Another Shameless Murder Question – Searchlight

The ink was barely dry on the print of our editorial last Friday when once again deadly shots rang out, in public, defying all our concerns about public safety. Once again the central Kingstown community of Paul’s Lot/Avenue was the unfortunate victim of another sordid murder. This is a community that despite repeated criminal acts and an unflattering reputation still hosts the commercial headquarters of our electricity service, the headquarters of the National Lottery Board, a large secondary school, two bookstores, two of the country’s three national newspapers and a large church, not to mention several thriving business enterprises. The community borders Kingstown’s main street and business district, the courthouse, prisons, the historic former site of Parliament and major Methodist, Anglican and Catholic churches.

Does this mean nothing to us?

It is clear that those who commit such cowardly murders have no regard for these matters, and certainly no regard for the safety of the unfortunate residents who, time and again, must not only endure these heinous crimes but also live with the unenviable reputation that results from them. In our blanket condemnation of Paul’s Lot, we pay scant attention to these matters and the consequences of living in this community.

As we stated in last Friday’s editorial, we wholeheartedly support the police in carrying out the difficult task of combating this plague among us. However, serious questions must be asked about the continuing blatant disregard for law, order and public safety.

It was only two to three months ago that a public shooting took place in the same community, which was interpreted by residents as a failed attempt on the life of the victim of the shooting last Friday. Furthermore, the brother of the said victim was one of five people killed in a most brazen murder in the Upper Bay Street area a year earlier. Yet another resident of the area, a relative of the deceased who was actively involved in football at both the community and national level, was shockingly gunned down as he left Victoria Park after a football match. What is the connection between this series of events and why is it that the police seem powerless to prevent or prosecute?

There is more, and it is disturbing. There have been a number of murders in recent months in the wider Paul’s Lot community, including the Redemption Sharpes, Kingstown Park and Murray Village areas, the heart of our capital city.

Can we not say anything definitive about this?

Are we content to make useless political accusations, literally twiddling our thumbs while figurative Rome burns? The police recently told us about the existence of gangs here, supposedly armed, given the modern conditions.

There wasn’t much more to explain than that. How do we make sense of the endless series of murders? Are the gangs allowed to settle scores with extrajudicial killings? What about the “collateral damage” in the process? What about the trauma that particularly affects the young and the old? What about the continued tarnishing of the reputation of the Paul’s Lot community in the process?

Several years ago, the police department began a strategy of setting up mobile police stations in crime-affected communities, including Paul’s Lot. Should we assume that the police consider those areas “safe” today, or is there an alternative strategy?

We must demand clear explanations from the Prime Minister/Minister of National Security and his government. We are fed up with this serious matter being a political plaything. Our parliamentarians are not there just to throw accusations and promote party interests. This deserves cross-party action, a jointly agreed national approach. We demand nothing less.