Senator Phillip Applauds Crime Reduction; Urges Ongoing Commitment to Citizen Security

Isalean Phillip, Minister responsible for Social Development, Gender Affairs, Youth Empowerment, Ageing and Disabilities, has praised the achievements of the 90-Day Anti-Violence Campaign, while calling for continued focus and national collaboration in the next phase of the initiative—Beyond the 90 Days.

Speaking during a press conference on 10th April, 2025 titled Beyond the 90 Days: Building a Safer Future, Senator Phillip underscored the importance of prevention and early social interventions in promoting long-term citizen security.

As co-chair of the Citizen Security Task Force, Senator Phillip commended the collective efforts of the Citizen Security Advisory Council and the Citizen Security Secretariat. Both entities were established under the leadership of Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew and are aligned with CARICOM’s public health approach to crime and violence.

“While national security is managed and maintained as a primary government responsibility through the Police, Defence Force, and Border Control agencies, citizen security, on the other hand, requires the individual and collective responsibility of all our citizens,” Phillip said. “Citizen security is considered a government-led initiative but must be community-driven in order to achieve success.”

She referenced statistics from the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, which show an 11% reduction in violent crime and no gun-related homicides in the first quarter of 2025. However, she expressed sorrow over the Federation’s sole homicide to date—a domestic violence incident that claimed the life of community nurse earlier this month.

“I must take this opportunity to extend condolences to the family, relatives, friends, and coworkers of Nurse Pitt, those who closely knew her and who she was dearly loved by,” Senator Phillip stated. “Even though it is not discussed often enough, the reality and prevalence of domestic and gender-based violence is far too high. As a society, we ought to be equally outraged about the violence taking place in secret behind closed doors.”

She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling crime and violence at their roots through research, community engagement, and practical responses informed by local realities.

The press conference also featured members of the Citizen Security Advisory Council:

• Eartha Carey, Acting Coordinator of the Citizen Security Secretariat, who oversees project implementation;
• Alicia Collins, a family counsellor and facilitator involved in outreach and community engagement;
• Sergeant Charmaine Audain, representative of the National Intervention Team enhancing community policing efforts; and
• Hance Richards, a public health researcher focused on violence data analysis and community consultations.

Richards presented findings from recent consultations that revealed root causes of violence and provided community-informed strategies for solutions.

Minister Phillip closed by stressing the need for an “all-of-society” approach and reaffirmed the government’s dedication to addressing crime and violence from a public health perspective.

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