St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Commissioner of Police, Enville Williams, says Vincentian fisherfolk could go to sea without fear of being struck by a US drone.
The United States military has conducted several lethal strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea, including one off the Grenadines, in February, claiming that they were trafficking in drugs.
Among the dead were said to be three St. Lucians, whose relatives say that they were fishermen and not traffickers of narcotics.
Minister of National Security, St. Clair Leacock and Williams held a joint press conference in Kingstown on Wednesday after their return from St. Lucia for the Regional Security System (RSS) Council of Ministers’ Meeting.
During the March 23 to 27 summit, Leacock took over the revolving one-year chairmanship of the eight-member RSS from St. Lucia Prime Minister Phillip Pierre.
“… I want to take the opportunity to say to our fisherfolk that there is no threat to you going to sea to ply your trade; like zero threat to you. None,” Williams said in response to questions about the US drone strike on boats in the Caribbean Sea.
“The Americans are targeting persons who are moving cocaine through the waters, who are in violation of local and international laws, and they are so prosecuted,” Williams said.
“So, ordinary fishermen and women who are going to sea to ply their trade have nothing to fear, absolutely nothing to fear. And that’s the solemn and honest truth,” the police chief further stated.
During the press briefing, Williams explained how the RSS operates, noting that member countries pool their resources for operational purposes and share common operating protocols, for example, in immigration management.
“So everything within the member states as it relates to defence and security and response to hazards in case of NEMO (National Emergency Management Organisation) and all of that that touches and concerns citizen security is treated by this alliance as one,” Williams said.
“So, you have all of the things that concern your security and mine, that RSS have a common picture to operate under it.”
The police chief was asked why, in light of this, the United States came into regional waters and destroyed at least three vessels, with one of the strikes taking place in SVG’s exclusive economic zone.
“And if the RSS is operating in this manner, why is it the Americans sought upon themselves to kill, murder Caribbean nationals without one — no one is admitting if the Americans were given the authority to operate in our waters.
“Two, what is happening with the investigation, if any, is ongoing, and what is being said to the families of those Caribbean fishermen, especially, what took place within our exclusive economic zone?”
Williams, however, said that as he had indicated before, those questions should be directed to the US.
“… because you’re asking me for a police standpoint to ask whether or not the police knew of any authority given to Americans, which … is above the police — that’s a political question for the political directorate. That’s not for me to proffer an answer to,” Williams said.
He said that from his knowledge, the RSS has “engaged the Americans and the discussion is ongoing as to what is going on”.
Williams said that regional security and defence chiefs during the first two days of the St. Lucia summit and the head of the US Joint Interagency Task Force South, sat in the meeting.
“… the head of the task force, JIATF South (US Joint Interagency Task Force South), sat in the meeting, asked the same questions you’re asking and gave answers to the questions. But I’m not going to answer you from what was said, because the answers are given were given in a level of — ‘ closed door’, as you answer it,” the police chief said, adopting the reporter’s description.
The police chief then assured the fisherfolk that they are safe to ply their trade at sea.
However, the reporters pushed back, presenting what he said was a photo of one of the boats that had been destroyed by the US drone strike.
“… look at the size of the boat. The minister, soon after, on a national broadcast, indicated there’s about $500 million worth of cocaine,” the reporter said.
“Let me add to this. Last year I was in Grenada. If you go into The Carenage in Grenada, there are many boats with three, four and five onboard engines. If you go to … and you do your research, there are many boats in there with multiple outboard engines. Are those boats drug carrying?”
At this point, Leacock intervened, telling the reporters that he could not “subject the commissioner of police to political examination, for which he quite rightfully determines what, where he should end his contributions.
Leacock said that during the RSS meeting, it was reported that there had been a US drone strike on a boat off Puerto Rico/St. Kitts.
“And it was reported in the meeting that whereas prior to that on the previous strikes, the Americans had taken a position of no answers or no explanation, they had now softened that position and were prepared to give greater respect to sovereignty within the region, which was a major conversation there and then,” the national security minister said.
“So, I believe, through the skilful negotiations of the RSS and heads of government and others who will be involved in this exercise, we can anticipate that over time, there will be an increased level of responsiveness and sensitivity to Caribbean jurisdictions and to that key expression that was used: the Caribbean being a zone of peace,” he said.
“I believe work is ongoing there. We may achieve desirable progress that all of us think that we should have and be entitled in the equipment. I think that’s a sufficient seven explanation to leave it there.”
