By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Staff Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
THE government is in talks with the US Embassy for assistance with all law enforcement agencies, National Security Minister Bernard Nottage said yesterday.
In an interview with The Tribune, Dr Nottage dismissed criticisms over his effectiveness in the top security post as parliamentarians resumed calls for the country to unite against crime.
“The Americans,” said Dr Nottage, “have consistently provided assistance for us with training opportunities for our police officers, both locally and abroad and those matters will continue. My ministry is in discussion with representatives from the US Embassy at the present time looking at ways that they can assist us, not only with the police, but with the defence force and all of our law enforcement agencies.”
Following the robbery of a US diplomat over the weekend, Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe yesterday warned that persons involved in criminal activity were causing irrevocable damage to the country.
“Crime,” said Dr Nottage, “continues to be a problem and we are fighting it with a variety of resources. We are looking at what is going on and we are seeking additional ways to ameliorate these criminal activities. Whether it was with the US or The Bahamas, it has a serious affect on our country.
“We regret what has happened to the US diplomat. It does have consequences obviously, any time a foreign national is a victim of a crime that tends to spread beyond the Bahamas and that has serious implications for us.”
He added: “It’s the duty of our citizens to do everything that we can to ensure that these events do not occur and when they occur that they bring them to quick and speedy solution.”
“We will be revisiting the circumstances that occurred with the diplomat on Sunday. There seems to be a little hot spot in that lower West Street area that we will have to contend with, and I will have discussion with the Commissioner of Police to ensure that we put the level of coverage in those areas so that we will minimize any adverse affects in so far as crime is concerned. It is a matter that concerns me deeply and the government greatly and we will do whatever we can to minimize, if not eliminate these types of incidents.”
Outside the House of Assembly yesterday, FNM leader and Killarney MP Dr Hubert Minnis called on the government to admit that crime was beyond their control.
“I don’t think,” said Dr Minnis, “that crime is going down, armed robbery continues to escalate and the fear of crime is there. The government is paralysed in terms of dealing with this matter. The government made it appear when (FNM) were the government as if it was our problem. They used it for political mileage, sold it, and won, and they realize now that it’s not a government problem, it’s a national problem.”
Dr Minnis added: “The government has not recognized that this is beyond them, now is the time for the government to seek help. They must ask the opposition for help, they must ask the church for help, they must ask the community, they must admit that this is beyond them, they must admit that what they did in the past in terms of selling the Bahamian people a dream, what they did in the past putting up posters to win an election, they were wrong, they were absolutely wrong, and now we are suffering for the wrong that they have done.”
“It’s not for me to respond (to criticism),” said Dr Nottage, “it’s for those who have concerns to express them. I know what I’m doing, and let them say. I have no desire to respond to it.”
Comments
atwr 10 years, 11 months ago
How about an exchange training program? We send 100-200 police to the USA for training and they reciprocate. Don't worry about having foreigners temporarily policing here....our problem is bigger than that political problem.
save our country!!!
Rush 10 years, 10 months ago
Wow! I love Dr. Minnis' response. Politics aside, I feel the same way as he stated and that disappointed me with the political campaign. It sold the people false hope even as it related to crime.
larry 10 years, 10 months ago
i would really like to see American cops going into the ghettos going to arrest someone you think they would chair and say take me away. the only help we need from the U.S. is for them to stop illegal guns from leaving that country and being used on our streets and stop deporting criminals who are not Bahamians here.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 10 months ago
Funny:) nah I doubt they're giving that kind of help..
concernedcitizen 10 years, 10 months ago
they don,t deport criminals that are not bahamian here ,,,,,,how could they ..why would our goverment let them ,,the U./S has a homocide rate of 4 per 100,000 ours is 26 per 100,000 ,,we got a big problem
spaceyg 10 years, 10 months ago
I agree greatly with the first poster......... We need outside help. And to bad if people don't like them coming in the GETTO to arrest someone. That's the problem with this country everyone thinks they are above the law. Obviously our leaders are not getting anywhere with the crime then someone else needs to step in. Foreign or not I don't really care who it is once someone does. We are in trouble in this Country. I love my Country and I pray someone can come in and save us or we are doomed.
SP 10 years, 10 months ago
I am a very confused with all this talk about getting help from the Americans.
What would happen if Americans came in, and rounded up all the criminals in the country?
Criminals would be sent to court and released on bail, just as they are now. So exactly what use would it be for Americans to help us?
PLP & FNM both refuse to carry out the law on the books. Criminals are having a field day running circles around our good for nothing politicians.
last years 40 days of prayer against crime and other stupidity resulted in absolutely nothing.
Government needs to get off their ass's, close the bail revolving door, put murderers to death. We cannot afford a new prison so make space at the prison in maximum security by building low cost T1-11 housing for minor personal use drug offenders and other petty crimes or better yet follow the American example and change Hubert Ingrahams' stupid laws and set persons incarcerated for personal use drugs free.
PLP and FNM have failed in crime and so many other areas I cannot understand why you people keep voting them in again & again & again.
concernedcitizen 10 years, 10 months ago
we as people have failed ,our courts can,t try anyone on time ,,and we are killing one another 6and 1/2 faster then the U/S ,,HOW ABOUT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 10 months ago
I would be very surprised if by "help" they mean boots on the ground, that would be a disaster. the biggest help anyone can provide to fight crime would be intelligence, technology, finances, assistance monitoring our ports, I'm certain that is the kind of help they will offer
On the responses in the article itself, I have several issues:
Its the duty of our citizens to...ensure these events do not occur...and to bring to a speedy conclusion* what kind of statement is that?? What happened to the able bodied force that you are supposed to be in charge of, what is their duty?
I need "level coverage" where I live and in Fleming street and on Jerome avenue and on first street and on St. Albans drive and Fox Hill...don't forget us...you know the Bahamians you live to serve and protect.
If you know exactly what you're doing, for God's sake, please stop it...it's getting us nowhere, do something that works.
Arguably noone is causing more harm to the country than you and your cohorts, stop throwing million dollar contracts to your friends. We don't have the money, you are robbing us blind. You give the criminal all the excuses he needs to justify his crime.
Anyway we do need a new prison, maybe the Americans can give us the money for it. We do need to get away from PLP FNM and start looking at the quality of each candidate... some of the people who slither in because they have on a certain colour t-shirt is absolutely embarrassing.
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