PM vows to win the 'war' against crime

As of Friday, May 2, 2014

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie said yesterday the government is developing new crime fighting strategies to win the “war” that they are fighting against “hostile young men” in the capital.

Mr Christie said he has had several meetings with high ranking officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force in the hopes of developing new, more effective methods of “curbing, stopping and eliminating crime”.

The Prime Minister also admitted that certain things that could have been done to fight crime have not been done, but he said the Minister of National Security, Dr Bernard Nottage, is working “with due speed” to execute these schemes.

“It is vexing and frustrating,” said Mr Christie, “that I continue to know that the bulk of the crime is taking place in areas that I and Dr Nottage represent and there must be a strategy to cause crime to be abetted, minimised and disrupted. But I have had meetings on that subject and I have had maps produced to show me where the crime is taking place and just to repeat again what I said, we are committing to providing the necessary resources.

“We believe that there is a strategy that will work and we have to be satisfied that it is the clear intention on the part of those who carry out the strategy to ensure that it is effectively done. We believe that, in our discussions, those officers we have been meeting with, that are a part of the leadership of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, are aware that certain challenges that ought to have been met, have not been met and are moving with the Minster with due speed to implement and execute them.

“Too many young men are becoming victims of their own circumstances of living, how they live, how they deal with each other. I have said to the police that I do not need to tell you that you are in a war and that however difficult it appears we cannot lose the war. It is a war that has a hostile arena and it also must be met with intelligence and actions that would recognize that people have to work.”

Mr Christie also said that the government is open to suggestions and is considering all crime fighting strategies that have been presented to them.

“People must have options and the government must be much more proactive in being able to put a finger on the pulse and measure the temperature and know what possible solutions we can apply. Something is wrong if you kill someone over a plate of food, or you are driving with a friend and you get vex with them and you shoot your friend. The unpredictability of such events are so extraordinary and enormous in its implications as to how you police that behaviour, you have to resort to talking to people, explaining to people what the position is and I think we are in the process of doing that,” he said.

“So, rather than be faced with a situation that you believe you are unable to address effectively, I take the opposite view. Not withstanding challenges the government of the Bahamas is elected to govern and we will continue to examine all of the strategies that are recommended to us, all of the strategies that go into dealing effectively with a critical situation we are faced with.”

Mr Christie said crime must be a comprehensive effort, not just by the government, but by the country, the church and the NGO’s.

proudloudandfnm 9 years, 11 months ago

Can someone please just tell this man to keep his mouth shut for the next 3 years? Is he friggin serious?

B_I_D___ 9 years, 11 months ago

...I just spewed coffee all over my keyboard...the PM is a joke. Sadly, crime is not. This freight train wreck of a government is putting every citizen of this country, more so in Nassau, at risk of life and limb. Epic epic failures on all fronts.

jackbnimble 9 years, 11 months ago

Ho hum... diddly dum!!!!

Cobalt 9 years, 11 months ago

Talk talk talk talk talk talk.... then more talk. No action! That's Perry G. Christie's legacy.

stillwaters 9 years, 11 months ago

Another vow? Ah well...... seems to be distancing himself from the crime rate and blaming the police force now, not the FNM.

proudloudandfnm 9 years, 11 months ago

Worst PM in history. I fear the damage he's doing to our country this time around.

THE BAHAMAS NEEDS IMPEACHMENT PROCEDURES BADLY!!!

CANDACESCOTT 9 years, 11 months ago

WHEW!!!!! THIS MAN IS EXHAUSTING! WHAT A WASTE OF WORDS! YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jlcandu 9 years, 11 months ago

Mr. Christie,

I suggest that you and Dr. Nottage, since most of the crime exists in YOUR constituencies, actually present yourself in walkabouts to talk to the residents of the areas your represent to get their feedback about crime and living conditions, etc. Maybe then you could devise a realistic and effective strategy to fight crime.

I wouldn't take your 20 bodyguards with you -- that might send the wrong message.

Alltoomuch 9 years, 11 months ago

I can't wait to hear his answers to all of the questions I just hope the Media are writing up for him. Do hope he won't be too tired.

Alltoomuch 9 years, 11 months ago

In case it was missed the PM has promised to answer all questions put to him next week.

jt 9 years, 11 months ago

I am surprised he was able to make a statement without a referendum.

ThisIsOurs 9 years, 11 months ago

What happened to the magic map?

B_I_D___ 9 years, 11 months ago

HA!! Had forgotten about that one!! Guess the RBPF forgot about it as well!!

ThisIsOurs 9 years, 11 months ago

Yeah and it had coloured pins in it too.PM said yesterday that there were lots of people in his high school class smarter than him, and you know what? I believe him.

sheeprunner12 9 years, 11 months ago

FYI, the phrase itself (War on Crime) is a joke.................. it is redundant political ploy

The mere fact that Perry says this shows how out of touch he is with REALITY

BahamianAway 9 years, 11 months ago

Has anyone noticed that crime began increasing when the teachers ability to administer corporal punishment was taken away? These young children have no respect for authority beginning at school age, why would they then have respect for each other.

Just my take on it...they want to help curb crime they need to start manhandling these young boys from school age. Waiting for the tree to become firm then they try bending it, at which point it's only going to break.

B_I_D___ 9 years, 11 months ago

Education in general...you keep seeing the posters and sayings up on social media, teachers were respected, and feared, and if you got sent home with a note or a bad grade, chances are your parents would whoop you harder and knock some sense into you, now it's all about me, and my child is the perfect angel and the teacher is dragged over the coals for even SUGGESTING that the child was out of order or did not study and failed a test. Our whole society has failed at least the current generation of high school drop outs (I don't dare call them graduates...they just left a day care center at 12th grade). I've got kids in the education system now and nearly every day I look at the lack of discipline in the classroom and the lack of proper structure, and shake my head...and my kids are in a high end private school...don't get me started about our public schools.

Emac 9 years, 11 months ago

The circus lead clown is back in town!

Bahamianpride 9 years, 11 months ago

Crime 100 Christie 0 looks like a blowout

TheMadHatter 9 years, 11 months ago

Did he actually say "not just by the government, but by the country, the CHURCH and the NGO’s."???????????

Wow, I wouldn't think anyone would DARE speak out against the church or suggest that they actually DO something except build more churches.

How about a Law that says groups starting up a church (while building) must present to Government every single invoice that they spend on cement blocks, wood, etc (monthly) - and then they must make an EQUAL contribution to the public schools - by way of buying new windows, ceiling fans, window screens, desks, chairs, benches, water fountains, chalk, erasers, blackboards/whiteboards, notebooks, pencils - etc.

That way something here on Earth can actually get done, instead of thinking about puffy clouds all day.

Or am I just stupid?

TheMadHatter

wearedone 9 years, 11 months ago

How in the hell did this Idiot make it back in power?

ThisIsOurs 9 years, 11 months ago

Excellent branding. Remember the pictures of all the young middle aged Bahamians who would benefit when the government came to power? The add campaign was effective..no substance, but excellent branding

Cobalt 9 years, 11 months ago

Hubert Ingrham caused Perry Christie and the PLP to get back into power. He squeezed and suffocated the Bahamian people to the point of desperation. I'm no PLP supported, but Hubert had to go.

Alltoomuch 9 years, 11 months ago

He made promises and people believed him! What does that say for people??

SP 9 years, 11 months ago

Dear Bumba,

Stop talking stupidity for 2 minutes and start by getting rid of the 26,666.66 blue collar workers you and your FNM partners made $40M on for $1,500.00ea work permit fees and maybe your constituents could find jobs to go to instead hanging around the blocks hungry, thirsty and disconnected from society.

Regards, Less Said, More Done

proudloudandfnm 9 years, 11 months ago

Less said? PLP is nothing but press releases, they saying plenty but doing NOTHING.

More done? see post above...

And Sicko/General Crazy/Rory/Captain Bahamas,

Dude get off your ma's couch. Just for one day. Please go outside and take one quick look at the world....

John 9 years, 11 months ago

When you continue to do the same thing, time after time and expect a different result that is call foolishness. But is seems that at least now that the prime minister is beginning to realize that crime is not the problem, but the symptom of a bigger problem in the Bahamas. So he is right that the police cannot solve the crime problem. The fact that new and younger 'criminals' are taking to the streets and committing murder and mayhem confirms this. To solve the crime issue, we must go back forty years into the history, when crime seriously reared its ugly head in this country and look at the variables and attempt to isolate the causes of the escalation of crime and attempt to address them. We must determine why we are continuously rearing generations of angry young men, who are using, abusing or dependent on drugs, alcohol or other substances. Men who are willing to whip out a gun and snuff out a life in a heartbeat. The victim can be as close to them as a brother or just some unfortunate tourist visiting the Bahamas. We must also try to understand why, when these persons are given bail, they are willing to take another life and still another. Some of the things that need to be examined: 1. There was a serious drug epidemic in the Bahamas in the 1980's and early 90's. The use of cocaine was prevalent, even among the highest levels of society, and crack cocaine was the mainstay of the lower, inner communities like Bain and Grants Town, And Englerston and Coconut Grove.
2. This led to serious breakdown in law and order as nothing was off limits to 'crack heads' who would do anything, 'tief anything or sell anything to support their habit. Coke houses were common in these areas as well as other places and it was not unusual to wake up in the morning to find, your gas tank missing, car tires or even whole cars gone. houses broken into. The talk of the day was who was 'seen' at a crack house, as prominent doctors, lawyers, businessmen, politician, law enforcement officers, jitney drivers, you name them all became 'addicted' to the 'white lady' and spent most of their time looking for a hit.
3. Back then the murder rate was not that bad, because despite people willing and wanting to do anything for a 'hit' there was still respect for the sanctity of life. 4. Then in 1992 there was a change of government for the first time in about 25 years in this country. With it brought new hope and the cocaine epidemic seem to die off. But the use of marijuana escalated, especially among young people.

John 9 years, 11 months ago

There was also rapid economic growth and social change under the new government. Because of new found wealth, persons were able to move out of the family homestead and venture on their own to an apartment or their own home. There was also the influx of foreign investment that favored the few but excluded many Bahamians. 6 There was also the proliferation of web shops, the freeing up of the airwaves, the introduction of cable tv, satellite tv, street gangs became popular, Bahamians travelled abroad more, family structure became fragmented and broken, church attendance dropped and crime, violent crime and murder started to increase.
Even though many Bahamians excelled in education and sports, performance in education on the local level continued to drop and falter to a point where the national average is a 'D'. Many firms both foreign and local claim that they were having a difficult time finding qualified Bahamians to fill jobs. The family structure continued to fragment to a point where children born out-of-wedlock far surpassed those born to a married couple, and the absentee or deadbeat dad was commonplace.
Even with another change of government violent crime and murder, continued to escalate and despite committing more resources to the police force, all efforts to curb murder seem to fail. Drive by shootings became the order of the day and at present murder is carried out any hour of the day and no ground seems sacred. Dead and burned bodies are dumped on church property and many churches have cancelled their night services for the safety of their members. No one seems to be beyond the grasp of the crime in the Bahamas as everyone from local to tourist to the deputy prime minister, and yes even the prime minister has been a victim of crime. The blame game was played but despite all efforts, crime and violent crime and murder continued to increase. 8 Young Bahamian men have been referred to as 'angry' by many visitors to this country and they, for the most part are the perpetrators of serious crime, including murder. They are also the most displaced in the new economic Bahamas. They find themselves not only having to compete with their female counterparts for many jobs, but also with the foreign worker, both legal and illegal. Yet they are expected to assume the role as the head of the household and financial provide, when they are usually less educated than the Bahamian female. It is time to bring in the experts and research out history to determine what single factor, or group of circumstances got us to this point. We should also involve the church leaders to determine if this trend can be reversed or if it is prophecy being fulfilled.

SP 9 years, 11 months ago

What about a war against corruption? No probes into vanishing Millions for the hospital extension, court building or anything else?

The Tribune