The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a recent spate of murders and violent crime in the country, Bishop Simeon Hall is calling for parents whose children are involved in criminal activity to do the right thing and turn them into police.

The former Bahamas Christian Council president spoke after a woman was shot in the face during an armed robbery on Soursop Street, Pinewood Gardens over the weekend.

Police said the woman is currently in hospital, where she is listed in critical condition.

The woman had just arrived at a residence in the area when two armed men demanded her blue Suzuki Swift. She tried to evade the armed men, police said, but was shot; the thieves took her car and escaped.

The incident came days after two men were killed in a shooting on Market Street on Thursday night.

One of the men died on the scene, while the other died of his injuries the next day. Their deaths have pushed the country’s murder count to 30 so far for the year, according to this newspaper’s records.

Yesterday, Bishop Hall raised concern about the escalating crime rate in the country and said more needs to be done, specifically by parents, to combat the issue.

He said simply praying about it and remaining silent would not resolve the issue.

“I am of the firm opinion that besides the work of the police and the courts, persons, mostly mothers and fathers, must not engage in what I call sanctified silence, to know your good son is part of a criminal gang and has weapons in your house while you go to church is what I call sanctified silence.

“If the criminals are known to police, they are obviously known to parents. We have to bury them. As a pastor, I have seen numerous young men who were tragically killed, and the parents have to bear the cost. I am saying it’s difficult to go to church while you know you harbour your criminal son. . .I think people need to speak up.”

Under the Christie administration, a gun amnesty was temporarily put in place as a means to help stem the rise of crime.

The initiative, which previously existed in various iterations, allowed for illegal weapons to be anonymously turned into designated pastors and churches.

This initiative was conducted in the past under Bishop Hall when he was BCC president.

Asked if he thinks the programme should be revived under this new Davis administration, the religious leader replied: “I think we need a multifaceted approach to crime. The social problems that breed crime are not one singular thing, but many and so we must take a multi-faceted approach to the solution to crime.

“Mind you, I would hope that Mr Wayne Munroe would bring some of that vigour that he had while he was an attorney, I would hope and pray that he brings some of that rather national approach to the solution to crime. We wish him well and we wish the police and the courts well, but I think the community itself must respond to crime.

“To know that you and I have a son who’s in a gang and has weapons at home then you must do something (other) than just pray about it. I prefer to turn him in rather than bury him. We as a community must not harbour criminals in any way.”

Bishop Delton Fernander, the current BCC president, could not be reached for comment despite numerous attempts from this paper yesterday.

However, The Tribune understands the religious group intends to hold a meeting this week to discuss the rising incidents of violent crime.