Fellow Anguillians; as you are aware, we have recently had to deal with a surge of youth violence on the island that threatens the peace and tranquility that we have enjoyed over the years. While this is not new to the Caribbean it is new to Anguilla.
After the last murder of Orlando Johnson in 2008, we have had a significant decline in these sorts of crimes so much so that we thought that Anguilla was returning to our pre 2003 state.
As you are aware, the former Government had to wrestle with this scourge of gun related crime as well. The records will show that from 2003 to 2008, we had more than ten (10) murders on Anguilla and other shootings and stabbings many of which remain unsolved to this day.
We must never forget them.
Some of those unsolved during that era (2003 to 2007) are Mr. Kwahmi Brooks who was stabbed to death in the Quarter, Mr. Devon Ryan who was shot dead in a drive by shooting in Blowing Point. Ms. Stacy Ann Brooks-Laurent who was murdered in South Hill, Mr. Roger ‘Pressure King’ Clarke who was shot dead in his home just a stone’s throw away from Government House in Old Ta, Mr. Louvan ‘Lu Lu’ Webster who vanished, Mr. Jerimiah ‘Sky’ Alexander who also disappeared after going to retrieve a motorcycle and Mr. Courtney Hodge who was shot to death in the Forest Bay. Recently, those crimes still unsolved will have to include Mr. Gustave Hodge who was brutally murdered on the Jeremiah Gumbs Highway. We must not forget our promising culinary star, Mr. Jordel Gumbs who was killed in the most vicious manner just a week before he was due to travel to represent Anguilla. While there are suspects in hand, we still have to wait to hear the case.
Fellow Anguillians, those on the list spoken of above with the exception of the last two names were all murdered between 2003 and 2007 and this does not include persons like our Miss Jamida Webster who would have been 24 years old by now, Ms. Elaine Phillips, Mr. Dwane Connor, Mr. Shane Fraites, Steve Bryan, Mr. Clifford Christie, Mr. Javon Guishard and others.
There are other persons that have been shot and maimed and no one has been charged with the crimes. If you will allow me to list some of the names I will do so. They include, Mr. Desmond Richardson who lost his leg in the incident, Mr. Gary ‘Buff’ Fleming and his family, Mr. Renel Carty, Mr. Shawn ‘Grant’ Romney, Mr. Greg Connor, Mr. Steven Hughes, Mr. Kevin Richardson, Mr. Morton Isaac, Mr. Leroy Mussington, Mr. Travis Greene, Ms. Descia DeSouza, Miss Kashira Hughes, Mr. Ruskin Romney and more recently, Mr. Rosmund Davis, Mr. Saleem Brooks, Mr. Deion Richardson and Mr. Randy Hodge, the latter two remain paralyzed.
I should note that Anguillan crime rates still remain reasonably low in comparison to our neighbors. However, ladies and gentlemen, one shooting in Anguilla is too many and analysis of the figures clearly show that we have had this problem for the better part of ten years with a lull between late 2008 to early 2011, but today it has reared its ugly head again.
It is no secret that the people ofAnguillapay the salaries of the Royal Anguilla Police Force, but it is the Governor who is in charge of the RAPF. The portfolio of internal security is his and I still believe if it was mine or even that of the former Chief Minister, more would have been done to deal with this scourge and that is why we continue to push for a Constitution that reflect our people’s aspirations. We as the elected leaders handicapped especially when it comes to crisis situation and even mitigation of the same. The people sometimes do not want to hear this but this is a fact and the reality of the situation.
Today, however, while we mourn our sad loses, we the people of Anguilla, the Governor, the young people and the RAPF must all work together to tackle this challenge and I am happy with the efforts of people such as Ms. Karla Hughes and Mr. Jason ‘Doggy’ Brooks.
Together we must be wise and use all the tools at our disposal to ensure that our island remains the peaceful and tranquil place we want it to be for us all to live and work – for tourists to visit and for investors to invest in. The lives and livelihoods of each and every Anguillian who callAnguillatheir home depend upon this and it is our commitment to work tirelessly night and day to ensure that this is the case.
I am confident that there is no shortage of ideas coming forth to tackle this challenge.
In recent months The United Nations Development Programme has produced an in depth report on theCaribbean. In that report the UNDP identifies the challenges faced by theCaribbeancollectively on managing crime, and organized crime in the global context. It notes that:
“Caribbeannations lack the institutional capacity to effectively respond to the problems of street gangs and organized crime.”
“However, to reduce the prevalence of street gangs, social cohesion should be promoted through socially integrative policies. This approach gives people, particularly youth, a sense of being valued, and of belonging to community and country.”
It provides some clear recommendations, such as a better witness management system and regional witness protection scheme.
In light of our recent deaths it recommends that; “there is a need for Governments and in the case ofOverseasTerritories, their Governors to reduce access to illegal firearms and to better manage the access to legal ones.”
In relation to gang violence, it notes that “Research should be done on the causes, scope and nature of the phenomenon and assessment of the trends in the region”.
It advocates for the “Training of Caribbean police services confronted with street gangs and organized crime should be improved and their accountability promoted in a way that maintains the citizen’s human rights”And recommends the development of “Programmes that would assist gang members to successfully exit gangs.”
This is exactly what we want to begin in Anguilla and this is what I have proposed to his Excellency the Governor, to truly understand as a society why this outbreak of violence has beset ourIsland, and take steps to ensure it does not continue.
As many of the recommendations it presents such as preventing access to illegal firearms are the responsibility of the Governor in his capacity as the one task with internal security and external defense.
Today again, I have written to the Governor, to ask him to examine this report, define how he intends to implement its recommendations on behalf of the people of Anguilla, and formally present his response to my Government in the next few days.
As I’ve said there is no shortage of ideas globally and indeed on our island.
I am also happy that just last week, the President of the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce also presented a number of recommendations to us and I have written to the Chamber to thank them for their time and effort in putting these recommendations together. These recommendations are not new, for the Chamber presented them to the former AUF administration in June of 2007 but they were not acknowledged or acted upon for reasons unknown.We are presently going over the recommendations and will be taking a number of them on board. I will not speak to them at this moment until we can agree in ExCo on the same.
A few weeks ago, Mr. Brent ‘Flex’ Warner also made a recommendation to us that we will try to move quickly on and that is the subject of a national ID card complete with picture and fingerprint imprint. We are exploring how these may take account of the most effective biometric innovations available.
As you know, the Government of Anguilla has in recent days consulted widely with experts from around the world who both understand the global context of crime in theCaribbeanand who understand the challenges of working with young people in this context.
We have made some recommendations to ExCo to do as other countries and states around the world are doing and have done, and to bring in experts to work alongside the RAPF. We are trying to get the Governor to understand this recent phenomenon and apply tried and tested global strategies in the context of Anguilla.
As the elected leader of Anguilla’s Government, I believe that there are some immediate steps we can take. Anguilla needs access to a crime lab so we can get quick results on gunshot residue and effective Crime Scene Investigators who are adept with these sorts of crimes. We have all watched CSI on television.
We also need to train up our social workers to provide the services needed to support families.
Last week, I proposed a three pronged approach to deal with the immediate challenge. Let me list them in order:
1. Present a request that Scotland Yard come to the island to investigate the recent spate of shootings and the murders of Mr. Gustave Hodge and Mr. Jordel Gumbs and if possible, the cold cases of the early to late 2000s
2. Reach out to the Governments of Jamaica and Trinidad to provide officers who are experienced in this sort of criminality who can work along with the RAPF task force for an initial period of one year and
3. Explore the possibilities of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office providing funding to bring in technical support to come up with recommendations and if necessary, work along with the RAPF on the issue of youth violence and eradication of illegal guns on island.
I have proposed two teams:
1. To analyze the causes of violent crime and propose potential solutions. This team should consist of global experts in youth violence and
2. To work and engage immediately with the young people on proven interventionist strategies that reduces violence.
His Excellency did not quite agree with our approach, and needless to say, my proposal was deferred after a four hour long ExCo on the matter last week.
The Governor and the Commissioner’s counter proposal calls for an increase in police officers. While we do not disagree that there is a need for more police officers, as a Government, we still believe that what we have proposed encapsulates more of what need to be done and simply adding a number of policeman to our RAPF, without identifying the causes of the crime and working with our young people is simply not enough.
The question may arise, “in this serious time, when Anguillians lives and livelihoods face disruption, why would His Excellency Governor Harrison and the Government not be able to cooperate and move quickly on this matter?”
As I stated earlier, the portfolio of internal security is that of the Governor and as much as I would like to do something, I cannot do anything regarding this matter without the full cooperation of the Governor and our basic disagreement is this; I believe that the time for external technical assistance is long overdue, the Commissioner and Governor Harrison believes that this is an Anguillian problem and requires an Anguillian solution and we do not need any assistance from outside. We fundamentally disagree.
The bible says “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.” and my fellow Anguillians I believe this is the key!
We must recognize that although we are an Island, we are not immune to the global challenges of crime that face societies around the world, and that there are those with expertise in youth violence, in policing, in youth development who can assist us in tackling this challenge and protecting our children.
Even the British Government brought in Mr. Bill Bratton, an expert in Gangs from the US, to assist the UK police following the riots in the UK last year and to reduce the proliferation of gun crimes so there is no reason why Anguilla shouldn’t learn from those with more experience and understanding of these issues than we have to date.
Please however, be assured that I will continue to work with the Governor and the RAPF in the spirit of co-operation to resolve this issue, and I hope that you the people of Anguilla, the Churches and the young people will all work together with us.
We owe this to ourselves, our island our people our children and our future.
Thank you and May God bless Anguilla
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
