Business leaders are requesting a meeting with the National Security Council in response to the rise in crime in Cayman over the first six months of 2014.
“The Council is concerned by the recent escalation of crime involving firearms, thefts, and burglaries to retail establishments, restaurants, tourism-related businesses and private residences,” Chamber President Johann Moxam said on Aug, 29 in a letter to Governor Helen Kilpatrick, chair of the National Security Council.
The Council is a group of elected ministers, senior civil servants and civil society members tasked with the responsibility of making policy recommendations to the governor regarding internal security in the Cayman Islands.
During the first six months of 2014, Cayman’s overall crime rate rose by 28 percent compared to the first half of last year, with theft offenses increasing by 80 percent, according to police records.
In the letter to the governor, Mr. Moxam requested that the National Security Council provide an update on what crime prevention strategies are being implemented to control the increased crime in Cayman.
“The Chamber of Commerce and its members…feel that instead of being reactive to crime, there needs to be a more aggressive and proactive approach to policing and law enforcement,” Mr. Moxam said Tuesday.
“If the Cayman Islands has reached a point where we are desensitized to the daily media reports on criminal activity, and living in fear behind burglar bars, and hiding in our gated communities, we have lost that battle, and that is unacceptable.”
According to police records, in the first six months of 2014, there were 427 thefts reported, 262 burglaries, and 234 damage to property offenses.
Businesses that belong to Chamber’s 700 corporate membership pool have reported financial concerns.
“Chamber members have reported considerable financial losses and damage to property in recent months which is driving up the cost of doing business,” said a statement released by the Chamber Monday.
The series of burglaries is of particular concern to West Bay residents, who last week addressed the issue during a community meeting held by West Bay police.
More than 3,000 calls have been made to the West Bay Police Station alone, and this year, officers have made 253 arrests for various offences, police said at the West Bay meeting. Some of the arrests were for burglary, theft, domestic issues, threatening violence and ferocious dogs.
In a bid to protect homeowners and local businesses, the Chamber is working with Sharon Baillie, a West Bay police officer, to organize a community meeting to discuss proactive measures against crime.
The governor’s chief of staff said Tuesday the governor will respond to the Chamber in due course.
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The laws, as they currently stand, assists criminals and restricts law-abiding business people and citizens.
All available evidence proves that fact. unquestionably.
The measures that can be taken for private individuals and institutions to protect themselves and their property are neither pleasant nor pretty.
Neither is having your home or business broken into or invaded, your property stolen or your life and safety threatened.
The CoC might need to take more pro-active and robust approaches in addressing this disturbing issue of crime with the authorities; the old methods have not and are clearly not working.
A change in the laws regarding self-protection and security measures would need to be addressed if anything is to be done about this pressing problem.