Anguilla’s Governor, His Excellency Alistair Harrison, has issued a statement in which he said he was taking the recent wave of shootings on the island very seriously. He noted that, in one of the incidents, Gustave Hodge, of North Valley, was shot and killed while at a drag race at the Jeremiah Highway.
Governor Harrison issued the statement at a press conference which he held in the Executive Council’s Chambers on Tuesday, May 22. An important part of that statement was an appeal to all members of the Anguillian public. “Don’t wait for a serious crime to happen before you talk to the Police – information about the location of illegal weapons may save a life,” he urged.
The same appeal was made about assisting the Police with their investigations in connection with the identity of the person or persons committing acts of violence and other crimes. “Make that call – the person whose life you save could be that of a friend or family member. It could even be your own,” the Governor further emphasised.
Following is the full text of Governor Harrison’s statement:
“I would like to make a short statement about the security situation inAnguillain the light of the recent series of shootings, and in particular the tragic death of Gustave Hodge. I would like to begin by expressing my sympathy for all the victims of crime, but particularly to the friends and family of Gustave whose young life was so brutally cut short.
“I am responsible under the Constitution for the internal security ofAnguilla, and the Royal Anguilla Police Force reports to me. But we cannot do the job alone, and we need the help of the general public – of all Anguillians. To say that is not to abdicate responsibility, but to state an obvious fact. No police force can succeed without the help of the community they serve, without the information that only members of the community can give them.
“That is why I fully support the fact that the Chief Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and other prominent politicians have come together in the fight against crime. Crime should not be a matter for party politics. We all want the same thing- to reduce crime on our island. No-one from any party condones crime or illegality. Politicians, as the leaders of our society, have an important role to play in setting an example, and creating a climate that encourages all of society to avoid conflict. All of us have a role to play, whether we are parents, teachers, family members or as responsible members of the community.Anguillais probably one of the few jurisdictions in the region where politicians from all sides have come together in this way and we should be pleased about that. And there is much else that we should be grateful for.Anguilla is a low crime environment. The task is to keep it that way, and to help the RAPF maintain their high clear up rate. But gun crime is certainly on the increase, and we need to reverse that trend dramatically. The two violent deaths since I have been Governor are two too many.
“To maintain Anguilla as a low crime jurisdiction we all have to help the police. There appears to be a reluctance in some quarters to come forward with information that might help them. In the case of Gustave’s death, some may be reluctant because they are fearful of the consequences. But there is little evidence of people being harmed because they gave information to the RAPF. The police operate a confidential website [http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB226HS9GHLG3 googling “Royal Anguilla Police Force” will also work] and there are other ways to ensure confidentiality. Other people may be holding back because they suspect the identity of the killer and intend to take the law into their own hands. I say firmly to such people that they must put away any thought of doing that. As Gustave’s family movingly said at his funeral, this is not a time for revenge. A cycle of revenge will have no end – it will not be the case of the last lick, but of the last person left standing. Justice not revenge is what we should seek for Gustave and all who have suffered in the recent shootings.
“I can assure you that the Commissioner and I take the recent wave of shootings very seriously. One thing that I do not believe is the answer is to increase the number of guns on the island. I am occasionally approached by law abiding citizens who want to have a gun; but I fully support the Commissioner’s policy of limiting their numbers as far as possible. Guns increase the chances of incidents geting out of control with tragic consequences, and do nothing to increase the safety of the individuals concerned. In theUS, where guns are more freely available than in most countries, many more gun owners are killed accidentally by their own weapons than are saved by them. And in that context, don’t wait for a serious crime to happen before you talk to the police – information about the location of illegal weapons may also save a life.
“But I can also assure you that the RAPF are working on the best ways to deal with the latest wave of shootings. The Commissioner is in dialogue with the regional police adviser this week inNassau. They in turn are discussing gun related violent crime initiatives and strategies and any support that can be provided by regional and international law enforcement partners. The need for additional resources of whatever sort will be examined very closely; and I am sure that Executive Council will look sympathetically on any requests.
“But I come back to what the general public can do. Think back to Gustave’s tragic death a few weeks ago, which happened at an illegal drag racing meeting. No-one would suggest that drag racing is of itself as serious a crime as murder, but it is a crime nonetheless. Many people must have travelled along the Jeremiah Gumbs highway and seen what was going on. They must have at least suspected that illegal things were happening.
“So if you did travel along the highway or were there please contact the police – they need your support. You can also use the confidential website which is under the control of the police senior management team.
“Make that call – the person whose life you save could be that of a friend or family member. It could even be your own.”
