Rollins demands PLP live up to promises on crime

Dr Andre Rollins, centre, among the crowd at the anti-crime rally at St Gregory’s Church last night.

As of Friday, November 13, 2015

By TANEKA THOMPSON

Tribune News Editor

tmthompson@tribunemedia.net

A DAY after the murder count hit 130 for the year, the Free National Movement demanded that the Christie administration live up to its promised crime solutions and “restore public confidence in the state’s capacity to keep Bahamians safe”.

A statement released by Dr Andre Rollins, the FNM’s shadow minister of national security, noted that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) campaigned on a promise that it had the solutions to crime. However, he said, it is evident that New Providence is gripped by a crime crisis, adding that it is the government’s responsibility to keep its citizens safe.

“The Free National Movement shares the public’s deep concern about the violent crime crisis engulfing New Providence and we commiserate with the families and communities grieving the senseless loss of those they love and cherish,” Dr Rollins’ statement said.

“It gives us no satisfaction to witness the unprecedented and tragic level of violent crime affecting our country. However, we must once again remind the government that they came to office promising that they possessed all of the solutions to crime. Sadly, we are confronted with the reality that New Providence is today still terribly insecure.

“The failure to bring violent crime under control has left Bahamians in a perpetual state of fear for their personal safety. This traumatic state of affairs cannot continue.”

“A country’s internal security is one of the primary responsibilities of the state,” Dr Rollins added. “While moral decay is one of the root causes of our crime problem, where the family or society fails to properly mold individuals, it is the power of the state that is ultimately the last line of defense in maintaining public order and national security.

“When citizens vote, they are agreeing to place the power of the state and responsibility for law and order in the hands of the government. If the government fails in this vital responsibility, members of the public lose confidence in the state and opt to take the law into their own hands. We cannot allow our society to come to this.

“For the sake of our country and its future, the government must restore public confidence in the state’s capacity to keep Bahamians safe,” Dr Rollins said. “We urge the government to take responsibility for our nation’s security by implementing their promised solutions to crime and bringing law and order back to our city streets.”

The Fort Charlotte MP’s comments came the day after two people, including a primary school teacher, were shot dead in separate incidents in New Providence.

The previous murder record occurred in 2011, a year which saw 127 killings.

Months ahead of the 2012 general election, the PLP erected billboards in heavily trafficked areas which said there had been more than 490 murders under the FNM.

While in opposition, the PLP frequently called for then Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest to resign over rising rates of crime.

In March 2012, Prime Minister Perry Christie, who was opposition leader at the time, suggested that the PLP was the only political party with viable crime solutions.

“Crime, violent crime, is the number one social problem in our country today,” Mr Christie told supporters at the opening of the PLP’s Nassau Village constituency office, “but what does this government of Hubert Ingraham and Tommy Turnquest have to say about it? They actually go on TV and brag about what they’ve done to deal with crime.

“These people are really out of touch with reality. When it comes to crime, they have been miserable failures,” said Mr Christie at the time. “If you’re looking for real and lasting solutions to this crime problem, there’s only one party that has a comprehensive and viable plan for fighting crime, and that party is the PLP. The DNA is clueless and Tommy Turnquest, Hubert Ingraham and the FNM are even more clueless,” Mr Christie added.

Dr Rollins quit the PLP in June. He, along with former PLP MP Renward Wells, joined the FNM last week.

shortpants 8 years, 5 months ago

So now you say can that you and your party are worst than clueless. Hopeless ,liars looking for real and lasting solutions to this crime problem, there’s only one party that has a comprehensive and viable plan for fighting crime, and that party is the PLP. Three years and the crime has escalated ,worst in the history of the Bahamas. (USELESS ) Pride just before destruction call in help PLP need it badly.

themessenger 8 years, 5 months ago

Ya bey, da new brand shadow minister jus reach an he done flexin' he jaw. Da solution to da crime problem jus like pullin' teet so he halfway home already.

John 8 years, 5 months ago

What crime prevention measures and programs does this government have in place? Even before this present government came to power, it was suggested that more be done to reach out to young men and boys before they become involved in crime and caught up with drugs and gang activity. No one can deny that a great part of the problem the country faces with crime and our young men today is that too many homes have no father or father figure in them and we have an education system that is saturated with women, who despite the excellent job they are doing, they cannot teach young males how to be men. And so when teenage boys are courted by gang leaders and drug dealers and promised a rich, flashy and glamorous life or promised full protection and a lifestyle of gang banging, it is only after they get caught up in these lifestyles that they realize they made the wrong choice. It was suggested that teams of men, including police officers, church ministers, social and civic leaders and businessmen visit all junior and senior high schools and meet with student, especially with the male students. Someone needs to tell them that if they join a gang, chances are that they will be killed, even by someone they do not know and only because they are a gang member. Tell them also that they may also be required to kill someone, who may be close to them or who they do not know, only because that person is a member of another gang. They must also be taught that it is illegal to be a gang member or get involved in gang banging. Tell them if they sell drugs, they may be caught up in turf wars and could lose their life because of it. Drug dealing may seem to be lucrative but it is a dangerous and a short lived lifestyle. Show them the benefits of being law abiding and productive students and try to make more opportunities available to the lower income males who are more at risk for becoming anti-social and involved in crime. Try to recruit males, retired police and customs and immigration and defense force officers and persons from the private sector to be in the schools and hold male on male sessions at least once a week. Then add some rewards to the school curriculum. No student should be allowed to graduate high school without being given the opportunity to get a driver's license. Time to realize that every student will not be academically inclined. rather than allowing so many to come out of school with a "d" average, add diversity to the program where students came graduate with some trade or skills rather than a failed transcript.

SP 8 years, 5 months ago

................................... Only the PLP has the secret solution to crime! .................................

TalRussell 8 years, 5 months ago

Dr. Andre and Minnis's most telling video, a must watch.
Comrade Minnis as Her Majesty's Official Opposition Leader, did not “live up promise” when he himself said of the rules that Dr. Andre would have to follow, if he should ever decide to join the red party.
Is it not then a fair question to ask of Minnis; why should voters now believe if he was so prepared to further his own hide's agenda, by leapfrogging Dr. Andre's red party's membership, clear over the heads of his own House MP’s and Senators to the sudden as a flash appointment as the official opposition's shadow minister peoples security, then how can he now expect voters to trust him to follow through on any promises he will make from the highest office in land, should they elect him as the nation's Prime Minister, come the 2017 General?

......//https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-s6_...">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-s6_...