Basseterre, St.Kitts (October 29th 2016):-St.Kitts-Nevis Minister of Tourism, International Trade, Industry and Commerce Hon. Lindsay F.P. Grant has issued a statement passionately calling for the  de-politicisation of crime in the federation.

In a heartfelt , frank and passionate statement Grant made a plea for an end to the politicisation of crime on all sides of the political divide.

The Former PAM Leader said  “My heart is bleeding for my country. The matter of the criminal elements in our society is destroying the very fabric of our existence. I’m not going to be political, but some may run and spin it as politics. But when you would have gone with it the murders and the violent crime still continue unabated.”

Grant called for politics to be put aside and a national dialogue to take place to engage in discussions of ideas on how the 15 year violent crime issue can finally be resolved.
“We have had hundreds of murders under Labour and the trend continues under Unity. It therefore means by simple logic the criminals DO NOT care which government is in. Crime is touching everyone and last night is a stark reality of where we are heading. A young woman in the prime of her life earning an honest wage by being entrepreneurial and she is struck down. The criminals need to feel the squeeze. They need to feel uneasy as we are. I do not care what you say about profiling but we have to do what we have to do. People must not be made to feel they are hostages in their own country. Worst yet if it spills over and touch our major industry we will all be doomed. And the criminals won’t care,” Grant Lamented
“People must stop seeing crimes happening and turn a blind eye. The war is on and it’s against us Right thinking law abiding citizens. The war must be against the criminals. And don’t tell me I’m a Minister of government. I already know that. First and foremost I’m a citizen like all of you. With children like most of you and with a family to protect. I’m absolutely fed up with this crap. I can’t say I’m going anywhere to live. I have no place but here and I WILL NOT let a few cowards run me out of the country I love. If you feel you want to demonstrate against the government well do so but don’t demonstrate and turn bury your heads in the sand to the elements around you. This has to end and end NOW,” Grant continued..

The Constituency #4 Parliamentary Representative called for all including his political opponents and colleagues to put aside the political differences and come together to come uo with solutions to finally put a relative end to this over decade old problem.

“I have been … clear with what I am saying, that the time has come for Labour, for PAM, for Unity to come to the table on this matter on national importance, because this matter is of national importance and it requires a national response. If we continue to put a blame here, a blame there, a blame everywhere, the criminals will laugh at us because at the end of the day we are not coming together as a common force to fight the enemy which is the criminals,” Minister Grant Concluded.

In a population of approximately 50,000 The federation of St.Kitts-Nevis has averaged around 20 murders per year since 2007. Including a record 36 murders in 2011 alone. After a a respite of about 7 weeks during the presence of the Regional Security Services the federation is now rocked by a spate of shootings and murders over the last 10 days since the exit of the RSS which has resulted in 3 Murders, 3 Robberies and multiple cases of gun shot trauma at the JNF Hospital. During the 6 week presence of the RSS there were NO cases of Murders, Gun Shot Trauma or Violent Robberies reported on St.Kitts. A significant improvement to prior months and in particular a similar period in 2015 which saw 2 murders and multiple cases of gun shot trauma