We have warned time and time again that the menace of crime must be made a thing of the past in The Bahamas. Sadly, few people anywhere listened. This neglect would have been led by leadership at all levels of Bahamian society.
In this regard, we note the proliferation of so-called gated communities, high class residential areas that tout 24/7 security services. Many Bahamians have bought deeply into the idea that these places could or should be ﾖ in their fortress like solitude – safer than other more ‘exposed’ locales.
The problem with this solution is that people who live in them are also obliged to travel the same streets as those mean thugs who do the drive-by shootings.
In addition to these types of people and this type of solution, we have those people in some of our civic societies who have made a kind of all purpose boogey man or social scare crow.
In addition to all this, there are those situations where teachers are simply terrified at the thought that they could be raped, maimed or otherwise hurt by some of the barbarians posing as students.
Despite the governmentﾒs best intentions, crime continues to lash any number of Bahamian communities. A part of the reason for this sad state of affairs derives from the fact that much of the effort that passes for policing is very little of the type that could be deemed ‘effective policing’.
As a result of this emphasis, what the public gets is a mind-numbing set of very sad video pictures depicting the shackled trudging of so very many street level criminals and would be bad boys.
The truth – as even as some of these losers know all too well – is that they are all to some degree or other quite expendable. When they fail in their assignment to deliver this or that package, others like them can be found to do the job.
Despite this nationﾒs best intentions, its leaders will continue to be baffled by a system where so many young black men seem to constantly have a jail cell on their mind.
Of the reality for Mr. Big ﾖ the person who brings the drugs, guns and other contraband into the country – is so very different. This is so because he is ﾖ again quite evidently – so well insulated and protected that his name need not be mentioned in even polite company.
All things considered, this sometimes amounts to a situation where impunity obtains. When you reach this kind of level of corruption, the effectiveness and adequacy of the delivery of policing and other social services can reach a point of either no returns or diminishing returns on investment.
In the meantime, crimes against persons and property some time run amok. And yet again, there are occasions when quite ordinary citizens rail with despair.
If soothing words could solve the problem that is crime in The Bahamas, the Hon. Cynthia Pratt would have already taken home the prize.
Consider this heartfelt observation that was recently made by the Minister of National Security: What we have grown to realize is that the solution to the problem of crime is as comprehensive as the problem itself,” Deputy Prime Minister Pratt said. “The solution requires the deployment of our best minds, working together in synergy, to develop strategies and initiatives to bring remedial action to those conditions and circumstances that give rise to crime and give birth to criminals.”
This is both well said and correct.
This ﾖunfortunately- is not good enough.
Something must be done once the problem is recognized.
From one perspective, something has been done, namely the Urban Renewal project and concept. This was one of the Prime ministerﾒs earliest initiatives comments concerning ways and means of doing things.
We suspect that ﾖin time- the prime minister and his colleagues will understand that while this concept is indeed headed in the right direction, they should also understand that it can go nowhere without concerted attention on the part of the people who have access to real money that could be ear-marked for projects intended to assist with real growth and social progress.
Source: The Bahama Journal
