GANG VIOLENCE

Statchel Warner studied BSc International Relations, 

Cert. Social Services at University of the West Indies. He is 

an entrepreneur, thinker, activist, Politician ( former Anguillian 
National Alliance (ANA) Candidate), and a possible candidate 
for the Road South Constituency in the next General Election 
on Anguilla.

There seem to be a growing consensus that we cannot act against gang violence until we have completed some kind of survey and present its finding. This although beneficial will be long and costly and valuable time would be wasted. In this regard let us act on the factors that are obvious to even the casual observer.

POSSIBLE CAUSES 

• Academic Failure

• Economics

• Family Dysfunction

• Lack of Community Services for youth & families

• Lack of Recreation Centers

• Self Esteem (poor sense of self)

• Poor Sense of Connection to the national community and family

• Lack of Opportunities

• Lack of Education and skills

• Low employment Opportunities

• Poor Discipline

• Insufficient Crisis Intervention

• Lack of funding for smaller community organizations, groups and clubs

• Parent/Grandparent Support increasingly absent

• Poor Parent Accountability

• Basic Needs are not being met

• System does not access/help jailed youth

• Poor Youth Law Enforcement relations

• Shift in Community Values/Norms No island-wide engagement of peers

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS 

• Increase opportunities for youth through after school, recreational, and employment programmes.

• Strengthen family functioning

• Assist students to achieve academically by ensuring students are safe in environment 

• Strengthen the capacity of youth groups and clubs to combat violence in their community and Island-wide

• Improve crisis intervention services by strengthening the responsible Govt department and other social groups

• Improve relationships between youth and police

• Monitor the activity, issues and problems faced by youth re-entering the community from prison

• Change community norms, values and perceptions concerning gun violence, and gangs

• Increase collaboration and communication between and among police department, schools, social services, churches, community groups and youth in general

By: Statchel Fritz Warner

ANGUILLA UNITED FRONT PROPOSALS FOR A NATIONAL STRATEGIC PROGRAMME TO DEAL WITH VIOLENCE AND VIOLENT CRIME IN THE ANGUILLIAN COMMUNITY WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON GUN VIOLENCE AND CRIME AMONG ANGUILLIAN YOUNG MEN

1. BACKGROUND AND SITUATIONAL ISSUES 

Violence particularly gun violence has become so prevalent among youth in Anguilla that it has deteriorated into a crisis evidenced by the escalation in homicides and severe injuries inflicted by young men in the Anguillian community on other young men. 

The following observations are made and the points are identified as significant features of the crisis situation that should be taken into account in specifying appropriate and effective responses to the crisis that now besets the Anguillian community: 

1) Gun violence among sections of Anguilla’s young men reached crisis proportions in recent years and has now descended into a major social crisis threatening the stability of the Anguillian community and economy, demanding urgent and effective attention on a sustained basis. 

2) There had been no major, immediate and sustained public cry of outrage and condemnation from public sector, private sector and civil society institutions to recent incidents. 

3) The gun violence has become habitual among some sections of male Anguillian youth, especially members of or others closely associated with village based gangs, generally ranging in ages from their late teens to mid to late twenties. 

4) There is a need to do more than issue symbolic public statements, calling on Anguilla’s young men, on parents, the Police, the Government, the churches and other influential institutions, and persons of goodwill in the community as a whole, to express their outrage and join together to do something about the male youth on male youth gun violence, threatening the lives of young men and the harmony of Anguillian society. 

5) The gun violence crisis needs to be addressed in the wider context of dealing with the serious challenges facing youth including the growth of gangs, drug use and drug trafficking, the growth in juvenile delinquency and crime, and the weakening of and breakdown in and of the Anguillian family. 

6) There is no sustained and sustainable multidimensional plan developed and under implementation or even in preparation to tackle the gun violence crisis and the wider crisis of among sections of Anguilla’s youth. 

7) Youth gun violence is a national problem that should transcend party politics and politicians should approach the issue from this point of view and seek to work with all politicians to collaborate in addressing it on a non-partisan, national basis. 

8) It is apparent that there has been no comprehensive study of the causes, characteristics and frequency of gun violence, nor of a comprehensive programme to minimize or stamp out this criminal behavior that is perilous for Anguilla’s young men in particular and the society in general. 

9) The gun violence not only threatens social peace and harmony, but also economic stability and growth, investor and business confidence. 

10) The evolution and growth in gun violence coincides with the development of Anguilla’s economy since 1980 and the erosion of traditional family values and relationships and the weakening of the family structure during the period. 

11) Gun violence is an extreme form but not the only form of violence among male youth, there being other forms of violence among youth in general to consider, including bullying and abuse by older members of the Anguillian community. 

12) Youth on youth violence, especially gun violence, is a symptom of deep seated issues of social dysfunction and disequilibrium in Anguillian society. 

13) Responses to the menace of gun violence have been mainly symbolic, reactionary and “knee jerk” in nature, with little or no continuity and sustained actions. 

14) A key long term aim should be to keep the next generation from perpetuating the culture of youth gangs and violence directed against each other. 

2. MAJOR ASPECTS OF GUN VIOLENCE AMONG ANGUILLA’S YOUNG MEN 

The main features of gun violence among Anguilla’s young men include the following: 

1) It occurs among male youth mainly between ages 15 and 25 years old. 

2) It is endemic among youth gang members and youth closely associated with gangs or perceived to be members or close affiliates of gangs. 

3) Former gang members and youth between 15 and 25 are at higher risk of becoming innocent victims of the gun violence and criminal violence. 

4) The causes of the violence are varied, may include drug trafficking and use, defense of village turf, and other factors that need to be thoroughly investigated. 

5) Male youth gun violence has developed over an extended period of time to what it has become as a result of diverse factors, the impact of which needs to be assessed by research and analysis. 

3. STATEMENT AND ACKOWLEDGEMENT OF THE ISSUE 

THE INCIDENCE OF CRIMINAL VIOLENCE, GENERAL VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR HAS INCREASED ALARMINGLY, ESPECIALLY GUN CRIME AND VIOLENCE AMONG MALE YOUTH IN ANGUILLA AND HAS REACHED CRISIS PROPORTIONS. THE CRISIS NEEDS TO BE URGENTLY ADDRESSED, THE TREND REVERSED AND THE ANGUILLIAN COMMUNITY RESTORED TO NORMALCY AND STABILITY. 

THE CRIMINAL VIOLENCE, GENERAL VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR THAT IS NOW BESETTING THE ANGUILLIAN COMMUNITY DID NOT DEVELOP OVERNIGHT AND WILL NOT BE ERADICATED NOR REDUCED TO A MINIMUM OVERNIGHT. 

THE INCREASE IN VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR IS THE RESULT OF A NUMBER OF CAUSES AND UNDERLYING FACTORS, WHICH NEED TO BE RESEARCHED, IDENTIFIED, ASSESSED AND SOLUTIONS RECOMMENDED. 

AN INTEGRATED, MULTI-FACETED AND MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH AND PROGRAMME ARE NEEDED TO END THE CRISIS, RESTORE, MAINTAIN AND SUSTAIN SAFETY, PEACE, HARMONY AND FREEDOM IN THE SOCIETY. 

4. VISION 

4.1 A PEACEFUL, UNITED, HARMONIOUS ANGUILLIAN COMMUNITY 

THE ANGUILLIAN COMMUNITY IS A MORALLY STRONG, LAW ABIDING, LOW CRIME, NON-VIOLENT, SAFE, PEACEFUL, UNITED, HARMONIOUS, PATRIOTIC, TRANSPARENT, JUST, AND FREE SOCIETY, WHICH HONOURS THE SANCITITY OF HUMAN LIFE IN GENERAL, AND ESPECIALLY THE LIVES AND PERSONS OF ALL OF ITS MEMBERS. 

4.2 ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS PURSUING PEACE, UNITY, HARMONY 

ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS ARE DEEPLY ENGAGED IN: 

1) PROMOTING, NURTURING, PRESERVING, IMPROVING, DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING THE ANGUILLIAN COMMUNITY AS A MORAL, NOBLE, PROUD, STRONG AND FREE SOCIETY; 

2) PROVIDING PRINCIPLED AND PURPOSEFUL LEADERSHIP AND COOPERATING AND PARTNERING WITH THE VARIOUS SOCIAL STAKEHOLDERS; 

3) EFFECTIVELY AND CONSISTENTLY ADVOCATING FOR AND PROMOTING A STRONG MORAL FOUNDATION, LAW AND ORDER, NON-VIOLENCE, SAFETY, PEACE, UNITY, HARMONY, PATRIOTISM, TRANSPARENCY, JUSTICE AND FREEDOM AS HALLMARKS OF THE ANGUILLIAN NATION. 

5. SUCCESS INDICATORS 

Strategic programmes to eradicate or minimize violence and crime in Anguilla, especially gun violence and crime among Anguillian young men, will be successful when: 

i) Gun violence and gun crime have been greatly reduced, especially among young men between the ages of 15 – 30 years old and their occurrence has become rare in the Anguillian community and this is supported by the statistics. 

ii) An effective system of gun control has been implemented and working, and the problem of possession of unlicensed and illegal firearms has been brought under control, weapons are traced, confiscated and destroyed, the owners charged and heavily sanctioned. 

iii) Gangs and the gang culture among Anguillian youth have been greatly reduced, their appeal to youth destroyed and they no longer pose a significant challenge to the non-violence, peace, unity, harmony and freedom of Anguillian society. 

iv) Positive, creative and wholesome social, athletic, cultural and educational action plans are combined into an integrated youth development and socialization programme and implemented, is popular and effective, and supplant and provide powerful and attractive alternatives to the activities, culture and lure of gangs. 

v) Anti-gang, anti-gun, and anti-violence communication, public relations and educational programmes are developed and implemented and are effective as measured by the results of periodic social surveys. 

vi) Family values are continuously promoted, community awareness and acceptance of family values is increased, family life is promoted, the family is strengthened, parents prioritize their responsibility for parenting, and the community is involved in and takes responsibility for supporting parents in bringing up their children. 

vii) The crime statistics show a declining crime rate that stabilizes at a rate that is among the lowest by world standards. 

viii) A national consensus on the core values and guiding principles of the Anguillian community is achieved, and the values and principles are renewed and affirmed by each succeeding generation and are capable of periodic measurement. 

ix) Anguillian society is more integrated, harmonious and united and its members are more prideful and imbued with a high degree of patriotism, national and cultural awareness and a sense of identity. 

x) Respect for the law, respect for each other and for authority is increased especially among the youth of the community. 

xi) A national consensus is achieved on standards of public ethical conduct in the public sector, the private sector and civil society and the standards are generally accepted and guide those involved in leading and administering and operating institutions in the public and private sectors and civil society. 

xii) Parents and the wider society accept that the main and immediate responsibility rests with parents to raise and socialize their children, that the rest of the immediate family and the various institutions within the community of which the parents are members provide support and assistance to them in socializing and bringing up their children and that the oft repeated African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” is practiced and is the norm. 

6. MISSION 

6.1 THE ANGUILLIAN COMMUNITY 

THE ANGUILLIAN COMMUNITY EFFECTIVELY EDUCATES, TRAINS, TEACHES AND SOCIALIZES THE MEMBERS OF EACH SUCCEEDING GENERATION IN THE MORAL VALUES AT THE FOUNDATION OF THE SOCIETY AND AS A RESULT THEY: 

· ACQUIRE A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF, AND A STRONG BELIEF IN AND COMMITMENT TO THE UNIVERSAL MORAL PRINCIPLES OF RIGHT AND WRONG, WHICH HAVE GUIDED OUR ANGUILLIAN COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY. 

· DEVELOP A FUNDAMENTAL RESPECT AND REVERENCE FOR HUMAN LIFE AND ARE MOTIVATED TO SEEK TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE LIFE RATHER THAN DESTROY IT. 

· ENGAGE IN BEHAVIOUR THAT IS STRONGLY INFLUENCED AND GUIDED BY THE MORAL VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY. 

· SHOW RESPECT, CONCERN, CARING AND LOVE TOWARDS EACH OTHER, THEIR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, AND TO ALL PEOPLE 

· PASS ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF YOUTH THE CORE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE SUSTAINED IT OVER THE GENERATIONS. 

· PROMOTE, MAINTAIN AND SUSTAIN NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY CONSCIOUSNESS, PRIDE, UNITY, HARMONY, PEACE, LAW AND ORDER, SAFETY AND SECURITY ACROSS THE GENERATIONS. 

· DEVELOP A SENSE OF DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE CORE OF THE ANGUILLIAN CULTURE AND WAY OF LIFE AND PASS IT ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION 

6.2 THE PUBLIC SECTOR, PRIVATE SECTOR AND CIVIL SOCIETY PARTNERS 

THE PUBLIC SECTOR, PRIVATE SECTOR AND CIVIL SOCIETY PARTNERS (ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS): 

· PROVIDE PRINCIPLED, CONSISTENT AND FEARLESS LEADERSHIP. 

· ENGAGE ADMINISTRATIVELY AND OPERATIONALLY IN UNDERTAKING AND/OR SUPPORTING THE PROGRAMMES AND PROCESSES EMPLOYED NATIONALLY AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS ANGUILLA TO ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN THE REDUCTION IN VIOLENCE, DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR AND CRIME, ESPECIALLY GUN VIOLENCE AND CRIME. 

· WORK TO RESTORE, BUILD AND STRENGTHEN THE ANGUILLIAN COMMUNITY’S MORAL FOUNDATIONS, LAW AND ORDER, NON-VIOLENCE, SAFETY, SECURITY, UNITY, HARMONY, PEACE, JUSTICE, TRANSPARENCY AND FREEDOM IN THE COMMUNITY. 

· PROMOTE AND DEVELOP AMONG YOUTH ESPECIALLY, THE HIGHEST RESPECT FOR THE SANCTITY OF LIFE AND FOR EACH MEMBER OF THE ANGUILLIAN COMMUNITY AS AN INDIVIDUAL. 

7. KEY FUNCTIONS 

Key functions that need to be undertaken to ensure the effective planning, execution and the short and long term success of strategic plans, programmes and action plans to deal with violence and destructive behavior, especially among male youth in the community with an immediate and short term focus on gun violence and crime and destructive and delinquent behavior include : 

1) RESEARCH, PLANNING, MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION 

i) Leadership, coordination and integration of the resources, thinking and programmes of the various partner institutions and agencies in the public and private sectors and civil society pursuing solutions and responses to the crisis. 

ii) Research, investigation and analysis of the violent behavior among youth in Anguilla and in the community as a whole and of its causes. 

iii) Strategic and operational planning and management on a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary and inter-sectoral basis to ensure the best value for money and the greatest effectiveness of the combined initiatives to address the problem and various issues associated with it. 

2) PARENTING, SOCIALIZATION AND EDUCATION 

i) Strengthening and further developing and implementing programmes in family life education, parenting and child raising, awareness building and understanding of the challenges of socialization and informal and formal education and training of youth to be well adjusted, adaptable and easily integrated in the changing social and cultural environment of Anguilla. 

ii) Development, adoption and implementation of sustained and specific programmes and initiatives to counter gangs and gang culture geared particularly towards youth in different age ranges with a focus on youth in the vulnerable age ranges, both those within gangs and those outside of gangs and risk of being pressured into joining gangs. 

iii) Development, adoption and implementation of sustained, multi-agency and multi-dimensional anti-drug programmes. 

iv) Increased focus on the development, adoption, integration and implementation of programmes and curricula geared to promote, encourage and generate national and cultural awareness and a sense of pride and belonging to a the Anguillian community as a people and a nation sharing a common identity, goals and aspirations around which ite members are unified. 

v) Develop a consensus on those values that should constitute the core of the permanent moral foundations of Anguillian society and implement integrated programmes that ensure that succeeding generations are steeped and fully socialized and exposed to these values that they become part of who they are as Anguillians. 

3) LAW, ORDER AND SECURITY 

i) High value and priority are accorded to ensuring the ongoing functioning of Anguilla as a law abiding and orderly society, characterized by a strong sense of and actual existence of a high degree of safety, security, non-violence, peace, harmony, justice, equity and freedom, in which crime remains low over the long term. 

ii) Strong partnership and close collaboration and cooperation are developed between the institutions responsible for law enforcement, security, legal and judicial operations and also with the social development agencies both in the public sector and in civil society. 

iii) Institutional, structural and legal reforms are introduced to make the agencies more responsive and better geared strategically and operationally to effectively deal with the problem of criminal violence. 

iv) The capacity of Royal Anguilla Police Force is expanded and strengthened and it effectively meets the challenges posed by the rising tide of criminal gun violence and other forms of violence and reduces the risk to citizens. 

4) RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND MOBILIZATION 

i) Identification, allocation, mobilization and utilization of the requisite financial and other resources to enable the strategic programme and action plans to be effectively implemented. 

ii) Development and implementation of a financing strategy that relies on financial and in kind resources contributed by the public sector, private sector and civil society and their use determined jointly by representatives of the partners in the three sectors. 

5) HUMAN RESOURCES 

i) Develop and implement a strategy to recruit, incentivize, reward and retain trained, experienced, highly motivated, smart and diligent employees at the management, professional and the technical and administrative support levels to lead, drive and successfully undertake the agreed programmes. 

ii) Develop and coordinate a strategy to tap into the voluntary and charitable sector within civil society to access volunteers to support and undertake programmes geared to address the violence. 

6) NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS, PRIDE AND UNITY 

Infuse into the formal educational curricula at all levels and into informal and non-formal education material that aims to generate national consciousness, pride, patriotism and national unity among the succeeding generations. 

8. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A PLAN TO DEAL WITH MALE YOUTH GUN VIOLENCE AND YOUTH VIOLENCE IN GENERAL 

The following are general recommendations that flow from identification of the characteristics of gun violence including but not limited to those listed herein: 

i) Implement a comprehensive social investigation and research process to assess and determine the causes, characteristics and consequences of youth gun violence and other forms of violence among youth. 

ii) Develop and recommend for implementation an appropriate plan to reduce and minimize gun violence and other forms of violence among youth and work with at risk youth to embrace the pursuit of personal development into responsible, law abiding and productive citizens. 

iii) Promote, organize and participate in a national coalition of public sector, private sector, civil society and political organizations committed to working on a non-partisan, collaborative and sustained basis to carry out a carefully thought out plan to deal with the problems and meet the challenges. 

iv) The responses by the community to the violence should be separated into an immediate response plan, medium term and long term response programmes, and the immediate response plan should be determined and its implementation should predate the conduct of a proposed research and investigative project and the development of a comprehensive, strategic plan to address the violence long term. 

v) Considerable resources should be allocated to combating the violence, and to financing the costs for paid and voluntary human resources supplying managerial, technical and professional expertise in dealing with juvenile violence in general and gun violence in particular, as well as knowledge and experience in communication, marketing and promotion. 

vi) A systematic, multifaceted and broad based programme should be developed and put into effect that involves all segments of Anguillian society in the public, private and civic sectors over an extended period of time with components geared to participation by individuals, families, churches, schools, government agencies (especially law enforcement, judicial, and social stabilization and development agencies) youth organizations, sports clubs, charitable and philanthropic service clubs, village communities, and the Anguillian community as a whole, together with partner agencies and individuals from overseas. 

9. MEDIUM TERM AND LONG TERM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 

i) Revise the applicable laws and regulations to strengthen the crime interdiction and prevention powers of the Police to reduce gun violence and related crimes. 

ii) Encourage, support and participate in collaborative efforts involving the Police, the legal and judicial departments of the Government, the private sectors legal profession, other law enforcement bodies, the penal system, with social services and social development agencies of the Government and with private sector and civil society stakeholders, to develop a consensus and adopt a team approach in addressing violence, destructive and delinquent behavior especially gun violence. 

iii) Expand and strengthen the capacity of the judicial system to effectively handle the challenges posed by gun violence. 

iv) Develop a comprehensive national strategy, plan and programmes involving all stakeholders to deal with the issues and challenges of reducing gun violence, juvenile delinquency, gangs and gang culture, destructive and inappropriate behavior among youth, aligned with and supplementing the strategy and plans of the Police Force. 

v) Increase funding to the Police and other government agencies involved to enable them to meet the additional costs of implementing the fight against gun violence among youth, reduce the strength and menace of gangs, and reduce the trafficking and use of drugs among youth in Anguilla. 

vi) Develop and strengthen the capacity of the correctional institutions and facilities to rehabilitate and to stimulate offenders to change from negative and destructive behaviours to law abiding and positive behaviours. 

vii) Implement a programme to greatly reduce and eliminate illegal guns, and reduce the number of guns among the population. 

viii) Develop and launch programmes to reduce and/or eliminate the illegal sports of dog fighting and cock fighting. 

ix) Identify and shut down drug houses and the haunts of addicted drug users. 

x) Increase the penalties for violent crimes, gun crimes in particular. 

xi) Institute amnesties from prosecution, from time to time, for the surrender of illegal guns and other offensive weapons requiring licenses. 

xii) Strengthen the human resource capacities of all public, private and civil society agencies that are fighting against gun violence and juvenile delinquency and provide them with reinforcements. 

xiii) Study the principles, strategies and action plans implemented by various agencies in Caribbean countries, and in local communities in the USA, Canada, the UK to reduce and prevent crime, especially violent crimes by young people. 

xiv) Examine the feasibility of making parents liable, along with their children who are minors, under certain circumstances for serious crimes committed by their children and take appropriate action on the findings. 

xv) Periodic national consultations should be held (perhaps annually), among organizations and groups desirous of reducing gun violence, to review the challenge, evaluate the impacts of actions taken to reduce the problem and agree on changes to the ongoing progamme to combat it. 

10. PROPOSALS FOR SPECIFIC, SHORT, MEDIUM LONG TERM ACTIONS 

i) Security camera coverage around villages identified as home turf for gangs and as high risk areas for the occurrence of violent incidents and of crimes. Fund raising across the community should be considered to procure and install cameras 

ii) Anti-violence school events at the ALHCS. 

iii) Community outreach programmes. 

iv) Training of community activists in anger management and conducting anger management programmes for youth assessed to need such therapy. 

v) Use of community centres and church halls as venues for programmes and events forming part of the campaign to curb and erase gun violence before it becomes a scourge rooted in Anguillian society. 

vi) An increased police presence on weekends and holidays in trouble spots (especially to limit abuse of alcohol and deter drug trafficking). 

vii) Expanded emergency services on weekends to meet the peak level demand for these services. 

viii) Involve the various music groups, primarily the jam/dance bands with their fan bases and bring them together to collaborate in calling on youth to reject guns and gun violence and promoting an end to such violence. 

ix) Promote the cessation of hostility and pursuit of peace between gangs from the western and eastern districts of Anguilla and organize functions to build trust and promote harmony and unity as one people, Anguillians. 

x) Ecumenical and evangelical initiatives by the Christian churches including crusades focused on gang members and other youth at risk. 

xi) Strengthening and expansion of community based vigilance and crime watch operations to the prime locations, where the risk of youth gun violence is highest and provision of vigilance training to volunteers (observing vehicle numbers and reporting to the Police the presence of suspicious vehicles in the neighbourhood). 

xii) Occupational therapy. 

xiii) Adoption of official slogans – “Less Talk more Action”, “Badness out a Style” - and public service announcements directing listeners’/viewers’ attention to the gravity of the occurrence and the threat of youth gun violence and calling all to action to drastically curb it. 

xiv) Tee shirt campaigns. 

xv) Study and learn from the Gang Reduction Programme (GRP) of the US Department of Justice, adopt and adapt strategies from its Five-pronged Approach to Gang Reduction, assessed to be workable in Anguilla to assist in reducing gangs here: 

a) Primary Prevention: Provides community services to youth in high risk, high crime areas – afterschool activities, arrest of truancy and drop out. 

b) Secondary Prevention: for 7 – 14 year olds at high risk – combined services delivered before the onset of delinquent behavior. 

c) Intervention: Targets active gang members and close associates with support services. 

d) Suppression: Removing the most dangerous and influential gang members from the community. 

e) Reentry: Services provided to offenders following release from confinement. 

11. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE 

i) Public sector, private sector and civil society agencies and institutions should be convened and a national consultation held among them, as a matter of urgency, and the findings and recommendations presented to Government. 

ii) Regular communication should be established with the Hon. Hubert Hughes, Chief Minister and Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly in keeping with the nonpartisan approach proposed for dealing with the gun violence problem and recommendations should be made for action on an ongoing programme to reverse the incidence of this scourge. 

iii) Use of the radio and television media should be maximized for politicians, public servants, private sector and civil society representatives and concerned citizens to make broadcasts about gun violence setting out various ideas for a non-partisan national approach to dealing with the problem. 

iv) Engage in face to face interaction and discussions, about gun violence and the various other challenges youth face, between representatives of organizations involved in combating youth violence and young people themselves, especially perpetrators and victims of the violence, and those at risk of committing such acts or becoming the victims. 

v) A nonpartisan motion should be moved and unanimously approved by the House of Assembly by both the Government and Opposition representing a consensus of the House for a broad based national response to the issue. 

vi) Organizations and individuals of goodwill opposed to the criminal violence and violence in general should express their views and let their voices be heard in the press and on radio and television especially at this time when the entire country is focussed singularly on this issue. 

vii) Youth organizations should be called on and encouraged to speak out publicly against gun violence and to focus much of their time and resources at this time making their contributions to the necessary and urgent fight against the scourge of gun violence in particular and violence in general among youth in the Anguillian community. 

12. SUGGESTED PARTIAL LIST OF ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN THE DEBATE ON THE MOTION IN THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY 

i) A medium term and long term national, non-partisan, multi faceted and multidimensional strategy, plan and programme to combat gun violence and related criminal and antisocial behavior. 

ii) Investigation, analysis and development of new social development legislation including parenting legislation that makes parents liable for crimes and other misdemeanors of their minor children, patterned after the Education Act. 

iii) Public education and the raising of consciousness about the threat of male youth gun violence, what can be done and is being done about it and the actions that can be taken by people in their different roles and their varied stations in the society. 

iv) Strengthening the powers and the human capacity of the Police Force and supporting and cooperating with the Force in their efforts to curb the violence. 

v) Direct engagement, interaction and ongoing communication and collaboration with young people especially those directly involved in gangs and youth on youth violence as perpetrator and as victim, as well as at risk youth not yet caught up in the violence. 

vi) Curbing and mitigation of the violence by and among youth by a multi agency strategy, of which law enforcement plays a lead role. 

vii) External assistance to strengthen law enforcement and related areas. 

viii) Public discourse and discussion on the issues pertaining to youth gun violence. 

ix) Suitable organizational arrangements to facilitate and enable the national programme against youth gun violence to succeed. 

x) Use of ICT to gather and review vital information on the violence and the efforts to fight against it. 

xi) Investigative research on the reach of the drugs trade among youth, gang members in particular and its impact on the gun violence. 

xii) Identification of the communities, “Hot Spots”, that feature prominently in the gang and gun violence, and focus programmes in them, tailored to their specific circumstances. 

PREPARED BY THE ANGUILLA UNITED FRONT JUNE 14, 2012

PRESS STATEMENT- "Can We All Just Get Along?"

Mr. Victor F. Banks

From the desk of AUF Party Leader – Victor Banks 

Let us take this opportunity to extend condolences to the families of the victims of the acts of violence that have been plaguing our community for many months. These senseless acts have resulted in the death and the permanent physical disability of a number of our young men in particular. It has brought grief and heartrending pain to many families throughout this island.

At this time no other issue is more important than addressing the crime situation on Anguilla. In this regard the Anguilla United Front has taken the decision to extend its full support to the Government of Anguilla in implementing a strategy that can be effective in bringing an end to this scourge that is destroying the peace and security of all residents of Anguilla.

In addition, we have resolved to put aside any discussion on all political issues that may have the tendency to distract from the important steps required to eradicate this dangerous trend towards crime and violence in our country. We will also make available very shortly our strategy document dealing with a response to the issues of crime and violence for consideration by Government and the community as a whole. We have noted that the Police Force is in need of serious technical and specialist support and call upon the Government to take every action to secure such assistance from whatever sources are necessary and at whatever cost.

We must express that what is happening is really a matter of Anguillians against Anguillians and should not be regarded by anyone in our community as acceptable. Crime must be everyone’s concern. We extend an urgent call to all residents of Anguilla to do their part in assisting to bring an end to this vicious cycle of violence.

By: Victor F. Banks
Victor Banks is a former Finance, Economics, Commerce and Tourism Minister on Anguilla. He is presently the leader of the Oposition Anguilla United Front Party, writer and author of a weekly political article for The Anguillian News Paper, lyricist, and a self-employed entrepreneur.

CORRUPTION! CORRUPTION! HEAR ALL ABOUT IT!

... Bastards!!!

WHO TO BLAME?

It is difficult to determine who to blame for the current state of affairs on Anguilla. I blame every Politician who has held elected office since at least 1990 when the world changed. I blame the bankers, businessmen, religious leaders and parents. I don’t blame the British for failing to take action against action on issues that did not affect their national interests. I don’t blame the uneducated youth who were neglected by the government and the society. I don’t even blame those who were ignorant enough to believe the politician that encouraged them to borrow and build. I just sympathize with the latter two. In the final analysis Anguilla belongs to the people and it is their responsibility to protect and preserve their island home.

I blame the politicians because they have done very little to creatively address the issues of development. The vast majority took jobs that were beyond their ability or competence. The most creative of the politicians is the one who took the decision to open the economy although that politician has allowed his reputation to be tarnished by years of association with unsavoury characters. I understand that during the recent past that politician has trimmed his personal ambition in an effort to provide political stability. 

Politicians have also been unable to stand up to their friends and the greed of their constituents. There are cases where people were over paid for shacks and given prime land in an effort to secure political support only to vote for the opposite side because they wanted more. Incidents like these speak of the character of both the politician and the electorate. There are cases where politicians have created a national crisis to fulfil political promises to friends or new supporters. All of this was done in full view of the horrible conditions of The Valley main road. In the final analysis Anguilla has one side of the political spectrum drowning in the sea of unfulfilled promises and voter disillusionment and the other side playing psychological games in the hope that the electorate choose them by default.  The alternatives to both sides that appeared during the last election are so busy singing for their supper or being co-opted by the entrenched forces that they have little interest in current affairs.

Over the years the businessmen controlled the economy by excluding new entrants. This control was exercised mainly by abusing their position on the various boards and the exercise of political influence. It became virtually impossible to get loans for anything other than a house or car. The reason why house and car loans became so accessible were linked to board members business interests, many owned car dealerships, building material supplies or they were silently interested in the borrower’s land. Loans became an act of consumer spending with little if any investment for profit. Today the banks are stuck with dead properties that literally cannot be sold, however the banks are refusing to discount these properties and continue to hold them in the hope that the economy rebound. The banking system became so corrupted that locals who borrowed money were rightfully called borrowers but foreigners who borrowed were called investors. Today the so-called foreign investors have departed, the captive locals are being pressured and the banks have serious liquidity problems. The businessmen are forced to service huge loans for large empty or half empty buildings. Some of the businesses are technically bankrupt but if the banks foreclose, the central bank will force bank directors who are major shareholders on these businesses to resign from the bank boards, because directors must be in good financial standing to remain a board member.

I blame the clergy for failing to practice what they preached and for propagating a sexist outdated doctrine that has done little to eradicate ignorance or poverty. I blame parents who spent more time at work than with their children.

It appears that current strategy is to prepare for the next election rather than attempt to repair the local economy. I heard one scheme is for the opposition not to run a candidate against the current freeze-dried minister in an effort to ensure an electoral victory. This type of electioneering and the hijacking of popular opinion have previously occurred in Road South, Valley South and East End. In all three cases this scheme backfired against the people and the organizers. Anguilla only solution is for those who have looted the economy to be forced to step aside. We have to expose corruption and greed. It is not enough to vote for the pirate who better share his loot.

By: Statchell Warner 

RIP OFF ANGUILLA AS TOURIST LEGGO...

First Nominated Member, Parliamentary 

Secretary with responsibility for Tourism 

on Anguilla - Hon. Haydn Hughes

Anguilla’s capital, The Valley, is located in the centre; an island about 17 miles long and 3 miles wide at it's widest point, 35 square-miles, with a population of about 13 thousand mostly English-speaking inhabitants and is a British Overseas Territory, one of the most unregulated free market economies on the planet, very little taxes, and one main Industry – Tourism. 

But, are Goods and Services very much over priced on Anguilla? According to the Anguilla Taxi Rates Schedule (revised), cost can amount to US$36.00 max 2 persons, additional US$5.00 per person, US$1.00 each additional piece of luggage over 2 pieces... additionally 6 p.m. to midnight - US$4.00, midnight to 6 a.m. - US$10.00. This amount can easily exceed the cost of renting a vehicle per day. 

Restaurants also charge an extra 15% mandatory service charge, often times not rendered, on an already minimum 80% to 800%, sometimes higher, mark-ups on goods and services. 

In an attempt to improve the quality of the service and to potentially cut the cost of customers' meals, restaurants in many countries have cut their mandatory service charge. And though 99% of our customers on Anguilla just pay up, service charge for goods collected over the counter should be “discretionary”, especially in this economic environment. Neither should service charge be applied to groups of 4 or less customers in restaurants. 

... wow!

If government really cares about the long-term success of this industry, it should sooner rather than later, enact legislation that will regulate taxi-fares, and make it illegal for restaurants to use service charges and tips to bring staff’s salaries up to an acceptable level. This means the urgent need for Minimum Wage legislation on Anguilla. This will be a welcome for diners who would no longer feel ripped by poor services.

A fragile Tourism Industry should not be burdened with the full weight of our incompetence.

By: Change Hope

WITH ANGUILLA’S FLOTILLAS, GOVERNMENT LACK OF RESOURCES, OPEN BORDERS, TOP-LEVEL SECRECIES… WHO CAN POLICE?

If you haven’t been paying attention, Anguilla has seen an unfortunate series of shootings that have ‘Paradisians’ understandably upset! The authorities are calling it a “spate” – we are saying that with such endemic, the word or term spate is an insult to the average intelligence. Colloquially: "spate mi-arse!!!" However, here on Anguilla I've noticed that despite our geography, we tend to have a strongly emotional and largely negative relationship to guns. This often means people may be unwilling to think about them outside of the context of these feelings. Many Anguillians who grew up here seem to want to live in a world where guns don’t exist. I question whether this is healthy, empowering, or constructive. 

I do not labour under the illusion like the Royal Anguilla Police Service (RAPS) Commissioner that it is possible to be in an Anguilla free of guns – or his ineptness to cease Firearm Licenses to legitimate warrantees will solve future crime. His approach is to limit the right of law-abiding citizens to obtain guns, despite evidence showing that in countries where they've really tried to make this approach work, gun crime has become worse after enacting tough restrictions on gun ownership. Prohibition on civilian gun ownership merely disarms law-abiding citizens and drive gun commerce into the same sorts of black-markets that drugs and alcohol ended up in under their respective prohibitions. And with Anguilla’s flotillas, government lack of resources, open borders, top-level secrecies… who can police? 

The War on Guns will not render a country free of guns. We need to take a similar view to guns, as the question on sex education. The debate must be to teach abstinence, with use and protection – not one and not the other, as abstinence has proven to be an illusion. We must take a realistic approach to this subject on guns, and refrain from pretending that we can wish such realities away. It may be constructive to foster and promote healthy and empowering relationships. Guns are a fact of life, and wishing otherwise seems impractical. People should have the right to be able to defend themselves, given the impossibility on how to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Guns don’t commit murders, angry people do. 

Guns on Anguilla is a genie that’s long been released – a proliferation that ‘will never’ be curtailed, more so, with an inefficient ineffective police service incapable of protecting a honest and hardworking law-abiding people. Therefore, we must humbly advise guardians, that they must teach their youth(s) how to be safe around guns, how to use them responsibly, and to a healthy and safe attitude toward firearms. We can only hope that all will collectively focus their energies toward effective responses to the problem of living in a world where people aren’t always how you’d like them to be. A Bulldog Idi Admin approach will never work: "Sometimes people mistake the way I talk for what I am thinking. I never had any formal education -- not even nursery school certificate. But, sometimes I know more than Ph.D.'s because as a military man I know how to act, I am a man of action." A bit Hubertism there... isn't it?

My advice to a ‘waste of time government’: it is incumbent upon ‘YOU’ for the health and security of your people, or you’re liken an infidel. YOU are responsible for providing ALL the necessary resources required to fulfil an effective service. You are accountable, not the British Government, nor the British Taxpayers. And to the Electorate: 'often times' Politicians are normally the most likeable electable Idiots amongst us. This is why in most successful democratic systems of government there is a nominated House of experts who scrutinises such or most idiocy from our fanfares. 

By: Realist Spikenice

PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION ANGUILLA DAY ADDRESS 2012

Hon. Othlyn Vanterpool, District 1, AUF Opposition
Member in the House of Assembly

Fellow Anguillians, 

The honour and the privilege is all mine to have been afforded the opportunity, due to the unavoidable absence of the Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Evans McNiel Rogers, to address you at this very important National Celebration. I must however not neglect to execute my solemn promise to Mr. Rogers to convey his sincere regrets that he could not be with you today.

Yet another time we have assembled on these grounds, a central meeting place for the leaders of the Anguilla Revolution, to pay homage to those stalwarts and to recognize Anguillian heroes and heroines who have contributed in several and different ways to the furtherance of the vision established and upheld since those early days of struggle. But even as we stand here today I am certain that there are many among you who can reminisce about the rallying cries and rousing speeches from this very spot that united Anguillians to stand firm and resolute in the face of threats from a hostile Central Government some seventy miles across the Caribbean Sea.

Forty-five years later we may not be facing threats from without, but certainly from within. Threats that can destroy many of the gains we have made as a people, at the hands of persons who obviously have not been touched by that spirit of family that brought us through the many hardships of the past. I believe that I should not lose this opportunity as an Elected Representative of the people of Anguilla and as a child of the Revolution, to use this privilege on this historic meeting ground to support the campaign against youth violence and crime in our beloved island. What is happening in Anguilla today is contrary to the vision of our forbears and is to my mind an abomination to the sacrifices that they have made and that we continue to make for future generations of Anguillians.

My entire life, training and experience has revolved around social and community work. I would therefore consider it unnatural for me not to make this issue central to my short remarks on an occasion when I can appeal directly to our patriotism to help to eradicate this threat to the realization of an Anguilla “proud, strong and free”. Quite coincidentally, this seems to fit with the theme for this 45th Anniversary, namely, “time to rejoice, rebuild and reconcile”. Every Anguilla Day should be a time to rejoice. But such rejoicing must also be coupled with reflection. I believe that such reflection at this time must certainly call for the rebuilding and the reconciliation of our situation as it stands today.

I wish to make the point that while the focus is on “Youth Violence and Crime”, we should not believe that the problem rests with young people alone. Indeed, let me quote a comment made by Mr. Victor F. Banks in his weekly column on the subject on May 4, 2012: “the situation is not the particular responsibility of this Government; the past Government; the Police Force; the Education Department; the Churches; the Social Services Department; the Governor; parents; or any other convenient object of blame --- it is the responsibility of all of the above. All of us!” I completely endorse Mr. Banks’ opinion and likewise applaud the non-partisan initiative launched by the political leaders from District 3 and 6, including the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The Commissioner of Police has also appealed to all of us to be involved in the process of bringing the perpetrators of these crimes to justice. I commend the Commissioner for his forceful response in the face of this growing trend. He is leading the charge in that area and needs our support --- but there is also the area of prevention that demands our serious and sustained attention. This area may be even more challenging than law and order and the response must of necessity be multi-faceted. If the response is to be multifaceted so too must the persons and entities involved in its implementation. In other words no single agency, institution, individual, or group can effectively eradicate this growing scourge. I must therefore reemphasize the point made earlier that it requires all of us!

I had a chance to look into the faces of Anguillian youngsters in the documentary film of “Operation Sheepskin”, which captured aspects of the British Invasion of Anguilla in March 1969. The film gave me an opportunity to compare the demeanour of youth in the period of the Revolution when there was a patriotic reason to be rebellious with the demeanour of present day, young men especially, whose rebellious conduct does not appear to be based on any reasons that are readily identifiable. While the existence of deep anger is evident in many young people in our island to day, the young men captured on film in “Operation Sheepskin” exhibited a more civil disposition that exuded strong resolve and passion rather than deep hatred and/or anger. The source of this anger and hatred which seems to consume so many of our young people must be identified if we want to stem the ongoing cycle of violence which attends us.

Within the last ten years more than twelve young people have died as a result of senseless acts of violence and several times that number have been injured or maimed. It is certainly not a statistic that we would have expected to be confronting forty-five years ago. The entire Anguilla Revolution was executed without any serious incidence of bloodshed and in fact without any significant display of violence among our people. Following that early period when we embarked on Tourism as the vehicle for national development our mantra was “ tranquillity wrapped in blue”. Highlighting the peaceful environment we call our homeland. As that industry blossomed with “low volume high value” services we became the envy of many destinations in the region and the world and really believed that we were heading towards achieve the vision of nation strong, proud and free. It is indeed a time for rebuilding and reconciling amidst this atmosphere of celebration!

I want to take this opportunity to challenge all of us as a community to do our part to ensure that next Anguilla Day will be a time of rejoicing! A time when we can truly say that we evoked the spirit of the Revolution on this historic ground and reversed the scourge of Youth Violence and Crime within our community. There is no question that throughout our history as a people we have been most successful when we have been united in purpose to address our challenges. With God on our side let us rise up once more to bring that early vision back on the course chartered for us some forty-five years ago. I salute the honourees, past and present, whose invaluable contributions we celebrate today. May God bless all of you! And may God bless Anguilla!

I thank you all very much for listening! Happy Anguilla Day!