BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – The opposition senator in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly says the general public is seeking answers from the Commissioner of Police in relation to several matters of public concern.
Hon. Nigel Carty reacting to a statement by Police Commissioner, Mr. Ian Queeley, in response to comments made on Freedom FM 106.5 said that as a former member of the Federal Cabinet of Ministers, he has had the distinct pleasure of working closely over a number of years with the men and women in uniform.
“I have had the good fortune of providing legislative and policy support for the initiatives of the security forces of our Federation. From what I can tell, for the most part, the men and women in our Police Force are highly professional people who mean well. Be that as it may, we as citizens cannot turn a blind eye to the few rogues and criminals in uniform who corrupt the ranks of the Police Force. And, beyond the rogues and criminals, good police officers sometimes bow to overt or subtle political and other pressures in the subversion of justice. These pressures to which I refer are excessively egregious under the current administration. These are matters to which my attention is often turned,” said Carty in a statement.
He noted that over the last thirteen months, he as a private citizen and a Member of Parliament has a right to express some poignant views in relation to the Police.
“My first critical statements were made in October 2015 in relation to the handling of an incident at Conaree involving the importation of contraband into the country. The public would recall the arrest of three (3) persons including the son of Former Prime Minister Dr. Kennedy Simmonds. I recall one senior officer of the Police at a press conference falsely indicating to the public that a question as posed by a member of the press corps could not be answered because the case was ‘sub judice’. I observed the police trying to tip-toe around the son of the former Prime Minister and I predicted then that despite the excellent work of the Police leading to a successful interception that evening at Conaree, the case would go nowhere,” said Carty.
According to Carty, the Police would do well to assure the public that he was wrong on that score, and he would be happy to so admit.
“It is my duty as a citizen and a legislator to reveal the flaws and compromises in our system so as to help improve our system of justice and our democracy,” said Carty, who noted that months after, the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, is yet to deal with several threatening statements on FaceBook by a person, named Mabel Richards.
“I have been very critical is the apparent lack of will on the part of the Police to deal with the FaceBook character, Mabel Richards. The actions of the cowardly persons behind the fake name are bordering on treason. They have issued threats against the life of the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition and the lives of other people. They have engaged in rank and naked character assassination and defamation of ordinary men and women of our state” said Carty, a former Minister of Education and Information.
Mr. Carty pointed to the most recent postings of Mabel Richards in relation to the shootings at Valu-Mart in which the life of a businesswoman was tragically ended is but one mundane example.
“Mabel’s actions undermine the police and our justice system, and threaten the lives and livelihood of ordinary people. This has been happening for over a year. The individuals behind ‘Mabel’ are criminals of the highest order who have set about using electronic means to subvert democracy, justice and the rule of law, and to bring chaos and disrepute, in pursuit of a narrow political end. And, they are connected to people in government. I contend that one of the actors behind ‘Mabel’ is a Police Officer. Where else in the world does anything like this happen on such a calamitous scale without the instant bringing to bear of state resources to stem the outrage?,” asked Mr. Carty, who further asked:
“Can we expect the Police to use the resources that it does have to deal with the ‘Mabel’ criminals? Does the Police High Command view these criminals as a threat to the stability and integrity of our state? Does it have the will or the liberty to pursue this matter as it ought?”
Referring to a specific matter that the commissioner addressed in his response to his recent allegations, Mr. Carty noted that members of the opposition St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party have long contended that the government has sought to politicise the Police Force.
“The very first address to the Police by Prime Minister Harris in February 2015 was a political address without question and is stark evidence of that politicization. His political statements to which many of the officers cheered were, to the public, a confirmation that some officers had hitched their carts onto a political bandwagon. Whenever there is political consideration driving the actions of a police officer (who, by the way, has enormous powers under law), he or she on a singular basis may take action to achieve a politically desirable end. That action may be completely unknown to and unsuspected by his superiors. It is often the one bad apple that spoils the bunch,” said Mr. Carty.
He pointed to the recent attempt by Juni ‘Scrape’ Hodge when he was appointed Superintendent of Prisons, noting that after a presumed lock-down of the prison, the Superintendent announced that a large cache of contraband, guns and mobile phones had been seized during the lock-down.
“There were pictures to substantiate his point. This, however, was a blatant falsehood and was calculated for political mileage only. I should not need to remind anyone that the Superintendent is a former Police Officer,” said Mr. Carty, who expressed the view that the Commissioner of Police, in response to his allegation, ought to have set about to get to the bottom of the matter rather than appearing to be dismissive of the issue.
“His dismissal of this issue may embolden the offenders. He knows that there is always a possibility of corruption in the Force. Only recently was a young police officer found corrupting himself in the drug trade. Others are suspected of similar conduct but on a larger scale. The Commissioner could have discreetly engaged some relevant individual to discern any possible leads to the perpetrator,” said Carty.
He expressed the hope that his statement “caused greater vigilance by our men and women in uniform of their own peers, and that would-be perpetrators, however few and far between, would recognise that there is a network of informants who would ensure that information on their corrupt actions eventually comes to light.”
