Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 04, 2017 (SKNIS): The men and women of the security forces were praised for their vigilance and ongoing proactive operations that have resulted in an enhanced level of public safety in St. Kitts and Nevis.
At his monthly press conference on Tuesday (October 03), Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, noted that homicides figures are down 25 percent for the year when compared to the same period in 2016. Additionally, 40 illegal firearms have been recovered which surpasses the 36 seized last year.
“Our security officers continue to make our streets and society safer by an aggressive outreach to take illegal weapons off the streets,” Dr. Harris stated. “Every firearm recovered is one less available to harm, maim, injure and kill our citizens and residents.”
Removing illegal weapons from the street has been a great concern for authorities. In June 2017, an amendment to the Firearms Act imposed stiffer penalties for persons using a firearm to commit a crime. The Bill was moved through the parliament by Dr. Harris, who is also the Minister of National Security, and received support from all members. The measure was in keeping with recommendations from the Police High Command and was consistent with the level of support that government has given to enhance citizen security and improve law enforcement operations.
“I urge our law enforcement officers to press on and continue doing good on behalf of our people and our nation,” the prime minister said.
