Post Cabinet Briefing for February 12, 2019

Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 15, 2019 (SKNIS): The formal meeting of the Cabinet took place on Tuesday, February 12, 2019. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris. Here are the salient matters that were discussed, and the decisions taken that are designed to advance the growth and development of the country:
Cabinet dealt with several issues relating to the economic development of the country and had discussions on the report of the National Marijuana Commission with a view to articulating government’s policy and to bring forward the legislative framework in line with the policy and the recommendations.
The High Command of the Police Force, along with the administrative officers, attended the Cabinet and gave a report on the current state of the security status of the Federation. General concern was expressed about the culture of silence, the culture of fear and retaliatory threats; coming out of those concerns would be further use of technology in curtailing existing challenges. The Cabinet was heartened by the successes in the conviction rate of the last criminal assizes but recognized that along with the hard-policing methods, approach to security matters must be holistic and include social interventions.
Cabinet finalized the Calendar of Activities for the government’s celebration of its 4th anniversary in office.
Cabinet met on the 14th February and expressed concerns to the Police High Command over the rising incidents of homicides within the Federation and required of the team to put new strategies in place as well as a more concerted effort in its operations. The High Command in response outlined its new operational strategies, which were going to be more manpower intensive, and warned that they may be disruptive to citizens. The Cabinet assured the High Command of the government’s full support in its efforts and promised the resources necessary to ensure that the peace, safety, and stability of the Federation will be maintained. All initiatives to contain the present crime situation were put on the table and the Cabinet agreed that all law enforcement officers—the Police, the Defense Force, the Coast Guard, and Customs and Excise, must be fully engaged in a structured coalition to achieve the desired results and to return the country to a state of normalcy.