with crime in the country is something we’ve been talking about for several years now…those persons who are opposed to it, they seem to think that if you don’t address it, if you pretend it is not there, then somehow you’re doing a good for the country, now how could that possibly be true?”

He added, “when you have uncomfortable problems, you have to confront them head on”, which Friday said has always been his party’s approach.

He also said that the NDP in the past has made several attempts to have a “bipartisan or broad-based approach” on how they can tackle the issue of crime, but has not been accorded the opportunity to get this done.