Gun Crime Takes More Lives
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
February 04, 2016 (SKNIS)
St. Kitts – Nevis‘ Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, has issued a passionate call for the end to the senseless killings taking place in the country.
Dr. Harris made the plea in the wake of the recent gunning down of two young men from his constituency and the upsurge in gun violence that has resulted in at least two other deaths within January.
“We must bring a message of rebuilding, of renewal from our own households””so we have illegal weapons, we have to ensure that we call in the police to make sure that that situation is cleaned up,” Dr. Harris said to a group of constituents and others after his monthly health walk in Ottley’s Village on January 30, adding that (if) we have persons who we know are involved in drugs””wherever there are drugs, guns are not far behind””we have to ensure that we encourage these people to give up that life for one which is more law-abiding.”
The National Security Minister said that the Government is prepared to provide special support to those who are involved in drugs and guns and who are determined to make a turnaround so that they can become more law-abiding citizens.
He urged the community to share information about what they know of criminal activities to the relevant and confidential authorities.
“The police are charged with protecting us and we have to ensure that we cooperate with them”¦we can also find a friend, a pastor, parliamentary representative, somebody who we could tell,” he said.
“The life we save may be our own or some family member, and that is why we have to treat this seriously,” Dr. Harris said.
“We have to begin to get our communities cleaned up because innocent lives are being lost that way and as people come into the communities to take revenge, it is quite probable that an innocent person’s life would be lost, so all of us can do something, can share some information, can insist among our family members and friends by giving them strong warning,” he said, while admonishing those involved in gangs to withdraw from them.
“It is destroying families, it is destroying communities. Eventually, if we don’t curb it, it will destroy our country and so we have to nip it in the bud,” Dr. Harris said, while encouraging young persons to be exposed to a life of prayer and godliness.