The Tribune

The PLP’s infamous pre-election billboards in 2012 highlighted the inability of the FNM government to curb the murder rate. Nearly five years later and with an escalating death toll passing 600 under the Christie administration Malcolm J Strachan says it’s time to revise the deterrents for violent criminals . . .

In the past five years we have seen the murder rate in the country escalate to horrendous levels, with an all-time high of 146 being set in 2015.

Although the number of murders declined last year to 111, there were still many murder attempts and shootings that did not result in a homicide.

This indicates that perhaps our crime fighting tools may have not have been as effective as we think they were in 2016 and, in actuality, the difference between life and death may have come down to sheer luck, or the accuracy of the assailant.

If we are only looking at the difference in actual murders, we are not getting a full and accurate picture of the effect violent crime is having on our country. Most Bahamians still live in fear and feel as if they are sitting ducks. People pray daily not to be slaughtered on their way to and from work when they traverse the streets of New Providence.

The flashing sirens of police cars zooming in and out of traffic on a daily basis is a constant reminder that all is not well, and despite the empty rhetoric of our elected officials, we are not winning this war on crime.

Up to last night, there have been 32 murders already in 2017, and people are now looking to the government and opposing parties to provide real solutions for crime. The Progressive Liberal Party, who campaigned on the platform that the Free National Movement was out of its depth when it came to this issue, paraded throughout the country giant billboards showcasing the number of homicides recorded under the then Ingraham administration’s 2007-2012 term. That figure at the time, stood at 490 + murders.

Today, under this Christie term of office, the number of lives lost to violence on our streets stands at 601.

Now, at the eleventh hour, the Minister of National Security, Dr Bernard Nottage, has come with “new ideas” to fight crime that really only serve as a Band-Aid to the terror that Bahamians are experiencing every day. If the average citizen does not give much credence to the good minister’s plan, why would a would-be cold-blooded killer, who already has no respect for authority? The truth is we are at a place in our nation’s development where the government, present and future, has to ask itself ‘what are the criminals afraid of?’ This question may not be an easy one to answer, so perhaps we may ask it another way. What aren’t they afraid of?

It certainly seems they are not afraid of taking someone’s life - and based on the police force’s ability to catch these murderers - they also are not afraid of going to jail.

To many of these criminals, jail is a calculated risk, baked into their reasoning. So if jail is not the deterrent, then what is? If a criminal’s confidence is hardened by the idea that the maximum punishment is minimal in their eyes, then we are preparing to witness much more blood being spilled on our streets. We are preparing ourselves to witness more innocent bystanders shot in front of their homes. We are preparing to submit our liberties to the criminal elements who already feel untouchable.

In a video uploaded to YouTube entitled, “Bahamas Gang One Order Threaten Man Over Woman”, there is a young man who is obviously afraid for his life being accosted and threatened by gang members. As the video plays out you are able to see the contemplation by one man to stab another for calling his girlfriend, all playing out on a video that has over 15,000 views since July, 2015. These individuals are not afraid of any of the deterrents put in place.

Yes, these young men have been failed by our education and judicial system. Yes, these young men have fallen through the cracks. They deserve the right to be lifted up and given a helping hand. But, they do not hold the right to terrorise this country. They do not hold the right to jeopardise our tourism product, and the entire nation’s livelihood for that matter. They do not deserve the right to engage in all-out gang warfare, fighting and murdering one another over turf and access to drugs.

This is why, after deliberate consideration, we are recommending that the government revisit the implementation of capital punishment.

We would be the first to acknowledge that modern studies done in the United States show that there is not much evidence that presents a case for the effectiveness of instituting the death penalty. However, we are not in an “apples to apples” scenario here.

The majority of murders in this country are taking place on one island, seven by 21 miles, smaller than towns in South Florida. It is unacceptable that we have allowed this scourge of crime to continue for so long without trying every means open to the state to correct it.

As our final court of appeal, the Privy Council has, and remains the last block to capital punishment being carried out in this country.

It has been seen by the public as the useful excuse that politicians blame for why they are unable to move forward with capital punishment. To the grieving mothers and fathers the last thing they want to hear is that some judge in another country is stopping their elected officials from carrying out the laws on our books. It makes no sense to them. After all, we are the ones living in this “Wild Wild West”, as our Prime Minister so eloquent described it recently. How can it be seen as fair and just that judges so far removed from the threat itself get to determine the safety and survival of a people?

Now, there are some people that are concerned about the potential negative effect on our economy if capital punishment were to be carried out. How would we be viewed in the international community? This would and should be something that is discussed by the country at large - better yet, why not put it to a referendum (we know the government loves to do these) and see what the public has to say.

The pros and cons of the issue should be aired for the public to digest with a reasonable timeframe to allow for public education on both sides.

The government has seen 10 years where the violence in the Bahamas, mainly in Nassau, has terrorised the country and stained us in the international community. We have already been equated in international publications with being an “armed conflict zone”.

The United States and Canada have issued crime warnings to their citizens over and over again. The response from our government to these warnings has been outrage. Instead of addressing the issue itself they push back at the US for daring to highlight the problem that is literally destroying this nation.

Where would the Bahamas be in 10 years if we continue to do nothing? Where would we be in 20, 30 years? Would we recognise this place? What kind of way of life are we passing on to our future generations?

If the status quo were to remain, how would this issue evolve? There are already inconsistencies between the Prime Minister and the Commissioner of Police on how this time of crisis should be characterised. Serious considerations ought to be taken by all Bahamians that truly want to live in a better, safer Bahamas. We’re living in a time now where we must make some tough decisions regarding the course of our future. As we all know, in any big decision, not everyone is left happy, but whatever is done, must be done for the greater good of our country and our people.

For our part, we believe the time is now to bring back the death penalty in the Bahamas. What say you?

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