By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis insisted yesterday that the escalating crime situation in the country has left the Christie administration “paralysed” as it treads a thin line before facing damaging affects on the Bahamas’ tourism product.
He said as news of murders, crime and lawlessness continue to saturate the country, it was clear that the government had failed on its promise to control crime among other things.
Speaking to The Tribune, Dr Minnis pointed to a recent incident at tourist hot spot – the Fish Fry at Arawak Cay – over the weekend involving a Jet Ski operator who was shot in his ankle. He said the matter was sensitive because it had the potential to resonate throughout the international community, shedding a negative light on the country.
Dr Minnis added that he anticipated, in the coming weeks, a new United States-issued crime warning to safeguard Americans living in the Bahamas and visiting the country.
“Our economy, the country is headed to failure,” Dr Minnis said, “if the Christie administration does not get a grip on this.
“Prime Minister Christie said they were going back to the drawing board, while National Security Minister Bernard Nottage said they didn’t need to do so. In my view it is evident that this government not only operates in a way where the head doesn’t know what the tail is doing, but they are too reactionary. We cannot continue to use a Band-Aid to fix the crime problem plaguing us now.”
Dr Minnis said those who are charged with serious crimes may not fear the law since it appears as though it is easy to get bail.
“We must enforce the laws now on the books. There is no way that we can live in a society with double standards.
“We are becoming a place where lawlessness is the order of the day these murderers believe that bail is easy to get.”
He also questioned the Attorney General’s Office “Swift Justice” programme, meant to fast track cases through the system and alleviate the criminal court backlog, saying it “obviously isn’t working.”
Last week, there were five new murders, including the shooting death of an off-duty police officer. The killing raised calls from the Police Staff Association for off-duty cops to carry weapons.
Last month, Dr Nottage told reporters that the government was still in a state of reassessment over crime.
His words came as he admitted to being concerned that there was a general feeling by Bahamians that they were not safe in the country because of the crime.
However, he declined to reveal the initiatives underway to crack down on crime saying the government did not want to educate criminals on the measures to be taken.
Over the weekend, police launched a special operation, which saw them saturate known hotbeds for crime.
Comments
duppyVAT 9 years, 5 months ago
Government is not PLP or FNM ............ crime is a national issue that requires bi-partisan effort. This is not like the politicised gender vote (that the PLP hi-jacked in 2002).
Safety, security and piece of mind of the citizen is a function of government.
ALL three branches of Government (Legislative, Executive & Judiciary) are responsible.
DonAnthony 9 years, 5 months ago
Crime and the fear of crime are destroying the quality of life in this country. Everyone is fear and it is a terrible way to live. While our police force leaves a lot to desired, in terms of more training and a reduction in corruption, most of our problems lie in an antiquated, dysfunctional judicial system. It is unacceptable to have such a backlog that it takes a minimum of three years for a murder trial to be heard. The result is serious criminals are released on bail as they have a right to have their case heard in a timely manner and can not be incarcerated while waiting for their trial. Victims and their families see that there is no justice in this and it leads to retaliatory crime. The courts do not dispense justice in a timely manner so people take the matter in their own hands. We needs courts that operate 24/7 until this backlog is cleared.
asiseeit 9 years, 5 months ago
Newsflash Dr. Minnis, the nation is paralysed by crime. As duppyvat states the safety of the people is a function of government and in this regard The Government of the Bahamas is an utter and complete FAILURE. You and yours (the political elite both FNM and PLP) are perceived to be CORRUPT and more interested in power than LEADERSHIP. the political elite cares more for a VOTE and POWER than the NATION and it's well being. You and your are the ROOT cause of crime in this country and until the political leadership of this country comes CLEAN we are doomed!
DonAnthony 9 years, 5 months ago
As an example of swift judicial action and what is possible, several years ago in England there was a large riot. 3000 persons were charged with various criminal acts. Extra judges were added and the courts operated 24/7. Literally at 3 a.m. in the morning cases were heard. Needless to say in one week all 3000 cases were adjudicated. We need that here if we are serious. Justice must be swift and it must be seen to be done, otherwise we have our current situation where no one respects the law as they know there is very little chance they will be punished for their crime.
duppyVAT 9 years, 5 months ago
Very simple Don ..... thats how the First World gets the job done!!!!!!!!
TruthHurts 9 years, 5 months ago
I'm in full agreement with the above statements. All those in government need to do their job! What the hell are these guys doing collecting paychecks and bickering back and fourth about the same issues. We've reached a STALEMATE on the issues of crime in the Bahamas. Remedy the problem!!!! I can't even begin to comment on Minnis' thought process; he seems clueless!
B_I_D___ 9 years, 5 months ago
I'm not saying the FNM were any better at crime control...but the PLP seemed to have ALL the answers at the last general election and knew how to fix the problem...HA...now that's a laugh!!
duppyVAT 9 years, 5 months ago
Yep ................. what goes around comes around. Now the PLP wants a constitutional referendum on the death penalty. The PLP is in a conundrum.
dahasamo 9 years, 5 months ago
Another referendum -- I thought there was a law in place providing for penalties for certain crimes and that death by hanging resulted if the jury found the perpetrator guilty. The PC saying that the murder had to be the worst of the worse seems to mean that the method of killing would determine if the penalty was to be enforced. It seems that the Privy Council is now the arbiter of Bahamian law.
DonAnthony 9 years, 5 months ago
I am no constitutional lawyer, but the way I understand it is that the bahamian constitution is the highest law in the land. Indeed, parliament can pass no law that violates the constitution. What the privy council is saying (quite creatively in my opinion ) as the final interpreter and arbiter on constitutional issues is that unless a murder is the " worst of the worst" then capital punishment is a violation of the bahamian constitution and can not be carried out. The privy council has set the bar so high for a case to qualify as the worst of the worst that for all practicalities no case would ever qualify therefore it is impossible to enforce the death penalty in the bahamas.
countryfirst 9 years, 5 months ago
Christie is in over his head and just doesn't have the balls to fire BJ and let someone who know what they are doing takeover.He is definitely not a leader because real leaders make decisions.Christie has failed us on CRIME,HEALTH,EDUCATION and everything else we just need real leaders in this country with vision,integrity,honesty and accountability all of which Mr. Christie lacks he is a dinosaur whose time has past we are fed up with corruption and cronyism.
Voltaire 9 years, 5 months ago
The death penalty referendum is another red herring designed to distract the public. Capital punishment will have no impact on our crime problem one way or the other. We currently face a two-pronged problem - the first issue is hardened criminals killing or being killed while on bail. As DonAnthony said, we have to give them bail because we hold them for 3-4 years without trial, because our judicial system is ossified and broken. So, these fellas know they will see the street again before anyone has a chance to convict and sentence, much less hang them. They will either kill again or be killed before they have even cause to think about an ultimate punishment down the line. Most don't expect to live past a few years, so how you gonna scare them with the threat of a noose a decade away, once all at the appeals an etc are done? The other issue of the two pronged situation we face, is the masses of young boys 13-17 years old who have no parental figures and look up to the drug dealer on the corner and try to emulate his lifestyle. Now, I don't know about you guys, but I remember that as a 13 year old boy, I was invincible in my own head. No threat of some far away punishment could touch me. It is simply nonsense to expect a rational and responsible weighing of "calculated risk" for an action from an adolescent boy. If capital punishment is a deterrent anywhere in the world (i will leave that to the experts) it can only be in places where justice is swift and punishment comes quickly. It will have zero impact on the mental state of the problem groups in the Bahamas, so long as our judicial system moves at the agonizing crawl which it currently does.
Voltaire 9 years, 5 months ago
....but just like they promised the solution to crime, this government was going to bring swift justice. Is the first 100 days up yet?
duppyVAT 9 years, 5 months ago
Sooooooooo, if the Judiciary is the problem....... FIX IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have the Laws in place?????? We have the Executive functioning?????? FIX IT!!!!!!!!!
DonAnthony 9 years, 5 months ago
Well it is not so simple. If the judiciary was working properly, leading to the incarceration of these many serious prolific offenders, where would we put them? The most urgent need is for a new, modern prison with at least 2-3 times our current capacity. Our current prison was designed to house 800 inmates and it regularly exceeds 1800 on any given day. I visited the maximum security section of our prison for one day and was shocked and nauseated. Indeed I came home, threw my clothes in the wash, showered and slept for 3 hours. It was in the summer and each 6x6 cell had up to 5 persons in it, with a slop bucket usually not emptied for the day. Men were pleading and begging for water. They were absolutely drenched in sweat and the scent was nauseating and indescribable. in short what I saw was human beings housed like animals. Some may say this is good, but I say if we dehumanize someone for years and treat them like animals, how can we expect when they are released that they will suddenly assimilate themselves in a healthy manner in society. We need to upgrade the facilities to a humane level and offer true rehabilitative programs, it is in our own best interest otherwise we will have a very high rate as we currently do of recidivism.
SP 9 years, 5 months ago
......................................... Exactly My Sentiments ! ......................................
Fox Hill Prison isn't fit for animals. In fact, if dogs or horses were kept like government keep prisoners, animal rights groups would be demonstrating and boycotting the Bahamas 24/7!
How the hell can government expect to treat people worse than animals, desensitizing them for years, then let these "newly created animal" loose to run wild in society?
Our crime problems were all created by ignorant politicians that had absolutely no training or experience in anything but allowed to make vital decisions in all aspects of running the country and suddenly became "all knowing Ministers" on election day.
This phenomenon of sudden "all knowing M.P.'s" is the crux of all the problems affecting Bahamian society today.
Fox Hill Prison is a disgrace. I wouldn't allow my dog to be housed there........Seriously!
The FNM built roads and the PLP built a stadium.....While what the country really needed was a state of the art hospital and a real prison correctional facility.
Both parties have FAILED MISERABLY and are way, way, way, way out to lunch on every issue facing the nation.
It is past time for real political change in our country. The DNA may not be the answer, but the PLP AND FNM CERTAINLY HAVE PROVEN WITHOUT DOUBT NOT TO BE THE ANSWER.
Voltaire 9 years, 5 months ago
@SP and DonAnthony - I am in complete agreement with all that.
SP 9 years, 5 months ago
......................................... Exactly My Sentiments ! ......................................
Fox Hill Prison isn't fit for animals. In fact, if dogs or horses were kept like government keep prisoners, animal rights groups would be demonstrating and boycotting the Bahamas 24/7!
How the hell can government expect to treat people worse than animals, desensitizing them for years, then let these "newly created animal" loose to run wild in society?
Our crime problems were all created by ignorant politicians that had absolutely no training or experience in anything but allowed to make vital decisions in all aspects of running the country and suddenly became "all knowing Ministers" on election day.
This phenomenon of sudden "all knowing M.P.'s" is the crux of all the problems affecting Bahamian society today.
Fox Hill Prison is a disgrace. I wouldn't allow my dog to be housed there........Seriously!
The FNM built roads and the PLP built a stadium.....While what the country really needed was a state of the art hospital and a real prison correctional facility.
Both parties have FAILED MISERABLY and are way, way, way, way out to lunch on every issue facing the nation.
It is past time for real political change in our country. The DNA may not be the answer, but the PLP AND FNM CERTAINLY HAVE PROVEN WITHOUT DOUBT NOT TO BE THE ANSWER.
CatIslandBoy 9 years, 5 months ago
Wow! I finally see the day when I agree with something written by SP. I'll check back again tomorrow.
SP 9 years, 5 months ago
..................................................... You Won! ................................................
........................... 2 week all expenses paid trip to Fox Hill Prison ....................
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