St. Vincent and the Grenadines recorded a shooting death Sunday night, the third in less than a week, bringing the homicide count this year to 15.
The latest victim is Joe-mani Charles, a 27-year-old labourer of Long Wall.
Police responded to a report of a shooting in the area and met Charles dead at his home, with multiple gunshot wounds about his body.
His death follows that of a man in Chateaubelair on Thursday, who died after being shot by police.
iWitness News has been unable to ascertain the identity of the man. He is said to have had a history of mental illness and his death brings to three the number of people shot and killed by police in the line of duty this year.
Two of the three people killed by police are said to have had mental health issues.
Meanwhile, last Tuesday, Dave Sutton, 48, a farmer, of New Chapmans, was shot and killed in Langley Park, Georgetown.
On Friday, Jamal Benjie, a 33-year-old labourer, of Georgetown, appeared before the Mesopotamia Magistrate’s Court charged with murder in connection with Sutton’s death.
‘Crime is simply out of control’
Meanwhile, in a statement on Monday, the opposition New Democratic Party, noted some of the recent killings, saying, “Crime is simply out of control. The government has no plan to deal with it.”
The party said that the Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Ralph Gonsalves spends his time at international conferences “blaming others for crime but never accepting responsibility to address the spiralling crime rate”.
The party noted that in February Gonsalves and Police Commissioner Colin John told a press conference that they would seek to stop a repeat of 2022, when SVG recorded a record 42 homicides.
“Two months on, there does not appear to be a plan or any energy or activity from the government to address this most serious issue. When will we see real and meaningful action from the government?” the NDP said.
The party extended “sincere condolences” to the families directly affected by violent crimes in SVG. “We understand your pain.”
It said that crime in SVG is “a crisis that affects everyone and will require a national collaboration to address it.
“The NDP is again renewing our call for the ULP administration to work with us and other social partners in the development and implementation of strategies to address the crime epidemic.”
The party said that its president, Opposition Leader Godwin Friday has made it clear that he is ready to “work in the nation’s best interest.
“He has also set out what the NDP would do to address this and has said it is his top priority. While others seek to blame, he is committed to doing all the NDP can to address this epidemic of violent crime. Anyone with information that might assist the police investigations should contact the police immediately,” the party said.
Too many deaths in that little place of st.vincent. you all can stay there and die.
The police should have used proper force to deal with people with mental illness not shoot and kill them. You can’t let police shoot and kill people without being held accountable.
Arh True! Crazy people should not be shot dead by police unless it is in self- defense. A taser device should be used to physically disabled the person causing the threat.
Svg have become a place where gun is the only solution to every problem…lover of guns will alway pay the consequences