The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

In 2014, there were, allegedly, some 112 homicides. The majority of these were perpetuated by relatively younger men on other younger men/women known to them or with whom they would have had a personal altercation or relationship. At the rate we have started off 2015 it is highly likely that the homicide level will exceed that of last year. The carnage, seemingly, goes on unabated.

We are at the tipping point as a people and we cannot continue along this endless road called life with the almost nonchalant acceptance of interpersonal crime, with often deadly consequences, amongst the millennium generation. We are losing too many of them and too much loss of productivity and wastage of scarce health resources within our trauma units.

When a person is killed, it might well be argued that only he/she is impacted. It does not go like that. The survivors will be saddled with medical and, eventually, funeral expenses. These could run well into thousands of dollars which the survivors may be hard pressed to come up with. Bank loans may have to be taken out, which may take years to repay.

Bed spaces in our hospitals are being deployed to individuals who are victims of criminal behaviour and the intolerance which permeates our relationships, across the board. This causes a problem in finding additional bed space for genuinely ill or disabled individuals. In addition, questions of public safety come into play. It is a given that an individual who is wounded and transported to a health care facility, especially The Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), is subjected to further attacks while being treated or convalescing on the ward.

This could, as it has happened before, result in disruption of the operations of that facility and pose a clear and present danger to all concerned; medical doctors, nurses, security officials, other patients and, God forbid, the general visiting public. Something, fellow Bahamians, has got to give, sooner rather than later.

We, as a people, are all that we have got. Life is relatively short and transitory. To enjoy and live a long life is the ideal for many of us. It is an inconvenient truth, however, that hundreds, if not thousands, of this generation are wasting their lives; clues to what it is all about and have developed a cold, hard and calculating attitude towards each other, themselves and the wider society.

In the past, we have looked to external forces and sources for that elusive balm in Gilead. By now, we should have determined that we have to look to God, firstly, then within ourselves for sensible solutions to combat and reduce the unmitigated carnage amongst our millennial generation. The facts are what they are. The average Bahamian will never be a victim of an alleged homicide based on statistics. In short, people who lead a relatively safe life and do not engage with individuals who are criminals or criminally inclined could, reasonably, expect to live the proverbial three score and ten. The rest of us, are relegated to living a short, brutish and non- descript life.

Our young people are the trustees of our posterity. We, they included, are all that we have got. It is unsustainable for us to continue to neglect or postpone the introduction of a voluntary national youth service. I call for a voluntary service because I do not subscribe to compulsory service by anyone at the behest of the state. There is too much politics playing out in all aspects of national life. If national youth service were to be compulsory there is the real possibility that politics would gradually creep into even this.

We are all, collectively, all that we have got. It behoves us then to shove and pull together as we seek to get out of the spiral of senseless murders, debilitating life styles, dithering politicians, alleged padded non bid governmental contracts and direct corruption, allegedly, of our erstwhile civil servants and law enforcement officials and, of course, the now established culture of dependency.

I was deeply offended by the apparent insensitivity of remarks attributed to the current Minister of National Security a few months ago following the murder of a resident of Blair Estates during a brutal and terrifying home invasion. He opined that “home invasions happen all the time”. To lose a single Bahamian to an act of violence is too much. We are all that we have got.

The majority of our people residing in New Providence and Grand Bahama are going to be ok, I submit, but that large minority percentage is frustrated, disillusioned and seething when they find themselves creased up in the inner city areas and slum areas without secured employment, no marketable job skills and unstable personal relationships. There is the real possibility of societal implosion and a meltdown of our tourism and banking industries due to unmitigated fear of crime.

Yes, my brothers and sisters, we are all that we have got and we must do a better job in transforming our own individual minds and the national psyche. Unfortunately, it may well be impossible for us to expect such transformational changes with this current generation of national leaders, across the spectrum of national life.

The leadership in politics, civil society and the church is almost ridiculous. Those who hold themselves out to be leaders are, in most cases, the most uninformed, manipulative and selfish individuals ever to walk the face of the earth. We are all that we have got and have survived thus far by the grace and mercy of God.

May I suggest that the powers that be convene a National Prayer Breakfast to present a forum for all of our so-called leaders and others of good will so as to invoke God’s continuous blessings on our wonderful nation and an opportunity for all of them to come together in a non-political and a non-denominational atmosphere. It would be wonderful if this event could be co-chaired by Cynthia “Mother” Pratt and Lindsay Russell. They are both former parliamentarians but have now found new occupations in the service of The Lord. They, together, would be representative of the political divide. Mother Pratt is based in New Providence and Lindsay is in Grand Bahama.

Violence amongst our millennial generation and the pauperisation of sensible and well thought out solutions to the myriad of economic, societal and cultural problems besieging the nation, will continue to plague us. It is written, however, “It is not be might or power, but by the strong hand of The Lord ...”

The Bahamas is challenged but, as a resilient people, will make it. To God then, in all things, be the glory!

ORTLAND H BODIE Jr

Nassau,

February 8, 2015.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Official police figures recorded 123 murders for 2014.