The Department of Youth and Culture, with the support of the Ministry, in particular, has taken the first formal step in speaking out against gun violence which has seriously affected the small Anguillian society. The action was taken in the form of a forum held at the Teachers’ Resource Centre on Monday night, March 19.
Calypsonian Porky Man, set the tone of the forum with one of his songs “Don’t spoil up we good name” which attracted much applause from the audience.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Chanelle Petty-Barrett, the first presenter,spoke on the topic “Government Responsibility vs. Civic Responsibility.” In her opening remarks, she reflected on the deep sentiments of many persons on the island in response to the violence. “It is with a heavy heart that I stand here this evening as we begin this discussion on gun-related violence inAnguilla,” she stated. “The incidence has rocked our society from the core and has left us feeling ashamed, bewildered, helpless and afraid. Many of us yearn for theAnguillain which we lived peaceably with each other. We were our brother’s keeper, we could go anywhere we wanted to, and our homes were havens, not lurking places for predators…and the situation which faces us is that gun-related violence is now a scourge in this society.”
Mrs. Petty-Barrett said, Government’s concerns about gun-related violence stemmed from several considerations. She listed some of them as being the safety and wellbeing of citizens; the increased cost to the Public Health System and the Criminal Justice System; the effects on the tourism industry and thus the economy; and the spin-off effects of diverting resources away from other areas to meet the associated costs.
“For us, citizens, I believe our main concern is that we simply want to be safe,” she continued. “We don’t want to worry about which neighbourhood to live in, where to go or what time we need to get home from work. We also want our taxpayers’ money to be used for wholesome things that benefit all of us and bring progress toAnguilla, not for paying the bill for criminal activity.
“I believe that Government’s prime responsibility is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our citizens. In order to fulfill this responsibility, Government must therefore implement strategies to reduce gun-related violence. Gun-related violence has been described as a three-phase continuum comprising (1) the illegal acquisition of firearms; (2) the illegal possession and carrying of firearms and (3) the illegal, improper and careless use of firearms. To be effective, any strategy to reduce gun-related violence must focus on these three points of intervention.”
Mrs. Petty-Barrett said a key approach was to undertake “some solid research into risk factors associated with gun-related violence, and using those findings to frame a policy response and to design intervention and prevention programmes.” She noted that this was the approach taken by CARICOM.
“There are currently three CARICOM initiatives on the issue of reducing gun crimes all of which are focused on research and assisting CARICOM countries with policy and programme development,” she reported.“This must be considered in the context that between 2005 and 2008 CARICOM registered 9,733 homicides, giving it the highest homicide rate in the world. Of these homicides, more than 70% involved guns. According to the Association of Caribbean Police Chiefs, in 2008 there were as many as 1.6 million illegal guns in the English-speakingCaribbean.”
The Permanent Secretary said that some of the strategies used by Governments to combat violence were institutional and capacity building; strengthening the Police Force and Probation Departments; improving family and social services; introducing anti-violence programmes in the education system (as the D.A.R.E Programme in Anguilla); limiting access involving better border or coastal patrols (as in Anguilla’s case); implementing stop and search tactics; searching homes with the owners’ consent; legislating stiffer penalties; gun amnesties ( as were offered in Anguilla); offering alternatives such as job placements; continuing education; as well as state of emergencies and imposing curfews. She made the point that no one strategy worked effectively and Governments alone could not do all the work.
“What is required is a collaborative effort of various agencies and the entire community employing different, but cohesive, strategies to combat the problem,” she stressed. “As citizens we really cannot sit back and wait for Government to solve this problem. It is our responsibility to be part of the solution. I believe we must begin by having zero tolerance for this type of behaviour and we must not be facilitators. It is my view that 99% of the time when a crime is unsolved, it is because someone is facilitating the criminal; somebody is hiding something; somebody is remaining silent. Our society is too small, communication is too easy and, in fact, we are too gossipy for no one to have seen, or heard anything.” She added that there was a need for persons to cooperate with the Police and with others trying to improve the community.
Inspector of Police, Emris Rogers, spoke on recent criminal activities involving the use of firearms. He noted that prior to 2011 it was believed that guns were imported into Anguilla on fishing boats viaSt. Martin. In December that year, however, a large shipment of firearms and ammunition was made to Anguilla via the postal system in theUnited States, but was intercepted by law enforcement officers before it could reach its destination. He disclosed that intelligence had suggested that several previous shipments were successful and the guns were probably in the possession of persons in or aroundAnguilla.
The Inspector reported that the Anguilla Police responded to gun-related violence inAnguillaas follows: 46 reports in 2009; 51 in 2010; 57 in 2011; and between January and February of 2012, 13 reports. In a number of those incidents, several persons sustained injuries. He believed that with the increase in guns so would be the increase in gun-related violence on the island.
Mr. Rogers continued: “While most of these gun-related offences occur in public places, it is very difficult to get information from members of the public and the victims themselves. We believe that most of the victims or their friends know who their assailants are, but they prefer to retaliate than to be a ‘snitch’ or a ‘rat’ which basically means they will not tell the Police. We believe that most of the gun-related violence is a result of youth challenging each other over territory: east and west, meaning that if you are from the east, you should not go west – and if you are from the west, you should not go east.
“We also face challenges from the justice system. Recently, there have been new rules by the court which demand that the Police disclose to the accused orto his or her solicitor,all the evidence gathered which the Police intend to use at the trial. The public, being ignorant of this rule, has cried foul claiming that the Police cannot be trusted because they disclose whatever they are toldto the other side.
“I would like to appeal to members of the public to give information to the Police about what you know about persons who are in possession of illegal firearms or who have committed shooting incidents. Remember, by giving information you are not doing the Police a favour, butAnguilla.Anguillais blessed, considering that besides all the mentioned gun-related incidents our last recorded murder was in 2009…The Police alone cannot solve crime. We need your help.”
Director of Youth & Culture, Dwayne Adams, gave a presentation on the causes and impacts of youth violence inAnguilla. Mr. Adams, a former school teacher for 17 years, observed that there were a number of major social factors influencing the rise of gun-related crime in particular. He identified two of them as being the collapse of the nuclear family; and cultural penetration through portable technology including television, cellular phones and the internet.
In his concluding statement, Mr. Adams said: “InAnguillawe boast about our houses, our land andour prosperity. But if this recession has taught us anything, it is that those things are temporal. Perhaps the day is yet coming when we will again be proud to boast of the children we are raising.”
The next presentation was by Pastor Philip Gumbs of theChurchofGod(Holiness) who spoke on “The importance of God in a child’s life.” He said that having that influence in the lives of children, produced a sense of respect causing them to move away from evil. He emphasised that, on the other hand, children without spiritual guidance and commitment were subject to reckless living and various forms of crime and violence. He stressed that parents, church and community had an important role in influencing the lives of children in growing up into responsible and positive individuals.
One of the features of the forum was a testimony by a former student of theAlbenaLakeHodgeComprehensiveSchool, Brandon Jeffers.
Among other matters, he spoke about acts of violence at the school involving village gangs and grudges which continued even after some students had finished their schooling. He said there was a need to examine the root causes of violence among the youth, and pointed to feelings among them of being left out of society; of the need for acceptance; and of having, without working for them, certain things and privileges in life that others possess.
Jeffers, who was commended for his positive and responsible outlook in life, also spoke about the role of his mother – her guidance and love for him – and his own respect for her and his determination not to let her down. In addition, he also looked at the example of one of his good friends whom he respected and admired,as well as the role of the church in his life.
The forum, chaired by Sixth Former, DeeAnn Rogers, continued with an active question and answer period and closing comments by the panelists.
