CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Opposition Leader Allen Chastanet, Monday said much more needed to be done to reduce the inflow of illegal guns into the country following a bloody weekend here that resulted in the deaths of at least two people, including a British national.
In addition, police are investigating a drive-by shooting in Babonneau, north of here, last Saturday, resulting in injuries to several people. Police said the island’s death toll reached 68 on Sunday with the murder of an unidentified person in Vieux Fort, south of here.
Police also confirmed that Donnie McKinnon, who manages the Soufriere Estate on the island, was on the balcony of a bar, along with his friend, Peter Jackson, a 72-year-old photographer, when the gunmen approached.
, McKinnon succumbed to his injuries, while Jackson, another British expatriate, was admitted to hospital.
“This weekend’s gun violence is a reminder that we must take the issue of crime much more seriously and do something meaningful sooner rather than later to deal with this persistent scourge,” Chastanet said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.
He said whilst crime, in general, remains a concern, the daily robberies and murders committed using guns are something that must be tackled without fear or favor.
“The fact is that we need to do a lot more to get illegal guns and ammunition off the streets, strengthen our borders to reduce the inflow of illegal guns whilst also helping our citizens to find alternative ways of resolving conflicts.
“My condolences to the families and friends of those whose lives were unfortunately cut short this weekend and wish a speedy recovery to the other 13 persons who are recovering from gunshot wounds. St. Lucia, we’re better than this,” he added.
Last week, Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre said his administration would be announcing a comprehensive social intervention program to complement the law enforcement measures as he urged St. Lucians to adopt a zero tolerance to crime on the island.
Pierre, in a radio and television broadcast, warned that the island risks losing all of the gains made over the past few years if the crime situation is not dealt with.
“The challenges we face are demanding but not insurmountable. I call on all St. Lucians to play their part in rebuilding our country and in recognizing that the issue of crime is for all of us to tackle,” Pierre said, adding, “we must fight this scourge of crime individually and collectively as a country.”
Pierre said that the crime situation here is not a sudden phenomenon and that successive governments have grappled with this situation, also noting that the underlying causes of crime make it a complex issue that cannot be left to only the police and the government to solve.
“We must offer no encouragement in word or deed to criminal behavior, and the government will be relentless in supporting the police in that battle,” Pierre said, adding, “collectively, we need to confront these criminals that seem to be creating an atmosphere of fear and trepidation.”
and then 