St Vincent Police Commissioner Enville Williams has declared a state of “absolute operational offensive” following a series of brazen gun-related incidents that have left three men dead and another wounded.
The violence, which the Commissioner described as a direct assault on the nation’s “soul,” began in Stoney Grounds within a “sanctuary of commerce” during the light of day and continued hours later in Buccament Bay. Williams asserted that these events have forced citizens to question their basic safety, a situation he termed the “real casualty” of the unrest.
In a national address, Commissioner Williams announced that the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force is mobilizing the full machinery of the state to hunt down criminal elements. He issued a stern warning to those who believe they can operate with impunity, stating, “Your arrogance is your undoing”.
The Commissioner further clarified that law enforcement will not only target gunmen but also those who support them. He warned that anyone providing a roof, a vehicle, or a “wall of silence” for killers will be treated as an accomplice under the full weight of the law.
Addressing the “law-abiding heart” of the country, Williams urged citizens to break their silence, noting that information is the key to stopping the “cancer” of gun lawlessness. He emphasized that misplaced loyalty should not lead to more deaths and explicitly warned against private retribution.
“Vigilantism is not justice,” Williams stated. “It is the fuel that feeds the fire”.
To facilitate the flow of information, the Commissioner confirmed that the Criminal Investigations Department (456-1801) and the Major Crime Units (457-1211) are on standby. Additionally, the police force will inaugurate a QR code in the coming days to allow citizens to submit information freely and anonymously.
Commissioner Williams concluded his address by calling for national unity and resolve, promising that the police will reclaim the streets and ensure that law and order remain absolute in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Full unedited address
“Fellow Vincentians, there are moments in the life of a nation that demand more than mere observation. That demands a reckoning. Today we stand at such a crossroad.
The brazen gun violence that erupted in stoney grounds unfolding in the stark light of day within a sanctuary of commerce and continued hours later in Buccament Bay is not merely a police matter. It is a direct assault on the peace the dignity and the very soul of this country. Three men are dead, another is wounded and every Vincentian watching this unfold is now asking a question they should never have to ask. Is it safe to step outside? The question is the real casualty.
This is where we draw the line and we’ll bring everything we’ve got to the fight. The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force will now shift our focus and our footing to an absolute operational offensive. We are focusing every lawful resource on this and from here forward our action will speak louder than any words. We will be mobilizing the machinery of the state to hunt down those who believe they can act without consequence to the criminal elements who believe they can transform the society into private hunting grounds. Your arrogance is your undoing.
Anyone who provides a roof, a vehicle, or a wall of silence for these killers, you are not bystanders. You are accompllices to the destruction of your own country. Under the full weight of the law, we will find you. We will break the structure that sustain you. The pattern of gunrelated lawlessness is a cancer that seeks to metastasize into our towns and villages.
But a nation is only as safe as its citizens are courageous. I speak now to the law abiding heart of this country. Your anger is justified. Your anxiety is understood. But your silence is the only thing that allows this darkness to breathe. If you possess a single fragment of information, a name, a sighting, a whispered plan, bring it forward. Do not let misplaced loyalty become the sher under which more of our sons and daughters are buried.
Do not succumb to the urge for private retribution. Vigilant vigilantism is not justice. It is the fuel that feeds the fire. Let the law be your shield and the police your sword. I wish to crave your indulgence and ask for your understanding for the upcoming days. Bear with us. We are doing this with your best interest at heart.
The criminal investigations department and the major crime units are on standby at 4561801 and 4571211. And within the next couple of days, a QR code will be inaugurated to enable you to pass information freely. Your identity will be guided with the highest level of confidence.
This is the hour for our national resolve. This will not be defined by the violence of a few, but by the unity of many. We will reclaim our streets. We will restore our peace and we will ensure Saint Vincent and the Grenadines remain a land where law and order are absolute. May God bless our nation and guide our hands in the pursuit of justice. I thank you.”