The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

THE government will make an announcement on the investigations into the alleged abuse of Cuban detainees at the detention centre next week, National Security Minister Bernard Nottage said yesterday.

The revelation came as Nottage vowed a clampdown on crime with Defence Force troops drafted in to help and police officers working 12 hour shifts.

During a press conference on the steps the government is taking to counteract crime in the country, in response to a question posed to him about the investigations into Cuban abuse claims, Mr Nottage said: “We are going to be making an announcement early next week which will fully inform you of the bits and pieces you are in pursuit of.”

Mr Nottage said in the next few weeks, steps to fight crime will include police officers working 12-hour shifts and, effective immediately, deploying 150 Defence Force officers and marines to perform duties normally carried out by members of the police “so that the maximum number of police officers who have been trained to fight crime and enforce law are deployed to the front line”.

Mr Nottage said an additional 200 to 250 police officers will be performing police duties, adding that 40 recently ordered police cars are expected to be made available to officers soon.

In addition, Mr Nottage said steps were being taken to ensure persons accused of committing criminal offences are kept in custody.

Responding to Thursday’s murder of Leroy Adderley, who had been recently acquitted of a sex attack at a Bible school, when residents cheered his death, Mr Nottage said the increased presence of police officers should help mitigate against vigilante justice.

He also said there had been “a number of retaliation killings of one kind or another” saying a young man in his own community had told him: “The reason for these crimes is payback for way-back.

“In my community, when they’re shot, people refuse to tell the police or anybody else. And their determination is they are going to do it themselves.”

He added: “The government of the Bahamas is deeply troubled by the murders that have taken place in our country and what appears to be the wanton disregard for human life, law and order.

“The violence and lawlessness poses a very real danger to our peace and stability. This situation cannot continue like this without a response commensurate with these wanton acts.

“It must be a response that will halt the current spike in criminal activity in general, and murders in particular, in the shortest possible time.”

Next week, Mr Nottage will present recommendations put forward at a recent public crime forum.

He added: “Let me warn the criminal elements that there is going to be no let-up in our fight against crime. We will not allow criminal violence and anti-social behaviour to subvert the economic development of the country and the well-being of our people.

“I can’t stop crime. The Cabinet can’t stop crime. The government can’t stop crime, the police can’t stop crime but the people can stop crime because the criminals are among us.”