Crime 'scaring away investors'
By BRENT DEAN ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ brentldean@nasguard.com:
Co-owner of the Grand Bahama Port Authority Sir Jack Hayward has warned that the Government of The Bahamas must find solutions to the escalating crime problem in the country before countries such as the United States issue travel advisories warning their citizens not to come to this jurisdiction.
"Any moment now the American Embassy could be advising American citizens that this is an unsafe country to travel (to)," said Sir Jack yesterday in an interview with The Nassau Guardian.
He also noted that the worrisome situation is scaring some potential investors.
At the end of the first half of 2010, there were 47 homicides in The Bahamas. The country appears on pace to near 100 homicides for the year.
The Bahamas set homicide records in both 2007 and 2009. The current homicide record from last year is 87.
The current homicide count puts the country on pace to record its third homicide record in four years.
Sir Jack said that the disturbing crime trend in the country could threaten both tourism to, and investment in, the country.
"When a potential investor or a potential visitor sees the headline, Up to record levels – More than last year, and so on, they are obviously going to say, 'Hey is this a safe place to travel?'," said Sir Jack.
"I mean the government has got to do something about the crime rate."
The government acknowledges that the Bahamian criminal justice system is facing significant challenges.
Two weeks ago in the House of Assembly National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest revealed that more people who are charged with murder are on bail than on remand at Her Majesty's Prison.
Up to April 30, 130 people charged with murder were on bail and an additional 127 were on remand, according to Turnquest. In total, there were 257 outstanding murder cases.
The government has attempted, in terms of personnel changes and infrastructure investments, to address the crime problem, which has worsened in recent years.
Since the Free National Movement (FNM) came to office in 2007, there have been three commissioners of police; three attorneys general; two chief justices; and the second director of the Department of Public Prosecutions is soon to take office.
The government has bought the police a new fleet of vehicles and it is spending more than $20 million upgrading the court system.
The new Magistrates Court complex at Nassau Street is expected to be completed within the next few months.
Sir Jack expressed concern about the high number of accused murderers on bail.
"God knows what they are doing? The whole thing is out of control," he said.
As recently as 1991, the homicide count in The Bahamas was as low as 28, according to police records.
The international homicide standard countries seek to be at or under is five murders per 100,000 persons. Ideally, The Bahamas would have around 18 homicides per year if it was near this mark.
The projected population count for The Bahamas this year by the Department of Statistics is 346,900.
If the homicide rate continues on the same pace in the second half of 2010, The Bahamas would have a homicide rate of around 27.17 per 100,000 population.
The Bahamas is moving towards a homicide rate comparable with countries in the region that have serious crime problems.
In 2008 the homicide rate for Jamaica was 59.5 per 100,000 population; it was 39.7 per 100,000 population the same year in Trinidad and Tobago, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
July 1, 2010
thenassauguardian
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.
