Jamaica, Trinidad, The Bahamas, Barbados and St. Lucia have been among countries in the 15-nation CARICOM group of countries complaining the most about violent crime linked to gang warfare and drug smuggling among other issues.

Now, St. Vincent can be added to that list as its murder rate begins to spiral out of control with five people being shot and killed near the main cruise ship terminal late Wednesday. This is in addition to two who were shot in the past week as the death toll climbs to 35 compared to 42 in all of last year. Police say four died on the spot, the fifth at the main hospital, while a sixth person remains warded in a serious but stable condition.

A defiant Police Commissioner Colin John moved swiftly to ask the public not to panic, arguing that “despite the regrettable spate of violence that we are currently experiencing in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, SVG is still a safe place. We are also asking anyone with information that can lead to the arrest and conviction of persons who have committed these crimes and other crimes to provide the police with such information. Be assured that the information would be held to the strictest of confidence. Additionally, there are laws in place in SVG to give evidence without their identity being revealed. This can be done by virtue of the witness special measure act,” he said.

In fact, 12 of the 35 killings so far have occurred in July, leading police to fear that the 2022 figure would be easily eaten up way before year-end. Police also say that they are concerned that five people were killed during the recent Vincy Mass celebrations in the capital, Kingstown.

The murders have been committed as Prime and National Security Minister Ralph Gonsalves is in Europe attending a summit also involving Latin American and Caribbean leaders. Frustrated by the growing string of violent incidents, Gonsalves had complained to colleagues during a crime summit in Trinidad in April that some gangsters are committing murders and armed robberies to raise funds to take care of kept women. He is adamant that his assessment is correct. “They associate with young women-in some cases, beautiful young women-who are high maintenance and they have to rob, steal, kill, and deal with drugs in order to maintain them,” he said.

Trinidad is the other country, which hears that its record 606 murders last year might well be shattered with the toll headed to 320 as of this week.