The handgun and ammo recovered in Bois Patat, Castries on Saturday

(SNO) – Two firearms and a quantity of ammunition, including hollow point bullets, are now off the streets, thanks to law enforcement officials.

Two young men in their 20s were arrested — in separate incidents — but they have not been formally charged.

The first incident occurred on Saturday, Dec. 15, around 5 p.m., when a 9mm handgun and 11 rounds of ammunition, including eight hollow points, were recovered from a young man of Bois Patat, Castries.

Sources told St. Lucia News Online that the young man was walking when police on patrol searched him and found the weapon.

Hollow point bullets are deemed to be deadly because they expand in the target and they are used for greater accuracy, according to information gleaned from several websites.

A RG 14 firearm similar to what was recovered on Sunday in Bagatelle, Castries

Meanwhile, the second incident occurred on Sunday, about 6 a.m., when a 26-year-old man of Bagatelle was nabbed with a RG 14 .22 revolver. Officials said the handgun was found in a bag.

The recovery was made after a search warrant was carried out by a joint police patrol on the man’s residence.

(26)(1)

The post Handguns, hollow point bullets seized by police; Bois Patat and Bagatelle men arrested appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

The Clarkes

(SNO) — Not everything is as it seems.

This well-known phrase can be applied to a British couple in their 70s who, according to the Mail on Sunday, quoting court documents, were couriers for an “organised criminal group” who gave the “impression of being an elderly couple on a road trip”.

Interestingly, the Mail revealed that the couple — former lorry driver Roger Clarke, 72, and his wife Sue, 70 — “went ashore at the island of St Lucia and returned with four new cases”.

The Clarkes were arrested last week when their Caribbean cruise ship, the Marco Polo docked in Lisbon, Portugal. According to the Mail, they are accused of smuggling “20 lbs of high-grade cocaine hidden under false bottoms in their suitcases”.

The couple had reportedly made 16 drug-smuggling trips to Norway in an old car and imported cannabis worth £1 million over 15 months.

The Mail further reported: “After their arrest in Oslo in 2004 they skipped bail and returned to England, where they changed their names and moved into sheltered housing. Their life on the run ended when Mr Clarke became chairman of a residents’ association and his picture appeared in a local newspaper. It led to the couple’s arrest and extradition to Norway, where they were jailed in 2011.

“Court papers reveal they were recruited by a Costa Blanca-based British criminal in 2003 and paid a total of £33,000 to drive across Europe with the cannabis hidden in a secret compartment in a passenger door of their Nissan.

“Eleven of the trips were made from Spain, where they were living at the time. The other five were from the Netherlands. Mr Clarke usually collected the drugs from ‘a supermarket near Alicante’.

“The couple then headed for the German port of Kiel before making the 20-hour crossing to Oslo by ferry, where they handed over the cannabis to Norwegian members of the gang. In all, they smuggled about 573 lb.

“They were caught in Oslo on September 13, 2004. When a sniffer dog detected drugs in the secret compartment of their Nissan, Mrs Clarke burst into tears and her husband confessed, believing he would receive a ‘greatly reduced punishment, possibly no penalty at all’.

“Mrs Clarke was unaware of the true nature of her husband’s first drugs run, on May 17, 2003. Despite her reluctance to get involved after her husband told her the truth, she ‘nevertheless made a choice by joining all the next trips’.”

(8)(1)

The post Elderly British drug couriers were in St. Lucia recently appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

(SNO) — As Saint Lucia heads into the busy Christmas season, the police are promising to get tough on criminals and criminal activities on the island.

Police Commissioner Severin Moncherry said new plans are being put in place as the police have not met some of their intended targets in the fight against crime.

“We at the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force have reviewed our plans and our strategies and from all indications it appears that we have not been able to meet some of our intended targets,” he said. “As a result we are putting in place new plans, new strategies. These strategies will be more head-on, they will be more aggressive and they will be targeted.”

Moncherry said the new plans are aimed at criminals who he said seem to have declared war on Saint Lucians.

“I want, at this point, to thank my hard-working officers for their efforts over the past month. But to those criminals out there, who it appears have declared war on our citizens and by extension the RSLPF, what I will say to you is that the RSLPF will continue to ensure the safety and security of Saint Lucians,” he stated.

He promised more police patrols on the streets of the island.

“We’ve called back six officers from Saint Kitts,” Moncherry stated. “I’ve also called back officers from leave. From the deputy commissioner of police down, many will be on the streets, night and day.”

The commissioner’s statement came against a background of criminal activity in Saint Lucia.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Wayne Charlery, who is responsible for crime and intelligence management, said the police is investigating 40 homicides, excluding one police shooting.

“Thus far, we’ve been able to solve 17 of those cases,” he said.

(0)(0)

The post Saint Lucia police promise to get tough on criminals, increase patrols appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

Sarah Flood-Beaubrun

(SNO) — Member of Parliament for Castries Central, Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, is taking aim at crime and is confident that when root causes of the problem, such as unemployment and poverty, is tackled it can be reduced.

She has started an agriculture program in her constituency where young people can rent a small portion of land to grow crops for sale.

The project is expected to provide jobs for the youth.

Flood-Beaubrun said not everyone will be stopped from committing crime but she thinks a dent can be made in the problem.

“It is one of the solutions,” she stated.

The project is still in the early stages and Flood-Beabrun believes there is no quick fix to the the crime problem that has been plaguing Saint Lucia in recent times.

“It is a long time that our youth have felt that they are marginalized,” she stated. “People need confidence, they need to see things happening, they need to see the result of programs and so it is not a quick fix.”

There have been 42 homicides in Saint Lucia in 2018.

(0)(3)

The post Castries Central MP takes aim at crime appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

(SNO) — Three Saint Lucian men have been sentenced to four years in prison by a Martinique court in connection with a drug trafficking matter, according to Martinique 1ere.

The men, who are between 28 and 41 years old, were sentenced on Wednesday, Dec. 19. Their sentences were accompanied by a 10-year ban from the French territory.

Martinique 1ere further reported that the St. Lucians were arrested at sea, between St. Vincent and St. Lucia, by the French Navy on November 17, 2018. The trio were chased by Navy soldiers after they were observed sailing in a go-fast with “suspicious behaviour”.

In a panic, the men were seen throwing several bales of suspected drugs overboard, Martinique 1ere reported.

The contents thrown away were never recovered and the St. Lucians argued that the bales contained sand, and they were fishing in the area. But the prosecutor said, according to Martinique 1ere, that tools required for fishing were not found on the men’s vessel and that dogs trained for the detection of narcotics “demonstrated the recent presence of products”.

The operation was reportedly carried out in close collaboration with the French Navy, OCRTIS (Central Office for the Suppression of the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs), and the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Fort-de-France.

(11)(0)

The post Saint Lucians convicted for drugs in Martinique argued that there was no evidence against them appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

Chicot

(SNO) — The Police Welfare Association (PWA) has cut ties with the Trade Union Federation (TUF) saying the interest of its members are served better outside the organization.

President of the PWA, Travis Chicot, said while there is no bad blood between the PWA and the TUF, members thought it fitting for the PWA to be independent.

“By the way of a mandate from the membership of the Police Welfare Association, we have severed ties with the Trade Union Federation,” he said at a press conference this week. “I must say that the move has been the subject of many discussions of the membership and finally they have decided that the time is appropriate to recognize our own autonomy.”

Chicot explained that although there is strength in numbers, the time and climate is conducive for the police force to negotiate on its own.

“We want to say clearly that we have no issues with the TUF but however, we believe because of what is happening that it will be fair for us to make representation to our members by ourselves at this point,” he stated.

Chicot also said that the PWA is opened to the possibilities of forming a new entity with firefighters and correctional officers.

“Last year the PWA did report that the Protective Services Federation is something we would like to have seen, however at this point in time we will create no unrest within the TUF. However, if our sister and brother associations wish to form the federation where we could look at all the challenges that law enforcement officers face in this country, we would welcome them and we would at the soonest look to legalize or register the Protective Services Federation,” he noted.

Chicot also said that in the new year the PWA will be pushing for more fringe benefits for its members.

“So we looking for insurances, we looking to get our proficiency and vocational on the book, we looking for duty free, we looking for everything that we can get from this country in equity because we continue to serve, we continue to invest in this country as police officers, and we believe that the time is right that when cash cannot be given something can be given something can be given, so that we can bring ease to our police officers at this time point in time,” he remarked.

(1)(0)

The post Time appropriate to recognize our own autonomy: PWA appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

Pierre

(SNO) — Castries East Member of Parliament Philip J, Pierre has condemned the burglary and the vandalizing of the Marchand Community Center, saying it is a bizarre thing that gives the Saint Lucian society a bad name.

“So it is an action that I outrightly condemn and I want to say to the people who did that, that is not the way to express your frustration, your annoyance, it’s not the way,” he said.

A number of items were stolen in the incident, which took place in the early hours of Monday. But that was not all. The miscreants contaminated food supplies stored there and left graffiti on the Center’s walls.

Pierre said the incident was not right “particularly since many of the food and the materials that were there were ought to be for the less privileged people in Marchand”.

He added, “It gives our society, our community a very bad name, it continues the stigmatization of Marchand.”

He pointed out that the incident does not reflect all the residents of the community.

“It is a bizarre thing to happen and we must sit back and think and be very concerned about why individuals would want to take that kind of action,” Pierre stated. “It’s very bizarre.”

He said the incident was bizarre because nothing was reported stolen.

“The place was utter chaos and confusion,” he noted. “I hope that doesn’t happen again, and I also want to ensure the people of Saint Lucia that they must not condemn the constituency of Castries East.”

(0)(0)

The post Pierre describes burglary of Marchand Community Center “bizarre” appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

GUNNED DOWN: Trinidadian Richie Ramdass was killed on Old Year’s Night in St Lucia.

(SNO) — A Saint Lucian man has been charged in connection with the shooting deaths of a Trinidadian and a Venezuelan last year, according to law enforcement sources.

Fernel Sexius, also known as ‘Cookie’, was charged on Thursday afternoon with the murder of Vincente Jose Mendoza Pacheco, 26, of Venezuela and Richie S. Ramdass, 24, of Trinidad and Tobago, who were gunned down on Sunday, December, 31, 2017 on the St. Jude Highway in Vieux-Fort.

Police sources had theorised that it was drug deal gone wrong.

Sexius, who was already on remand for other offences, including attempted murder, was nabbed by the police in August shortly after officers on patrol stopped a minibus in which he was a passenger.

The wanted man reportedly tried to escape from the lawmen but he was shot and caught in bushes in the vicinity of the Aupicon Junction in Vieux Fort. A firearm was allegedly recovered from the scene.

Double murder

Following the Old Year’s double murder, two St. Lucians, who were held in police custody to assist investigations into the murder of the two foreign nationals, were released on Jan. 8, 2018 without being charged, according to law enforcement sources at the time.

One of the local men, according to residents, was very close to the deceased men.

Pacheco, who succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, was found in a rented Honda CRV, registration #PK437, with gunshot wounds about his body. Ramdass’s body, which also bore several gunshot wounds, was discovered a few metres away from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident occurred close to the house which the victims rented, located on the St. Jude Highway, in the vicinity of its intersection with Cantonement.

According to law enforcement sources, an undisclosed sum of Euros and a firearm were found in the vehicle which had just come out a driveway when the deadly attack occurred.

At the time the Pacheco and Ramdass were killed, their deaths were the 59th and 60th homicides of 2017. That was the highest homicide figure in Saint Lucian history.

(17)(3)

The post St. Lucian charged with double murder of Trinidadian and Venezuelan nationals appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

Scene of a homicide in Castries.

(SNO) — With Saint Lucia facing a rising gun crime problem, National Security Minister Hermangild Francis is of the opinion that the courts are too lenient with criminals and should get tougher to tackle the issue.

He told HTS News that often criminal with matters before the courts are granted bail.

“So when you arrest a young man with a firearm and tomorrow he is back on the streets and you look, they are repeat offenders, repeat offenders, repeat offenders,” he said. “People say about there is no work and there is lack of housing and so on. Yes, all those things contribute but there are people who have made up their minds this is how they want to live their life and no matter how much work you give them, no matter what you do, this is how they going to live their life.”

He said he is happy that the police are stepping up and he urges them to use the law since, according to him, “the law is correct”.

“If persons do not want to understand that it is illegal to carry a firearm, police officers must take action and take the action very forcefully,” he noted.

Francis also congratulated the opposition, saying they have not made negative comments in relation to the rise in crime.

“That augurs good, well for our country,” he stated. “But the stakeholders, like the Chamber of Commerce, who made comments, the clergy, people with clubs and this sort of things, the judiciary, everybody must play their part.”

So far this year Saint Lucia has recorded 42 homicide, including a police killing.

(0)(0)

The post Minister says Saint Lucia’s judiciary too soft on criminals appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

Not the drugs mentioned in the story.

(SNO) — Authorities in Martinique said they have dismantled a major drug trafficking ring following the arrest and indictment of five individuals in the French Caribbean island on Friday, Dec. 21, according to Martinique 1ere.

The individuals, who were not identified in the report, were arrested following an operation on December 18, 2018 in which 50 kilograms of cocaine, more than 20 kilos of cannabis,  a semi-automatic pistol, and several vehicles were seized.

A ticket machine/sorter was also seized “which says a lot about the scale and the profits that could generate this traffic”,  Public Prosecutor Renaud Gaudeul was quoted as saying by Martinique 1ere.

Describing the one-year investigation as an “interesting narcotics disbursement file”, Guadeul disclosed that this was a “traffic in narcotics between Saint Lucia and Fort-de-France and specifically the neighborhoods of Sainte-Thérèse, Dillon and to a lesser extent Pointe des Neiges”.

The investigation was initiated in September 2017 and conducted by the Departmental Directorate of Public Security. According to the report, this department does not normally investigate matters of this nature.

“The DDSP is more oriented towards street traffic, street dealings, street consumption, but it also happens that the various investigations that we are led to conduct lead us to more organized, more structured criminal organizations like this one. We have been able to dismantle this operation,” said Commissioner Mathieu Pittaco, who is also deputy director of public security in Martinique.

The five individuals were handed over to the JIRS (specialized inter-regional jurisdictions) and placed in custody, the report stated.

(0)(0)

The post Major drug trafficking ring involving Saint Lucia dismantled in Martinique, 5 arrested appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

(SNO) — The Martinique national police is investigating the fatal shooting of a young man in Volga Plage, Fort-de-France on Wednesday night, and the deceased is reported to be a Saint Lucian national, who is “unfavourably” known to the French neighbouring island’s police, according to local media.

Emergency personnel were called around 11:38 p.m. about the shooting. Upon arrival, they observed a man, who appeared to be in his 30’s, with about 20 bullet wounds in his back and stomach areas, according to Martinique 1ere. Another report — on RCI Martinique – stated that the victim is 19 years old, of Saint Lucian origin, and travelled frequently between Saint Lucia and Martinique.

The victim was in “cardiopulmonary arrest” when they arrive, but he was pronounced dead on the spot by a doctor one hour later, the report stated.

Martinique 1ere reported that several bullet castings were recovered on the scene near the body and a “large quantity” of drugs was also found on the deceased, while RCI FM reported that investigators found “a noticeable amount of cannabis resin” on his body.

The Volga is reportedly a hotbed of crime. A fatal shooting of a man occurred there just a few weeks ago, according to media reports.

(0)(11)

The post BREAKING NEWS: Drugs found on Saint Lucian shot dead in Martinique: reports appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

Photo credit: RCI FM

(SNO) — A Saint Lucian national is among five individuals arrested in Martinique earlier this week in connection with a major drug trafficking ring that was dismantled on the French neighbouring island after a yearlong investigation, according to RCI FM.

Investigation into the narcotics operation was initiated in September 2017 and culminated on the night of Tuesday, December 18 with the raid of five “drug storage sites” in Fort de France, the report stated.

More than 50 kilograms of cocaine, more than 20 kilos of cannabis, a loaded pistol, ammunition, an account book, a banknote sorting machine, and several vehicles were seized during the operation.

According to the report, the operation began a year ago after authorities discovered that a  drug trafficking ring was taking place between Saint Lucia and Fort-de-France.

The report (after being translated) reads: “Monitoring operations make it possible to identify movements during 2017 and early 2018. Between October 25 and November 28, 2018, the investigators noted a revival of activity with 4 drug import operations.

“On the night of December 18th, a fifth landing is identified. Two vehicles heading towards Cap Chevalier at Saint-Anne, made a brief stop before heading immediately to Fort de France. The vehicles are seen on a first place identified as a place of storage before routing to the home of a suspect.

“A device of interpolation is immediately put in place on 4 points between the districts of Sainte-Thérèse, Dillon and Pointe des Nègres. At the home of …. at Pointe des Nègres, a loaded automatic pistol and chargers are discovered.

“Five people were arrested but only two were brought to justice because the others had only a secondary role in the case. Two people were subjected to prolonged custody. One is a 33-year-old St. Lucian citizen, already convicted of similar acts in 2009 and 2014. He is currently under national inadmissibility.

“The other is a 26-year-old man of French nationality, unemployed. It was currently the subject of only two convictions for traffic offenses.

“The two individuals acknowledged their participation and were brought before the investigating judge of JIRS on Friday. They have been indicted for the following counts: importation of narcotics in a state of law recidivism, acquisition, offer and transport of these products, criminal conspiracy, laundering of drugs, acquisition and detention without authorization Class B weapons in a meeting.”

EARLIER REPORT: Major drug trafficking ring involving Saint Lucia dismantled in Martinique, 5 arrested

(SNO) — Authorities in Martinique said they have dismantled a major drug trafficking ring following the arrest and indictment of five individuals in the French Caribbean island on Friday, Dec. 21, according to Martinique 1ere.

The individuals, who were not identified in the report, were arrested following an operation on December 18, 2018 in which 50 kilograms of cocaine, more than 20 kilos of cannabis, a semi-automatic pistol, and several vehicles were seized.

A ticket machine/sorter was also seized “which says a lot about the scale and the profits that could generate this traffic”, Public Prosecutor Renaud Gaudeul was quoted as saying by Martinique 1ere.

Describing the one-year investigation as an “interesting narcotics disbursement file”, Guadeul disclosed that this was a “traffic in narcotics between Saint Lucia and Fort-de-France and specifically the neighborhoods of Sainte-Thérèse, Dillon and to a lesser extent Pointe des Neiges”.

The investigation was initiated in September 2017 and conducted by the Departmental Directorate of Public Security. According to the report, this department does not normally investigate matters of this nature.

“The DDSP is more oriented towards street traffic, street dealings, street consumption, but it also happens that the various investigations that we are led to conduct lead us to more organized, more structured criminal organizations like this one. We have been able to dismantle this operation,” said Commissioner Mathieu Pittaco, who is also deputy director of public security in Martinique.

The five individuals were handed over to the JIRS (specialized inter-regional jurisdictions) and placed in custody, the report stated.

Major drug trafficking dismantled
This week, a large narcotics trafficking under investigation since last year has been dismantled. Major operations led to the discovery of several drug storage sites in Fort de France. Five suspects were arrested.
More than 50 kg of cocaine, more than 20 kg of cannabis herb, a loaded automatic pistol, ammunition, an account book, a banknote sorting machine and several vehicles. This is the booty of investigators working to dismantle a large drug trafficking. The catches took place on December 18th in Fort de France where storage sites had been identified.

It all started last year, in September 2017 with the identification of drug trafficking between Saint-Lucia and Fort-de-France. Monitoring operations make it possible to identify movements during 2017 and early 2018. Between October 25 and November 28, 2018, the investigators noted a revival of activity with 4 drug import operations.

On the night of December 18th, a fifth landing is identified. Two vehicles heading towards Cap Chevalier at Saint-Anne made a brief stop before heading immediately to Fort de France. The vehicles are seen on a first place identified as a place of storage before routing to the home of a suspect.

A device of interpellation is immediately put in place on 4 points between the districts of Sainte-Thérèse, Dillon and Pointe des Nègres. At the home of a mis en cause at Pointe des Nègres, a loaded automatic pistol and chargers are discovered.

Five people were arrested but only two were brought to justice because the others had only a secondary role in the case. Two people were subjected to prolonged custody. One is a 33-year-old St. Lucian citizen, already convicted of similar acts in 2009 and 2014. He is currently under national inadmissibility.

The other is a 26-year-old man of French nationality, unemployed. It was currently the subject of only two convictions for traffic offenses.

The two individuals acknowledged their participation and were brought before the investigating judge of JIRS on Friday. They have been indicted for the following counts: importation of narcotics in a state of law recidivism, acquisition, offer and transport of these products, criminal conspiracy, laundering of drugs, acquisition and detention without authorization Class B weapons in a meeting.

(0)(0)

The post UPDATE: Saint Lucian among 5 arrested in major drug trafficking ring in Martinique appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

(SNO) – A man is nursing a gunshot wound following a shooting incident in Mongouge, Choiseul on Tuesday, Dec. 25, according to emergency and law enforcement officials.

The victim has been identified as 35-year-old Mongouge resident, Brian Felix.

He was shot in the foot around 7 a.m. and transported by ambulance to hospital in stable condition.

No additional information was immediately available.

(3)(3)

The post Man injured in Choisuel Christmas Day shooting appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

Francis

(CMC) – National Security Minister Hermangild Francis has dismissed calls for his resignation as the island recorded its 43rd murder so far this year.

“If the prime minister believes I am not being as efficient as I can be, then it is his prerogative to decide to change me,” Francis reportedly said, adding “so it is up to the prime minister to decide whether I stay or go”.

The former deputy police commissioner said most of the times the critics on social media hide behind fake names, but that he has never backed down from any challenge.

“If you sit in my office for one day you will understand the vastness of my office – there are a number of things to deal with,” said Francis, who is also the minister of home affairs and justice.

“Some people just look at it as ‘You’re the minister of home affairs and you are supposed to solve crime.”

“I can’t solve crime. I can assist the police, give them the materials and ability to fight; but at the end of the day it has to be the commissioner and the hierarchy of the police force to devise polices and methods of dealing with crime,” Francis said.

The latest murder occurred on Thursday when an elderly man was shot at his home by a stray bullet after a young gunman opened fire on another young person near a supermarket in Marchand, east of Castries.

Opposition Leader Philip J. Pierre, who is the parliamentary representative for the area, condemned the shooting saying that such events lead to further stigmatisation of the area.

“I am really at a loss for words at the brazenness of such actions,” he said, adding “I can only hope, as I have said before, that we can find better ways to resolve our conflicts and that has to come from all sections of the society.”

(3)(7)

The post Hermangild Francis: ‘police responsible to devise policies, methods to deal with crime’ appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

(CMC) – Several countries in the region were rocked by a magnitude 3.4 earthquake early Sunday.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that at 7:29am (local time) the tremor affected the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, St. Martin, Sint Maarten, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts Nevis, US Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla and St. Barthelemy.

The USGS reports that the earthquake was located 78 kilometres NNE of Road Town in British Virgin Islands, with a depth of 88.0 kilometres.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

(2)(1)

The post Earthquake felt in several Caribbean islands appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

(SNO) — An investigation is underway into the suspicious death of a well-known senior male resident, according to sources.

The dead body was discovered at a residence in Pat, Grand Riviere, Gros Islet around noon on Sunday, Jan. 13, sources said.

The deceased is believed to be in his late 60’s.

No additional details were available, but we will provide more when they become available.

(3)(5)

The post BREAKING NEWS: Police investigating suspicious death in Piat appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

(SNO) — Police said the dead body discovered at a residence in Piat, Grand Riviere, Gros Islet on Sunday, Jan. 13 has been identified as that of British national Robert ‘Bob’ Hathaway, and a homicide investigation is underway.

Hathaway, a businessman and longtime resident of Saint Lucia, was reportedly discovered around midday at his residence by a neighbour. He was 66 years old.

Blood was discovered at the scene, police said.

This is the first homicide for the year, police said.

According to his Facebook account, Hathaway is managing director of Marigot Sunshine Ltd. (Saint Lucia), studied engineering at University of Cambridge, and from Codford Saint Peter, Wiltshire, United Kingdom.

His Linkedin profile provided more information: marina and tourism consultant, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; director of Marigot Sunshine Ltd since April 2014; marina manager, Glossy Bay Marina in Canouan from March 2017-Dec. 2017; director-allied sector, Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) from May 2015-Oct. 2015; director-yachting and marine sector, SLHTA, from Feb. 2009-June 2014; and marina manager, The Marina at Marigot Bay, Saint Lucia, from Oct. 2006-April 2014.

According to Linkedin, Hathaway worked for the Haringey Council in the UK a residential social worker (1974-1979); industrial relations advisor (1979-1984); and general manager-Public Works Department (1984-1989). He served as technical director for Victoria Yachts Limited in Hants, UK (1990-1999) and Northwind Yachts (2002-2003).

(50)(37)

The post UPDATE: Death of British national ‘Bob’ Hathaway confirmed; first homicide of 2019 appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

PM Chastanet

(CMC) – Prime Minister Allen Chastanet has defended the performance of the St. Lucia police force, saying that his administration has been seeking to provide the necessary resources for law enforcement officials to carry out their duties.

In a radio and television broadcast, hours after the island recorded its first murder for 2019, Chastanet said at a time when crime is on the minds of most St. Lucians, his administration has had to spend much of the last 30 months sourcing and providing some of the very basic needs for the police that were not available when the government came into office.

Police said they are investigating the murder of British national, Robert ‘Bob’ Hathaway whose bloody body was found at his home in Gros Islet, north of the on Sunday.

Chastanet told citizens “in today’s world, if you do not have CCTV cameras; if you don’t have a forensic lab; if you don’t have a justice and court system that are working in tandem; if you do not have a DPP’s office that is properly staffed; if your policemen do not have proper communication systems and vehicles, if you do not have proper court buildings, you cannot say you are serious about fighting crime”

“As if those problems were not a heavy enough burden, there are the related sanctions placed on the police in 2012, including travel and overseas training,” he added in a reference to the decision by the United States to impose sanctions under the Leahy Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA).

In 2013, St. Lucia was restricted by the terms of what is commonly referred to as the “Leahy Law” from receiving security-related assistance from the United States as a result of “credible evidence of extrajudicial killings of 17 people in 2010-2011” by the island’s security forces. The US Department of State suspended assistance to the local police force and cancelled the visas of a number of senior police officers, denying them travel to the US.

In 2015, the then Kenny Anthony government said it had received a report of an investigation carried out by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) into the alleged extra-judicial killings.

Human rights attorney, Mary Francis, has expressed concern that the probe into the alleged extra-judicial killings was still dragging on despite the report, known as the IMPACS (Implementation Agency for Crime and Security) report, being submitted.

In his address, Prime Minister Chastanet blamed the last government’s irresponsible handling of the IMPACS investigation for contributing to the “sharp decline in the morale of our police, who are doing their utmost in overwhelming circumstances”.

Chastanet said that his administration, from the onset, had taken steps to combat crime at all levels, including instituting social programmes that address crime at its root.

“We first reopened the Forensic Lab that was closed for some years. As a result we were able to make significant headway in the investigation and prosecution of several rape cases on the island.”

He said that the government is also now faced with another hurdle of tackling the current health and safety issues at the facility, which he is assured will be resolved in the coming weeks.

“We appointed a Director of Public Prosecution and increased resources for the DPP’s office. The new Police Headquarters will also include six new courts, a state-of-the-art control centre and improved facilities for our police.

“Strategically, we have taken decisions to strengthen our police force and justice system, however, we recognize we still have a long way to go in providing the basics that are vital to serious crime fighting. We have invested in CCTV cameras and police communications systems which will be operational within weeks,” Chastanet added.

(3)(1)

The post PM Chastanet defends performance of police appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

(SNO) — Saint Lucia recorded its second homicide for 2019 following the shooting of a young man in the city on Monday evening (Jan. 14), according to law enforcement sources.

Dead is Hendy Calderon, who was 21 years old.

Calderon was shot on Monday at Water Works Road, Castries. Police and emergency officials were contacted about the shooting shortly after 9 p.m.

Calderon was transported by ambulance to Victoria Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

No additional details were immediately available.

Calderon’s death comes not too long after the body of 66-year-old British national and longtime Saint Lucia resident, Robert ‘Bob’ Hathaway, was discovered at his home in Piat, Grand Riviere, Gros Islet on Sunday after midday.

More details on both incidents later today.

(17)(6)

The post UPDATE: Man shot and killed at Water Works – homicide #2 appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.

Giselle Georges (left) and Yana Auguste

(SNO) — The Royal St. Lucia Police Force is taking aim at cold cases with the hope of bringing the perpetrators to justice and closure to the relatives of the victims.

Assistance Police Commissioner-Crime, Wayne Charlery, expressed optimism at a recent press conference that results will be positive.

“In life there will always be challenges,” he said. “The challenges that we are facing right now are no different. It may be a little bit more complex 20 years ago, even 100 years, but the skills and competencies that we have right now, we are more able now to meet those challenges than before.”

He promised to have results on some cold cases within half a year, in collaboration with the forensic lab.

“We will get it done, we will have some measures of success within six months, and I will be here before six months to report to you on some of those cold cases,” Charlery stated.

Cases involving the homicide of Giselle Georges and Yana Auguste are among those on the agenda, police said.

The lifeless body of Georges was reportedly found gagged, beaten, and raped at her residence in Bonneterre, Gros Islet on December 15, 1998, around 2 p.m. She was 16 years old.

Auguste’s body was found near the wreckage of her vehicle at the bottom of Anse Chastnet Hill in Soufriere July 13, 2015. It was initially thought she died as a result of a vehicular accident but a post-mortem revealed the true cause of death were physical trauma and asphyxia.

Meanwhile Police Commissioner Severin Moncherry told the press that although the forensic lab is closed, there is still a staff compliment at the facility.

“Whereas it may be a little longer to get the analysis, it does not mean that we are not getting analysis done,” he stated. “As a matter of fact we are still working closely with the lab, there is a staff compliment at the lab, and we are working very closely with them.”

He stated that although the wait for analysis is longer, “it doesn’t mean that is the end of it and we don’t want analysis at all”.

(9)(1)

The post Saint Lucia police take aim at cold cases appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.