Nevis, West Indies. ?A Non-Tourist-Trap? Blog About Nevis.

St. Kitts – Nevis’ Police Commissioner – Mr. Walwyn
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Charlestown, Nevis
May 10, 2012

A member of the Four Seasons Resort Homeowners Foundation Mr. Dennis Higginbotham, said one of the reasons he kept coming back to the island was because he felt safe and commended the Nevis Division of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force for their efforts in fighting crime on Nevis.

Mr. Higginbotham, a private donor of one of three Ford Explorer jeeps donated to the Police by the Foundation on March 04, 2012 made the comment at the handing over ceremony at the Charlestown Police Station compound. He said when the Foundation was approached for assistance there was no hesitation.

“I am one of the homeowners at the Four Seasons Nevis and I can tell you three things that I am very appreciative of when I come to Nevis: one is the beautiful weather, the second one is the beautiful people that we meet and the third is that we always feel safe”.

“When we were challenged and discussed about helping provide vehicles for the Nevis Police to ensure us of the safety there was no question,” he said.

Notwithstanding, the Homeowner said he knew the job of law enforcement was difficult and one which was often thankless because he was the son of a Policeman which made it easy for him to assist.

“Just a quick note, it is sort of personal to me, my father was a policeman for 38 years in the United States and so I grew up as a policeman’s son, I know what it’s like to be a policeman’s family, I know how hard a job it is, I know how thankless it is at times and I know how important it is.

“So there was no hesitation and when it came time for us to be able to provide those cars we were glad to do it. So thank you for thanking us but on the other side we thank you,” he said.

The Four Seasons Homeowners Foundation was established in 2003 as a charitable organisation by home owners of the Four Seasons Resort. The intention of the Foundation has been to support projects in the health, education and community services which directly impacted the citizens of Nevis.

Meantime, in response to the gift from the Nevis Division, Commissioner of Police in St. Kitts and Nevis Mr. Celvin G. Walwyn thanked the homeowners for their gesture but wanted the public on Nevis to know that the Police there were doing well keeping crime down.

“I want the people to know in Nevis that the Police are doing a very good job in keeping crime down. I don’t have my stats for April yet but I know for a fact in February the crime was down above 50 percent and in March it was down 54 percent.

“I don’t know what the figures are for this month because we were so busy this week the ACP hadn’t had a chance to send them over to me yet but I just want to say to the community that the Police are out here for you,” he said.

The Commissioner who does not miss the opportunity to call for continued public support, urged persons to call the Police who depended on their assistance.

“If you see something, say something. It is better to call us and not need us than to need us and not call us. So please, I don’t care if you have to call a million times until you get somebody, call the Police.

“We hate crime just as much as you do. We are in a position to do something about it but we need your help so please, again, if you see something say something,” he said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Nevis Division Robert Liburd added his thankfulness on behalf of his Officers and cited that they were heartened by the generosity of the home owners.

Mr. Liburd also gave assurances that the vehicles would be kept in best order to allow them to continue to fight crime on Nevis.

The Senior Officer also used the opportunity to solicit the public’s assistance to ensure that the vehicles were used only on Police duty and not for private use. He said persons should contact him at telephone number 662-4578 if they saw the vehicles anywhere involved in anything other than police business.

Also present at the handing over ceremony was Premier of Nevis Hon. Joseph Parry. He also holds the portfolio for Security in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), Force Charplin Pastor Leroy Benjamin who blessed the vehicles, Four Seasons Resort Director of Residences Ms. Karen Dabella. Mrs. Higginbotham, Four Seasons Resort Director of Safety and Lost Mr. Zenric Hanley and Mrs Astra Hanley who sang the national anthem.

Related posts:

1. Nevis’ Four Seasons Resort Home Owners Help Fight Crime
2. Nevis Police Get 5 New Jeeps To Fight Crime
3. St. Kitts – Nevis Pledges Money To Fight Violent Crime
4. Canadian Police To Help Fight Crime in St. Kitts – Nevis
5. Nevis Police Continue To Fight Crime

Vehicles Donated To Nevis Police By Four Seasons’ Homeowners

Charlestown, Nevis
May 08, 2012

The Nevis Division of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force received three vehicles from the Four Seasons Homeowners Foundation on Friday May 04, 2012, to revamp its dying fleet.

Commissioner of Police Celvin G. Walwyn who accepted the keys from Home Owner Mr. Denis Higginbotham for three Ford Explorer SUVs at the Charlestown Police Station, thanked the homeowners and Four Seasons Resort Nevis for their generous contribution to the Police Force.

He also used the occasion to thank the citizens of Nevis for their support and the men and women who provide security services for Nevis. He urged the Officers assigned to driving the vehicles exercise caution.

“I want to tell the Officers that are going to be driving these vehicles: This is real estate that you cannot buy for the private sector to offer you vehicles to help in your every day duties it’s a sign that they have faith in you and they have trust in you. It is up to you now when you start driving these vehicles to take care of them as if they are your own.

I know sometimes we should never say that because I have seen some people’s vehicles but please take care of these vehicles. I use to drive the white one in Orlando, so I know what it can do. Those of you who will be driving that car there are times you are going to feel like a champion and you want to speed because vehicle will run. Don’t do it,” he said.

The Commissioner reminded the Officers that they were examples on the streets and if they violated the law they would not be respected by members of the public who would not uphold the law either.

Commissioner Walwyn noted that although the Four Season Resort had given the undertaking to maintain the three vehicles, the senior officers who supervised those assigned to drive them would ensure that a daily activity report was produced which indicated that the fluids in the vehicles were checked.

“I know we are tempted at times to get in and start the key because it is not ours but it is yours and it is ours, all of us who live in this Federation. When these vehicles go down because you don’t take the time to check the fluids it hurts everybody. The Inspector [Mills] said awhile ago, response time should be better [but] it won’t be if you don’t take care of these vehicles.

“So I am asking those of you who will be driving these vehicles, asking the supervisors from the ACP down to ensure that these vehicles are well taken care of, that we don’t park them and hit them on the side of the road, that we don’t drive them into the ditches and then say somebody hit us and took off. We want to make sure that we take care of these vehicles because just the fact that you are being given these vehicles says a lot coming from the community,” he said.

In conclusion, Mr. Walwyn thanked the Four Season Resort and the home owners and stated: “The Police Force thanks you. It is vehicles that we needed, you came up you delivered and we appreciate it and we will do our best to make sure they would be used for the purpose they were given.”

Meantime, Four Seasons Resort Director of Residents Ms. Karen Davella in brief remarks explained that the Resort along with the private donations from their home owners saw it as an opportunity to support the police in the island’s crucial efforts to bring crime under control and they were proud to take part.

“The Four Seasons Resort in addition to the Home Owners Foundation’s generous donation of the vehicles has extended the offer to maintain these vehicles and to continue with basic maintenance on these vehicles during their use by the Force to keep them commissionable and in good use for the whole community,” she said.

According to Ms. Davella, the Foundation was established in 2003 and had since worked on various projects over the years to provide direct benefits to the citizens of Nevis in projects which involved health, education and community.

She also praised the crime fighting efforts of the Police on Nevis.

“On behalf of the Four Seasons Resort, the Home Owners Foundation we all commend you, your officers and your entire staff for your valiant efforts in reducing crime and we look forward to working together to make this island paradise safe and crime free for everyone,” she said.

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Police Commissioner – Mr. C.G. Walwyn
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Charlestown, Nevis
April 26, 2012

“I don’t get involved in politics, I deal strictly with law enforcement but I can tell you I have the full support of Premier Parry and Prime Minister Douglas none of them has ever called me to interfere with what I am doing.”

Those were the words of Commissioner of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force Celvin. G. Walwyn in an interview with the Department of Information on Tuesday April 24, 2012 regarding the Nevis Island Administration’s support to the law enforcement agency.

“When I do something it’s done and that’s it but as far as giving us materials they gave what they can, the community also gave what they can but I can tell you they are 100 percent behind what we are doing,” he said.

The Commissioner was at the time visiting the primary and secondary schools in Gingerland one day after meeting with villagers of Brown Hill and ahead of a planned walk through in the village of Rawlings on Saturday April 28th, 2012 to meet with residents in the area.

He attributed his recent increased presence on Nevis to the strengthening bonds between the police and the public.

“The reason why I came to Nevis is because I want to make sure the police and the community continue to engender a relationship that would lead to a decrease in crime. We have seen the support slowly coming to the police over the last few months and I would like to make sure that this stays and gets even better,” he said.

According to Commissioner Walwyn, he would continue to do all he could to reach every day people in the fight against crime.

“I am the Police Commissioner but I am also a person and even though this is supposed to be a high office, I am willing to come down to earth with the people because I am one of the people and embrace the people in the fight against crime.

“Last night I believe well over 65 persons had turned out in Brown Hill. That was great, you know with that kind of turnout, it tells me that the people are concerned about crime and the police/community relationship and if that can come out then it is my duty to come and meet and to answer any questions that they may have,” he said.

Since Monday night’s meeting in Brown Hill, the Federation’s highest ranking Police Officer said some changes had already been implemented based on the questions he received then.

Regarding his meeting with the students at Gingerland, he said it was important for the police to embrace the island’s children and teach them to make a difference in the society.

“We have to get with the children embrace the children and teach them ways to make a difference because they are the future but as we have seen, a lot of our crime has been with teenagers and if we can reach these children now we won’t have to apprehend them later so I’d rather reach than apprehend,” he said.

The Commissioner further indicated that steps had already been taken in the Federation through a mentoring programme called Magic.

“We mentor, advise, guide and instruct children and the programme came to us from Orange County Florida. We brought an instructor in at no cost to the Federation, to train officers in St. Kitts and Nevis to help deter children, Kindergarten to 3rd Grade, ages 10-13, to deter them from a life of crime.

“As I spoke to the children this morning I told them I have noticed in the last couple of weeks and last month, we have had a lot of people who have been coming to get Police Records to get their Green Cards. We know times are hard here in this country right now and people would like to do better for themselves and their children. Unfortunately, I don’t have the power to give you a certificate saying you don’t have a criminal record when you have one. As a result they cannot get their Green Card. So whatever struggles they are having right now they will have to endure. Crime does not pay and it affects you for the rest of your life,” he explained.

During his visit to Nevis, the Commissioner was accompanied by Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force Nevis Division Robert Liburd and officers stationed there.

Related posts:

1. St. Kitts – Nevis Police Commissioner Speaks To Students
2. Nevis Government Assures Support For Police Force
3. Nevis’ Assistant Police Commissioner Retires
4. Federation’s Police Commissioner Calls For Help In Fight Against Crime
5. St. Kitts – Nevis Police Commissioner On Local Gangs