St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN):  The Prime Minister and the Premier of Nevis are making a joint appeal to the families of criminals not to encourage, enable or protect them.

“We have in our homes, persons who are harbouring criminals.  Persons who are aware that guns and ammunitions are being held illegally by members within their household,” Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris said, addressing a town hall meeting in Basseterre on Monday, a day that saw both St. Kitts and Nevis recording a shooting death.

“You have to ensure that if you see a criminal activity taken place that you report it…We make the further appeal to our young people in particular, both male and female who are involved in criminal activity and the most horrendous of them, homicides, that they quit now.”

Appealed to the churches to fill the gap where families have failed by instilling good values and respect for life in the nation’s young, the Prime Minister said that Cabinet was gravely concerned about the situation.

“We make the commitment that we will bring all resources that are available to us locally, regionally and beyond the region to ensure we put the most robust fight against criminal behavior and the upsurge in homicides,” Dr. Harris said.

“We give the promise, the commitment and the undertaking that for Team Unity, law and order is a sacred responsibility of the state and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure the peace, the quiet and the good government for St. Kitts and Nevis.”

Also speaking at the meeting on Monday, Premier Vance Amory reiterated the Prime Minister’s call for the public and families to do their part to arrest criminal activity.

“We have to stop being naïve and stop thinking that’s it’s not my son or not my daughter and begin to question every single action that we see is out of the norm,” the Premier urged.

“Whether we feel they are involved in illegal drug activity or they are involved in other criminal activity, parents and leaders in the community, we have to begin to challenge what is happening.”

The two shooting deaths on Monday brought to 21 the number of homicides in the country so far for the year.  There were 28 in 2015.