The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

As the country grapples with the increase in murders on our streets or the recent crime “spurt” as defined by the Minister of National Security, the strategy of the government to address the crime problem remains unclear.

As I review the messages in the various chat groups of which I am a part, I realise that on a daily basis Bahamians are losing hope. Losing hope in their government and losing hope in the ability of their Prime Minister and Minister of National Security to do all that is necessary to tackle the crime crisis that the country is facing. While the Prime Minister has been an advocate on the world stage for the climate crisis and continues to travel the world sounding the alarm in relation to this issue, I do not see the same vigor and focus being given to the crime crisis in The Bahamas. Instead, what I do see is lots of politics, public relations, slogans, and platitudes.

In a recent address to the nation, The Prime Minister announced, “we’re going on the offensive” and spoke to the immediate response that his government would take to address the crime issue. This response, as touted by the Prime Minister, would involve a three-staged approach which would include clearing the gangs out of the communities, keeping the communities safe by having police maintain a “relentless presence” and investing in those communities. In addition to his address, the Prime Minister recently tabled the Bail (Amendment) Bill, 2024 which he claimed, “is an important step forward to save lives”. Further, the Prime Minister presented “Crackdown 2024” which comprises five pillars, including prevention, strengthening policing, prosecution, punishment and rehabilitation. While all of this sounds good and looks good on paper, we have yet so see any concrete evidence of the words spoken by the Prime Minister being translated into action.

As the Prime Minster seeks to tackle the crime problem in The Bahamas, I encourage him to look beyond his speech writers and to read the National Development Plan which provides an holistic approach to crime, including a number of short, medium and long term strategies that may be used to combat the issue. As noted in the National Development Plan, while the police are doing all that they can with the resources that they have been given, they do not have the right “mix of officers, orientation and technology” to achieve the desired results. We have yet to see any movement towards a national “zero tolerance” strategy for violent crimes, like murder, or the establishment of a DNA lab to assist the police in their efforts or the swift expedition of cases involving violence as addressed in the Plan. It is my hope that the Prime Minster will move beyond the politics, public relations, slogans and platitudes and that he will use his platform and the many resources and expertise at his disposal to implement the strategies outlined in the National Development Plan and to effectively tackle the crime problem in The Bahamas.

THE BAYMAN

Nassau,

February 7, 2024.