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

St. Kitts – Nevis Police Officers
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
January 30, 2012 (SKNIS)

Telephone and other communication operators from the Telecom Unit of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force are now better equipped to respond to the calls of the public as a result of customer service training being held this week at the Police Training Complex.

The three-day training session which runs from Monday, January 30 to Wednesday, February 01, 2012, reinforces Police Commissioner C.G. Walwyn’s commitment to restoring positive communication between the police and the public and raising all aspects of police operations to the highest level of professionalism.

According to training facilitator Mrs Hazel Ross-Robinson, when persons in St. Kitts and Nevis are in distress and call ‘911,’ they hear the voices of the Telecom Unit as their first contact with the police. The establishment therefore wants to make Telecom operators aware of the importance of what they do.

“The Commissioner therefore wants to ensure that those who work in that department are keenly aware of the importance of their services to the nation, and that they respond in a manner that’s professional, and in a manner that avoid the type of crisis that usually result if there is inadequate responses and follow-up” said Mrs Ross-Robinson.

The main objective of the training, explained the facilitator, is to impress upon Telecom workers that the people who reach out to them are usually in distress and need help urgently and efficiently.

“What I’m trying to do is to impress upon the people who work in the Telecom department the fact that when people reach out to them they’re usually in a panic, they’re usually in distress because there’s a fire, there’s a burglary, there is a violent act, and those people are in distress, and they need help,” Mrs Ross-Robinson said.

“They need help quickly, they need help efficiently, and they need professional follow-up. So what I’m trying to do is to impress upon the Telecom operators what an important role they provide to the police force, what an important role they provide to the nation, and to make sure that they consistently and unfailingly rise to the occasion, both because their self respect requires it, and because the nation is counting on them to function in that manner.”

Mrs Ross-Robinson said this is not the first time that the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force has afforded its communication professionals this type of training, but, as a result of the dynamic evolution of the police force, has found it necessary at this time to repeat this type of training to keep Telecom workers at the top of their “game”.

“Well this training has taken place before, but that was some time ago. People get transferred, people move on to other positions, new people come on staff, and so they need to, as well, be upgraded in terms of their skills.”

Police Officers too have been receiving vast amounts of training as an ongoing process in forensics and other areas of police operations as components of a multifaceted approach to training being undertaken by the police force.

Related posts:

1. New Police Prosecutors Receive Training
2. More Training Scheduled For St. Kitts – Nevis Police
3. St. Kitts – Nevis Police Receive Anti-terrorism Training
4. St. Kitts – Nevis Police To Receive Anti-terrorism Training
5. St. Kitts – Nevis Police Get Advanced Training

Nevis Premier – Joseph Parry

Charlestown Nevis
December 24, 2011

Premier of Nevis, the Hon Joseph Parry has reminded Nevisians that investors, both local and foreign, cannot set up businesses in a country where criminal activities are common and when that happens the government will not be in a position to develop the island to its maximum potential.

“Do we understand that it is difficult to develop a crime-ridden country?” Premier Parry posed on Thursday, December 22nd during the official opening ceremony of the Cotton Ground Police Station in the parish of St. Thomas. “Why would the visitors feel comfortable here if we have a bad reputation?”

Premier Parry said that criminal activities are not perpetrated by politicians but by ordinary people from across the entire political divide. He said that what might appear to be simple crimes, end up tarnishing the country when such information gets on the internet.

“When one comes to me and says my daughter needs a job, my son needs a job, I really don’t have that job to give them,” said Premier Parry. “But if the country is peaceful, and if people are behaving themselves, and investors local and foreign feel comfortable you will have jobs because they will invest in this country. We need to make the connection.”

On the other hand, he has requested the public to allow the police to have a freehand at performing their duties. Saying that people should realise that when the police carry out their duties, they are not being favoured, and when criminals are not apprehended it does not mean that criminals are being favoured.

He gave the example of when the police recently accosted a suspicious young man, and there was an outcry that the police were rough and not reasonable, and when members of the Delta Force (made up of police officers and defence force personnel) were sent to Nevis after a spike in criminal activities, persons claimed Nevis had gone back to the days of Premier Robert Bradshaw.

“Just a few months ago Nevisians were afraid to be out as late as six o’clock at night,” commented the Premier. “Just a few months ago expatriates were going crazy because they were so afraid of crime. Just a few months ago people were attacking the police and the government for doing nothing, and then we have these two incidents.

He said that the people of Nevis need to put their support behind the police.

According to Premier Parry, people need to understand that with the behaviour and actions of some of the criminals and their easy access to guns, the police have to make the criminals respect them. If the public goes against the police, they are strengthening the criminals, and that way undermining their own selves, because the police are not going after the criminals to help themselves, they are helping the community.

“Delta Force came over and the criminals disappeared,” reported Premier Parry. “What does that have to do with a man (Premier Bradshaw) who died thirty years ago? They are over here to protect us. They are over here to make those who want to raid,  rob and break in and do the wrong things, go in their holes and hide. That is where they belong, in their holes and if they come out, the police must make them go back in. Isn’t that what we want as a community?”

Built at a cost of EC$1.3 million, the Cotton Ground Police Station is the third major investment by the NRP-led Nevis Island Administration to make the work of the police in Nevis much easier. Police barracks have been built at Butlers and at Belle Vue. The Premier thanked former police commissioner, Mr Austin Williams, former Superintendent of Police in Nevis, Mr Samuel Seabrookes, and the current Superintendent Mr. Hilroy Brandy for their contribution towards the building of the police station.

“The work that we have done as a government, we have done it not because we simply love the police, but because as a government we have certain objectives for the country,” stated the Premier. “The first objective is for all our people to be gainfully employed. Whatever we do, it boils down to the point that we want to see all Nevisians working.”

Related posts:

1. St. Kitts – Nevis PM On Creation Of Anti-Crime Unit
2. Nevis Premier Continues Work On Crime Prevention
3. St. Kitts – Nevis’ Attorney General To Lead Fight Against Crime
4. Nevis Police Get 5 New Jeeps To Fight Crime
5. Nevis Premier Addresses Crime Problem On Island

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

Charlestown, Nevis
December 23, 2011

Residents of Nevis were given the assurance by Commissioner of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force Mr. Celvin G. Walwyn, that the Organisation he headed was dedicated to their protection.

The Federation’s highest Police Officer was at the time delivering remarks at the dedication and official opening of the new Cotton Ground Police Station in the entrance of Cotton Ground Village on December 22, 2011. The new facility was constructed by the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).

“I assure you residents of Nevis that the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force are dedicated to your protection and I would like us to demonstrate the Government’s vision of security, by providing the service that is needed in this community.

“The Police and the Government of the Federation are dedicated to the increased security of citizens in Nevis,” he said.

The Commissioner said he was proud the new Police facility had a community room in which neighbourhood watch meetings, training and other special events for the public could be held.

He noted that the building belonged to the community and wanted members of the public to feel comfortable visiting the Police Station especially as public faith in the Police was on the rise. He also extended an invitation for Nevisians to become part of the Police Force.

“Public faith in the Police Department is continuing to grow and our image continues to improve. We are also recruiting 40 Police Officers from both St. Kitts and Nevis [and] we would love to have some applicants from Nevis.

“Please visit the Charlestown Police station [and] make application. They will explain the rules of employment. I would love to see Nevis represented in the next recruit class in February 2012,” he said.

Mr. Walwyn who was sworn in as Police Commissioner four months ago, reiterated his commitment and that of the Officers in the Nevis Police Department to the People of Nevis and noted the organisation had done much to become more involved in the Nevis community and more visible to the Citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis.

“We have also tried to be as transparent to the public as possible. I appreciate that the Government and residents of the Federation have placed faith in me to lead this wonderful Organisation. With this new facility, we are now poised to grow as a Department and become an even better agency.

The New Cotton Ground Police Station designed by Mr. Glanville Bowrin, constructed by Contractor Mr. Percy Drew and the Public Works Department, is a two story building which could house 13 officers.

According to Director of Projects in the NIA Mr. Denzil Stanley when he presented an overview of the Project, the facility’s ground floor houses a reception area, guard room, interrogation room and a conference and meeting room. There are also five rest rooms two of which are for the visiting public.

“There is a cell block of two holding cells and available bathroom, a laundry room, storage room and of course the garage.
 
“On the top floor there are barracks to house eight male officers, female quarters with bathroom and terrace for two female officers, a Sergeant’s quarters with its own bathroom and kitchen, a main kitchen area, main bathroom, a common area and front and back porches,” he said.

In comparison to the old Cotton Ground Police Station, Mr. Stanley had positive comments.

“Comparing the then and the now, I am sure all would agree with me that this building is a wonderful one. I am also sure that the Police Officers who are stationed here would have already found it to be much more comfortable and more conducive to work.

“The Officers in Cotton Ground would have endured and agitated for long and now your prayers have been answered. It is your home away from home. It is your office. It is for you. As you go about your daily task of protecting Cotton Ground and surrounding communities, do so with pride as this building should help boost your policing morale,” he said.

Related posts:

1. Nevis To Add New Police Station In Cotton Ground
2. New Cotton Ground Police Station Almost Finished
3. Nevis Premier Breaks Ground For New Police Station
4. Nevis Police Get 5 New Jeeps To Fight Crime
5. Nevis Breaks Ground For New Police Barracks