KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, Sept 30, CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday has described as “heartbreaking” last weekend’s quadruple murder and that the government is developing a “comprehensive plan to deal with crime and violence, especially violent crimes in our country”.
“This is heartbreaking stuff, you know, because you look at the ages of the persons involved, these are young people at the beginning of their lives and the hope is that they will, and others who see these terrible results of certain choices, that we will be able to reach the people who are engaged in these kinds of incidents,” Prime Minister Friday said on the state-owned NBC Radio on Wednesday.
Police have confirmed that Steve King, 22; Antonio Samuel, 32, Shaqueil Peters, 26, as well 23 -year-old Shevern Chandler, were killed in the shooting incident last Friday. Several other people were injured during the shooting.
Prime Minister Friday, who was in the United States attending the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) when the shooting took place, told radio listeners that he was in immediate contact with the Minister of National Security and Deputy Prime Minister, St. Clair Leacock.
“ We have had follow-ups since I’ve been here, since I came back. We had meetings with the top brass and the Commissioner and the Minister himself and we are, you know, looking for and seeking and putting in place a comprehensive plan to deal with crime and violence, especially violent crimes in our country.
“We spoke about it a lot when we were in opposition and we have put our minds to it here in government and we intend to follow through. But it’s not, as we have said, it requires everyone.”
Prime Minister Friday said that he had made it clear “from the very beginning” that the matter would require input from various stakeholders.
“And so we are creating a broader based approach as to how we address this matter. It will not be done just simply by, you know, having a heavier (police) presence, which we need to do in immediate reaction in particular areas that these incidents resulting and where they come from.
“But we have to look at the source problem. You know, why are these young people moving in this direction? How do we combat this? What are the things that we need to do as a society? This is why it takes an all of society approach to be able to address this problem at its root causes and that is the approach that we’re taking.”
Prime Minister Friday said that guns are not manufactured in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but he is “seeing, you know, submachines, guns.
“We’re seeing high powered rifles. We’re seeing all kinds of weapons coming in there. How are they getting into the country and what do we do to stem that? And it’s a matter that involves us in the region, but also outside of the region to take steps to prevent the what is really trafficking of weapons into our region.”
Friday said that the authorities must look at the opportunities for young people, alternatives that are more positive and constructive.
“And so when I say about having a comprehensive approach, that’s what we are about now. But it’s a tragedy, and my heart goes out to the family members of those persons who died, and again I reiterate the appeal that was made by the deputy prime minister and by, you know, people in society in general.
“This is not something that anyone that we can condone and for those persons who are involved in creating these terrible incidents that generates insecurity in our communities, fear of people participating in public events.
“This is not our lifestyle and we will come to terms with it and we will solve this problem. We will deal with it in a way that is effective and long lasting. And that’s our plan going forward,” Prime Minister Friday told radio listeners.
CMC/aj/ir/2026