Sir Vincent tells RSS officers to do their jobs without fear or favour

Sir Vincent Beache thinks that this country’s judicial system sometimes does not send the right message. He expressed this as he delivered the feature address at the RSS (Regional Security System) Closing Ceremony of the Basic Course 1 at the Old Montrose Police Station on Thursday, April 9, 2009.{{more}}

Sir Vincent, Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, spoke to the course participants and guests and touched on issues from the importance of the SSU (Special Service Unit) officers to the work of human rights bodies.

Sir Vincent recounted an incident where a man who attacked police officers with a cutlass was fined $350 when he appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court. This, Sir Vincent said, did not send a good message. “Now I don’t think this is sending the right message to law enforcement officers,” he said. “Their life is sacred just like any other officers; they put it on the line everyday,” he added.

Sir Vincent, who also commended the officers on completing a course he described as “crucial” to their careers, expressed upon them the importance of protecting themselves. “You have the right to protect your life,” he said.

He also lauded the RSS as being one of the region’s greatest assets and added that they have been doing a marvelous job. “We cannot have effective drug intervention unless we have the RSS that is doing the job they are doing now,” he said. Sir Vincent further encouraged the course participants to continue to do their jobs well “Do it without fear or favour,” he said.

Commenting on the work of the human rights bodies, Beache declared that he thinks that they pursue the case of the perpetrator more than that of the victim involved in the case. “I would like the human rights in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to tell me at what time ever they have taken up a human rights case for a victim,” he said.