Fear grips Whithorn after recent killings

Residents in Whithorn and adjoining communities in Westmoreland are appealing to the authorities to provide more resources to the police to confront recent killings.

“We don’t have the issues of water because we get our supply from Roaring River, so communities in this area are fine. And as you can see, our road is being fixed. But what we need is for Whithorn to return to the community it was before lottery scamming came about,” said a man, who gave his name as Gordon.

“I dare not give you my full name because these people are not afraid to take life, and this is getting very ugly,” he added.

“Nobody sees wrong as wrong anymore. Everybody silent until it reach their own doorstep,” he added.

Between January 1 and August 25, Westmoreland recorded 91 murders, a five per cent decrease when compared to the corresponding period last year. Shootings have, however, increased by 14 per cent.

Custos of the parish, the Reverend Hartley Perrin, believes the Whithorn police need more resources.

“Most of what is happening in Westmoreland has to do with lottery scamming,” Perrin said. “I live in the Whithorn police area and it has always had a high rate of criminal activity.

“We have been saying that it needs more police because the area is big, so more manpower is needed,” he continued.