St Kitts: Community policing efforts in constituency #3 gets political support

The recently-held "Protecting Our Children" community meeting garnered support from two significant political figures who lent their voices to the call to get young people involved in positive activities.

Parliamentary Representative for Constituency #3, the Honourable Konris Maynard, echoed his support for the community policing initiative.

"I want to thank all of the members of the society who came out and I also want to say thanks to Officer Percival and Isles for their leadership. There is a lot that needs to be done and we have to get to the grassroots. We have to get to our young people, especially our young men, to help them understand that we want to see the best for them. I fully support any efforts in the fight against crime and making our society a better one," Mr. Maynard said.

The Parliamentary Representative went on to encourage those present to engage their communities and work together to combat crime.

Deputy Speaker and the People's Labour Party candidate for Constituency #3, Senator Akilah Byron–Nisbett, said the information that was discussed at the meeting should be shared in the wider community to strengthen the policing efforts in the fight against crime.

"We all need to work together. I like the fact that the explorers group focuses on ensuring that it is not just about the Police Officers coming and forming a group with the young people, they also get the parents involved and they get the schools involved because they understand the importance of the community working together," said the Senator.

She added that it is essential to ensure that young men and women have a fighting chance in becoming successful and to limit the amount of young persons that are lost to homicides.

"I do believe that the initiative that the Police is taking right now with the community policing and with the explorers group is going to be rewarded in the future. We are going to see a complete change in the whole structure of our communities and in our young men and women. They are putting in that effort now and it's about encouraging parents, families and schools to get involved with this and buy into it and own it," she said.