Smith Condemns Rising Gun Violence
Deputy Premier Lorna Smith has warned against a growing trend of gun violence in the BVI after the killing of businessman Kai de Castro, questioning, 'Where has this come from?' Her comments in the House of Assembly came ahead of the Emancipation Festival and highlighted long-standing concerns over unsolved murders and community-police tensions.
Deputy Premier and Junior Minister for Trade Lorna Smith has voiced alarm at what she described as an apparent rise in gun violence in the British Virgin Islands, questioning the source of the trend and urging residents to reject the use of firearms. Smith made her remarks in the House of Assembly following the killing of businessman Kai de Castro, an attack that reverberated across the territory. "I echo the Premier’s comments in relation to putting down the guns.
This is not what this society is about," she said. "Where has this come from? We are all asking." She also extended condolences to de Castro’s family, specifically mentioning his parents, brother and other relatives. The killing occurred just ahead of the territory’s annual Emancipation Festival, a time usually marked by culture, celebration and community gatherings.
Smith said the slaying had cast a pall over the festival period and expressed the wider community's shock and sorrow: "This killing has created an appal over this whole community for this Festival. It is so very sad." While the BVI remains one of the safer jurisdictions in the Caribbean, with relatively few murders compared with some neighbouring countries, officials and residents have grown increasingly concerned by the pattern surrounding the killings that do occur.
Over the past decade, a troubling trend has emerged in which a number of homicides remain unsolved for years, eroding public confidence. That pattern has produced frustration on both sides. Police leaders have frequently warned that silence from potential witnesses hampers investigations and makes it difficult to bring suspects before the courts.
At the same time, members of the public and community leaders have pushed back, arguing that law enforcement must undertake stronger, more effective investigations rather than relying primarily on community-supplied leads. Smith echoed calls from the Premier to "put down the guns," and her comments underscore the need for both community cooperation and improved investigative outcomes.
Residents and officials alike say action is needed to protect public safety, increase trust in the justice system, and ensure that those responsible for violent crime are brought to account. Authorities say investigations into de Castro’s killing are ongoing. Community leaders have urged anyone with information to come forward to assist police, while many residents hope this moment will prompt renewed focus on preventing further violence and safeguarding the territory during the festival season and beyond.
Primary source: BVI News