Governor: Anti-crime Summit must produce ‘real and practical change’
Governor Daniel Pruce has urged that the upcoming anti-crime summit in the territory must produce more than speeches, calling for “real and practical change” to strengthen security across the islands.
Speaking at Government House, Pruce said the summit offers an important chance to bring together government, law enforcement, community groups and residents in a united effort to tackle rising crime.
“The summit has got to have real substance, it’s got to have real meaning, it can’t just be a meeting with no follow-up,” he insisted.
The Governor explained that preparations are being guided by the National Security Council, which now meets weekly and is working to develop a whole-of-government and community strategy. “[We need to] arrive at the summit already with a good set of commitments, declarations, statements of intent in terms of what we are going to do by way of follow-up to translate the ambition of the summit into real and practical change,” he argued.
Gun crime remains a central concern. Pruce said seizures by police, while welcomed, are only part of the picture.
“Gun crime is a good illustration of an area where a number of interventions can help reduce the prevalence of guns and their use and possession in the territory,” he explained. Possible actions could include reviewing legislation and penalties, improving police training, tightening border controls and challenging social attitudes towards firearms.
He stressed that the fight against crime cannot rest on law enforcement alone.
“The challenges that we face in the Virgin Islands are not challenges that we can solve by arresting and imprisoning people. We need a whole of government, whole of community effort,” he said.
The governor also tied the crime fight to broader reforms. He noted that recommendations from the recent Law Enforcement Review provide a 10-year roadmap to improve policing, prisons and the justice system. Work is already underway on measures such as improving the 911 control centre and strengthening prison security.
Public concern about safety has grown after a series of violent incidents in recent years, prompting calls for stronger leadership. Pruce made clear that the summit’s success will be measured only by what follows it.
“We need to have a very solid plan of work moving forward beyond the end of September,” he urged.
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The real soldiers just waiting for the summit to end!
Andrew you should have just paid the man from Senegal and all of this wouldn’t have happened!
One of the only practical solutions that is never considered or put into effect to bring about crime reduction within this small territory is the creation of valuable well paying employment (jobs) for the demographic that is so inclined to commit crimes, and that is jos, obs and jobs..
Where there is sufficient money in pockets, the correlation between brokeness, empty pockets and crime will be minimal.
Why is that? Is it because creatin jobs is to difficult? Or that profiteers rather keep 100% of the profits rather than invest fully in the community in which it makes its livin?
“The challenges that we face in the Virgin Islands are not challenges that we can solve by arresting and imprisoning people. We need a whole of government, whole of community effort,” he said.
Finally a governor with sense. Start by legalizing weed that you control. Allow the community to stop hating the police for little reason except you want to put them in jail for a joint. Allow all to call police for real crimes such as theft and threats without worry about getting arrested while asking for help.
The crooks have to much power against us law abiding citizens and business owners, fearful of being robbed of what we work hard for.
Let us secure our homes and businesses at least not even conceal carry.
Why all these summits about crime? I thought Britain always had the resources and answers. We elected people for answers and actions, not to be here chatting sh.t like they’re stalling for time. Jackie and her detectives need to get up and go out and get information.
The weak leadership starting from the top, then to the Politicians and the civil service, and the different agendas, all to destroy the BVI people, has messed up this country.
It will be a talking shop with lots of promises and it will deliver nothing. It’s been promised for 3 years clearly not a priority just a tick box, with an expensive consultant that will tell us what we already know
Agreed 100%. But anything involving humans will always have that element of greeed, dishonesty and corruption…Positive and hopeful thinking is good..
Why is the force filled with other nationals besides BVIslanders ?
Love your country and encourage your children to be patriotic
Why do the hospital have so few local healthcare workers?
Be patriotic and instill in your children at an early age to be patriotic
Money is not all to life
So do not blame foreigners when they fill the vacumn
As leaders the priorities are in the wrong place
The horse is already out of the barn
See how many will agree with me . Truth is not always popular
The minimum wage in Bermuda is 17.13. BVI was supposed to go to 8.50 but that was too much so the slave masters had them reduce it. Poverty is what blowing the youths dem mind all your tricks and gimmicks won’t work. You guys are the real problem…wid yo s**t.
How many foreigners
are the politicians, permanent secretaries, heads of Government Ministries , Immigration Director, Head of Passport
Ayo need to stop!!
Ah dem who meking de policies not the foreigners
Whe ayo own sail
Away to greener pastures who
Will
Fill the spaces ?
The world is evolving.
Start with deh youths
The one theory the obvious is obe abd only demographic. The sane demographic which homelands are the cime capital ofcthe northern hemisphere. Obe week ago their workd renowned Labor Day in Brooklyn carnival,as usual was marred with 7 violent murder intent. The only country/ region specific that murder abd other crime is a part of their wanton and uncivilized behaviour.
These are those with which these VI has consciously chosen as overwhelmingly preferrnce to import
and installed as the new and larger VI. The BVI has lost its family structur driven custom it’s valued education system in favour of prisons and foreign policemen in vast numbers.
All this for the elected members to practice their criminal alliance and behind the scene human trafficking and illicit drugs activities along with the guns ammunition.
The numbers and participants in the mashup of these VI and what not too long ago was a place of quality is now an unmentioned and overlooked dump in the Caribbean Idkabd chain.
evident.
Reparations is a local Govt is due to these VI and its people for the compensation for what was cunningly administered under guise of doing the honorable to the electorate.
Empty the prison and the foreign beggars and the human trafficking that is crawling over these VI Import the able willing and self
sustaining with promising display of human decency and appreciation for quality which includes quality of life as #1.