Dear Source:
The St. John's business community as well as every citizen is upset about the newest and recent murder on our Island. We have had too many such other serious crimes for too many years now. This has impacted our sense of safety and made us afraid. This is not the way we want to live. This is not the reputation we can endure to keep our major economical Tourism Industry alive. Every one of our Island has seen serious changes in the past years with drugs and violence escalating all around us. Many of us have attempted to work with our Police force through the years as well–too often walking away feeling that there was simply too many radical internal system changes, along with time needed to be able to effectively deal with the crime situation effectively. If we do not tackle crime full steam ahead, we are doomed.
The citizen's initiative–caring citizen like you and I–organized themselves to find a way to cut through the lack of trust issues that have taken many years to create.
Fear of reprisal as seen in many small communities impeded citizens calling in to the Police Dept. with information. Up to now, the criminals have been winning. That does not need to be any longer with the organizing of the new Crimestoppers USVI Program. We can now change this scenario drastically and fast!
We are now empowered and take our communities back from those criminals who have taken away our sense of security for too long now!
No name is given; no caller ID; no voice recording; no trace; no need to testify or have anyone know that you gave the tip. Total guaranteed anonymity.
You, the citizen, now has an opportunity to finally change things for the better in our communities. One phone call to the off-Island tip number 1-800-222-TIPS can have a tsunami impact on those people who have no respect for others by breaking laws and creating suffering to good, hardworking, decent and responsible citizens. What it can also do is finally get some kind of justice for the many people who have been victims of crime for many years.
I ask every citizen to please join Crimestoppers; pay attention; write this number down and carry it with you at all times; call your neighbors and friends and get them involved now. You can pick up a Crimestoppers brochure copy at The St. John Community Foundation on St. John.
We are now given a chance to change things for the better in the Virgin Islands. No more excuses. The buck now lands directly in front of each one of us! Every family, every business and every Villa Rental needs to get involved.
Please, for the future of our Islands, our children, our communities, for the greatest good of us all, be a tipster. Help restore our rightful need for safety. This can be the biggest and fastest way to change the Virgin Islands in a truly positive direction.
Bonny Corbeil
St. John
Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to visource@gmail.com.
