The prime minister’s national crime address
So much has been said in recent years about crime in The Bahamas. There have been four murder records in five years. Over that same five-year period more that 13,000 cases of housebreaking have been reported. Most of those homes were broken into in New Providence.
Bahamians are fearful. Bahamians are not sure that their law enforcement agencies and politicians are up to the task to fix the problem.
Opposition leader Perry Christie and his party seem to understand that crime is likely the most significant issue on the minds of most Bahamians. Christie, who is not known for leading the way, got out ahead of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham in August. He made a national address on crime and offered solutions on behalf of his party.
Some of the ideas Christie presented had promise; others did not. However, in speaking to the country formally on the issue as the opposition leader and a former prime minister, Christie indicated that crime was an issue that must now be addressed and debated at the leadership level.
Ingraham said Sunday he would make a national address on crime Monday coming. His address will come almost six months after he promised during the national address on public infrastructure to speak about the growing crime problem in The Bahamas.
Ingraham made the crime address pledge at Lynden Pindling International Airport as he arrived back in The Bahamas from an official visit to Washington, D.C. He made the pledge after reporters asked him crime related questions. It is unclear if Ingraham had previously decided to make the national address or if he made the pledge in an effort to end the questioning.
Nonetheless, the address is needed and it will be interesting to hear what the prime minister has to say.
Ingraham has a fine line to negotiate. He will likely mention the millions of dollars his government has provided to the various agencies of the criminal justice system. He will likely also bring up the refurbishment of the courts.
Ingraham and his government have also gone further. Since coming to office in 2007 the chief justice has been changed, there have been three commissioners of police, two directors of public prosecution and at least five commanders at the Central Detective Unit.
His government has tried and it continues to try. But, as the numbers show, the crime problem is worsening.
What the PM needs to address is the competency of the leadership of his law enforcement agencies and whether or not certain agencies are adequately staffed with competent people.
Police investigate serious crime and lawyers from the Office of the Attorney General prosecute the cases. If the cases are poor and the prosecutors are less than capable, and there are too few of them, then few people will go to jail for the crimes they commit.
And, if the AG’s Office cannot bring forward cases fast enough, or if it does not want to because the cases were poorly prepared by police, then judges will grant bail to accused persons who would then be free to offend again.
There is too much talk now about everybody doing a good job. In this time of civility we say the commissioner of police and his officers are doing a good job; we say the National Security Ministry is doing a good job; we say prosecutors are doing their best. If police and prosecutors are doing their best, and the crime situation in The Bahamas is worsening, then those officers and prosecutors are not up to the task to help reverse the trend.
As we mentioned in a previous editorial, leadership is needed on the crime issue.
The prime minister must pledge bold action and show passion when he addresses his people. The money spent so far has not yet led to any meaningful results. We need to know what is next.
Simply put, we need to restore the quick connection between crime and punishment. And we need to ensure that the people who lead the critical divisions of the police force and the AG’s Office related to investigating and prosecuting serious crimes are up to the task.
If they are not, something else should be found for them to do.
Sep 28, 2011
