By: Gavincia Clarke
Nevispages.com
(CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS)- Over the past few months crime on the island of Nevis has taken an upward surge. Some pundits claimed that crime on the island is totally out of control. Violence continues to haunt and plague residents on this 36 square mile island. Citizens have been crying out for help as young men are losing their lives senselessly.
The latest incident occurred on Sunday, June 30, 2013 with the death of 23 year old Antonio ‘Dollars’ Hutton who was gunned down in Bath Village.
Hutton’s death took the number of murders in Nevis to eight for the period January 2013 to June 2013. This is the highest murder toll to ever be recorded on Nevis in a one year period. Prior to this, the most murders to ever be recorded in Nevis were five.
After the brutal murder of Hutton, the community has been left in shock and scared for its safety as many questions are being asked and insufficient answers are being provided.
Nevispages spoke to Station Officer and Police Prosecutor at the Charlestown Police Station, Inspector Stephen Hector about the upsurge of crime in Nevis. Hector told this media house that he believes that it is important to have a comprehensive analysis by any social professional to determine why the island of Nevis is experiencing the level of crime it is experiencing today.
Hector was of the view that the Nevisian community needs to view this dilemma from an objective standpoint and understand the reasons for the problems. Hector continued, ‘In this small island we must make the necessary steps towards long term and meaningful change for the better’. Hector stated that for the police to do its job effectively, it must rely on the general public for any and all available information that the public can give. The Inspector believes that the information given by the general public could be the secret weapon in the fight against crime.
Inspector Hector noted that if we are going to curb or eradicate this situation all citizens must come together and pool ideas and face the fight against crime together.
Hector concluded, ‘We also have to accept the realities of the situation because acceptance is always the first step to solving the problem’.