Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips, has said that the Ministry's Crime Prevention/Community Safety Programme has been successful in transforming once crime-ridden communities.

The minister, who was making his contribution to the 2007/08 Sectoral Debate, recently in the House of Representatives, cited the Community Security Initiative (CSI) as one of the programmes, which has achieved significant success. The programme, which is being carried out in the communities of Matthews Lane, March Pen Road and Dunkirk, was put in place to re-establish a social contract between once marginalised communities and the state.

"The CSI methodology has worked in the once crime-ridden communities of Dunkirk and Matthews Lane. The methodology is based on the theory that communities can be stabilised if well thought-out and adequate social intervention programmes are implemented following the dismantling of criminal networks," said the minister.

"Residents in Dunkirk will tell you that their community has experienced a drastic reduction in murders, moving from 65 in 2005 to 1 in 2006," he stated, adding that since the start of the year, no murders have been recorded in Dunkirk.

Vulnerable communities

The Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP), another aspect of the Crime Prevention/Community Safety Programme, has also had tremendous success in several communities.

The CSJP supports vulnerable communities through refurbishing and equipping multi-purpose centres, where services by a number of non-governmental organisations and other service organisations can be delivered, and where residents can engage in other social activities.

Under the programme, up to 10 multi-purpose community facilities are to be renovated.

The Security Minister also informed the House that recently, the CSJP in collaboration with the National Youth Service (NYS) conducted a six-week camp at Chestervale for approximately 180 young persons, mostly males, from the 15 CSJP communities.