The Minister of National Security, Rayburn Blackmoore, has condemned the rising wave of gun violence across Dominica. In commenting over the shooting death of 29-year-old Mordecai Mains at the Dame Eugenia Charles Boulevard on Saturday, Blackmoore noted that this incident is the 10th homicide to be committed within the first half of this year.
The national security minister blamed gun-related violence on illegal firearms and youth restiveness. He noted that all illegal firearms in the country must be mopped up, and that youths must be productively-engaged in constructive things to be able to eschew violence. He said police authorities alone cannot combat violence, and called for a collaborative approach to deal with the problem at the grassroot level.
According to Blackmoore, a comprehensive societal response is required to extirpate violence from the minds of the youths. He said it is sickening enough that people cannot resolve their differences through dialogue or through recourse to police authorities, but through street gunfights.
PM Roosevelt Skerrit agreed with the position of Blackmoore, adding that a multi-social effort should be adopted to discourage gun violence. He expressed dismay at the frequency of senseless killings by aggrieved youths, and called for the police to intensify efforts to apprehend and charge offenders to court. He also cautioned against taking of laws into one’s hands, saying it is counter-productive and regrettable at last.
Mains was killed at the ferry terminal in Roseau in the early morning of Saturday. Police have launched a manhunt for his assailant, while his body awaits post-mortem at the Lyndhurst Funeral Home.
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