ST. KITTS AND NEVIS CONTENDS FOR PER CAPITA MURDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000078 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2019 TAGS: ECON EINV PREL XL SOCI SUBJECT: ST. KITTS AND NEVIS CONTENDS FOR PER CAPITA MURDER RATE TITLE REF: 08 BRIDGETOWN 752 Classified By: CDA D. Brent Hardt Reason 1.4 (b/d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) The small twin island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis is number two, sandwiched between Colombia and South Africa, on the list of nations with the most murders per capita. The spike in killings, now receiving attention in the international press, has the potential to further damage a tourism-based economy that is already under pressure from the global economic downturn. After three years of a rising homicide rate, the government is now taking an active approach to combat the violence epidemic. -------------- CONTENDING FOR A DUBIOUS TITLE -------------- ¶2. (C) One of the smallest countries in the world with a population of 38,500, St. Kitts and Nevis has long been a relatively safe country free from serious crime. Times have changed in recent years, though, and in 2008 the country recorded a record 22 murders. With its small population, this puts the per capita murder rate at .5641 murders per 1000 people. By comparison South Africa, with one of the highest crime rates in the world, only recorded .4960 murders per 1000 people in 2007, and Colombia, the world leader, recorded .6178 murders per 1000 people. Two more murders in 2008 would have placed St. Kitts and Nevis ahead of Colombia. While St. Kitts and Nevis clearly does not face the same sorts of endemic problems as Colombia and South Africa, so many murders in such a small place -- and the unwanted attention such distinction draws from regional and international press -- has not gone unnoticed by either PM Douglas or the opposition People's Action Movement(PAM). -------------- Potential Effects on the Tourism Economy -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The economy of St. Kitts and Nevis is almost entirely based on tourism, and the government is making a strong effort to position itself as the tourism leader in the Caribbean with a number of large new tourism development projects. With tourism bookings already slipping slightly due to the global economic downturn, St. Kitts and Nevis can ill afford the perception of a crime problem that would compound problems for the tourism industry. Most recently, Caribbean tourism suffered another black eye when an Australian yachtsman was shot and killed in a botched mugging in the center of the tourist district in Antigua, just a short hop from St. Kitts. Local reports said other visiting yachters left Antigua shortly after the murder, highlighting the potential immediate impact of local crime on tourism in the region. ¶4. (SBU) Thanks to the opposition PAM, the crime wave is never far from the public eye as they routinely highlight the issue in their newspaper, The Democrat. Several stories toward the end of 2008 painted PM Douglas as doing nothing about a serious crime problem. Recently, Douglas attempted to mitigate the seriousness of the problem in relation to the tourism industry during a press conference held in conjunction with the new British Airways service to the island. A journalist made reference to two articles in The Economist during 2008 titled "Sun, Sea, and Murder" and "A Caribbean Crime Wave." The articles painted a grim picture of crime rates in the Caribbean and mentioned St. Kitts specifically. Douglas, response, that "we have no history of killing foreigners in St. Kitts, so British and European tourists need not worry," did little to build confidence in the government's handling of rising violent crime levels. -------------- The Government's Response -------------- ¶5. (C) During the Ambassador's farewell call in December, Douglas expressed his appreciation for U.S. security support and welcomed any further assistance the U.S. could offer (reftel). In particular, Douglas highlighted the need for a better capacity to combat gun and gang violence. Gangs and the violence that accompanies them are new to St. Kitts, Douglas said, acknowledging the connection between a negative image and tourism dollars. ¶6. (C) With mounting pressure from the opposition and the crime problem leaking in to the international press, the GOSKN is now taking a more proactive approach to combat the escalating violence. Douglas recently announced he would convene a national consultation on crime. The consultation will include inputs from the Federal Government, the Nevis Island Administration, students, business leaders, political parties and security experts. The GOSKN is also looking outside for assistance, announcing the hiring of a private consultant who is a 30 year FBI veteran and former Assistant Director of the FBI's New York office. The consultant will assist in implementing programs and practices to confront criminal activity, particularly gang violence. Douglas has also reached out to the Embassy and our LEGATT and RSO have provided support in assessing the extent of the gang problem in the country. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) Douglas' comments about not killing foreigners in St. Kitts and Nevis may have been poorly delivered, but true. Of the 22 murders in 2008, none were of tourists visiting the islands. Most of the violence is related to the drug trade and isolated in a few neighborhoods dominated by gangs. For tourists, this may well be a distinction without a difference, as reports of violent crime in one island nation are more likely to lead them to change their vacation destination than to scour the neighborhood demographics and police blotters near their prospective hotels. The GOSKN is staking the nation's future on tourism by sinking investment resources into tourism development. It appears the government is finally starting to match a realization of the connection between crime and tourism with the resources needed to address the problem. unfortunately, the start of 2009 has been somewhat inauspicious, as the country has already recorded its first murder. HARDT