Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, Prime Minister and Minister of National Security delivered remarks at the National Dialogue on Sustainable Human Development and the Citizen Security Agenda Workshop on Monday, November 09, at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort.
This workshop was coordinated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to define priority actions for St. Kitts and Nevis.
Prime Minister outlined his government’s intention to pursue educational reform in education, including improving school performance in literacy and numeracy at both primary and secondary levels. Prime Minister Harris said the implementation of curfews and conducting random checks on delinquent students by the military would be done by his government.
To this end, Harris complimented the management of the Cayon High School for engaging the security to frisk students at the school last Thursday for illegal weapons and drugs to ensure law and order. Harris pointed out that the security forces will be there to assist the education sector to ensure the safety of all.
“I prefer as the Prime Minister of this country and as a citizen to have our schools surrounded by the armed forces than to have the criminal hooligans surrounding our centers of learning,” PM Harris emphasised
Meanwhile on Monday’s edition of Issues Captain Kayode Sutton of the SKNDF echoed the sentiments of PM Harris in asserting that the army would continue to do patrols and searches in the schools to ensure the safety and security of the school environment. Sutton alluded to several episodes in our high schools and at the Cayon High School where gangs, contrabands and illegal weapons were found.
The St Kitts and Nevis Defence Force Public Relations Officer Kayode Sutton tells Freedom Fm that random stop and searches are being conducted in schools in an effort to clamp down on gang activities among young people. Sutton said food such as saltfish and bread carried knives and ice picks; that in another situation students were smoking pot in the bathrooms and not allowing other students use of the facilities; that a teacher was locked out of his class while a student took it over selling drugs.
Sutton said the schools administration fully supported their efforts and welcomed them in maintaining law and order.