St Kitts: Shoppers enjoy doing business in secure environment

The first Value Added Tax (VAT) discount day on Friday, December 14, saw hundreds of shoppers making their rounds from business place to business place in a secure environment.

The day closed without major incidents being reported and the Police, assisted by other security agencies, were out in their numbers ensuring the safety and security of patrons and businesses alike. All hands were on deck on Friday with members of the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force, the Regional Security Service, The K9 Unit and Traffic Wardens being posted in several areas. Senior ranking Police Officers, such as Assistant Commissioners of Police, Superintendents and Inspectors, were also seen conducting patrols.

Officers visited a number of business entities and spoke with the operators to discuss how the their day had been going and if they had any issues. They also interacted with citizens and residents - greeting them, inquiring about their day and advising them of security measures they could take. Both Traffic Wardens and Officers assisted with clearing up traffic congestion in a number of areas and helped pedestrians where necessary. Business owners and shoppers expressed their satisfaction with the presence and helpfulness of security personnel in the various shopping districts.

While providing additional security in the areas where business was being done, the Police, as well as the other agencies, still had to maintain regular patrols in identified hot-spots. Resources also had to be split up to allow for foot patrols, mobile patrols and vehicle check points to be conducted in several areas throughout the day without affecting the operations of Police stations around the Federation.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for Operations, Adolph Adams, disclosed how pleased he was with the high level of cooperation among agencies on VAT day and the effectiveness of the Police Officers who were on duty. He added that an assessment of the day's operations would be done to ensure that improvements are made, where necessary, for the second VAT day on Thursday, December 20. He also assured the public that the Police presence in and around the Central Business District would be maintained throughout the season.