Crime Prevention Minister Jeremiah Norbert has voiced serious concerns over the recent spike in gun-related violence across Saint Lucia, attributing the wave of homicides to retaliatory gang attacks and organized crime. His comments come amid growing public anxiety following shootings in various parts of the country, including Soufrière, Dennery, and Castries.
Norbert acknowledged that the recent flare-up has disrupted the sense of normalcy the country had begun to regain. He warned that the violence is no longer confined to one area, noting that the geographic spread of these crimes is placing immense strain on the already limited resources of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force.
Highlighting the source of the issue, Norbert emphasized that Saint Lucia does not manufacture firearms. Yet, guns continue to enter the country, raising questions about border security and illegal facilitation. “The guns do not go by themselves on flights. Yet still, they get into our country. How do they get there?” he asked. He warned that organized crime networks, involving individuals across different sectors of society, are enabling the inflow of illegal weapons.
Norbert issued a call for those who may be facilitating this criminal activity to reflect on the broader consequences. “These same firearms that we allow into the country for a few dollars can end up killing your mother, your father, or your child,” he said, urging citizens not to turn a blind eye to illegal activity.
The minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening national security, noting that the Port Authority will receive 15 new recruits and the City Constabulary will expand its personnel. “Our job as a government is to provide policy direction and resources to the agencies responsible for implementing security measures,” he explained. He praised the administration’s continued investment in the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force and reiterated that enforcement now lies in the hands of the officers.
Norbert concluded by stressing the need for collective responsibility. He described the gun crisis as a systemic issue that must be dismantled through cooperation among citizens, law enforcement, and government institutions. “If we want a more peaceful society, we all have a part to play,” he said.
