The third party and a crime plan
thenassauguardian editorial
More murders have happened in the first seven months of this year than during any other such period in the history of the modern Bahamas. Most of us, however, were still shocked by the news of the triple homicide that took place in southwestern New Providence Saturday morning. Two women and a man were murdered in what police suspect was a retaliation killing for previous killings.
The Bahamas is averaging around 12 homicides per month. On this pace, by the end of 2011 the murder count would be 145 in a country of only 350,000. This would be the fourth homicide record in The Bahamas in five years and the homicide rate in the country would be 41 per 100,000 population. This rate is eight times above the desired international rate of five per 100,000 population.
The governing party has a problem on the crime front. Homicide records have been set in all but one of the years of its five-year term. It has announced many new initiatives and brought on new personnel. Yet, the killings keep happening more frequently. It is hard to imagine what success could be reasonably claimed during the general election campaign by the Free National Movement (FNM) on the issue of crime.
The opposition also has a problem. It is stuck in the past. Whenever Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Perry Christie talks about crime he keeps mentioning the police-led urban renewal program his administration championed. That urban renewal program would not have stopped the triple homicide on Saturday morning. And Bahamians know Christie’s repeated references to urban renewal only make him appear out of touch with the realities of the modern Bahamas when it comes to crime.
So with a governing party whose crime fighting measures, thus far, have been unable to reduce the homicide rate in our country, and an opposition that is stuck in the past, there is room for the third party to present a crime message Bahamians will at least listen to.
The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) should realize that crime is issue number one for Bahamians. Many feel as if the two main parties collectively are at a loss as to what to do to bring order to our streets and order to our criminal justice system. In an effort to appease a frustrated public, police charge people often with killings and robberies, but few of these people spend long terms in prison for the offenses they commit.
If Branville McCartney and his party continue to speak intelligently and constantly about the crime issue, with spokespeople such as attorney Wayne Munroe, more and more people will perceive the party as a group that is at least in touch with the main concern of the people.
Some in our country argue that bad people are killing bad people. Some senior politicians have said this. Many of the killings this year have been as a result of feuds between criminals. Our streets, however, are not war zones and no group should be so unafraid of the state that it openly conducts its business of murder while police officers simply collect the bodies. Our politicians and police should also not think that it is less important if killings result from criminal feuds. If those criminals today are not afraid of killing each other openly without being punished, one day soon they will feel so empowered that they will attack the public officials charged with capturing, prosecuting or sentencing them.
Order must be restored and our law enforcement officers must be able to intervene in these conflicts when they begin so that the first murder or attempted murder is the last.
Bahamians do not accept that we should just sit passively by and watch our country become increasingly violent. Our governing party seems overwhelmed by the crime problem and the opposition seems to have no solutions. The Bahamas needs a crime plan and a group capable and interested enough to carry it out. The new guys have an opportunity here. They should seize the moment.
Aug 02, 2011
thenassauguardian editorial
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
