Attacks On Tourists St Lucia
The President of the Saint Lucia Craft and Dry Goods Vendors Association has expressed concern over attacks on tourists and has called on the Police Commissioner to address the situation urgently.
Peter “Ras Ipa” Isaac told reporters on Thursday that there have been times when tourists have been robbed and had their things taken.
“I think the Commissioner should look deeply into that,” Isaac asserted.
“We’ve had something you call the Rangers or the Rapid Response. Now in the past, people have said they have done a phenomenal job in terms of protecting that particular industry which we consider to be the pillar of our economy,” the Vendors Association President recalled.
“They could also look into the idea of bringing in reserve police officers who already have some training,” Isaac said.
Isaac said that money could be set aside in the budget so that these officers could work for up to six months when the tourism industry is “alive and well.”
He said that by doing this, people who are looking for chances to steal things from tourists might be less likely to do so.
Isaac says that someone stole an English tourist’s gold chain on Jeremie Street on Wednesday.
He said that when the bad guy grabbed the chain, the tourist fell and got some bruises.
“At the time, there weren’t many officers around. The other thing I notice is the officers who are traversing the City or patrolling the City with bicycles, I find the strategy is a bit questionable. All of them are always together. If you have ten, they are all in the same place. I don’t know if that is the correct strategy,” Isaac told reporters.
He said the officers needed to spread out so they could talk to each other and help each other quickly if something happened.