Politicians in St Kitts and Nevis call for unity after Leanna discovery

The leader of the opposition in St Kitts and Nevis has spoken of his desire for cross-party unity following the discovery of Leanna Napoleon’s body.

And Denzil Douglas has been backed in his view by one of his MPs.

The body of 17-year-old Leanna Douglas was discovered on Wednesday night in the Olives area.

The Basseterre High School student was last seen on 8 May after sitting an exam, and police had conducted searches across a wide area before finding the shallow grave.

Latest information from police is that one person is in custody.

Speaking to WIC News soon after the discovery, former prime minister Douglas said that the news was a sad day for the federation.

But the young girl’s murder “should bring political parties together – the opposition and government sides in the Parliament – in fighting crime and finding solutions to the ever increasing murder rate in St Kitts and Nevis, then may it happen,” he said.

WIC News has approached the office of Prime Minister Timothy Harris for comment on a united crimefighting approach.

Soon after Leanna’s murder was confirmed, Harris said: “The loss of Leanna is her family’s loss, and it is also the nation’s loss. The death of a young person, in particular, is most significant and traumatic.”

“Our young people represent the future of this country and when their lives are cut short, their potential remains under-developed and untapped, much to the detriment of our country.”

Political distractions

MP for West Basseterre, Konris Maynard, said that Leanna and her mother lived in his constituency a number of years ago.

Maynard, who joined a search party after the teenager first went missing, became emotional when he told parliamentarians that his wife had informed him early Thursday morning that Leanna’s body was found.

“We have two daughters and we would not want anything like this to happen to them. I cannot imagine what her parents, her friends, are going through,” the first-term MP said.

He appealed to the nation “to do everything in our power to help reduce this scourge of crime that affects all of us.

“We pay no attention to crime until it hits home because we are distracted by politics and we say things that are not in the best interest of making our country a safer place.”

Maynard added that he had recently met Leanna’s father “who held out hope that the family will have some sort of closure.”

“I ask God to be with the family, God to be with the nation at this time and I pray that we will become better and I look forward to the day when we can celebrate the reduction of criminal activity in our country.”