Above: Nevis (CJ Photo)
By the Caribbean Journal staff
Nevis Premier Joseph Parry said his island was still “very safe,” and that the government had taken “as many steps as they can” to ensure the security of its people and visitors.
Parry was speaking in a radio interview with WINN FM 98.9 on Tuesday, following the alleged armed robbery of US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer at his home in Golden Rock.
“What I think is necessary is that when dignitaries come to the country that we are aware of it, and that we offer the highest level of protection, and that is a position that we will carry out,” he said. “I want to reassure everyone that it is very safe on the island of Nevis, and that the police and the government have taken as many steps as they can to ensure security of our people and our visitors.”
Parry said police had been very involved in investigating the incident, and that he was satisfied that the police had been doing everything in their power to deal with the situation.
Breyer, who owns a home on the island, has been visiting Nevis for 18 years.
Parry, who is also the Minister of Tourism in the Nevis Island Administration, stressed the importance of tourism to the economy of Nevis, St Kitts and the entire Caribbean.
According to data from St Kitts and Nevis Commissioner CG Walwyn, crime in the federation fell by a total of 5 percent in 2011, with 105 fewer reported incidents.
Walwyn, a former law enforcement officer in Texas and Florida, assumed his position in September.
In the summer, federation Prime Minister Denzil Douglas stepped up security efforts in the federation, including the employment of a so-called “Delta Squad” to tackle crime.