 I welcome you to the Police Force Academy where today the Royal San Lucia Police Force will be in receipt of 11 motor vehicles to be utilized across the length and breadth of the island. Truly, this is a gawk onto an occasion. Woods cannot express how excited I am sure that the officers at all stations and departments are waiting with bated breath for receipt of these resources. I don't want to speak too much, so with that I invite the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Milton Daisy, for brief remarks. I have the honor here today of attending one of many of the Handinova ceremonies as Commissioner of Police. We have received numerous resources on behalf of the Royal San Lucia Police Force in the past, including vehicles. However, today's Handinova ceremony of this fleet of 11 vehicles is especially momentous. It is critical and it provides hope for the Royal San Lucia Police Force. It is critical because it's happening at a point in our life as a country and as a people that we are being ravaged by scores of crime and which includes violent crimes such as gun violence, house invasions, just to meet a few. This happens throughout the length and breadth of our country. As Commissioner of Police, I submit that this escapade by a minority of cowardly, unstately, non-law-abiding citizens has to stop. It must stop. And therefore, it is critical that we have the necessary tools to continue to mount the fight against these criminals to restore peace and tranquility among our citizens. This proposed handing over here today and I say proposed because I am confident that Mr. PM, you will not change your mind on it. It provides critical impetus towards achieving this objective and I am indeed pleased. As I said before, today's ceremony also provides hope. I could see light through the tunnel. It does because it demonstrates government's commitment and determination to providing the necessary support to our efforts in combating the scourge of criminal activities in our communities. It provides hope to the many citizens who call the police for assistance and may have had to wait for hours upon hours to resist, to receive assistance due to unavailability of vehicles. It provides hope. Hope, I said. On behalf of the Executive, the rank and file of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force and the citizens that we serve, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister, the Minister of the Public Service, Home Affairs, Labor and Gender Relations, the rest of the government of St. Lucia and everyone who was involved in making today a reality. Of course, we are not quite there yet. So we look forward to other ceremonies like this in a very near future. The expectations of the force regarding the utilizations of these vehicles, I know it's very high and I get it. I have no doubt that my executive and the rest of the commanders of the force will use it as intended. And as such, those vehicles will be assigned to specific departments where the aim would be to target the criminals. It has come at the right time, a time when resources are scarce. I know that the government have competing departments for resources. However, in the wisdom of the Prime Minister, when asked, when he asked me, what do we need to do something about the crime situation? And I told him one of the most urgent things, we need a lot of things, but one of the things that I think that we need is the vehicles, the fleet of vehicles that could take these officers to the, into the communities, especially the communities where the criminals believe that they could deter persons from enjoying their residents, from enjoying their homes and to make them on safe. The time has come and I said the time has come now and officers were listening and I am sure you will support me in getting out there to the criminals. They have made their way, they have made their choices. It is our turn now. Criminals, you need to stop whatever violence among yourselves, stop harassing citizens, law abiding citizens and put down the guns. If you cannot do it willingly, I could assure you the police officers will cause you to do it. And I know I make no bones about it. Once, and to you officers, once you are acting within the ambits of the law, you will be supported right through. In every situation, it is only you that would be able to justify the level of force that is used. There are varying levels of force that could be used to achieve your objective. Issue in a ticket, I don't think there's any or little force is needed to issue tickets to drivers. Asking a driver for his driver's license, no force needed once there is compliance. However, in dealing with gun violence, know what it is, especially in the night. Your life may be a danger in responding to situations. I'm urging you to make the right decisions, look at all opportunities available to you, and take the necessary action. And as I've said, you will be supported all the way once you have acted within the ambits of the law. We are starting tomorrow. Thank you. Today is my second round at the microphone. This morning, I spoke on the registration of civil status, registering books and death certificates using DigiGolf. And that is a big operation undertaken by the government of St. Lucia. And one of the questions I ask them is how they are going to assist the police in fighting crime and ensure that there is justice. So this afternoon, I want to say that truly an occasion, it is an occasion to feel very elated. And speaking to the issue at hand, great importance was placed on this task. And naturally today, we are very happy and proud it has come to fruition. Commissioner is beaming and smiling, even blushing today. Not even the mass can disguise how excited he is today. Because the Prime Minister has responded and the Cabinet of Ministers, we have responded to the cry. Commissioner, this is your independence day present. It is finally here. We can say that the Prime Minister has been very driven and the Commissioner has been very driven about getting those vehicles. This government believes in addressing the crime issue by employing remedial policy decisions where necessary. We are heeding to the voice of the citizen. The people must be heard as they are key stakeholders. They are entitled to receive a listening ear from the government. A government that they ensured were put in office to execute judicious and strategic decisions as needed so that things can gradually become much better than they have been over the past many years. Imagine today, we have to put safety before food, before education, before health. But that cannot happen because the Prime Minister and Ministers of Cabinet see them as of equal importance. We have to protect our citizens, we must feed them, we must educate them, we must give them quality health and provide for their social benefits. This administration has been acutely aware of public outcry, greatest concern and loudest compliments to do with transportation for the police to respond and carry out their duties in a timely and effective way. This morning, I employed the members of the public service to live to the expectation of the public service. We are here to serve the public and we have to serve the public in an efficient and effective manner and giving them high quality services. There always seem to be a lag time when the persons in distress have to wait. These vehicles that are being given to the police today, I can tell you, Commissioner and your team, the people ask the question, who will police the police? I don't think all Cabinet Ministers and Prime Ministers will follow every vehicle, but I will tell you the citizens of St. Lucia will follow you. Imagine how quickly active ongoing volatile situations can deteriorate. Oftentimes waiting is a luxury one cannot afford. They are sincerely appealing for the tools that they need to carry out the duties effectively. Today signifies that call has been heard and action taken. The Prime Minister is a man of action. The book of James says, what good is it, my brothers? If someone says he has faith, but does not have works, can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, go in peace, be warmed and filled without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. He says he will do it, he will get it done. And today that is the promise the Prime Minister and his Cabinet team promise that we will deliver and we are here to deliver. Commissioner, I thought you were saying you're starting from tonight. So you are not sure if Prime Minister will hand over the keys this afternoon, not necessarily overnight, but it will be done in order of national priority. The Prime Minister and Minister for National Security has been very proactive towards this and several other concerns of the police, especially at a time when crime is at unacceptable high levels, as indicated in his independence message on Tuesday. Minister for Home Affairs and her team as I speak have been very persistent on top of this matter. Today I am especially elated to witness the handing over. And I think this is the first time that you are witnessing the Prime Minister and myself sharing a platform discussing the police. So we have to settle our score today. People ask who is responsible for the police? Well, I have the answer. I am responsible for the conditions of service and the salaries for the police. No, salaries meaning how much they get. The Prime Minister has to get it. And the Prime Minister is responsible for the operations for security. And I say conditions of service, meaning what they need for them to do the work. That's my responsibility. And the Prime Minister will say how they use what they get, when they use it and what they need to do. Now, some people may question that, but I believe it's because the Prime Minister believes in gender balance. And as gender balance, they said that women look at the soft skills. And sometimes I remind persons that policemen are human beings, they have families, they have to live in the society and we applaud them for the sacrifices that they make in keeping us safe. That while we might be sleeping at home, these policemen are out there. They have left their families behind and they are putting their lives at risk to ensure our safety. I think we need to give them a round of applause for that sacrifice. This hope signifies a new era for the police and that better reviews from the police will be generated as the response time improves. Now, as Minister of Home Affairs, it's like the mother of your children in the home. And we have a number of units on home affairs that deals with security of the state. And I have to remind the Prime Minister that we have to quiet the noise. We have orderly correctional facility. We have the fire service. We have probation and parole. And we have the police. I need to reassure them that the Prime Minister is looking at everybody. But right now at the situation that we are in, security is critical. We need to be safe in this country. As Minister of Home Affairs, I remain committed to doing my best to address the many needs which have been committed on my agenda. On other departments other than the police, everything in due time, everything is in due time. Your turn might be the next. So fire officers, born early, we have immigration, we have probation and parole. I keep discussing with the Prime Minister your cry and we are looking at it. We are taking it in strides and we are getting there. Whatever support is given to the police is really given to each and every one of us. It's not a matter of the police, it's about us. In summary, let me state that the Prime Minister approved the procurement of 11 vehicles for the police this month. The 11 vehicles amount to a total of one million and sixty-nine thousand five hundred and ninety-four dollars and forty-eight cents. That's for the solution people to hear. That's the taxpayer's money and they will want accountability. Vehicles to be distributed for use throughout the island and the commissioner and his team of assistant commissioner of police have a careful plan to ensure they are well taken care of. So there is responsible use for the vehicle and that they are maintained regularly. You have to treat the vehicles as though they are yours because this is a big investment at this critical time in the country. The intention is that this fleet will be around for a while as this is a costly venture and more so given the economic strain caused by the pandemic. I want to assure the police, I want to assure the units in home affairs that the government of St. Lucia with the support of the Prime Minister and his team, we will put you first. We concern about your welfare and we will try our best. Let God protect our law officers. Let God protect our decision makers and let us get it right. I thank you. This afternoon is a simple but significant ceremony because I can assure you that the fiscal situation of the government had to be tweaked and had to be prioritized for us to get 1.06 million dollars to buy vehicles for the police. It's not a situation that the government can afford. We can't afford but it was important that we made a statement to the police that we cared about them and we cared about their conditions of work and this is why I want to thank my cabinet for agreeing to prioritize expenditure even before the budget to get 1 million dollars to spend on the police service and this is not the beginning of the improvement of conditions of work for the police. I want to tell you quite boldly that once we use what we have correctly, you will be getting more vehicles because I know you deserve more vehicles so you will be getting more vehicles but a condition that you use what you have wisely and you use it as if it was yours. I was speaking to the police high command this week and I said to them the matter of fighting crime and the work of police officers ought to be not only a duty but a vocation. It ought to be something that you want to live a legacy that I was a member of the police force when criminal activity in this country was reduced to zero or near zero. A legacy that you can tell your children that I was part of it. I caused St. Lucia to be a safer place and I caused the people of St. Lucia to work and live and make our country one of the best places to work and live in the world and the way you achieve that is by ensuring that there is a secure country and it must be looked upon as a job. It must be looked upon as if something that you do to make the government or to make the prime minister look good. When most of you will be there I will not be prime minister because you have a security of tenor. I have no security of tenor. People decide my faith every five years or sometimes if you're in Barbados every three years so I very well know that my faith depends on people. No one has to remind me. I need no reminder but what I know is once the people have entrusted me with the confidence and I want to thank them for that. Once they've allowed me the people of St. Lucia through the people of Castro's East to have the confidence to be in a position where I can administer the governance of this country I will do it without fear and favor to the best of my ability for the well-being of the majority. And the well-being of the majority means that we must have a safe and secure country for us to live in. So I will spend no efforts within the limits of the fiscal constraints that we live with to improve your conditions. So this year and I say this year with emphasis we are going to commence construction of the Grozile police station. The Grozile police station is a station six years too late but it's going to start this year and I've been told that the construction time will be a little less than 18 months so if God spares our lives and the people of St. Lucia spare our lives we will be opening a brand new police quarters in the town of Grozile if not at the end of 2022 in the first quarter of 2023. We are also going to be, and I've just discussed with the Attorney General, we are finalizing the agreements with NIPRO to repair the view fort police station. That agreement is going to be finalized very soon and NIPRO has promised that they are ready to commence work on the view fort or the southern headquarters of the police force. So we are going to start that this year and it's going to continue hopefully I understand that the construction time may be about 12 and 12 months so the police officers in the south you are going to have better conditions of work very soon. There's been a lot of criticism about the police criticism about the police high command and I and everyone knows that many people are saying that the government the government's actions have been too slow when it comes to the police service but I want to tell you that part of my philosophy is allowing every man and woman a chance to prove themselves wrong. I start with trusting you until you cause you cause me to distrust you and I always say to my colleagues that I'm not in a business of reading any man or woman's heart that's what my father taught me. So I never try to imagine people's motives or people's hearts I can't I never will and no one will. I can only act on your actions I can only act on how you behave I can only act on what you produce and that is how I will measure the police service on the actions and their production not on anybody's heart. I can't promise you that apart from not being a heart surgeon it's impossible to read anybody's heart so I will not try to interpret anybody's motives. I challenge the police high command and the officers to improve the crime situation in the country and they want the tools to do it I will provide the tools these are not going to be the only vehicles that you're going to get we are going to produce more vehicles to you this year because what we ask for you is from you is commitment what we ask from you is every day you put your uniforms or you go to work you go to work with a purpose of improving the quality of life for yourself your children and the country because at some point if the crime continues it will reach your doorstep it might reach yours personally but it will reach your friend your cousin your family it will reach you so you have a moral duty to ensure that by your actions and by the work you do not for the prime minister not for me not for the government not for the ministers for yourself and for your country you give a fair day's work for a fair day's pay I know that your conditions could be better but I want to tell you that's the history of our government to improve the conditions of the men and women of the police force we were the ones who built all the new police stations in se lucha today I can say that without any fear or favor we were the ones who built the march on a police station we were the ones who built the two police stations in denry we were the ones who will build the grossly police station so when it comes to understanding the conditions of work under which policemen live and work work in particular we know about it and this government will continue will continue to work so that you can have better conditions so it's up to you it's up to you it's up to you to a pride and dignity it's up to you to understand that you have to work together this cannot be a business of territory or territorial or this is my section this is his and I can't interfere in it we cannot run the police force as silos we can't run the police force where we are hoping that somebody will fail so we can succeed failure for one is failure for all so if somebody fails and you think that you succeed because somebody fails all of us fail together so I want you to take this handover this 1.06 million dollars which we spent as just the government is not a favor is the government's commitment to you so that you in turn can improve the conditions can improve the quality of life in this country and the quality of life depends on how safe people are solution used to be a place where you could on evenings relax on the beach with your family I hope so your family you could relax on the beach with your family used to be a place where people used to go window shopping now all the stores are covered you can't even see what's there use your place where people used to go and sit on the Derek Walker square we need to be able to bring back that quality of life to St Lucia St Lucia cannot be a place where you are afraid and it's up to you the owners is on you to bring that life back we can bring it back there are countries in the region where we've brought it back sometimes we speak about Singapore the first situation in Singapore was they did two things they cleaned the country and they saw about law and order a country without law and order regardless of all the strides that you make economically if there is no law and order if there's not security or person the country will not be a bet a good place to live so this home invasion thing must stop I was appalled that there could have been a home invasion in one of the most popular places in St Lucia and I know weaknesses are afraid to come forward I have assured the commission of police that this year he's going to get more resources for your witness protection program because you can't have a situation where people see a crime is committed they keep quiet because they are afraid that they got they get injured if they bear testimony that cannot be right it cannot be right so the police their witness protection program will be strengthened but the public themselves must put a hand as they see the public can't expect that the police will be the eyes and the ears of everywhere for everywhere and there's a lot of criticism and sometimes the criticism of the police is warranted but we cannot blame if one policeman does something wrong to blame the entire police force for the actions of one policeman and the police themselves by their behavior must show a level of empathy and a level of professionalism because you are very important and powerful people any man or woman who can take somebody's freedom for 72 hours is a powerful person very powerful and when you have that uniform or you take that oath you become extremely powerful so you have to use that power with prudence and with temperance and showing that it is for the benefit of all the people so this afternoon Mr. Commissioner this is just the beginning of the improvement of the working conditions for the members of your force I want to thank my cabinet colleagues for understanding that this government deals with priorities and if you notice the first people we bought vehicles for is the police is for the police and we kept the old vehicles that have been inherited and that is a that is significant because we have used vehicles and you have new ones that is how important we take you and the members of your service so everybody must understand our commitment to law and order and we are not going to be going about the police boasting and beating our chairs we think that the police they deserve it so the police cannot be put in a situation where they have to get their requirements from dinners no matter how good and well-being these may be the government must make a conscious effort using the resources of the state to put law and order first and regardless of the constraints we will have to find the resources plus dinners if you want but we have to have the resources to improve your conditions of service so I thank you very much for the work that you've been doing I know that the public expects a lot more from you I want you to live up to these expectations the government will support you so I want you from today to have a more unified police force each policeman must watch his brother's back that is the essence of your business you must watch each other's back and I said before it cannot be let him fail for me to succeed I thank you very much