St. Kitts and Nevis is reporting a significant 50 percent reduction in crime last year compared to 2011.
Speaking on his weekly radio programme "Ask the Prime Minister" on Tuesday, Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas noted that the high crime rate was a matter of attention in the Federation two years ago and praised the cooperation between the heads of the police force and the defence force and their men for the dramatic turn around.
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"The talk shows obsessed about it – as well they should have; business people lamented it; Government officials and ordinary civilians could think of nothing else. At that time, the constant refrain was: What is the Prime Minister doing about crime? And so, I announced that if I was going to be held responsible for the crime rate, then I was going to assume the leadership of the country’s crime-fighting operations. And that is what I did," Prime Minister Douglas told listeners.
He said although he was not giving detailed raw figures, he was pleased to be able to give the actual statistics that go along with the dramatic difference that is now felt throughout the country, where crime is concerned.
"We analyzed this challenge from every angle. We assessed the assets that were already at our disposal, and then we just as carefully made a detailed list of the assets – tangible and intangible; financial, human, technological, and multilateral – that we would need to take on this challenge. We put an action plan in place, and we implemented it," said Prime Minister Douglas.
"I cannot stress enough how key Commissioner C. G. Walwyn and Commander Patrick Wallace, and the men and women they command have been to this effort. As a result of extraordinarily hard work by all involved and a merciful God, crime over the last year alone plummeted some 53%," said Prime Minister Douglas.