French Quarter: --- Residents of French Quarter on Saturday evening held one of three suspects whom they believed are involved in the many armed robberies which were committed over the past week. The victim and suspect were caught in Rue St. Georges by relatives of a victim of a recent house break in. The residents said they have had enough and the once peaceful area is now one of the worst areas of the French side due to youth delinquencies. The youth who was beaten by the group of angry residents was taken to the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital by the Fire Department for treatment. Despite several calls to the Gendarmerie they did not show up at the scene in French Quarter or the hospital when the 17-year old youth was taken.
He was released to the gendarmes less than an hour after his ordeal. The gendarmes also released the young man that same night claiming that they do not have proof that he is in fact a suspect of any type. They said that despite wanting to solve crimes they are not able to detain anyone based on suspicions and what people say instead they need solid proof. An example is a victim of any armed hold up has to be able to identify their attacker even if they were masked.
The Director of SMN News was called to the French Quarter outpost about 10pm Saturday night to identify the suspect in custody. They said if the victim could not identify the young man in question they are not able to keep him custody. What is not clear is how could a man who was held at gunpoint on his floor identify the gunmen who were masked? Does the gendarme conduct interrogation or not? They said the person they had in custody was a 17 year old and that is a minor, what happened to the parents of this 17 year old? Were they questioned at all?
"We know how to get justice and surely we will get those responsible for breaking into the homes in French Quarter. We are going to start doing the job of the gendarmes if they are short of staff or afraid to do the work they are paid to do." One group of residents told this reporter.
On Friday evening two armed bandits entered the home of a sales clerk and demanded monies and his cellular phone. The two attackers who were not content with what they got on Friday returned to the home on Saturday and emptied it, leaving the bed alone inside the house.
That same weekend Home & Tools in Marigot was also robbed at gunpoint, further in the week Cadisco gas station was robbed.
Based on information reaching SMN News there were at least six robberies in French Quarter this past week and so far no one has been arrested for the crimes committed.
The home of SMN News was held up at gunpoint on Sunday last week. This was the fifth time SMN News has been plagued by robbers. Each time they stripped us of electronics and other personal items. On Sunday the bandits stole several documents and other items. The gendarmes were called but as usual they arrived late at the scene giving the armed robbers enough time to escape. We were told that since there is not enough gendarmes to man the all the stations on the French side it was necessary for them to join at least two of the outpost. Those are Marigot and French Quarter. The commandant of the gendarmerie said that the two outposts work in turns. On Sunday last week when we called the gendarmes they said the reason they arrived late was because they had to travel from Marigot.
Due to the fact that we have filed several complaints with the gendarmes concerning these break ins and so far in our eyes nothing has been to put those responsible behind bars we strongly believe that the Gendarmes needs revise their plan to make sure they can provide safety and security.
The fact that there are people in the communities who have lost confidence in the gendarmes is enough reason for them to restructure themselves and work with the people if they are to successfully fight crime.
While the Dutch side is being accused for the excess crime and the guns that are in the hands of criminals there is nowhere on the Dutch side one can walk in a shop and buy a gun without a license. While there is a need for both sides of the island to put their forces together to curb crime this of course is not the time to blame each other. Secondly the gendarmes have to mobilize themselves better and work with the people
"There is a barrier between the people and the Gendarmes and that has to be broken somehow if the crime rate is to drop. Even though the gendarmes individually is not at fault since they seems to be doing the best they can something is desperately wrong with their system which is not to the people's benefit.
Stolen Items Sold on Dutch side-says gendarme
According to one of the gendarmes who are investigating the armed robberies on the French side said that based on the information given to them by suspects they arrested and are now serving prison time in Guadeloupe said that all stolen electronics stolen from the French side is sold in Cole Bay and an electronic store located on Front Street. The gendarme did not say if this information was given to his Dutch counterpart but when this media house contacted the Dutch authorities they are amazed and wanted to know how come they never got this information so that they can investigate.
If there is cooperation that existed and these men in blue are fighting crime jointly one would believe that all necessary information would be shared. On Friday the police on the Dutch side released a photo of Jamaican National who is wanted for several armed robberies and his photograph was published in Saturday's paper, by noon that same day the Dutch Police managed to capture their man. This goes to show that if law enforcement involves the community in fighting crimes much can be achieved.
Views of the Gendarmes-Wants to be left alone
"The people need to leave the gendarmes alone to do their work they need to understand that the gendarmes only have two hands and one head. We also have our wives and children whom we need to be with" those were the words of one particular gendarme who was at the French Quarter outpost Saturday night. He made clear he began working at 12 noon and he did not see his wife and children since. The gendarme who was obviously angry said that the people of St. Martin need to forget the Dutch and American systems because they French is not the same. He further said that St. Martiner's need to know the French laws which are what he has to execute. The gendarme in question was obviously angry at his own system and instead of expressing his feelings to his colleagues he did to victims who are at the mercies of the gendarmes. "Leave the gendarmes work" is what he said on numerous occasions.
The other surprise for this reporter is when we were told that the local people ought to expect what is happening today. In the beginning the tourist were the ones who were attacked and now since there is no more tourists the attackers will prey on the locals.
Under Staffed --- Enough human Resources based on Statistics
There are 100 gendarmes on the French side of the island. No more no less and these men are spread over the island in different departments including administration. At least 40 of them who are less experience are placed in the first response team. The second response which deals with severe cases has 36 men, three for delinquents, and the others are in the administrative sections of the gendarmerie. There is nowhere St. Martin can get more gendarmes because this the amount allotted based on the size of the population.
Another harsh reality is that because of the amount of men there is nowhere all the outpost can remain open to the public 24/7. To utilize the men on duty the patrols have to take turns in their locations. Surprising there are only two patrols on duty. They expect to add an additional patrol come November 1 2008 due to Christmas season.
The reality of the system is that it is obvious the gendarmes are short staffed and there is not much they can do based on the laws they have to abide by. The gendarmes are not POLICE they are MILITARY MEN, who are not fit for St. Martin. The island needs to have Police Nationale who has more power and grip on crime.
Job of Senator--- Message for Louis Constant Fleming
The residents of French Quarter wants Louis Constant Fleming to know that he is not in the senate for his good looks or his monies, instead he is there to make sure the existing laws are amended or make new laws.
Fleming said that he will make sure St. Martin get what it needed. Right now the island needs better security and there needs to be some control on the youth delinquencies.
Already there is an economic crisis and further killing the economy of the island is not the way to go. Fleming and his UPP group who are elected needs to approach the State Representatives to make sure the gendarmes do what is necessary to save what is left of St. Martin after all you said you cared for your island.