Jomo Thomas talks about crime and other national issues

Trevor “Buju” Bailey's admission on Monday on Voices radio that gangs are active in SVG is a welcome revelation as we confront reality and find solutions to this deeply depressing and escalating murder problem. Bailey, a police veteran with over thirty years of service and currently assigned to the Crime Control Unit by the Police High Command, should know what he is talking about.

Only last month, top police officer Enville Williams refused to directly link the killings in SVG to organised crime. Earlier, Prime Minister Gonsalves, who also serves as Minister of National Security, had spoken of “associative groups”. Clearly, the security establishment is in denial about the crime situation. Since 2011, almost 500 people have been killed, mostly by gun violence. We have broken the national record in the last two years with an official murder count of 44 in 2023 and 55 last year.

At the last count, at least 30 murders were recorded. We are on track to set another record for murder and assault in 2024. Any adult citizen of our country would readily admit that criminal gangs exist. In fact, police and prosecutors routinely inform the court when a defendant is suspected of belonging to a gang.

Bailey's conclusion was detailed and insightful. He said: “When I look at the way some of them operate, I see a structure. There is a command structure. There are tasks assigned to people… the activities of the gangs are not random. We see them committing robberies. We know they commit murders. We know they deal drugs. They have color codes.”

Buju Bailey's update aligns the police position with that of the people and we hope he does not get into “trouble” for his honest revelations. On Wednesday, during Boom FM's OMG segment, Shevrel “Candyman” Mc Millan, the Prime Minister's media assistant, accused Bailey of either slipping up or making inappropriate comments. As we have seen with hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, crime control, education, health and relief efforts, Prime Minister Gonsalves is the minister of everything. Perhaps Bailey should have allowed the Prime Minister to make the big announcement or sought his approval beforehand. After all, this government is characterized by a tough stance on crime and its causes with tangible results.

Bailey's admission raises the question: If police leadership knows so much about these criminal gangs, why do they not infiltrate, arrest, prosecute and convict more of their members? Are some of these elements being offered official protection? Have the gangs infiltrated the police and are they informed of their activities? Do the police have the necessary crime-fighting resources to seriously curb criminal activity?

Another point to ponder is this: considering that just over 100 people are incarcerated for murder, there is a real possibility that SVG has several serial killers. This is the logical conclusion, considering that about 500 people have been killed in the last decade alone. The authorities may have hoped that these criminal elements would shoot and kill each other. However, many criminologists argue that this is a hopeless strategy, pointing to the high levels of hopelessness and helplessness caused by chronic employment and relocation in many communities as fertile poles from which new criminal recruits are drawn.

Buju Bailey's belated but welcome admission could be a clear sign that the security authorities have turned the tide in the fight against crime.

The election has begun

The most telling reading from a recent poll is the ratings of opposition candidate Kishore Shallow. That Shallow, president of Cricket West Indies, has done so well despite not declaring any intention of entering national politics is significant for a number of reasons. First, it shows what new, fresh and experienced faces can do for a team.

Shallow is polling almost as well as the party leader on Friday, at 19%, with a 21% chance of beating Prime Minister Gonsalves. That result should boost NDP efforts to find new candidates for the West St. George, East St. George, Marriaqua, Central Leeward and Southern Grenadines constituencies.

A close look at the poll numbers shows that change in the opposition is necessary if the party is to pose a serious challenge. With about 18 months to go until the next election, the ULP's numbers are better than they might seem. 23 percent of respondents gave the party a poor rating, while 26 gave it more than 2 out of 5. These ratings come as the party prepares to contest a sixth consecutive term in office. However, 20 percent of respondents rate the party's leadership as good and 28 percent said it is doing a good job.

From Gonsalves' point of view, the greatest disappointment is the dismal poll ratings of his son Camillo Gonsalves. Camillo, as a possible successor to Prime Minister Gonsalves, only received 9%. Saboto Caesar, who is seen as a major obstacle to Camillo's rise, also received double that with 17%.

Even more worrying for Prime Minister Gonsalves and the ULP is the fact that only 35 percent of respondents were satisfied with his performance, while 40 percent disapproved.

Given the multitude of problems in SVG, which include employment and underemployment, poverty, crime, a dismal road network and official corruption, interesting times lie ahead.