Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham appeals to all Bahamians to assist in the crime fight... says the government is resolute in its effort to reduce the level of criminality

Ingraham: All Bahamians must assist in crime fight

By Krystel Rolle
Guardian Staff Reporter
krystel@nasguard.com

Acknowledging that crime is unacceptably high, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham yesterday appealed to all Bahamians to assist in the crime fight, adding that the government is resolute in its effort to reduce the level of criminality.

“On the issue of violent crime I use this occasion to appeal to all citizens and sectors of society -- schools, churches, civic organizations, the business community and others -- to support efforts to combat crime and its causes,” Ingraham said during the Free National Movement’s Anniversary Service of Thanksgiving at the Cousin McPhee AME Church on Carmichael Road.

“And I appeal to all sectors of society, including those in politics, to refrain from associating with and from making statements that excuse criminality or give comfort to criminals.  Together we can defeat those who seek to destroy our peace, tranquillity and economic well-being.  They are a small minority and we must determine, as the majority, not to allow the small number of bad apples among us to poison our environment.”

Ingraham said statistics show that crimes are being committed by persons from all walks of life, including those who come from good family backgrounds.  He added that the country is “challenged” by violent crime and unemployment. “We are best able to tackle both,” he said.

Ingraham noted that his government brought the country out of troubles before and is prepared to do it again.

“By our deeds, we and others are known.  Others governed during a time with violent crime and murder spiralled to unprecedented levels, unchecked drug trafficking and related crime changed the mores and behavior of far too many of our people and unemployment reached historic highs.  We brought our country back from those terrible lows and we are working diligently now to stop and reverse the threats to the quality of life of our people,” he continued.

His statement came one day after the 92nd murder was committed in the country.  A Haitian man was killed in his store on Palm Tree Avenue on Saturday evening.  He was shot in his neck during what is believed to be an attempted robbery.

The unemployment rate in New Providence dropped slightly from 14 percent to 13.2 percent.  Grand Bahama’s unemployment rate dropped from 17.4 percent to 15.4 percent. However, the number of people who are no longer looking for work (discouraged workers) also dramatically increased by 34.8 percent.

But despite those challenges Ingraham said the country has much to celebrate. “We also have significant national accomplishments, and are nowadays respected the world over.  It is in our power, with God’s help, to raise levels of civility and common accord between citizens and to win greater peace in our communities,” he said.

Ingraham, who is serving his third non-consecutive year as prime minister, noted some of the national accomplishments his government made over the years.

He said his government improved and extended telephone services, including cellular phone service to the most remote settlements of the country, and made the introduction of cable television and internet services throughout the country possible.

Additionally, he said the government made it possible for the further expansion of the broadcast industry.

“Now every Tom, Dick, and Harry can call radio stations and say what the Lord put in their hearts or what the devil put in their heads,” Ingraham said.

Meantime Dr. Ranford Patterson, pastor of Cousin McPhee Church, called on FNM’s to help restore the nation. He said it will take people who are willing to stand for righteousness.

“This is still the greatest nation,” he said, adding that Bahamians must return to the ideals of the past.

“We must become caring again,” Patterson added.

Aug 22, 2011

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

Many Bahamians are expressing a lack of confidence in the justice system

Bahamians must feel the law is on their side
thenassauguardian editorial


With an increase in housebreaking taking place throughout the country in various communities, residents are appealing for justice to be served on the perpetrators.

Many Bahamians are expressing a lack of confidence in the justice system, claiming that the law does not protect their rights as citizens. In the cases of housebreaking and stealing, these cries are heard even louder.

The expression “justice denied” has become common place.

While housebreaking and stealing is on the rise, the number of people being placed in jail for these crimes has not increased. What has increased are the number of people being let go on bail for these crimes.

It is this perception of injustice that seems to irate Bahamians, perhaps because the crime of housebreaking is more of an invasive act. People feel as if they have been violated when their home has been the target of a housebreaking.

The idea that someone has been digging through drawers, jewelry boxes, cupboards and personal items, leaves the feeling of an invasion of privacy. That in itself stirs up a lot of emotions among the victims of this crime.

To make matters worse, those who are caught and charged with these crimes are then given a slap on the wrist, given a record and let go on bail, pending a hearing.

Then, to add insult to injury, if the criminal is not in possession of the items stolen, the victims cannot get any compensation for those items stolen. They are told that once the person has gotten rid of the items, there is nothing the law can do.

That criminal is not demanded to make restitution in no shape or form.

If your items have been sold or pawned before the criminal is caught, that is the end of it.

So, not only has a person’s home been broken into, their privacy invaded, their items stolen, the criminal set out on bail, but there is no way of getting any kind of compensation.

It has left residents with a sense of being left alone, with no justice served.

There has to be more convictions, at least there has to be an appearance of justice being served.

It’s not enough for those convicted of these crimes just to get a criminal record and that’s it. Letting these criminals out on bail only leaves them with an opportunity to continue their rampage on other homes and other families.

More has to be done to make Bahamians feel as if the law is on their side and that crime does not pay. As it stands now, they feel as if this is not the case.

12/14/2010

thenassauguardian editorial

Bahamas Blog International

Streets, Suites and Social Parasites

The Bahama Journal Editorial



Sadly and regrettably – this weekend past was like most we have experienced over the course of the past two decades and more; being dreadfully the same as thugs and other social parasites went out their business of looting, shooting, raping and killing.

For some of these people – the crimes begin on Thursday; are rampant on Friday and come to full throttle on Saturdays.

And so, it was this weekend past; the Princess Margaret’s Hospital was awash in blood; people wailed as their loved ones were rolled in on gurneys and stretchers; and one or two others stood in mute horror as the remains of this or that person were rolled away.

Saturday’s crescendo witnessed the death of a youth in Bain Town and the presentation of a tableau that show-cased Rambo-styled police-officers; armed to the teeth and [evidently] ready for some action.

Thankfully and mercifully, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade was in place and brought calm to what could have been a scene of bloody carnage. He is to be thanked for the maturity he brought as he spoke to a distraught community of men, women and youth – residents in that heartland community.

We listened in as he underscored the importance of label and interpretation whenever an event transpires and which attracts the attention of the police.

Here the Commissioner went to some lengths to make the point that no riot had taken place in Bain Town; and that while a youth was killed, there was never any reason for anyone to interpret neighborhood anger and regret [and even rage] as precursors to a riot.

Evidently, it is important to note that the Commissioner himself - as a product of Bain Town- knows the heart and spirit of that community better than most of his peers in the field of policing – and very many others, inclusive of some of our policymakers.

None of this should be taken to suggest that the Police Commissioner is enveloped in a thicket of illusions; indeed, to the contrary – there is every suggestion that, Ellison Greenslade’s calming presence made a major difference to a situation that could have been seriously ugly.

Evidently, this man’s hands are full with what happens to be his mandate; to help rid this society of the handiwork of any number of people who can and should be described as thugs and parasites run amok.

Here we would suggest that, as in any other occupation, there seems to be a species of division of labor in the ranks of those thugs and parasites who bedevil the rest of our society; with that division of labor consisting of those men and women who specialize in selling guns and ammunition; the men who rape; the men and women who rob others; those who specialize in home invasions; the rapists; those who specialize in abusing girls and boys and [of course] those who kill and get away with this most dastardly of crimes against the human person.

And then, there is that very special category of criminals – those medical practitioners and their patients who [as we are told] routinely abort fetuses alive in the womb.

This work is routinely and euphemistically described as ‘a procedure’. In instance after instance, the procedure is little more than a slick way of covering up the deliberate killing of that being who would – in the fullness of time- have become a living, breathing human person.

That this act is invariably illegal in The Bahamas underscores its violence and further serves to illuminate how coarse things have become for so very many Bahamians.

Evidently, these people are fulsomely deserving of the epithet, ‘thugs and assassins’.

This is how they should be described, notwithstanding their elevated social status as professionals.

Simply put, their crimes stink to high heaven!

And to be quite honest about the matter at hand, there are instances where – as we have been told- some of this nation’s most successful criminals routinely out-think, out-maneuver and who are able to baffle the police. These are the criminals who have succeeded.

Yet again, some of these people are well-educated; with some of them being lawyers, doctors, accountants, nurses, teachers and other so-called respectable people.

Some of these criminals work from the safety of their suites; thus having the safest of distance from the ruder and cruder kind of criminal whose work is done –as it were- in the raw.

While these criminals are the ones who are seen on a daily and nightly basis; there is reason to believe that some of these hard men and women are in the indirect employ of some of the hard men and women who do their stuff from on-high.

It is this aspect of that matter that involves thugs and social parasites that should also engage the urgent attention of Police Commissioner Greenslade and some of his officers.

November 22nd, 2010

The Bahama Journal Editorial

Bahamas Blog International