Governor ‘horrified’ by killings
Governor Duncan Taylor said he was “horrified and disgusted” by the three murders committed in West Bay over the last week.
In a statement released Sunday, following the murder of Preston Rivers the night before – the third killing in West Bay in five days – Mr. Taylor said: “This violence is shocking and intolerable.”
He called a meeting of the Commissioner of Police David Baines, Premier McKeeva Bush, Deputy Governor Donovan Ebanks, Attorney General Sam Bulgin and the Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Richards this morning, Monday, 19 September, at which he said they would explore “every possible way, within the law, in which we can deal with this intolerable escalation of violence”.
“We will look very carefully and critically at what we are doing now and consider creatively and exhaustively the range of other possible options available to us. This level of violence is completely unacceptable and we must and will do whatever is necessary to stop it continuing. That is our priority,” he said.
Preston Rivers was shot dead in the vicinity of Thatch Palm Villas on Andersen Road in West Bay about 10.30pm Saturday night.
On Thursday night, Andrew Anthony Baptist, 24, was gunned down shortly before 9pm Thursday in a yard of a house on Sand Hole Road in West Bay. Two days earlier, Robert Macford Bush, 28, was shot in the head as he sat in his car on Captains Joe and Osbert Road on Tuesday night.
The governor said police had increased the number of uniformed and armed officers in West Bay since the murders last week and that the Police Commissioner had told him these higher levels of police presence would be maintained “for the foreseeable future”.
The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service had also set up dedicated investigative teams to secure evidence, he said.
“I want to ensure that we give the Commissioner and the RCIPS every possible assistance in meeting this latest challenge to our security,” Mr. Taylor said.
Referring to several arrests made following a spate of murders in early 2010, Mr. Taylor said police had risen to that challenge. “They took firm action against suspects and made a number of arrests which took dangerous individuals off our streets and led to a period of almost a year without a murder. I am confident that the perpetrators of these recent and shocking crimes will be caught and charged too. I will not rest until that happens,” he said.
He called on the public to help and come forward with any information they had about the murders to help police catch the killers, saying any information would be treated in confidence.
“Please do the right thing: help stop this senseless killing and make our communities safer places for us all. If you know where a gun is, tell the Police or Crime Stoppers and you may save a life. I also urge those of you who know family members or friends who are linked to gangs to challenge them and help prevent them engaging with individuals who may ultimately ruin your and your family’s lives,” the governor said.
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It is about time! I have long been calling for government action in response to the escalating crime problem in Cayman, so I am relieved to see this. If those in power happen to be reading, I respectfully ask the following:
1) don’t limit your solutions to the gang violence and murders in West Bay. Don’t forget the armed robberies and car-jackings that are happening, and please work towards those problems as well.
2) please stay in contact with the public and let us know what you are doing. Even if you are doing things behind the scenes, the lack of public statements make it appear that you are indifferent to the crime problem. Even if you don’t want to release specific details of your actions, release statements saying that you are working hard to address the problem.
I would also like to thank the Compass, and in particular the editorial board, for staying on top of the crime problem. If not for your work, the government would continue to ignore the problems facing our country.
This is dreadful beyond belief. I hope and pray that we shall see an appropriate and forceful response from the Governor, the Police Force and our politicians. And when we do, that Caymanians will support the necessary actions, very particularly including providing information about anyone involved in these gang/individual crimes.
Any non-resident taken up as a result of action, must be deported – after sentencing and before incarceration – to get them off the Islands, and to ensure they do not spend time in our Prison to corrupt, others, and to reduce the cost to us.
Those of us that travel regularly to GCM are disturbed and concerned about the violence and lawlessness that has recently plagued a wonderful and pristine vacation destination. These acts can only hurt all of the wondrful good people of Cayman and negatively impact the islands’ economy and reputation. We hope that police manpower is increased, potrols become more visible and random road stops, roadblock checks and shore patrols are increased and upgraded. Tactical and strategic police operations techniques need to be intensified on the streets, within local neighborhood communities and in the schools, with focused and intense cooperation from local businesses, institutions and houses of worship. Anonomous tip lines should be set up in order to inform authorities of possible illegal activities, weapon possessions and aggressive behavior from eyes and ears all over Grand Cayman. The coooperation of every resident, organization and visitor to the island is the only way to end and prevent senseless violence, injuries and needless deaths.
How sad that so many precious lives are being wasted. And, for what gain?
Yes, a substantial increase in local police resources could enable the delivery of a more comprehensive enforcement of law and supervision of order within the island’s troubled areas, but the underlying social parasite will merely recess. It won’t be defeated by restraint. Its destructive actions will at best be deferred.
Not every child accepts the values of his or her parents, grandparents, church or community. Many who do get proper instruction fail to accept it because of the lure of power, or their lust for enjoyment of material goods without the provision of labor and sacrifice is all consuming. The temptation of short-term pleasure, without forethought of consequence, is magnetic.
Most would agree that a healthy family unit needs leadership by example. We aspire to create sons and daughters with good values, strong discipline, an industrious work ethic and commitment towards a positive contribution to one’s community. These are widely accepted building bricks of a happy family and a happy community. These same characteristics are valued in the leaders of respected governments and successful corporations.
When a community is in stress, a little soul searching might suggest that the root of the problem can often be found at the foundation of the family unit and within the supporting community (including its churches and schools). Our actions of today are most powerfully influenced by our perception of our future. Great leadership delivers a message of hope and a vision of what great things await.
Physical intervention on the undisciplined members of our community may be necessary to contain and control the resultants of community neglect. In isolation it cannot solve the problem. It may contain or suppress certain undesired actions, often the outcome of misdirected youth, but it doesn’t solve the problem.
Heightened physical intervention may be necessary at this point to ensure citizens and guests of Cayman are safe and secure to enjoy life on this exceptional island. To solve the problem, government, corporations, communities, churches and families need to unite in a strategy that nurtures, disciplines and develops citizens who hold values of high standards and conduct of exemplary character that forms a foundation on which the entire country can flourish.
Cayman needs such leadership now. Leaders delivering a message of hope, providing a path towards success and happiness and ensuring the required tools for development and guidance of Cayman’s cherished youth remains available throughout the journey ahead. Cayman needs leadership that does discipline, but not in hate, fear or vengeance. Cayman needs a leadership that unites the aspirations of visionaries with the outstretched hands of mentors and the searching eyes of tomorrow’s valuable citizens.
Let’s not ask for more policing without an effective mentorship program. Let’s not shout for leadership to appear, instead let’s seek out, find and support leaders who care, leaders who have a vision, leaders who act and leaders who can be trusted.
The answer is there Cayman; look for it in the mirror.