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CoP to criminals: 'We know who you are!'
COP Matthews was the opening and key-note speaker at the RVIPF’s first in a series of community meetings, held at the Stickett, Long Look on the main island of Tortola on January 16, 2017. It was a meeting that was opened to all persons across the territory.
We know your name & where you live
Among those that were noticeably present were Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering, who is also the Seventh District Representative, Opposition Leader Hon Julian Fraser RA, (R3), Junior Minister for Trade and Investment Promotion Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8), former Deputy Premier R. Dancia Penn, Virgin Islands Party (VIP) 2015 General Elections’ Candidates Sharie B.Y. de Castro and Charmaine Rosan-Bunbury, VIP President Natalio D. ‘Sowande Uhuru’ Wheatley, former Complaints Commissioner Elton Georges, and Acting Chief Immigration Officer Mrs Geraldine Ritter-Freeman, among others.
“And if any of those who know that they did it [crimes] are listening to this tonight or subsequently in any radio re-broadcast or any public broadcast, start looking over your shoulders because I am serious, we know the names of some of these people, we know where they live…,” Mr Matthews said emphatically but added, “But what’s more important is if we know, people in the community also know and we need you to speak up and say what you know….somebody knows who is doing this and by saying nothing is protecting them.”
This is not America
Commissioner Matthews said that he has been given several suggestions to curb the wave of crimes hitting the territory, among which was to equip all business owners with firearms. “What I do know is that we do not have the right to bear arms, this is not America (USA) it’s not in our constitution, what I do know is that if you shoot an offender in the Virgin Islands because you think it’s the right thing to do to protect your business interest, my officers will investigate you for homicide, that’s the law.”
Matthews told residents that police officers were right on the outside of the business place of Mr Frankie J Fahie when he was shot. He also alluded to another recent robbery where he said a witness saw men hiding and preparing their guns and putting on their masks. In another incident, a person attempted to pay a cashier in the height of the business being robbed at gun point. He referenced to those incidents as he appealed to persons/witnesses to call police at any sighting of suspicious criminal activities.
Don’t get frustrated COP
Lending his support to the RVIPF, Hon Pickering said, “the police have a job to do but all of us as citizens of the community equally have a responsibility to each other to ensure that we do our best to protect one-another.” He said it’s not a job for the COP, elected representative, pastor or a teacher but rather its one for all collectively.
Hon Fraser, while lending his support for the work of the RVIPF, voiced that he is convinced that Commissioner Matthews understands what is going on in the Virgin Islands as he told him, “Don’t get frustrated when you can’t get people to come and give evidence, don’t get frustrated, you have to understand the culture under which they are refusing to do all this. Your job and the jobs of the elected representative, such as Deputy Premier, are to try and change that attitude.”
Hon Fraser added that the people of East End/Long Look are no different from others of the territory and they should not be subjected to the kind of violence that is meted out to their community.
Hon Penn summed up his charge to the community with quotes from the famous Martin Luther King Jr. “He who accepts passively accepts evils is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it….The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Hon Penn also voiced that there are just a few persons in the communities guilty of the acts of ‘terror’ but community members are the ones with the power to break the silence.
Think about the children
In her address, Ms de Castro said “Blame us as a community” for the state of crimes while Ms Shakima Stoutt challenged criminals to give up themselves and think about the children, the up-coming generation.
Head of the East End Police Station Sergeant Selwin Rock assured residents that he and his team are prepared to do what it takes in supporting the community and to bring criminals to justice.
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But People Really Know Who To Pick On Mehson