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It took us nearly 1 month to identify 'someone shot & killed in our street'- Lesmore Smith

- said he will use his experience in law enforcement & security to keep the VI safe
The security system of the Virgin Islands came in for criticism from Independent At Large candidate Mr Lesmore Smith, as he lashed out at the system’s failure to quickly identify the body of a man fatally shot in the heart of Road Town on February 12, 2023. Photo: VINO
The body of Jahkeem Christopher, 23, a native of St. Vincent and the Grenadians who was visiting the [British] Virgin Islands (VI), was positively identified by family members residing on Tortola some two weeks after the murder on February 12, 2023. Photo: Team of Reporters
The body of Jahkeem Christopher, 23, a native of St. Vincent and the Grenadians who was visiting the [British] Virgin Islands (VI), was positively identified by family members residing on Tortola some two weeks after the murder on February 12, 2023. Photo: Team of Reporters
NORTH SOUND, Virgin Gorda, VI- The security system of the Virgin Islands came in for criticism from Independent At Large candidate Mr Lesmore Smith, as he lashed out at the system’s failure to quickly identify the body of a man fatally shot in the heart of Road Town on February 12, 2023.

“Just recently, we had someone shot and killed in our street, it took us roughly one month to identify who that person was,” Mr Smith lamented during his campaign meeting in North Sound, Virgin Gorda on April 3, 2024.

The body of Jahkeem Christopher, 23, a native of St. Vincent and the Grenadians who was visiting the [British] Virgin Islands (VI), was positively identified by family members residing on Tortola, police announced only on February 27, 2023, just over two weeks after the killing.

“Are you saying a country with thirty thousand people, we cannot detect one person lying in our street, it took us one month, thirty days, thirty thousand people to find out exactly who that person is?”

‘Hurting families with no answers’

Stating that he has what it takes to fix this shortcoming, Mr Smith said, “I am recommending with our law enforcement department, with our Immigration and Customs, which is our border and our frontline security, we can put in the right infrastructure to ensure every person visiting our country legally or coming into our country illegally, we can be able to detect them through means of electronic mechanisms and ensure that our borders and our people are safe and secure.”

Mr Smith said he has been exposed to the fields of law enforcement and security and he would use that experience to improve the security of the territory.

“I am saying to you over the past couple of years in our streets we had so many different murders in broad daylight. Up to now, there are some hurting parents, hurting families with no answers. I am saying to you, if we design the proper security structure in our country, we can detect and determine what’s happening in and around us,” Mr Smith, who was initially running with the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) but was taken off the party’s slate for another candidate, said.

25 Responses to “It took us nearly 1 month to identify 'someone shot & killed in our street'- Lesmore Smith”

  • so if.. (04/04/2023, 16:39) Like (43) Dislike (3) Reply
    so if he is not elected then what,. he will keep all the secrets for keeping this country crime free to himself?? lol
  • Here is the Root of the Problem (04/04/2023, 17:11) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Not doubting your experience and expertise but the first issue is that we have many more than thirty thousand residents in these islands. As I understand it there are nineteen thousand plus work permits. The elections office just declared sixteen thousand plus registered voters. In the new born to eighteen category let us estimate fifteen thousand while there are others in different categories including living on yachts. If we compile the above figures it would put our population in the region of fifty thousand certainly many more than the thirty thousand of two decades ago. We have entered a snowball syndrome where utilities and services are having a hard time keeping up. This is one of the areas that political aspirants should explain how they plan to address as we have obviously lost control of the situation.
  • Deluded (04/04/2023, 17:37) Like (15) Dislike (4) Reply
    What experience in law enforcement & security? The man is deluded. Does he propose to electronically tag everyone including visitors. He must have magic powers if he can track those that are here illegally. Id**t
  • Linda (04/04/2023, 17:44) Like (28) Dislike (1) Reply
    @ so if.. Exactly. It has been over a month since this happened. Why didn't he mention this when it happened to show his outrage? Maybe because he didn't care and now wants to seem upset? Politricks!
  • MR. SMITH.... (04/04/2023, 18:12) Like (23) Dislike (4) Reply
    Identify yourself as your SON'S father. How about start there. I cannot BELIEVE that this man who cannot do what is right by his own child has the audacity to ask ANYONE in our society to vote for him. He wouldn't know what the right thing to do was if it stood up and slapped him in his face!
    • dna (05/04/2023, 00:15) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      If what you say is true, publicize the DNA test showing him to be the father and shame him. No one would respect him if he showed he was not even taking care of his child, and then expect that he could convince the BVI he cares about the country when he can't care about his own blood. Show the test results instead of spreading rumors, then we will know his character.
      • @dna (05/04/2023, 09:08) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
        If you ever saw the child you would have absolutely no doubt in your mind. Also, his entire family is aware of this child and there are multiple receipts (ie: messages to the child's mother acknowledging his son and asking what he can do for him, though he has never actually made good on any of his promises to help). I highly doubt Mr. Smith would agree to a DNA test, but if he would, I would pay for it. This is 100% fact - I am not spreading rumors.
        • resident (06/04/2023, 11:04) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
          ever seen maury looks alone don't say who a child is for, dna or stfu
  • Head Coach (04/04/2023, 18:32) Like (0) Dislike (12) Reply
    mr smith should understand the uk police are in control now and black lives do not really matter that much to them
    • @?Head Coach (05/04/2023, 15:41) Like (1) Dislike (5) Reply
      Black lives matter least of all to Black folks.
      Every one of the killings and other horrific crimes in the VI has been, without exception , committed by Black folks against Black folks and its Black local elected government. A solely Black inhabited prison with no room to spare. Scores of unsolved murders the only dead for certain carcasses all Black and the "escapees" assassins Black in hiding and protected in plain sight by Black families neighbors friends and acquaintances
      How you all could look at yourselves and mouth feces about "Black Lives Matter?" is evidence of warped minds and reality.
      Scary folks the whole lot of you.
      • Person (06/04/2023, 12:25) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
        Scary statement to make in a Black society. I would imagine if 99% of the society is black, then yeah, most of the murdered and muderers would be black. But let's not forget the person allegedly responsible for Frandy Martin's death...he wasn't black. The ratio kinda evens out (by the way, I recall another murder from way back when where the murdered was black and the murderer white, it happens buddy).
  • Vaccinations!? (04/04/2023, 19:58) Like (10) Dislike (4) Reply
    I thought that when they implanted that chip in me with the covid shot that was going to track everybody!?
    What is this fool talking about? BVI needs to track everyone coming into the territory? We have trouble just checking people in at immigration without a big drama.
    Please someone with integrity and a normal IQ run for election! We need help. This country in trouble. UK is paying attention this time.
  • 1 (05/04/2023, 06:59) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    I feel like giving Lesmore one
  • Real Simple (05/04/2023, 08:03) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr. Smith, are you aware that law enforcement is the purview of the Governor and not the House of Assembly?
    • Person (06/04/2023, 12:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Security is under the Governor's purview to an extent, but Immigration and Custom's do not fall under the Governor's portfolio.
  • smh (05/04/2023, 08:49) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    All these aspiring Politricksians, I, I, I, I will, I going, you ain't going do crap without the presiding Government's approval. Just say I am going to table these Insights and Visions with Members and the Public to see how We can get this done! Stop with this I I I. I ain't doing squat! Try using Unified approach!
  • He got my X (05/04/2023, 09:30) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Police are reactors and can only do when they are called and yes the belong to the Governor. Our first line of defense is Labour Department, Customs and Immigration. They belong to the Goverment of the Day. We will start rhere Mr. Smith.
  • Sigh (05/04/2023, 10:00) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    "... to ensure every person visiting our country legally or coming into our country illegally, we can be able to detect them through means of electronic mechanisms."

    Well if he is able to detect illegal people "through means of electronic mechanisms," why don't you share that knowledge with the police force?
  • tola (05/04/2023, 11:38) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    When you was a police not even a cockrouch case you could of solve ...
  • Hmm (05/04/2023, 17:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Beside that in general what happened to the road & intersection cameras. we dont need a whole surveillance state just a few simple solutions to why its so easy to escape undetected after a crime in a place with few roads and impassible terrain. Release the videos and allow the public to identify them.
  • ginger (05/04/2023, 19:10) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Start by being the change you want to see the simple security officers you have working for you you refuse to pay them a proper salary but yet you wanna improve security. So how u gonna do that when u cant even manage and respect the small staff you have. Everyone want a slice of the pie before the bill repeal
  • talk Sugar honey ice tee (05/04/2023, 21:02) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    I was just about to vote for you and until you come up here with this sugar honey ice tea. He had not id and he mother thought he was in another island in the Caribbean and she live Anegada
  • ginger (06/04/2023, 05:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This man the audacity to talk about law enforcement and security. God will expose all liars at the due time.


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