KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC)— The government and opposition of St Vincent and the Grenadines have called on citizens not to engage in any criminal behaviour as the country braces for the passage of Hurricane Beryl later on Monday.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who has said that he has never had to impose a state of emergency (SOE) in more than two decades at the helm of government, said that he had been in contact with the relevant state officials not only in the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) but also the state administration, police and security forces.

“Anytime you have a disaster there are some people who want to use it as an opportunity to behave bad and behave selfish and even to behave criminal. Please let us not go that way,” Gonsalves said.

“In all my 23 years as prime minister, I never imposed a state of emergency, never imposed a curfew either in any storms before, COVID, volcanic eruptions because I want Vincentians to be responsible. All of us we have to work with one another,” he added.

“This is a small country. Sometimes we’ll have to take certain measures. But the best measures are for us to work with one another and to work in solidarity with one another and get over this hurricane,” the prime minister continued.

Gonsalves’ statement came as police continued their investigations into the murder of a van driver Ekron Edwards, 33, even as officials were urging people to prepare for the storm.

Police said that Edwards was operating a minibus in Ottley Hall when a masked assailant approached the minivan and shot him dead, bringing the death toll to 25 so far this year. Last year, St Vincent and the Grenadines had a record 55 murders.

Speaking on a radio programme on Sunday, the opposition spokesperson on national security, St Clair Leacock, said the hurricane was coming at a time when the country has “peculiar challenges, namely that of law and order and crime and violence”.

“We can’t be like the ostrich and bury our heads in the sand. And, the fact that a hurricane can have destruction to property, in particular business property alongside personal property, means that there is always the opportunity for those who will take advantage of situations,” Leacock said.

Leacock, who is also a vice-president of the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), urged people to secure their homes and properties.

“Business owners, take extra precaution, those of you who have to have your shutters down, those of you who have not yet gone into the business, to place garbage bags, as the banks do, over the computer and other equipment to secure them from water damage, do that,” he said.

“Do not see this hurricane as an opportunity to do what people will do long time days, it’s a good time to go outside and have a good rain bath. Not this time,” he further warned.

In its latest weather bulletin, the Miami-based National Hurricane center (NHC) said that Beryl has strengthened to a category 4 hurricane with winds of 130 miles per hour mph. It is 90 miles south, south east of St Vincent and the Grenadines.