FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. (File photo)
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday criticised the Ministry of National Security’s consultants on their “ineffective” performance in helping to address the country’s crime problem, saying the workers are “receiving the people’s money” but are not producing the desired results.
Dr Minnis also accused the Davis administration of not having a workable plan to deal with the nation’s rising crime and said at this rate, this year’s murder count will no doubt outpace last year’s tally of 119.
“It will surpass last year’s numbers. That’s not a debate,” the Killarney MP told The Tribune yesterday. “But I would say that the PLP has failed to deliver a crime plan that works. Killings continue. New Providence is becoming increasingly lawless, but we have a lawless government.”
“A government who would not produce a report, an investigative report in terms of its own minister that’s accused of (alleged) assault of a police officer and...a government that has not been following the Public Procurement Act so we have a lawless government so what do you expect society to follow.”
This year’s murder count currently stands at 113, according to The Tribune’s records. This comes after four people, including two women, were shot and killed between Saturday and Monday.
The other two victims were men on bail for serious crimes, this newspaper understands.
Yesterday, Dr Minnis said the Bahamian people are tired of the senseless killings and called on the prime minister and those engaged by his government to do their jobs so Bahamians can feel safe.
“It is the responsibility of the prime minister to lead the policy response to crime and all the prime minister likes to do is travel to get away from his responsibilities and I want to further say that we’re having a crime crisis in New Providence and the prime minister is abandoning his post to take a large contingent to Egypt on a conference and that is certainly not leadership.
“The British prime minister has decided that he will stay at home as opposed to going to a conference because he has issues within the UK that he has to deal with and then the Bahamian people must continue to pressure the government to deliver a sensible crime (plan), that we as a people cannot accept this level of killing and violence in New Providence.”
He also had similar words for consultants in the Ministry of National Security. One of them is popular talk show host Rodney Moncur.
Pastor Carlos Reid, another consultant at the ministry, said last month that officials have been doing consistent mediation between rival gangs.
He also revealed plans to start the government’s “violence interrupters” initiative, saying once the programme is up and running it will help reduce crime in the country.
Still, for Dr Minnis, not enough has been done.
“Obviously those consultants are not producing, they are receiving the people’s money but they are not producing because crime, violence and violent crimes and murders are going up,” the former prime minister said.
“When you look at the FNM’s track record in 2017, the murder count was 122. In 2018, the murder count was 91, violent crime was also down. In 2019, the murder count was (96), violent crime was also down. In 2020, the murder count was 73 and though they may say the pandemic did this, but look at the record, it was coming down even before the pandemic.”
“It’s clearly demonstrated that the FNM under the Minnis administration had some degree of control on the crime and violence. It was coming down, but now we’re dealing with a lawless government and the people are being led by a lawless government.”
Free National Movement deputy leader, Shanendon Cartwright also weighed in on the issue yesterday, saying that while he understands that crime is a multifaceted issue, there needs to be some sort of government intervention.
He continued: “We said to the government to come up with a multifaceted solution that involves all stakeholders in society but the government must lead and it seems as though the government is paralysed to deal with this issue as bodies continue to drop throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
“Bahamians are outraged as they should be. You look at the carnage this weekend and it almost seems unfortunately that every other day and every weekend, phones are lit up and social media about another one, two or three murders in this country so we believe that the government in this regard is failing the Bahamian people on the issue of crime.”
Comments
carltonr61 1 year, 6 months ago
As bitter as fish gall. The greatest murder of The Bahamas took place as democracy died when Christie went against the will of our Christian nation then single handedly legalized Gambling and murdered our Christian National Spirit.. The Christian nation in all bitterness buried Christie at election and elevated Minnis as moral leader only to have him single-handedly further Christie's crime then bury our democratic vote into the grave then elevate Gambling to National ambassadorship. The Bahamian people will forever vomit from this bitter vile of false hope and forever be skeptical of leadership true intentions that walks like dig doodoo upon what was promised as democracy. We are left questioning power and our powerlessness made stupid fool pawns of as Gambling Disorders besiege the spirit, health and wealth of this nation.
birdiestrachan 1 year, 6 months ago
Persons do not commit murder because of what party is in power it goes deeper but of course the sour old guy would not know that As far as gambling goes it goes back more than 80 years no one started gambling because it is legal what Mr Christie did was tax the Industry Christian nation? Some Christians maybe . By their fruits you will know them how are our lights shining?
birdiestrachan 1 year, 6 months ago
How is the doc doing after that big broke down should he really show his face ?.
Economist 1 year, 6 months ago
Tribune, please stop wasting your ink on Minnis.
carltonr61 1 year, 6 months ago
Professor Roberts at UB along with a study by Professor Fielding both acknowledge the statistical data that <80>% of our populations homes are ran by unwed moms with no lived-in fathers. My contact with drug patients revealed the same, a lack of manhood within homes T the critical period of a males life. Only prison or Police data could reveal the truth and possible impact But we know the direction of the numbers. It is too late to fix the non fathered households, so the trend of crime will continue. It is simple life for Bahamian males while dealing with complicated females. Males just sit on the sidelines and be the sponsor for the nail tech, or hair fix, phone or other payments. Too hard for one man to keep up the demands and the pressures placed on females if their man cannot sustain and only support financially unhealthy lifestyle.
Porcupine 1 year, 6 months ago
Sit small Mr. Minnis. This is not a political issue, unless you own up to your own massive failures. This is a generational issue that does not bode well for The Bahamas. We have managed to raise a generation of kids who lack respect, lack education, lack good parenting, lack a supportive society, and are up against an ignorant set of politicians. Most all of our politicians are ignorant. We have failed at the most basic level as a society. Now would be the time to be humble and accept the results of our careless attitudes towards raising families and the backwards pastors who can't read and write, let alone act Christian. Present day Bahamas is a disgrace at most every level. If prayer works, why are we in such bad straights here? Seriously, did Bahamians simply forget to pray for decency, morality, and honesty? My God, what kind of person, like Minnis, would have the audacity to criticize present politicians for problems that began so long ago? Mr. Minnis is as much a part of the problem as gang members are. They are all clueless, it seems..
sheeprunner12 1 year, 6 months ago
Minnis has a right to question what Brave and his MONS team are doing since last year.
If Moncur & Reid are on the Govt payroll as consultants, the public should know what their salary & job description is.
Murders & crime in general have exploded since the PLP came to power. Any blind person can see that.
birdiestrachan 1 year, 6 months ago
Doc did not know what Kay Forbes salary was and you know
she aquired a A generator
l
carltonr61 1 year, 6 months ago
I am convinced that it is pointless participating in general elections because our collective views and considerations mean less than one man with a bag of money.
hrysippus 1 year, 6 months ago
The latest Commissioner of The Royal Bahamas Police Farce assured us all that he had a plan to implement to stem the rising tsunami of crime. He hoped to see the country end the year with less than 100 murders. One critical part of the Commissioner's plan was the appointment of several extra Assistant commissioners. At the current murder rate, the country should achieve over 130 murders by year's end. Perhaps the appointment of several more Assistant commissioners may help or maybe the plan was doomed from conception.
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