Gov’t, opposition condemn acts of violence against women in St Vincent

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has condemned acts of domestic against women as his administration and the main opposition New Democratic Party closed ranks in speaking out against the issue.

“I want to join the programme in condemning in the strongest possible terms the recent spate of violence against women,” Gonsalves said on a local radio programme on Sunday.

The democratic party said that the recent violent incidents “must galvanise our community, irrespective of political and other differences, to unite in common cause and demand loudly and persistently that more be done to seek to bring an end to violence against women.”

The latest incident occurred last Thursday when 44-year-old Arianna Taylor-Israel, a Cuban-born nurse was shot and killed despite lodging several complaints that her life was being threatened by her 57-year-old husband.

The Cuba-born naturalised Vincentian was gunned down at St Martin’s Secondary School, allegedly by her husband, Mitch Israel, who has been charged with her murder and is scheduled to appear in court later on Monday.

The couple’s eldest son attends the school and was on the compound when the shooting occurred.

Gonsalves said it is important to put in place structures and systems, mentioning among them Sexual Offences and Anti-Trafficking in Persons Units and the strengthening of the laws, which he said his government has done.

“Every time someone gets chopped up, I feel it in such a personal kind of a way. I could just imagine the parents of this young girl who got chopped in Greiggs, the Cuban parents and family of this nurse who got killed. She was a wonderful human being. And I knew her very well so I felt that one very, very painfully,” he said.

The democratic party said it is never acceptable or justified to use violence to resolve conflicts.

“We are deeply concerned and saddened about the all-too-frequent acts of violence against women in St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us @onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.