The police officer in charge of crime fighting in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, acting Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Trevor “Buju” Bailey, maintains that gangs are operating in the country, even as his boss, acting Commissioner of Police Enville Williams, maintains that there are no such groups in the country.
In August, Bailey told iWitness News’ Kenton Chance on Jomo Thomas’ “Voices” on WE FM that gangs are operating in the country.
It was the first time that a senior officer was saying that gangs exist in the country, even as more senior ranks and Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, who is also minister of national security, have said that what exists in the country does meet the academic definition of a gang.
The issue came up again on Monday at a police press conference in Kingstown amidst a spate of killings that have driven the homicide count to 53 this year, two less than the record 55 that was set last year.
At the press conference, ACP Christopher Benjamin who is responsible for police operations said that some young men in SVG are “developing a foreign culture of gangster mentality, where they feel that they must settle their difference by guns and bullets.
“It’s frightening. That’s what made policing very difficult. So that’s something else to think about,” Benjamin said.
Asked if he thinks that there are gangs in SVG, Benjamin said:
“No. I’m not saying that. It’s a mentality. I say a mentality because there are certain things that constitute a gang and if it’s not present, you can’t say this is a gang.”
Williams commented on the matter, noting that it was also raised at the previous police press conference, adding that then he had taken the media “down the road where the legally defined parameters that say gangs are not present.
“And from a law enforcement standpoint, it would be dangerous for us to come up with a theory … where the ingredients are not present. We look at the facts, circumstances and evidence, and if all of the ingredients are not present — it can’t be callaloo soup if it’s just water and crayfish and no callaloo.
“Callaloo must be present in the mix to be callaloo soup,” Williams said.
However, iWitness News pointed out to the police chief that one cook might call callaloo “spinach”.
“Let me put it this way. If the green thing is not present in the pot, then it is dangerous to call it either callaloo soup or spinach…” the police chief said.
However, iWitness News noted to Bailey that he had said on the radio programme in August that there are gangs operating in SVG.
“… you have to your right your boss, who’s Commissioner of Police, I’m going to ask you that question again in his presence. Do you think that there are gangs operating in St Vincent?” Chance asked Bailey.
“And, I’ll watch you straight to the face and say that I am not backtracking the statement that I have made,” Bailey responded.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, on Boom FM, Bailey was asked if he believes that gangs are operating in St. Vincent n asked a similar question
“I’ll be a hypocrite if I say no. I said so already; I can’t walk away from it,” Bailey said.
The senior police officer was asked about the difference between him and the police chief on whether gangs are operating in the country.
Bailey said there is “no disconnect in the line of duty with Commissioner Williams and his Assistant Commissioner Trevor Bailey.
“I give Commissioner Williams 115% support so there’s no disconnect. The commissioner may, in his own infinite wisdom, choose to express himself in a particular way. That is Commissioner Williams,” Bailey said.
As regards his view and that of the prime minister and minister of national security on the issue, Bailey said he and Gonsalves have never discussed the subject matter “individually”.
He said he had heard Gonsalves say at a forum on Tuesday that “definition is neither wrong nor right, it’s interpretation.
“So, by virtue of him saying that, he may describe something one particular way, Bing Joseph will do it one way, Trevor Bailey may do it another way. It is the interpretation of Shady, having listened to the discourse that has been advanced by three,” Bailey said, mentioning the host of the radio show and its DJ.
“The Prime Minister’s classification is his, and I can’t speak on behalf of the Prime Minister. I have never tempted to, and I won’t today,” Bailey said.
“Well, I’m sure when he’s here next week, you will ask him that question, if I know you well, you’ll make a note, you’ll ask him and I am sure that he will answer,” he said.
It is more likely than not that from the evidence presented that there are gangs in St Vincent. The type of weapons seized are the smoking guns that the gangs used . Inspector Bailey was being apolitical by refusing to tow the line. I take a bow to him in recognition of an independent stand.