Bahamians need to “wake up” and realise that most of their politicians lack the spine to combat the exploding crime crisis because to do so “will cost them votes”, a former FNN1 MP told The Tribune yester day.
In a hard-hitting analysis of the current crisis, Lester Turnquest pointed to two recent court cases — one involving the murder of former Club 601. manageress Joy Cartwright, and a judge’s decision to grant bail to an alleged drug dealer – as undermining both attitudes and the fight against crime.
He said: “The failure of the Bahamian system of justice as it relates to the Joy Cartwright murder has had, and will continue to have, a profound effect not only on the system itself, but the attitude of Bahamians towards the system: The key players in that fiasco have yet to explain their role.”
As to a judge’s decision to grant bail to an alleged drug dealer after he complained about conditions he had to’ endure at Fox Hill Prison, Mr Turnquest said that if the person in question did “not want to be there, live a different kind of life.”
“That kind of ruling makes a mockery of the system and cheapens the efforts of those Bahamians who do not commit crimes,” Mr Turnquest said.
He was speaking after the US Embassy on Tuesday published an alert warning Americans living in Nassau about rising crime, and what precautions they should take.
Mr Turnquest said the alert did not surprise him, and nor should it have surprised “any resident of the Bahamas.”
He added: “I think the crime alert, unfortunately, was absolutely appropriate. I think it is a tragedy that we as Bahamians have allowed our country to get to this point.
“Speaking as a Bahamian and former MP, it is a tragedy and national disgrace that successive governments in this country have failed to lead in the battle on crime.”
He attributed this failure to both the former FNM government and the PLP administration.
“Bahamians will need to understand and they will need to wake up to the fact that the vast majority of their political servants are lacking in backbone and are completely self-serving to the point that they will do anything to get votes and will do nothing to lose votes,” Mr Turnquest said.
Mr Turnquest said: “Every government is responsible for securing the people of the country they govern, and the downward trend shows they have failed dismally.
“Successive governments have hindered the police force because of political expediency, and have failed to allow the police command to place the force where it ought to be. If the police force is constantly interfered with, it will not be able to succeed.”
Interference, Mr Turnquest said, had happened under both political parties.
He added: “I’m speaking out not because I have any political agenda, but I live here and my children live here, and I’m tired of politicians spouting rhetoric while the home burns.
“It is time for. Bahamians to force their representatives to deliver on making this country safe, and stop worrying about votes, and legislate and govern not for the next election but the next generation.”
Mr Turnquest said Bahamians had brought the current crime crisis on themselves, being largely full of talk and promises but no action, and not “standing up on their own two feet.”
Describing the Embassy alert as “only one symptom of what Bahamians are going through”, Mr Turnquest said women were entitled to “proceed unmolested” in going about their everyday lives, and to go home safely when they left their jobs.
He added: “The system of governance needs to revert back to the point where the law-abiding citizens are given consideration as opposed to the criminals.
He added: “The RBDF has become a joke and ought to be appropriately revamped and reformed. That can be done with common sense.
“The RBPF has far too many young officers that do not understand their role in Bahamian society, and need to be retrained or kicked off the force. If they are kicked off, it is my hope that no MP will seek to have them reinstated.”
An exclusive report by The Tribune – Nassau, Bahamas
