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Minister of National Security, Disaster Management and Immigration, Hon. Major St. Clair Leacock, is adamant that the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) can benefit from a closer relationship with the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Cadet Force (SVGCF).

In an interview with the Agency for Public Information (API) recently, Minister Leacock said that the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Cadet Force (SVGCF) and other cadet organisations in the region have helped to train many young people who have become successful and influential citizens.

Major Leacock stressed that the voluntary youth organisation has, for years, been moulding young people aged 11 to 20, aiding in discipline, patriotism, and leadership. He, however, noted that recently he was misquoted when he spoke about integrating the Cadet Force into the national security fabric of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

Major Leacock explained that what he envisions is that the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Cadet Force (SVGCF) can uplift its current programme in a way that attracts youths with different forms of training. He said that when he recently mentioned giving Cadet officers powers of arrest, his words were misconstrued.

“To clarify the mischief that has been created over the relationship between my statement and the Cadet Force, first of all, I was a former commandant of the Cadet Force and a beneficiary of Cadet training, and I was making the point that the Cadet Act needs to be amended to give powers of arrest to the officers. I am not talking about the rank-and-file young cadets themselves; I am speaking about the officers,” Minister Leacock said.

“In Barbados, which is the parent organisation that brought cadets to Saint Vincent, their Cadet Force is a part of their defence force, so they have a higher standing,” Major Leacock said.

He said that many cadets in Barbados are recruited into the army to serve after they complete their time in the Cadet Force. Minister Leacock also mentioned several prominent Vincentians who were former cadets, including Governor General His Excellency Stanley Kendrick John, KC; late veteran broadcaster Evans Bernard John; and late lawyer Olin Dennie.

SOURCE: Agency for Public Information (API)