The following correspondence was sent to the Acting Governor, by representatives of a group of Business entities last week. Their names appear at the end of the document.
July 3rd, 2012.
HE The Acting Governor,
Mr. Stanley Reid
Government House
Old Ta
Dear Sir:
On June 12th, 2012, representatives from a group of Business entities met at the offices of the Anguilla Tourist Board to discuss the situation of crime and violence which is fast spiraling out of control inAnguilla.
The consensus of the group is that we are currently in a state of crisis, where residents and visitors feel unsafe, and where retribution is in the air, and this is rendered even more critical in light of the approaching Summer Festival activities.
We now find ourselves in an environment where our safety and security is threatened, our beloved sense of tranquility is being jeopardized, and indeed our entire tourism product is being compromised on the grand world stage. All this is happening against the backdrop of this harsh economic climate which has leftAnguillain a fragile state both in terms of the economy and quality of life. Today we find ourselves at the mercy of a few criminals, relentlessly being pulled into a Public Relations nightmare that can potentially lead to the demise of the tourism industry, and by extension, theAnguillaeconomy as a whole – if we do not act now.
While we join with the entire Anguillian community in applauding the Commissioner of Police and his team for their sterling police-work in apprehending and bringing to justice the perpetrators of the last two homicides, we do believe that a more aggressive response is needed in order to stem the violence and gun warfare that has been overtaking our society for some time now. We further believe that such a response will be generated by the deployment of a dedicated task force made up of British police officers who are highly trained in the detection and eradication of gang and gun violence. We have seen the positive results that obtained when a similar task force was brought into the island to curb an outbreak of criminal activity in 2005/2006, and we are confident that similar results can be achieved again.
We do however, recognize that there is no easy fix to this problem, and that what we are seeing, is in fact symptomatic of a deeper problem within our society. We have therefore proposed a series of solutions which can be pursued in the short, medium and long term, as part of a national response to address these social challenges that we are facing.
We therefore invite you to peruse these proposed solutions which are outlined overleaf. As a group of concerned business entities, we look forward to receiving your response, and welcome the opportunity to audience with you to further discuss this issue which is of critical importance to our national security and economic well-being as an island nation.
CRIME AND VIOLENCE ACTION PAPER PRESENTED BY PROFESSIONAL ENTITIES OF ANGUILLA
THE FOLLOWING ACTION POINTS HAVE BEEN FORMULATED OUT OF THE DISCUSSION ON CRIME AND VIOLENCE IN ANGUILLA, AND FORMALIZED FOR PRESENTATION TO HE THE ACTING GOVERNOR, MR STANLEY REID,AS PROPOSED SOLUTIONS FOR THE SHORT, MEDIUM AND LONG TERM.
SHORT- TERM SOLUTIONS
1. Extend an urgent request to Britain, whose responsibility it is to ensure the safety and security of Anguilla and its national borders, to provide British expert police presence on Anguillafor the creation of a crime and violence task force by the local police authorities and those of Britain
2. Re-introduction of a dedicated Anonymous Tip Hotline, with the possibility of having the call answered in another overseas territory to further protect the anonymity of the caller.
3. Evaluation and re-instatement of the Committee to Fight Crime established through the AHTA, the ATB and the Police Department in 2005/2006.
4. Evaluation and re-instatement of the Fund to Fight Crime established through the AHTA and the ATB.
5. Increased police presence on the streets ofAnguilla, and at key functions and events, key times, and key locations.
6. Increased police presenceon the national borders of the island, and the use of metal detector security screenings at all points of entry rather than points of departure, as a means of preventing the import of illegal arms and drugs.
7. Ongoing community awareness of the need to combat violence and crime, and the need to end the culture of silence which has become so pervasive throughout all sectors of the society.
8. Encourage community and corporate support of Summer School/Summer Camp programming as a means of helping to reduce the potential opportunities for children to get into trouble.
MID-TERM SOLUTIONS
1. Increased after-school programming to support the supervision of students.
2. Development and implementation of parenting support programs.
3. The establishment of Task-Force security checkpoints or mini police-stations.
4. Training of police officers in the appropriate attitudes to engender confidentiality and boost the confidence of the public in the force.
LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS
1. Budgetary emphasis and the allocation of vital resources on after-school programs and increased sports programming.
2. Commitment from potential investors to support Youth development programs.
3. Increased emphasis on the training of Police Officers in preventative policing.
PRESENTED THIS 3rd DAY OF JULY 2012. (SIGNATORIES FOLLOW BELOW)
TheAnguillaTourist Board – Eustace Guishard, Chairman ______________________________
The Anguilla Hotel & Tourism Association – DelroyLake, President
TheAnguillaSocial Security Board – Timothy Hodge, Director
TheAnguillaCommunity College- Dr Delroy Louden, President
The Anguilla Teachers’Union- Emma Ferguson, President
The Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Mr KeithlyLake, President
TheAnguillaCivil Service Association – Mr Lesroy Gumbs, President
TheAnguillaChristian Council – Mr James Harrigan
TheAnguillaNational Trust – Ms Farah Mukida
TheAnguillaDevelopment Board – Ms Althea Hodge
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
