The Bahama Journal Editorial
For what it is worth, we suggest that all who would wish to help make the Bahamas a safer and healthier place for its citizens and its residents might begin with taking it as fact revealed that, no matter what this or that politician says to the contrary; there is no easy fix to the crime crisis that has for so long engulfed this island-nation of ours.
Were we to move in this direction, we would find that – as a people united in service and love- could and should work together to do more to help stamp out this scourge.
It is also indubitably the case that our great friend to the north [the United States of America] bears a great degree of responsibility for some of the damage done to small island states such as ours where – despite the expenditure of huge amounts of money – gangsters are able to pollute and pervert many who cross their paths.
While this is self-evident to all right-thinking Bahamians, there are still those Bahamians who relish in concocting placeboes or otherwise, conjuring up easy rationalizations concerning a crime problem that has become endemic.
In addition, and therefore regrettably; the question concerning crime, policing and public safety has become highly politicized; with the prime minister claiming that, he was satisfied that the police are doing a good job, and as such, commended them for their work.
In stark contrast, the Opposition Progressive Liberal Party is convinced that, The Free National Movement (FNM) Government has no clue how to tackle crime and has “miserably failed” Bahamians and visitors alike by not dealing with various crime challenges, according to the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).
In a sense, this complaint is far too easy; ignoring as it does, the fact that, the roots of crime run deep in an island-nation that has been described by some, as a smugglers’ paradise.
In this regard, then, both the leadership of the Progressive Liberal Party and that of the Free National Movement and the hundreds of thousands of decent law-abiding people they represent have all been victimized by criminals in our midst.
This is a fact; and so as today we revert to some of what Mr. Ingraham says in his administration’s defense, we note that, the nation’s chief insists, "I am very pleased with the job they are doing. I suspect that they will have even a greater success in the coming weeks and coming months because I suspect they will be more focused on specific areas and persons who are presumed to be involved in significant activity.
Mr. Ingraham also suggested that, "One of our biggest problems in this country is drugs. Drugs are influencing many of the crimes that are being committed - especially those that are related to murder. Many of them are hit killers, where people are contracted to do so, or where there are turf wars between various persons…”
Tellingly, while Mr. Ingraham also admits that, "Our system, to some extent, is not quite functional…” the fact remains that, the system needs serious overhaul, renovation and re-tooling if a dent is to be made in a congeries of problems that continues to pose a clear and present threat to all decent, law-abiding Bahamians and residents.
Indeed, those who lead and those who would lead should be either up and doing or sending out for help in dealing with this crime scourge.
It stands to reason that if there was a quick fix to this nation and to this region’s struggles with the scourge of crime; that so-called ‘solution’ would have been found.
And so, with this conclusion as our opening gambit; we would venture that, the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham’s hope that, he – for whatever reason – expects that – the police will have "greater" successes in the coming weeks and months in battling crime.
The prime minister claims that, “There will be a greater focus on "specific" perpetrators of violent crime within the country…”
Here we presume that whatever the prime minister is saying comes by way of informed advisement from the nation’s top cop, the Commissioner of Police.
While we understand and appreciate what the prime has said about how the police will now go about their work, we seriously question the thinking behind this notion of this or that person labeled as ‘specific perpetrators of violent crime’.
Here we would have thought that, this would have been the norm for our nation’s police force and its proactive leadership.
The sum of the matter then is that, we are today absolutely convinced that, the time has come for all Bahamians to work together to help in rooting out the canker that crime has become in our beloved Bahamas.
December 2nd, 2010
The Bahama Journal 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.
Showing posts with label public safety bahamas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label public safety bahamas. Show all posts
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Alcoholism and other drugs abuse in The Bahamas
Alcoholism – The Hidden Scourge
The Bahama Journal Editorial
That we live in a place and in a time when drugs and alcohol abuse is rampant is the commonsense of the land.
And for sure, the time has come for those who lead to address this problem; since it is the one problem that relates directly to the problems we now have as regards public safety.
What we know for sure is that if this and other problems are to be resolved, those who have the power to tax and authorize spending, should – if only for ‘conscience-sake’ understand and live up to their social responsibility – that being to help the alcoholic and drugs addict get up from under the rubble.
But as we appreciate so very well, most Bahamians just seem not to get it when they are told that, there is [in truth and in fact] a vitally important connection to be made between public health and public safety.
And so what we have is a situation on the ground where practically everyone we know seems content to obsess themselves with the murder count and nonsensical conversations as to what the police should be doing about the so-called crime problem.
In the interim, some of these people ignore the fact that, there are certain social practices that lead directly to what is perceived as the “crime problem’.
Highest on that list of practices would be the indiscriminate and often profligate consumption of liquor, other spirits and a nasty mix of other drugs, licit and illicit alike.
In this regard then, we would suggest that, Bahamians of all strata and all other social conditions, routinely use alcohol as part of their family and community rituals; and for sure, even as very many of these people consume alcohol because it tends to lubricate social intercourse; few of them understand that use can and does sometime lead to abuse.
In addition, abuse sometimes slouches into a full-fledged medical crisis – alcoholism.
Here we suspect that, this problem is far more widespread than many people might recognize and that it may very well help explain the horrendous impact, drugs and alcohol have as regards impairing a person’s judgment; and thus and thereafter the carnage on our streets that comes with all those car crashes that maim and kill so very many people.
In addition, there are all those other instances when intoxicated men and women - with inhibitions lowered – routinely resort to this or that besotted display of so-called masculinity; with this or that knucklehead vowing that he can –as the saying goes- hold his liquor.
Here as night follows day, the person in question poisons himself; this is what intoxication is all about!
And so, there you have it, some of the more god-awful actions are thereafter committed by people who are lurking somewhere or the other on the borderline of insanity – as induced by not only alcohol; but this drug in combination with ganja and pharmaceuticals..
In combination, these produce a veritable witches’ brew of concocted nastiness.
It is this nastiness that leaves families in distress; threatens public safety and which – in and of itself – can be associated with the problems now facing those charged with ensuring public safety.
It is always cause for the greatest distress for us as we visit this or that community or settlement throughout our archipelago when we come across men and women whose lives have been left ravaged and ruined by drugs and alcohol abuse.
Indeed, whether reference is made to some of the settlements in Eleuthera, Exuma, Andros, Abaco, Acklins, Crooked Island – or islands and cays further away – the fact remains that there are far too many of our men and women who are being destroyed by alcohol.
But even more tellingly, as alcohol ravages family life; despoils community and otherwise threatens to upend national development; few people seem to know what is to be done about the matter at hand.
As a necessary consequence of this failure, we now have a situation on our hands where –as the price is totted up – the conclusion beckons that, those who can do something about the matter are either blind to it and its implications; or that they could care less.
Here suffice it to say that, we are absolutely convinced that, the government in concert with its social partners and other interested stake-holders can and should wake to the reality that – if left unchecked and therefore unaddressed – the alcoholism scourge will continue to undermine most of their other efforts.
Evidently, there is a role for the government to play in dealing with this twinned crisis – one where there must be a keener understanding that when a person has been felled by alcoholism or by some other drugs abuse; they need help.
That effort should be led by the government; and thereafter supported by all other right-thinking Bahamians and residents.
November 30th, 2010
The Bahama Journal Editorial
The Bahama Journal Editorial
That we live in a place and in a time when drugs and alcohol abuse is rampant is the commonsense of the land.
And for sure, the time has come for those who lead to address this problem; since it is the one problem that relates directly to the problems we now have as regards public safety.
What we know for sure is that if this and other problems are to be resolved, those who have the power to tax and authorize spending, should – if only for ‘conscience-sake’ understand and live up to their social responsibility – that being to help the alcoholic and drugs addict get up from under the rubble.
But as we appreciate so very well, most Bahamians just seem not to get it when they are told that, there is [in truth and in fact] a vitally important connection to be made between public health and public safety.
And so what we have is a situation on the ground where practically everyone we know seems content to obsess themselves with the murder count and nonsensical conversations as to what the police should be doing about the so-called crime problem.
In the interim, some of these people ignore the fact that, there are certain social practices that lead directly to what is perceived as the “crime problem’.
Highest on that list of practices would be the indiscriminate and often profligate consumption of liquor, other spirits and a nasty mix of other drugs, licit and illicit alike.
In this regard then, we would suggest that, Bahamians of all strata and all other social conditions, routinely use alcohol as part of their family and community rituals; and for sure, even as very many of these people consume alcohol because it tends to lubricate social intercourse; few of them understand that use can and does sometime lead to abuse.
In addition, abuse sometimes slouches into a full-fledged medical crisis – alcoholism.
Here we suspect that, this problem is far more widespread than many people might recognize and that it may very well help explain the horrendous impact, drugs and alcohol have as regards impairing a person’s judgment; and thus and thereafter the carnage on our streets that comes with all those car crashes that maim and kill so very many people.
In addition, there are all those other instances when intoxicated men and women - with inhibitions lowered – routinely resort to this or that besotted display of so-called masculinity; with this or that knucklehead vowing that he can –as the saying goes- hold his liquor.
Here as night follows day, the person in question poisons himself; this is what intoxication is all about!
And so, there you have it, some of the more god-awful actions are thereafter committed by people who are lurking somewhere or the other on the borderline of insanity – as induced by not only alcohol; but this drug in combination with ganja and pharmaceuticals..
In combination, these produce a veritable witches’ brew of concocted nastiness.
It is this nastiness that leaves families in distress; threatens public safety and which – in and of itself – can be associated with the problems now facing those charged with ensuring public safety.
It is always cause for the greatest distress for us as we visit this or that community or settlement throughout our archipelago when we come across men and women whose lives have been left ravaged and ruined by drugs and alcohol abuse.
Indeed, whether reference is made to some of the settlements in Eleuthera, Exuma, Andros, Abaco, Acklins, Crooked Island – or islands and cays further away – the fact remains that there are far too many of our men and women who are being destroyed by alcohol.
But even more tellingly, as alcohol ravages family life; despoils community and otherwise threatens to upend national development; few people seem to know what is to be done about the matter at hand.
As a necessary consequence of this failure, we now have a situation on our hands where –as the price is totted up – the conclusion beckons that, those who can do something about the matter are either blind to it and its implications; or that they could care less.
Here suffice it to say that, we are absolutely convinced that, the government in concert with its social partners and other interested stake-holders can and should wake to the reality that – if left unchecked and therefore unaddressed – the alcoholism scourge will continue to undermine most of their other efforts.
Evidently, there is a role for the government to play in dealing with this twinned crisis – one where there must be a keener understanding that when a person has been felled by alcoholism or by some other drugs abuse; they need help.
That effort should be led by the government; and thereafter supported by all other right-thinking Bahamians and residents.
November 30th, 2010
The Bahama Journal Editorial
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