Minister of Justice, Immigration and National Security Rayburn Blackmoore has called for a national debate on the issue of crime in Dominica.
He made the suggestion on state-owned DBS Radio’s ‘Talking Point’ Programme on Friday.
“We have to have a national debate on the whole issue of crime and as I have said before the government has to lead the way to provide the policy direction, but at the end of the day we have to understand that, if we see something, say something,” he said.
Recently numerous incidents of crime have become subjects of discussion on the island. During the Carnival season, a number of crimes made the headlines with the severe beating of a policeman, chief among them. Then on February 20, a number of high-powered weapons, along with illegal drugs, were seized in Silver Lake, prompting Blackmore to say that Dominica is not Syria or Iraq. Just days later, on February 23, five guns were seized in Newtown by the police.
According to Blackmoore, when one takes into consideration the type and the nature of the crimes that are being committed in recent times, it is clear that there is a shift in the country’s value system.
“Certain things historically that were taboo to us is a joke now,” he stated. “When we were small in Mahaut growing up, one could never have thought to attack a priest, far less to steal a priest’s car.”
He was referring to an incident during which a vehicle belonging to a priest was stolen at the Roseau Presbytery. It was subsequently found crashed near the Newtown Savannah.
“Things we held as great virtues before are no more, so it comes back to looking at the various agents of socialization,” Blackmoore stated.
He is of the opinion that both formal and informal institutions, such as homes and schools, seem to be weaker and not as important as before.
He pointed out that in the past society was much more homogeneous and there were small communities where everyone was related, “everybody did the same thing.”
However, Blackmoore noted that as Dominica emerge, “society is much more complex and diverse.”
“There are many challenges that we have to confront as a society,” he noted.
Meantime, he said, from a policy standpoint the government will continue to ensure that the police are provided with the requisite tools in order to be more responsive to the people they serve.
If I recall well, this is the same government that didn’t embrace Dr. Peter St. Jean, the criminologist, sociologist, and author, based on an interview he had on Q95. The man is a well respected Dominican based in Illinois, USA, but I guess he did not fit well with their agenda. If you all are selective in who you receive help from for political reasons, you have other priorities Blackmore. Some of you guys just can’t see beyond your toes.
so you dont want to debate the opposition but you want to debate other things
Rayburn, you are just full of yourself.
You and Carbon just recently told us crime was on the decline. Now you asking for debate on crime? Until all alleged criminals are out of government Dca will remain in the downward spiral. You guys are sick, very very sick.
Always Assertive!
The national debate Blackmoore is requesting, I hope will include the political parties and the civil society. For years the opposition parties have been requesting debates and his boss Skeritt has blatantly refused. In fact, the likes of Parry has said it several times, having a debate is worthless. Is crime all Blackmoore and DLP want to talk about. If they want a debate, Mr. Linton would be very pleased to go against Skeritt. The debate must have on the agenda, unemployment, corruption, sales of passports, the national debt including Petro Caribe, the fully loaded cabinet, voters I.D and the cleaning of the voters list, election spending and transportation of voters from foreign lands, the I.P.O. Blackmoore knows a debate of any kind is impossible, because Skeritt does not have the capabilities to get anywhere close to Mr. Linton. By the way, if there was to be a debate, I hope the DLP would leave Aaron out, his mannerism appears to be sexually explicit
Here you go again talking more foolishness as usual. The police force needs to evolve along with policing techniques. You do not have a forensic lab on the island. You lack modernized equipment to help investigate and solve crimes. The political nonsense that you and the boys continue to play, has left our people with no confidence in the ability of police officers. When is the last time that a murderer was prosecuted and convicted? You guys cannot secure the keys to the Registry nor can you secure the DPP’s Office a few feet away from the police headquarters. This is nothing more than a smoke screen.
There is less respect for religious leaders because the religious leaders have become less respectful of the virtues of religion. If I was a thief why would I fuscriminate between stealing a pastor vehicle and that of Mr non oastor. The same with father calypso judge or father of Charles. The days when religious leaders show genuine concern gor the poor and the sick I would say shame on a thief fir stealing the vehicle of a pastor or priest who use that vehicle to reach out to the homeless, sick, poor. Today these so call clergy men are all about vanity. They want diplomatic passports, expensive duty free rides, $50000 birthday bash.
If Lang Mama was a drug pusher and I want a vehicle to do which better vehicle to use than that of a priest or pastor. Although nowadays priest and pastor Limon at night and parking in secluded areas.
I use to see one going up senticate. The next time I will take a picture of his activities.
A national debate on crime is like a national debate on cancer. It exists without a cure, so the only alternative must be preventive. A national debate on the justice system of Dominica is more likely to review the mechanisms of legal administration and judicial appointments. How do we appoint magistrates who scold felons by admonishing them to “behave yourself”; how can justice be served in State interest with an incompetent DPP? One magistrate even went as far as to admonish a perp that he knew his father well. But it gets more ludicrous than that. A convict demanded that his sentence be increased because the magistrate was way too lenient!!!
While you and carbon disarming the customs another law enforcement agency the crime Syndicates and them arming themselves with sophisticated weaponry such that the police themselves are dreaming of having in their arsenal. Stupes
someone is getting a fright crime knows no political colours. Blessing the prophet from senjo for years have been sounding the alarm
The debate should be between your cabinet members and the magistrates who keep going lax on the criminals. The law abiding citizens have nothing to debate; other than to tell you guys to get your act together; because Dominica belongs to the drug dealers (terrorists) who are able to roam and terrorize law makers and breakers. There are too many quacks in this ministry.
A good place to start would be to send people like Shakes away for 10 years for the illegal firearms that we found on his premises. When you charge a man a sum of money he can easily pay, do you really expect him to respect the law?
Mr. Blackmoore, have you seen that old blue derelict nissan van being used by the Roseau police? My God I heaven! Has anyone else seen this van? In this day and age, this is the kind of vehicle used to service the entire district? Old tires, old exhaust, noisy noisy, no back lights , a broken windscreen etc. That vehicle should be off the road. Mr Blackmoore, get d Roseau police a better vehicle, allyou can do better than that. if is me that have that van on d road everyday I getting ticket. How can you have your officers riding in that? that’s a shame. ls this one of the resourses that you speak of? D old van?
Arm the police all you waiting for one to die before doing so each police officer should be issues a firearm which they will be held responsible for they are trained.
See What happen I merit imagine having a family dinning and that happen fellas attacking police no form of respect for law enforcement.
You now going to say the people will arm them selves if you do so but they are already armed with modern High caliber type weapons. when some police die that is when u will do it times have change be proactive not the other way round
Blackmore, all of that stemmed from this corrupt, lack of vision, laissez-faire attitude government of yours. When young people in particular, see their is no hope,no future no nothing, what do you expect?
Get young people occupied, get them jobs, get them recreation facilities etc and stop having them look at you all making millions illegally while they are scratching their heads in desperation ,contemplating of their next robbery, their next home invasion etc.
Do something Blackmore, help save Dominica instead of this rubbish talk every day.
Debate? Garçon go and devise a strategy to make them police do their job eh. About debate. Get them man patrolling the place. Simple. Stop & search. Pull card over n search. That’s policing. We know the criminals. This is dca. Everyone know who’s who. If I was minister of security I’d do a better job. I really believe so. Is like police here don’t even want to work. Chill and get pay it seems
This guy Blackmore is just too much. How people can elect him to office is beyond anyone with intelligence to even waste their time figuring out. A debate on crime? Gimme a break. I hope you include all of the inmates along with the potential inmates. That should become a party.
Mr Blackmoore, it’s clear that you cannot do the job of keeping the nation and citizens secure.You are admitting failure.That’s a good start but not enough. Just resign.You have been advised to get a good chief of police from a more advanced country, because the one you currently have is a square peg in a round hole.
The shift in the country’s value system, started from the top.I lay the blame at the feet of President Liverpool and Rosevelt Skerritt. You said certain things that were taboo to us is a joke now.Remember this saying,No Constitution can prevent Skerritt from contesting an election, when he was in contravention of the Constitution. Supremo refuses to follow precedent and report to the country what is going on. Things we held as great virtues before are no more,like Skerritt lying about due diligence ref the crooked Nigerian.That being said, get a new police chief from a more developed country and let him do his job.
These politicians are all jokers.They don’t sing the same song whether they are in or out of office.For example the Freedom Party introduced the economic citizenship program.The UWP and labour party in opposition criticized it left right and centre.You would expect UWP in 1995 2 stopped the program,but that is when passport was being sold like in a rum shop.You hear them talking about millions of $ missing by TONGUE in mouth/fire BURN.It was the UWP who gave them the cash, not Mamo,They wanted to fast forward the program, so they say.
In the meantime Labour and DFP in opposition criticizing UWP 4 selling passports.
Now here comes Skero with DA passports selling like kennips on the roadside.
DEBATE ON CRIME.,,,,,,UWP in office asked those with illegal guns to bring them in and promised amnesty.Labour in opposition laughed at the idea and discouraged people to bring in their guns.Now the same Labour want to have a national debate on crime
.Will the UWP support the move?
We need a national debate on corruption and good governance don’t you agree Mr. Minister
lol @ Mr. Blackkmore…………
i hope it includes white collar crime too
But these comics can really make people laugh you know. They ran away from debating Mr. Linton and now they want to engage the nation? Boy as a person very familiar with this labor party, my gut feeling is, these guys feel some foreign agency my be coming to get Skerrit so Blackmoore and St. jean are competing to see which one of them can be seen as a better replacement for the doctor who now needs to be attended to. No wonder both Blackmore and St. running their mouth. Expect the animal doctor and possibly Darroux to join the talkshow next week.
First and foremost Blackmoore cant speak he has a huge speech impediment. He did nothing as a police officer. He can’t investigate a simple assault. But yet minister of national security. Look at the guns that are on the streets of Dominica today. I have visited this country and I promise you after a ten year investigation not even the senior counsel will be able to defend the PM. The more he travels the closer he being locked up along with the rest. The commissioner of police will have questions answer, because it was brought to his attention about the deposit that a certain individual made and up to date based on them PMs instructions nothing has done. Would love to see where are they going to hide when that day comes. You choose the US, then it makes it easier to execute the federal warrant. You can’t run from the FBI CIA like the local calypsonian stated. Mr PM they are already there. Hint they bought passports from you as well as other sellers.
Is it time to discuss how and when do we put you all in prison?
MR moor/die I want you to know that the first CRIME started when DOM-IN-CANS put you all in power in Dominica. My brother how you guys sleep my boy? when you all going to stop taking foot on them people that cant help and think for them self well well
Mr. Blackmore, I am so glad that you and the administration are seriously paying close attention to the crime changing in the Island of Dominica. For years I have voice my opinion on the issue of our police preparedness to fight crime in Dominica. I was in Dominica few weeks ago and I was troubled to see how simple our police officer dressed while on foot patrol. They are not prepared to combat crime if it occurred on their watch. What I mean by that Sir Police officers a the first line on duty in any typed of crime in their presence or if they a called upon while on duty. it is a proven fact that when countries are beginning to experience economic growth especially with a cultural diversity the opportunity for crime is inevitably. Therefore lawmakers must be proactive. Our police officers must have the tools they need in order too successfully protect themselves and others. It’s very nice to see how appropriate our men and women in uniform dress, but that’s not safety.
how are they playing close attention to crime and we dont have a forensic lab, DNA data base and other tools to fight white colour crime… lip service is all those incompetence know to use
There should be a debate on White Collar Crimes….Too many times some of us deliberately think that criminals are just those with guns…We have some SACK WEIGH TEETH leaders who are HARDENED UNCONSCIONABLE CRIMINALS….We need to debate how they are plundering their countries as well Blackmore.
What national debate? but excuse me? Where have you been the past 15 years? Since when does this Government engage in debate? FET, it must be April fools day in Dominica all the time.
My friend, its all about that fifteen minuets of fame on DNO. Over the years these guys have spoken so much crap, that they have become repetitive, and redundant. So as soon as they think of something though nonsensical or insignificant, they run with their crap to DNO to see how many of their dumb supporters will say.
‘Oh yes that is a good idea let’s talk about it” they will the talk will continue until it simply fades away into thin air. That guy is the same one who told people he and Skerrit and the rest of the circus was going to build a hotel on Rodney’s rock you know. For those who do not know the location of that bit of Rock which, Rodney, shelled all night believing he was firing on Battle Ship in the 1400’s leaving some holes, Blackmoor said the tourist will go wild to want to visit that bit of rock in the sea between Mahaut, and Cane-Filed!
We have plenty of crazy people in Dominica you know.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahah!
He also claimed he was…
He also claimed he was going Cane Field Airport into a deepwater harbor for yachts and tourist ships to duck you know!
Mr Blackmore, thanks for coming out of moo moo mode….I am also thappy that you have seen the importance of debating.I think there should be debates on the woeful state of Dominicas economy,what happened to almost $200 000 000 lost at Layou , the recovery process post Erika, the ECONOMIC GROWTH WHICH IS ONLY OCCURRING IN THE POCKETS OF LEADERS, the state of our institutions on island, the death of agriculture,and a myriad of other topics….It is clear that DLP has this country teetering towards a failed state….It’s not only this crime issue that you all cannot deal with…You all have spoilt everything good on island….No wonder this country is last in every vital economic indicator in the region…
Child abuse…number 1…..abuse of power…Nelly Starre…persons losing jobs for no reason….hardly any work being done after Erika…what happen to all the donations that were sent down…Mr. God. Emmanuel case….jobs Mr.Minister…work and not victimization…God not sleeping
But didn’t Carbon just tell us crime went DOWN from last year? Remember that statement with ZERO facts to back it up?
The majority of the public have no access to phones,when is voting time they vote,a voting station is placed every where in dominica for them,so wake up and go to every village to talk to the public about what they are all concerned about which is progressing each day at a higher level in dominica,murder is on the rise,rape was more between young people ;now very old people are raped,children are raped,we all read on dno that a police was bitten only because he wanted to stop a fight,why is the gov’t concentrating on people swearing ,swearing is a manner of removing stress and anger,why do you want people to call on DBS ,don’t you know that the old people most of them would prefer to see the politicians face to face,gov’t must make laws for the corrupted policemen that we have in dominica because they are worse than the policemen that we had long ago,put laws to suit the crimes,we could leave our doors open and go out now while we are in doors shut criminals want to get in..
Corrupt Government equals increase in crime.
Since when these fellas want to debate? Now their babies are born so they want to debate. By babies I mean what their policies gave birth to
Man what are you talking about; what national debate on crime are you talking about?
You idea in nonsensical, very foolish and without any substance!
What is there to debate, are you going to ask questions such as if the criminals have the right to plunder, the country; rape women; and kill people, or if the judicial system has the right to prosecute the criminals to the fullest extent of the law, and put them away, for a length of time, so that when they are realest from jail they are practically useless to themselves?
If you had any commonsense, you would realize that you do not have the scientific resources to investigate and solve most crimes in the country. As such you can get help from the FBI and Scotland Yard, you people are reluctant to engage their services, as a result there hundreds of crime unsolved in the country, the murder of my nephew is one of them, along with Gong Emanuel and others!
Are you crazy?
a national debate !! what a Joke !!! just because you do not have a clue as how to solve it ?
so you need your own people to tell you what to do.
the best thing is to resign because you fail Mr Minister
Here is my contribution Sir- Jobs, jobs & more jobs will reduce the crime rate. No need for forum and meetings etc,- the rest of the vagabonds who break the law can be dealt with by society, law enforcement and the courts.
No need for press conferences, headline grabbing etc,etc Rayburn—
A debate on crime? The important things required are the allocation of more resources and more effective measures to fight crime.
Ohhhhh…I agree with Blackmore, debate on crime. Lets list them:
1. Layou River Hotel Fiasco
2. Bin Bobol
3. GON Emmanuel Fire Bombing
4.Fertiliser Bobol…
5. Electoral fraud watch
6. “There are many challenges that we have to confront as a society,” he, Blackmore says: They are:
7. The worse and most corrupt DLP government ever
8. The Red Clinic abuse
Scientific experts should principle be Astaphan, Byrne and other volujteers
As you lead so I may follow. When leaders escape and break the law be it white color or blue color crime that’s what happens. Application of the law, breach of justice system will lead to disrespect for law. Crime is not only acts of violence. It also includes fraud, bribery, harassment, provocation, abuse of power, illegal dumping, and all the other none violent violations. Make that part of the discussion.
After over 15 years in government, now you are calling for a national debate. You guys have finally run out of ideas and you know it. Note that I am saying ideas, because that is all you had to start of with – ideas, talk… but never ever any action!
Correction : Policies are only effective if these policies are implemented correctly
Don’t see the reason for any debate, this thing where if you’re caught with an illegal weapon you can pay 20 grand and walk away is wrong. If you’re caught with a weapon or weapons, automatically you’re gone for no less than five years no deal nothing. That’s just to start with a 9mm and a 38, any high-powered such as the ones in Silverlake you starting at ten years, cause not even the police have these type of weapons. These same people are the repeated offenders who teach the young kids the trade, put them away for a long time.
Crime need to be fought not talked about
Debating the increase of crime or the callous nature of the crimes solves nothing. Policies will only be policies if hey are not effectively implanted. The world is changing and so should the crime fighting tools and techniques the police of Dominica uses.
High Visibility patrols, community policing, police holding meeting with communities which are plagued with crime on the way forward. These are just some of the ways that the police force can start building trust in the public and working together to solve the crime problem.
It is a well known fact that these illegal firearms come from Guadeloupe and other islands. Maybe the government should start by increasing the number of patrols in order to protect its borders from illegal drugs, firearms and human trafficking.
These are just some of the proactive measures that the government must employ instead of talking about a problem. Talking solves very little
Blackmoore are you for real,you and the labour party are the biggest offenders,give me a break man.