The level of violent crimes in Anguilla is unprecedented. Ten murders have been committed in six months. Have the investigations led to anyone being charged for any of the murders? We have heard of arrests on suspicion and subsequent releases but no charges.
The increased number of boots on the ground in terms of officers from the UK and elsewhere has borne no obvious fruit. The consensus is that we have seen an escalation in criminal activity with the increased numbers in the police force. Is this a case of quantity rather than quality?
Tough questions must be asked of those who are charged with maintaining the security of Anguilla. The Constitution bestows the ultimate responsibility on the Governor. The Governor relies on the Commissioner and his officers to deliver their mandate to serve and protect. The Electorate expects our elected government to ensure the safety of Anguilla’s citizens, residents, and visitors to Anguilla.
Are the tough questions being asked? Is the Governor being made aware that she is considered to be failing in her responsibility to ensure the security of Anguilla? Is the Commissioner being tasked to explain why no real progress is being made in bringing any of the perpetrators of the recent murders to justice? Are our elected representatives merely content to issue statements after each tragic event or are they vigorously pushing the Governor and Commissioner to deliver actual results? The Electorate is strangely ‘quiet’ in the face of the unprecedented level of violent crimes being perpetrated in Anguilla. Why is that?
I remember a time, when the Royal Anguilla Police Force was under the leadership of Keithly Benjamin and Rudolph Proctor, when the hospitality sector was very vocal in making demands of them. At that time, the hospitality establishments were being targeted by criminal elements. Commissioner Benjamin and Deputy Commissioner Proctor, with far less resources than those available to the Police today, were expected to stamp out the criminal activity and no excuses were to be tolerated. Members of the public, led by the hospitality sector, were not kind to Commissioner Benjamin and Deputy Commissioner Proctor.
Where has the zeal and passion previously displayed by the public gone? Why are we content with the issuing of statements by the Governor, Premier and Commissioner after acts of violence? What has changed so that Commissioner Clark is not subjected to the same demands, reasonable or otherwise, that Commissioner Benjamin and Deputy Commissioner Proctor faced? A police force that is better resourced, in terms of number of personnel and equipment, is available to Commissioner Clark but results are not apparent and yet there is no outcry. Quantity is clearly not the answer. Will there be a demand for quality to manifest itself in the work of our police force? Now more than ever the public zeal that Commissioner Benjamin and Deputy Commissioner Proctor were confronted with is needed. The unprecedented level of crime is not to be tolerated.
