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.... Local News

06th May 2010
Domestic Violence - Leading Cause of Murders
M.G. George

Domestic violence has been singled out as the primary cause of murders in Saint Lucia.
This announcement by a government minister was made a few hours before the country recorded its 15th and 16th homicides/murders for the year.
An almost all morning session amongst the crime unit within the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force as a result of the Tuesday night’s murder of yet another young man, 26, in the La Pansee area hastens the call for the quick passing of certain key legislation in parliament.
Legislation dealing with DNA testing in serious crimes along with evidence acquired through video links should now be on the table and heading for parliamentary approval if the country seriously wants to present itself as a formidable foe against the criminals in our midst.
Acquiring evidence through video links is now becoming a necessity as the country records more and more cases of sexual molestation of its underage citizens, the most recent of such stories now embroiling the Ministry of Education, the Carmen Renee Memorial Primary School and an employee of the school.
Education Minister Arsene James Tuesday said his Ministry will investigate the report, which alleges that the employee was engaged in showing pornographic images to a female student on his cell phone and making sexual advances toward that child.
The country’s attorney general on Tuesday hinted of the need for video evidence in local court cases, especially in child sexual molestation cases, which would safeguard vulnerable persons in the society like children and from visitors who have been victims of crime and who no longer resides in Saint Lucia.
 
 

From the tone of the attorney general it seems that his office is preparing legislation that would soon make video evidence acceptable in a court of law.
The attorney general spoke of revisiting the existing Evidence Act and a new DNA Act, soon to be tabled before parliament.
While the need for the passage of certain legislation is of paramount importance in the fight against crime, the need to involve the youth in a positive way in that fight is also of critical importance.
National Security Minister Guy Mayers did make note of that in his address in the senate on the Appropriations Bill, which went through the senate Tuesday and although he did not highlight areas in which the youth could be engaged in the fight against crime he did mention that bringing in the youth in this fight must be immediate.
Mayers called for a joint sitting of the two houses of parliament to brainstorm about how best to tackle the situation for maximum results, while at the same time calling on each citizen of the country to contribute to the crime fighting efforts.
He pointed to gangs and illegal drugs as being highly responsible for the illegal and criminal activities taking place in the country. Domestic violence, the Minister said, is the primary cause of murders in Saint Lucia.

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