Police in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) say that some of the killings in the country are linked to “turf rivalry” but they have no evidence of organised crime in the country.
SVG has recorded 28 homicides this year, 26 of which police have classified as murder.
Seventeen of the 26 murders were gun-related.
“Without being specific, or too specific, we see some instances where turf rivalry is an issue,” acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Trevor “Buju” Bailey said as he fielded questions at a police press conference in Kingstown on July 17.
“And we see where retaliation for one crime or another is also present,” Bailey said, adding that the police investigate “all leads, all angles that we are given and we follow the leads as they come”.
He said some of the turf rivalry is “territory for selling of drugs”.
However, acting Commissioner of Police Enville Williams said that he would not say that the killings are because of organised crime.
“And so, from our knowledge of organised criminal networks, that’s not what you have. You don’t have gangs or organised crime as legally defined organised crime structure, or crime syndicates,” the police chief said.
“That is what you’re operating under. You have persons who are loosely affiliated, who, like Mr. Bailey indicated, perhaps they are warring — well, warring is the wrong word, but they’re fighting against each other for perhaps control of a turf or retaliation, because — a tit for tat– you hit a friend of mines, or you slap a friend of mines, I’m going to come back at you harder, and then it escalates,” Williams said.
“But there is no organised crime in the truest definition of an organised criminal network.”
Asked why the police were not acting on this information, Williams pointed to Bailey’s statements that investigations were ongoing.
“… but what you’ll find more often than not is persons with knowledge of incidents, are reluctant to give the police information,” Williams said.
“So, it takes a long time for the police to properly investigate the matter, without the aid of an eyewitness or somebody who knows something.”
He appealed to the Vincentian public saying, “When you see something or hear somebody because … we have to be our brother’s keeper.
“We have to help each other in times of need. And when a crime is committed against me, I am in need of it being resolved.
“And so, if you see something, then I implore you to say something. Because really and truly that is what is — people are seeing and people have information and knowledge as to who is perpetrating the crime but for some reason, they’re reluctant to speak about them.”
Williams said he wanted to assure the public that the police would treat all information confidentially “to ensure that you as the person who’s giving the information, that you are not in any way, form, shape or fashion placed in harm’s way; that we will do everything we can to protect you and your family.”
The police chief said people give information to the police because “today might be me and tomorrow is your turn” and victims would want people to testify on their behalf.
I wonder what’s best for the victim? Turf rivalry or organized crime?
This presentation sounds as if it’s a revival of an old theme that is meant to give comfort, ease and assurance to residents who know, for sure, they have no turf. I pray it works….
“Drugs” is such a broad classification. I don’t imagine it’s home-grown cannabis they’re talking about. So, what, in general, is the provenance of the drugs?
When it comes to drugs that run the gamut from crack to designer drugs, I would hesitate to draw such a sharp line in the sand between the fruits of ‘organized crime’ and those of ‘turf rivalry’.
True it is you would be hard-pressed to see members of a syndicate or mob notables residing or moving about in SVG… so why are we dancing on the head of a pin?
The police are not giving folks any assurances that their lives would not be in danger. Look how many people are shot with no evidence of who did it.
Why would anyone endanger their lives and that of their family by speaking to the police?
Then there is the system of rewards that can trigger folks to give solid information that will put away criminals without bail. The bail system is another problem. Folks commit a crime and go in and come out, the commit another crime goes in and comes out. This in and out bail system is dangerous and a problem for the police and witnesses.
It benefits Ralph Gonsalves to have mass chaos in kingstown. He then goes about his Marxist agenda of rigging the elections and overal dictatorship as he has going on there and keeping the people dumb while he behaves like the savior.
People don’t talk because..you know the word..walk & live…Talk & BBC Dead…100%
Freaky asss nigga. He a sixty nine God. (repeat)