Hundreds lined the roadside on Friday for a government-organised anti-crime march that set off from the Road Town Police Station shortly after 6:30 p.m. and concluded at the Huntums Ghut basketball court.
The event was held to launch a series of activities leading up to the Virgin Islands Anti-Crime Summit, which is scheduled to take place Sept. 24-26 under the theme “Our Virgin Islands: Safe Communities, Prosperous Territory.”
Streetlights and passing headlights lit the route as the column moved down the road.
Light rain showers delayed the start by about 10 minutes and returned intermittently through the evening in humid conditions.
Just before the rain fell, Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley told the Beacon he was happy to see the participation.
“It sends a signal, you know?” Mr. Wheatley said on the sidewalk near the police station. “Persons shouldn’t underestimate the impact of just making a visible statement against crime.”
The premier added that activities like the march help counter a common perception that people who obtain their possessions from crime are “respected and regarded” in the community.
“It does make a difference, you know: our public stance as it pertains to criminals and crime,” he said.
The parade moved through Huntums Ghut with public officers, youth groups, church organisations and other civic bodies carrying printed banners.
Onlookers stood along pavements and outside shopfronts, many recording on their phones as the column passed at a steady walking pace.
Vehicles slowed at junctions and roundabouts to let the column through before traffic resumed.
Youth rally
At the Huntums Ghut basketball court, the march led into a youth-centred rally that included live performances and personal testimonies, the launch of an official anti-crime theme song, and a three-point shootout between youth volunteers and elected officials.
Spectators filled the bleachers and lined the perimeter fence.
Also present was Governor Daniel Pruce, who spoke with one arm still in a sling after undergoing surgery in July.
“This evening marks a moment of reflection,” Mr. Pruce said. “We’ve just had a moment of silence as well. It is also a moment of resolve and of shared responsibility, and it shows that across the Virgin Islands, we all of us care deeply about the safety and the future of our young people.”
Announcements highlighted upcoming activities linked to the coming Anti-Crime Summit and encouraged residents to participate in neighbourhood meetings and school-based sessions in the coming weeks.
Former prison inmate
After the introduction of the anti-crime theme song, government Communications Director Karia Christopher approached the stage with Shonovia Thomas, who was convicted of manslaughter in 2012.
“I went to prison and I didn’t have my freedom, but that was something that I was accustomed to,” Ms. Thomas told the crowd. “Coming from an abusive child home, not being able to have any freedom and continually being thrown out [of] what you would call a single-parent home.”
According to Ms. Thomas, she ended up in an abusive relationship after being cast from her home at the age of 18 — a relationship that would end in the death of her partner and her own incarceration.
“Even in that relationship, I wasn’t allowed any freedom; I wasn’t allowed to speak to anyone,” Ms. Thomas said. “So when I went to prison, it wasn’t anything new for me. It was what I was accustomed to: not being able to go anywhere.”
Her childhood and home life, Ms. Thomas said, put her in a situation that required her to break the law in self-defence.
“Some people have circumstances that they couldn’t avoid, and they had to end up in the prison situation, but still they are human beings,” Ms. Thomas said. “They have to eat; they have to make life still. So when they come out [of prison], they deserve that opportunity. Give them a fair chance. Allow them to prove themselves.”
Upcoming summit
No schedule for the upcoming summit activities had been released as of Beacon press time yesterday afternoon, but Ms. Christopher promised one soon.
She added that the Sept. 24-26 summit will be held in the Multi-purpose Sports Complex.
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