The Tribune

IT WAS interesting to hear State Minister for National Security Keith Bell blame the country’s crime challenges on a growing gang culture left unchecked by the Ingraham administration.

It’s a shame that Mr Bell, who joined the Royal Bahamas Police Force in 1985 on graduating from RM Bailey Senior High, was not taught to be more careful with both the truth and the history of his country. It appears that he has joined those who have no conscience about twisting the facts to fit their own political agenda.

Have you ever heard of the PLP “goon squads”, Mr Bell?

Violence and disrespect for law and order had its birth in those goon squads. They were used by the PLP under the leadership of the late Sir Lynden Pindling to silence this country’s free speech during elections.

Their violence in the Sixties was so dangerous that one year opposition parties could not hold rallies as part of their election campaigning. We recall an incident one night when the late Paul Adderley — who had left, but later rejoined the PLP to become that party’s Attorney General – headed his own political party. On that particular night, he was speaking from a political platform against Sir Lynden and the PLP. Mr Adderley was attacked by PLP goons, one of whom jumped onto the platform from which he was speaking and violently snatched the microphone from his hand. That year, the Opposition had to depend upon a door-to-door campaign – political rallies had become too dangerous.

There was a lot of political unrest during those years – much out of character of a once peaceful people. We shall always remember the words of our late uncle, Eugene Dupuch, QC (The Eugene Dupuch Law School), who said that many would live to regret encouraging the disrespect for law and order which had been turned into a rapier for political gain. “Remember,” he often said, “emotions are unlike a water faucet, once you turn them on, it’s impossible to turn them off.” Time has proven him right.

The late Sir Kendal Isaacs, QC, was only too aware of this danger. He refused to lead his FNM party in protest marches, always maintaining that he could not control crowds of people if they got out of hand. His conscience never wanted to be burdened with that responsibility.

Soon the youth gangs developed. They were out of control with their spray guns and black chalk. They scrawled their slogans on every blank wall that they could find. They even defaced a statue in the public library on Shirley Street. One day — having waited for us to complete the painting of The Tribune — they spent a weekend covering the walls with gang slogans. The painting had to start all over again. We caught one of the culprits red handed with all of his paint gear in hand. We called the police and turned him in. Despite all the damage, he and his buddies had done, not only to The Tribune, but throughout the town, he was released. He obviously had the right connections. Even in those days the buddy-buddy system was well entrenched. “The boys” protected their own.

Now we get down to the gang culture for which Mr Bell blames the Ingraham administration. These gangs were the natural outgrowth of the “goons”.

Some of the older members of the PLP should be able to enlighten Mr Bell on this period. It seems that some of the gangs were very close to the late Sir Lynden, and were ready to accommodate when crowds were needed for political protests.

We have mentioned this before in this column, but for Mr Bell’s edification we shall mention it again. One day, one of our elderly press room staff members — a reformed founding member of one of the more notorious gangs — came to our office. He wanted me to know that there would be trouble in the public square the next day when Prime Minister Ingraham and his government walked from the Cabinet to the House. According to him, Sir Lynden had visited their meeting place that night to recruit “the boys.” We could go on, but we shall leave it there.

Mr Bell told the Senate that government planned to pass an amendment to the Penal Code so that organised gangs of three or more persons could face penalties of $500,000 or up to 25 years imprisonment. It was government’s intention, he told Senators, to tackle gangs and gang activities.

Now 48 years later they are trying to turn off the faucet. It is in the interest of our country that government’s efforts are given the full support of every citizen — only next time, Mr Bell, keep your divisive comments out of such worthwhile efforts, especially when those comments are not true.

Mr Bell also promised senators that he would provide conclusive evidence that the Police Staff Association was not only a political tool, but collaborated with political parties.

“Collaborated with political parties.” We find this statement very interesting, particularly coming from former police officer Keith Bell. If he plans to open this pandora’s box, we hope he tells the whole story.

In March 2012, we wrote an editorial tracing the breakdown of our society from the Sixties into the Seventies and Eighties – the drug years when fast boats, retaliatory killings, and a general breakdown of all the rules that had held a Christian society together was the order of the day. Fast money was – and still is – a badge of success.

We ended that article on a note that holds true today.

Do not, we wrote, “send to know for whom the bell tolls,” it tolls for each and every one of us. Now is the time for zero tolerance – either that or surrender our society to the refuse born and bred in the Sixties.