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Contact:
Primus Hutchinson
Monday, October 25, 2004 - While not disputing the escalating crime
syndrome, which presently exist here, Prime Minister Honourable Dr. Kenny D.
Anthony has however, downplay the heavy emphasis placed on unemployment and
poverty as the main cause of crime in St. Lucia.
Speaking during his weekly Radio Programme, “Conversation with the Nation” Prime
Minister Anthony reminded listeners that “if so be the case, why had criminal
activities persisted during periods of the 1980’s and 90’s, when St. Lucia was
supposedly living in better economic times”.
According to Dr. Anthony, unemployment was no more responsible for crime then,
than it is today. He expressed with serious conviction that even if St. Lucia
records 100% employment rate, criminal activities would still persist.
“No reasonable person will totally deny that providing job opportunities for the
unemployed, reduces the chances of them engaging in criminal activities. But to
say that unemployed persons have no choice but to turn to a life of crime is
absurd. It is equally absurd to say that people commit crime because they are
poor. Some of the poorest people that I know are among the most decent law
abiding people in St. Lucia. They resent criminal activities and have never
found themselves on the wrong side of the law”, the Prime Minister said.
Dr. Anthony warned that these generalisations by certain members of the public
were misleading and often did not represent the realities. However, in his
opinion they provide what he termed “ready made excuses”, for those who have
chosen crime as a profession.
A large percentage of the crimes committed in St. Lucia are motivated by greed,
Dr. Anthony said, noting that it was critical that a clear distinction be made
between crimes born out of genuine need and crimes born out of greed. He also
suggested that there be a more sophisticated method in the analysis of crime on
the island.
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