By Ronnie Daniel
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is facing a crime crisis that must not be politicised, trivialised or ignored. While there have been reported declines in some categories of criminal activities over the years, the country continues to confront the unsettling reality that comes with alarmingly high levels of gun-related homicides.
Between 2021 and 2025 alone, 220 gun-related homicides were committed, give or take three (3), as there are conflicting reports as to whether 55 or 52 were recorded in 2023, with 54 recorded in 2024. Last year, there were 40 homicides, which represented a 26 % reduction over the previous year.
Beyond the figures, however, are real people and real families who experience pain, fear and uncertainty.
The truth is that the nature and frequency of the crimes committed have long-lasting and crippling effects on the entire society, including but not limited to the already inadequate health sector, the overstretched security services and the fragile economic base.
Government’s first responsibility is to protect the lives of its citizens and maintain, by all necessary means, peace and security. But when criminals, gangs, and illegal firearms threaten communities, the public has a right to ask whether existing strategies are sufficient, effective and evidence-based.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines possesses significant legal tools to combat crime. Police can arrest suspects, execute court-authorised searches, prosecute firearms offences, and undertake intelligence-led operations against criminal networks without the need for emergency powers.
Yet the persistence and dangerous escalation in violent crime suggest that stronger action is required from our law enforcement. Section 17 of our Constitution gives powers to our governor general to determine whether a “state of emergency” exists.
While 17. 2. a and b do not apply, 17. 2 c may meet the legal threshold: “a proclamation under this section shall not be effective unless it contains a declaration that the Governor General is satisfied:’ C. ‘that action has been taken, or is immediately threatened by any person, of such a nature and on so extensive a scale, as to be likely to endanger the public safety or to deprive the community or any substantial portion of the community of supplies or services essential to life.”
Our constitution is clear. When an action or set of actions threatens public safety and the well-being of our communities to the extent that currently obtains in our country, emergency powers can and do permit enhanced law-enforcement powers, such as curfews, expanded search authority, and restrictions designed to disrupt criminal activity.
I believe our country has reached this point and must seriously consider using, in part or whole, aspects of emergency powers to manage crime. Of course, this must be done concurrently with other educational and socio-economic interventions.
Any discussion and decision, however, of temporarily limiting freedoms must be skillfully articulated and have broad-based support. The citizenry must understand why the actions are necessary, to whom they are targeted, when or if progress is made, and when they are likely to end.
Freedom doesn’t mean anything if citizens are afraid to walk the streets, operate businesses, or allow their children to move about safely.
The hard truth is that saving St. Vincent and the Grenadines from decay requires extraordinary measures and we must be bold to ensure that they are enacted and work. The greater danger lies not in the temporary restriction of our freedoms, but in allowing lawlessness to erode the security and freedoms of all. Activate emergency powers now in those areas considered to be a haven for criminal networks.
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