The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce has organized a country-wide rally against crime.
The rally is scheduled for Wednesday.
‘We have all read with utter disbelief recent press reports about serious crimes involving illegal firearms, drugs, burglaries and thefts being committed in our society. These crimes have been directed at both businesses and residences and even at some of the top officials in our Government,’ states a Chamber letter, which will be published in its entirety in the Tuesday edition of the Caymanian Compass.
‘Most of these crimes have been linked to drug related gang activities. Many of the thugs who commit these crimes live among us and you may even know some personally but are too frightened to report them to the appropriate law enforcement authorities for fear of retaliation against your family and property. But the time has come for every resident to take a stand and act to remove these criminal menaces from our society so that we can restore peace and harmony to our beloved Cayman Islands.’
The rally will be held at 5pm on the Court House steps in George Town.
Wil Pineau, Chamber head, hopes to have at least 2,000 people participate.
‘The crime problem that we are facing did not start yesterday. Elements of this have been festering. All too often there have been acquittals in serious crime cases, including several murders and the looting and lawlessness that occurred and went on for too long after Hurricane Ivan seems to have made those with criminal intent much more brazen in their activities. We have made very honourable and sincere attempts to devise various approaches and solutions, but it appears the situation continues to deteriorate such that the level of very serious crime is alarming and has now been acknowledged as a real threat to our national security.’
Among the Chamber’s desires to curb the crime problem are the introduction of a VISA system for all nationals from countries considered high risk; a national identification system that mandates fingerprinting for all forms of identification including passports, work permit identification cards, driver’s licences and student identification cards; and the establishment of a permanent police station on Seven Mile Beach.
The details of the Chamber’s goals will be outlined in Tuesday’s newspaper.
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