Residents want heightened police presence following daylight murder
On the heels of a shocking daylight murder in Fish Bay on Tuesday, residents are calling for a heightened police presence within their communities.
A man was gunned downed inside his vehicle which was riddled with bullet holes following the shooting.
Fifth District Representative, Kye Rymer said his constituents raised their concerns with him yesterday.
“I had a conversation with some folks and they say, ‘we’ve never seen this and we hope that we could see a bit more police presence with the communities’,” Rymer said while speaking on Tuesday’s airing of VIP Radio on ZBVI.
“There was programme where they had community policing and so forth. So maybe other initiatives need to be reintroduced so that we can let the public feel safe within our community and make sure that they know that there is a police presence there,” said Rymer who publicly denounced this and other crimes.
Noting that government is doing everything in its power to support policing, Rymer encouraged persons with information related to these crimes to come forward.
And while noting that he is not privy to the police’s crime plan that is still being considered by the National Security Council, the legislator suggested that initiatives be introduced to motivate persons to share information.
“Maybe we need some incentives for persons to come forward to say what they know because, at this time in our territory, we need to make sure that we continue to be safe,” he stated.
Since the start of the year, the BVI has recorded at least two confirmed murders and another two that police describe as “unexplained deaths”. There have also been a spate of as well as multiple high-profile drug incidents, robberies, and firearm-related offences.
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Your Premier and Deputy Premier have the plan. Ask them for it.
Unfortunately this is the legacy that Gus left us.
Really? Gus ordered an enquiry because he knew something is rotten to the core here and he had no power to do anything. Why cant the Government check the bank accounts of all of the known drug criminals and seize their earnings from crime.
IS THIS GUY FOR REAL
They diverted the traffic because of the incident. what a drive from Fish Bay through East down Jean Hill, back to Baugher’s Bay back around to come Town. Everything is a complete mess. Is now people getting killed in the day? You all just need to be GONE
I think it’s time Government consider an alternative route from Kingston, Fish Bay and Sophie Bay to country. Imagine almost reached town and have to turned around.
Tortola has become South Chicago. Where the [man] goes, murder, rape, crime and drugs follow. The Brits must take over before it’s too late.
Minister Rhymer People have been saying this for sometimes now. The presence of active in Person Policing is not observed in the BVI Communities. Neither in Neighborhoods or Business Districts. Police needs to be visible at all Times through the Communities. What are they being paid for? Before technology and All these Officers, Police patroling was visible in Communities and Officers were on Foot Patrol throughout the Business Areas.
Over the past 6 weeks the Police have been ALL OVER, so I don’t know what people are talking about. Funny we see all the fast boats and expensive cars, we know where the proceeds come from and we hype it up. But when the other side of the coin is shown we act all concerned and blame the Police.
Are you saying because i have an expensive car it came from something illegal. Change that mentality, I work for what I want in life and if I chose to buy an expensive car with what i work for I can so please stop judging everyone with expensive cars and boats.
Nobody ever said that, I am sure the poster is speaking about when its very obvious.
stop acting simple-minded. No one is saying that people who work hard shouldn’t buy expensive cars etc…
They are obviously commenting on the fact that people with seemingly no place of employment or wealthy background has all of these luxuries that even people with middle class status cant afford.
We all know where that money is coming from. These past few months is more than enough proof.
All over the place where? I was in and around town for most of the afternoon today and I don’t recall seeing one Police vehicle. And when I do see them, they are running errands/buying lunch etc. They can’t solve or prevent every crime but they need to be more visible, including at night. But the murders are happening high day now, so that means they need to be out more, PERIOD.
Please put Jesus first back in the territory: he will send the right people in form of police officers to take care of this situation,
Some don’t care if drugs pass through the country We don’t have a serious drug problem here and if people in the US want to sniff cocaine so be it. And no doubt millions pour into the BVI economy from our role as transhipper in chief. But this is the price we pay. And inevitably there will be innocent deaths.
Everyone knows how it works. Modern radars, drones, planes and patrol boats could interfere with shipments enough to persuade the cartels to use some other island as the transhipping point.
The big question is; is there the political will to do that? When you see the government turning down help from serious ships and doling out lots of taxpayer money on token, ineffective, static barges owned by cronies, then you have to say; no there is not.
agree with you 100% Brit
Wheres the new crime map….lol
there is hardly school so where are the crossing guards? all the polices does is sit in the station and run the mouth like water pipe! When you in the station you are greeted with a stink attitude police with the voice of (Y ARE YOU HERE).
To do a police traffic report i sat there and watch an officer type the document so slowwww took nearly 30 mins for me these police need all round training.
How dare you make them do their job.
You interrupted their busy day of games, surfing the web, and enjoying air conditioning. At your expense.
How very rude of you. You should be ashamed.
A country should never have to ASK for police presence, it should be MANDATED! It is time to hold our commissioner of police to some standards, and those masses we induct ever so often to say they protect this country! It is a cause for concern. It is alarming, and it is outright scary the lack of police presence a country feels.
Yeah but look at the reaction by the Government when Gus wanted the Navy ship patrolling the waters to stop illegal covid entrants – what was there such a strong voice against it? you have to ask?
Might a heightened police presence in any way reduce the scooter scrounge?
The killings have nothing to do with police presence and everything to do with being a transhipment port for drugs which is sanctioned by the very top of the country, even more so than in the past. We could easily stop it but we don’t because the bought people are deep in the decision-makers of society. Now we are making choices to make it even easier to pass stuff through the port and airport.
Hopefully, the COI manages to undo some of it but the stuff landing and moving around could not happen without police/ customs/ Govt people being involved. To think that they aren’t is just naive.
Smuggling has always been a part of the BVI but now it’s like a vine killing the tree, If the people at the top of the smuggling food chain let killings like this continue we will lose our legit industries and then apart from the country going broke, how will they wash their money?
BE CAREFUL THE MIGHTY ANDY SAYS THERE IS NO CORRUPTION HERE SO ITS A MIRACLE AND NONE OF THE HOLY PASTORS HAVE THE BALLS TO ENLIGHTENING THE GENTLEMAN SOMBODY GOT THEIR HANDS AROUND THEIR BALLS SO THEY JUST CHILLING
So 8 deaths in 6 months in the BVI and most in broad daylight. Why do Government think that tourists want to come here? This is place its becoming like Jamaica. It needs more policing on drug criminals and murderers instead of million $ walls, and millions spent on piers for cruise ships.
So 8 deaths in 6 months in the BVI and most in broad daylight. Why do Government think that tourists want to come here? Why would businesses stay here? Covid has shown that employees don’t have to work here. Or is the $ coming rom drugs more than the FSC can earn? This is place its becoming like Jamaica. It needs more policing on drug criminals and murderers instead of million $ walls, and millions spent on piers for cruise ships. The Government has to stop these murders before its too late.
So 8 deaths in 6 months in the BVI and most in broad daylight. Why do Government think that tourists want to come here? Why would businesses stay here? Covid has shown that employees don’t have to work here. Or is the $ coming from drugs more than the FSC can earn? This is place its becoming like Jamaica. It needs more policing on drug criminals and murderers instead of million $ walls, and millions spent on piers for cruise ships. The Government has to stop these murders before its too late.
There should be road blocks checking every vehicle. As for the illegal cars and scooters I can see they have no plates why cant the police?