PHILIPSBURG--Justice Minister Dennis Richardson on Tuesday weighed in on the crime situation in the country noting that St. Maarten seemed to be gripped by “a lost generation” that has to be dealt with.
His comments were in reaction to Tuesday’s incident in which two men who have had brushes with the law were fatally shot when they ambushed a PanAmerican Protective Service money transport service in Cay Hill. A third suspect, the getaway driver, managed to escape in a red vehicle (see related story).
In an invited comment Richardson, who took a brief break from a meeting he had been attending to respond to this newspaper’s questions, said figures show that there is not an increase in crime, but rather an increase in the violent nature of crimes being committed. He said the persons who are engaging in crime seem to be getting more violent.
“Yes, I am concerned because we have a lost generation that we have to deal with,” the minister said.
The minister said the necessary investigations need to be done into the case to see “what we are dealing with.”