The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Tommy Turnquest said yesterday the Bahamas' high murder rates stem primarily from drugs and firearms.

Speaking outside of Parliament following the official dissolution of the House of Assembly, Mr Turnquest also placed blame on the media for the way Bahamians view crime.

"Unfortunately when Bahamians look at crime, primarily because of the way the media reports crime, it's just the homicide rate," Mr Turnquest said.

"There's no question that our homicide rate is at an unacceptable level. I've said so from 2007 the international homicide rate should be five per 100,000 so obviously we shouldn't be over 18 or 19 a year but we're way over that and we know some of the reasons why we're over that - primarily firearms, primarily drugs."

He pointed to a recent crime study done by noted psychiatrist, Dr David Allen, which speaks on the chronic drug syndrome of late 70s and early 80s and how the effects of it are seen in present day.

"We've been saying that all along, but we continue to do what is necessary to battle the scourge of crime that grips our country and we believe that we're the best party to continue to do so," Mr Turnquest said.

Equipping the police force, adding additional manpower to the force, and the creation of various social intervention and educational programmes are all items done by the FNM to help battle crime, he said.

Mr Turnquest also told the press the FNM is "confident" of a win for the FNM in the upcoming general election.

"We indicated at the last session of parliament that we had concluded our legislative agenda. It's now time to return to the people of The Bahamas their mandate - their government and to ask for a fresh mandate," he said. "We are very confident that the Bahamian people will see it fit to return the Free National Movement to office and give us a fresh mandate by which we will govern The Bahamas."

Naming the ongoing infrastructure projects, he added: "We're very pleased with what we have done. We're happy to go to the Bahamian people on our record."

Mr Turnquest also responded to criticism from the opposition over the FNM's continued contract signing in the last weeks leading up to election.

"Governments must be continuous, just because a general election is imminent doesn't mean that the progress and modernisation and transformation of the Bahamas should stop," he said.

"We always said that we were going to have mini-hospitals in Exuma and Abaco... We know that some of our roads, docks and bridges needed to be repaired. Do we wait until a new government gets in, settles down, new ministers are sworn in - whether we are returned or otherwise? No, governments are continuous."