Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves on Monday sought to assure Vincentians that the police are vigorously pursuing the bandits who abducted and robbed business executive Jimmie Forde Saturday night.
“I want to assure everybody that we have a lot of officers on this case and we are pursing vigorously the persons who are responsible for this crime,” Gonsalves, who is also Minister of National Security, told a press conference.
“This kind of copycat activity out of neighbouring countries, for instance Trinidad, is not going to take root here, and we are taking a tough line on this, as we do on all crimes,” he said.
“I just want to state that and to give the assurance to the public,” he further said.
(Read earlier story: Abductors take executive’s gun and cash; leave him naked)
Armed, masked bandits abducted Forde, a business executive at Coreas Hazells Inc., along North River Road sometime after 2 a.m. Sunday, after he left an entertainment event at Victoria Park.
I-Witness News understands the abductors placed the 51-year-old man in the trunk of his car and took him to Sion Hill Bay, where they robbed him of his possessions, including his clothes, and his licenced firearm.
A well-placed source told I-Witness News on Sunday that the robbers also took Forde’s bankcard and demanded the personal identification number and threatened to kill him if he refused.
The criminals also took his vehicle, which was recovered in upper Montrose on Monday.
Gonsalves, who returned to St. Vincent from Ecuador on Sunday, said he found out about the crime when he arrived in Trinidad about 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
He said he has since spoken to Forde — who is also chair of the board of directors of the Postal Corporation — and is pleased to know that physically he was okay.
Gonsalves said that Forde told him that the police responded quickly and were on the road looking for him after the abduction.
I-Witness News understands that while Forde was in the trunk of the car, he was able to text a relative, telling them that he had been abducted.
The Prime Minister said he would not go into the details of their conversation, adding that he is always sensitive about speaking about matters that come to him, which are under investigation.
Gonsalves further told the press conference that he has had several conversations with acting Commissioner of Police Frankie Joseph and head of Criminal Investigations Department, Assistant Superintendent of Police Sydney James Sunday night and Monday morning.
He further said he has discussed the development with Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security and Security Consultant in the Ministry of National Security, Sir Vincent Beache.
When are we going to see each and every member of the police force being equipped with guns kidnapping has reach our shore what can a police with a banton do when the criminal have guns.
We have gone weary of this same comment from the PM. “I talk to this and to that”. Same shit different days! Is that all he can say? and likes to blame neighbouring countries now? Wake up Ralphie you are failing badly as PM and Minister of National Security, the country is going to the gutters and you as the skipper is not turning back. You have undoubtedly failed the citizens of this country by being the worse minister of national security in living memory. If the decadence that has enveloped this country is to be used as a yardstick to measure your performance in this role who before you can you point to and say they were worst than you? Fear Stalks This Land Comrade!!
GAYLENE DEROCHE, the problem is that our police force is so imature and corrupt that they cannot be trusted with guns. There has already been several shootings where armed police have shot other police.
They beat accused at the police station to obtain confessions and they pick up people and drive them to the mountains and dump them to walk home.
We have police officers that are convicted criminals, men convicted of crimes against young boys whilst trying to beat confessions from them. Beating them until they fall into a coma for a week. Then employed in their old jobs as if nothing happened.
The problem is its so firmly established in the force that the last thing we want is a load of lunatics with loaded weapons.
The public would be at a greater risk from the police than from kidnappers.
For a start our Capital city needs to be equipted with CCTV which would aid in the solving of some/most of these type of activity.
Right! Give police guns and they can’t even shoot straight. Thats not what they need to protect and serve the society. They can use some common sense to handle many of these cases. Did they examine the man stolen car for finger prints? Some time ago, they were given the finger print resources by the Americans, but are they using it?
The government should ask businesses and home owners to install cameras on their properties. If it takes allowing the equipment to enter the island duty free, then so be it. There is no cost to the government and it will help the police in their investigations. People will also feel much safer if they can monitor their surroundings. Oh, there are so much that can be done, but SVG dont have the talent to work through these ideas.
Now about that drive by shooting: Are you telling me no one can give a description of a car, which was in the vicinity?