Lacroes: residents of St. Peters cannot accept gun violence as normal, calls for more police presence

GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Francisco Lacroes has issued a strong appeal for greater police visibility, removal of illegal firearms and more opportunities for young people in St. Peters, saying the district should not reach a point where violence, street activity and deteriorating surroundings are accepted as normal.

Speaking during the budget debate, Lacroes made the concerns in his home district one of the most personal parts of his contribution, telling the Minister of Justice that he wants sustained attention given to St. Peters and not simply a temporary response following serious incidents.

“I want my neighborhood cleaned up. I want St. Peters cleaned up. I want the guns off the road in St. Peters. I want the young men in St. Peters working. I don’t want them on the block,” Lacroes said.

He referred specifically to a recent shooting in St. Peters and said the incident reinforced his concern about the level of gun violence that residents are being exposed to. For Lacroes, the issue is not only the crime itself, but what repeated exposure to that crime teaches the next generation.

“I don’t want my sons to believe that that is normal and acceptable, because it is not,” he said. “We could do better. We want better.”

Lacroes said he would have no objection to police being present in St. Peters every day if that is what is required to disrupt criminal activity and make residents feel safer. He said people may not always appreciate increased controls, but restoring safety must take priority.

The MP also linked public safety to opportunities for young men in the district. He said the objective should not simply be removing young people from street corners, but creating circumstances in which they can work and see productive alternatives available to them.

Lacroes expressed concern about the message sent when young people believe serious violence carries limited consequences. He questioned whether the justice system is delivering a sufficient deterrent in cases involving robberies, shootings and other violent offences, and said the country cannot ignore the effect those perceptions can have on younger residents.

While acknowledging that the Minister of Justice does not control every decision taken by the Prosecutor’s Office or other parts of the justice chain, Lacroes said that should not prevent government and Parliament from raising concerns and seeking answers from the appropriate authorities within the Kingdom.

His call for St. Peters to be “cleaned up” also went beyond crime. Lacroes raised concerns about the physical condition of the district, including dirty water running in the streets, saying he had previously reached out regarding ways residents could report such problems so they could be brought to the attention of VROMI.

He said improving St. Peters requires attention to both safety and quality of life, including cleaner surroundings, stronger enforcement and opportunities that keep young people engaged in employment rather than remaining idle in the community.

For Lacroes, the district should not be defined by shootings, guns or young men standing on blocks. He said government should treat the problems with enough urgency to change what children growing up in St. Peters see around them and what they come to believe is normal.

The MP said his message to government is straightforward: increase the presence where it is needed, get illegal guns off the streets, create opportunities for young people and give St. Peters the sustained attention required to improve the community.

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