The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREE NATIONAL Movement Chairman Michael Pintard says that crime continues to be unmanageable in the Bahamas under the Progressive Liberal Party administration and is calling for decisive action.

Mr Pintard told The Tribune that the carnage taking place daily in the streets of New Providence is relentless and threatens the country’s stability. The United States Department of State has rated the country’s crime as “critical” as crime continues to be one of the most vexing problems in the Bahamas.

“It is important that government engage various stakeholders, with a view to arresting this (crime) problem that seems to destabilise this country,” he said yesterday. “We should be working faith-based organisations in the community with a view to diffusing conflicts early so they do not mushroom into acts of violence.”

The FNM chairman further suggested that CCTV should also be installed in hot spot areas Over the Hill and not just in the tourist district of Nassau.

“We should be ensuring that saturation patrols occur in areas that are most affected by crime, with a view of breaking the back of criminality in those areas. This is a small country and people know who the criminals are and where they hang out,” he said.

Mr Pintard said the government and the police must be on the same page if they are to effectively deal with crime.

“There must be decisive action and that is only possible when the Commissioner of Police is on the same page with the Minister of State for National Security and the Minister of State is on the same page as the Prime Minister. They must discontinue speaking and singing from different hymn sheets,” he said.

Murders continue to increase, with police recording 123 murders last year compared to 119 in 2013. Since the start of this year there have been 49 homicides.