When will the Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and his Minister of National Security admit to the Bahamian people their abject failure in dealing with crime? The fear of crime is through the roof in this country. It is frightening; it is unbelievable that in our capital city, on a blessed Sunday morning, in full daylight and with tourists in the town, two men robbed the John Bull Store with guns drawn and made good their escape. Surely, this is cogent evidence of a colossal failure of will and tactics on the part of the government. The government cannot even protect its own capital city from robbers, while marketing the Bahamas as a safe destination for tourists.
We demand answers to the burning questions which the public has on crime. Where is the action plan to fight crime? We believe that the FNM has none.
It was Oliver Cromwell who said “In the name of God go now!” We repeat that expression for the Free National Movement, Hubert Ingraham and Tommy Turnquest.
End
No government can be blamed for crime………….. It WILL happen no matter what……………..But we should congratulate the police force under this FNM government for catching and solving this crime within 24 hours. You should be commended……… Stay tuned to the news folks.
I listened to the PLP’s press release this morning concerning the arm robbery Sunday on Bay Street at John Bull. The FNM has failed miserably in its effort to combat crime in New Providence.This cannot be denied.Nassau seems to be Dodge City from Gunsmoke nowadays. These thugs are getting more ruthless by the day.
It now appears as if Baghdad, Iraq and Kabul, Afghanistan are more safer than Nassau. But I don’t believe that the PLP should use this latest horror story to score one or two political brownie points.The fact of the matter is that crime was bad when they were in office,too. So the Apostle Peter is no better than the Apostle Paul in this matter. Both the FNM and the PLP have failed to adequately deal with these ruthless monsters, who are terrorizing the law-abiding citizens of Nassau.
The reason why both parties have taken a very soft approach to crime is because both of them are loaded down with attorneys. No attorney in this country wants to see crime eradicated.Not one. And if anyone of them were to tell you otherwise;he or she would be lying through their teeth. If crime is completely eradicated, they would all be out of a job. Crime is a thriving industry in New Providence.Crime is the bread and butter of the attorneys.
Most of the attorneys/politicians who support the PLP and FNM lives in nice gated communities in Nassua. A few of these gated communities are manned by pistol toting security guards who have german sheperd dogs. These politicians don’t have to worry about burglars or rapists coming into their nice homes and assaulting their families. The people from the inner-cities of Nassau have to worry about them.
These same attorneys fight tooth and nail to keep these monsters out on the streets. Now they want to give press releases bemoaning the crime situation in this country. I hope the people of Nassau see through this hypocrisy.The PLP and the FNM are too soft on these monsters.
In addition, several of the PLP MPs who are attorneys, have represented some very shady individuals in Nassau. I know of one who is was a big time dealer.If the person or persons who issued that press release Monday morning is so concerned about crime in this country; then they need to have a very passionate discussion with their PLP attorneys.They should suggest to them that they should stop respresenting known criminals in court. Thank you!
Bp this is public information, but the last time i check, some Citizens had to PAY the “POLICE UNION?” to carry out their lawful duties.
THIS IS WHERE THE CRIME PROBLEM STARTS!
General Police Duties
The initial duties and responsibilities of early law enforcement officials in The Bahamas were extremely vast, a fact that is rather unusual by present day standards. This is true, given the fact that Constables then were required to carry out tasks ranging from fixing roads to catching stray hogs, goats and sheep. The new philosophy of community policing that many police agencies subscribe to today, has actually been in existence from the creation of the policing era.
In the 1840 Police Act, the Nassau Force was made responsible for the 24-hour policing of the Colony. This new Force was to be a day and night body instead of simply a night operation, as was the case with the former Night Guards. Members were charged with three pivotal duties that the government felt were fundamental to properly police the growing Colony. These duties included:
Preservation of the peace
Prevention of robberies and other felonies
Detection and committal of offenders
In the first amendment to the 1840 Act, these duties were a bit more specific in outlining the offence of robbery, which was no doubt a primary concern at the time. Later, in the Police Act of 1860, the investigative function was worded more specifically. The Act stipulated that the duties of the police included discovering and detecting perpetrators of felonies and other criminal offences (23 Vic Ch 4). These general duties remained virtually unchanged until an Act entitled: To consolidate and amend the laws relating to the Stipendiary Police Force of the Colony was passed in May of 1864. This Act made the Force officially responsible for “apprehending the offenders” throughout the entire Colony (27 Vic Ch 20). It would appear as if the Assembly crafted the duties of the Force after they considered the duties that were already being performed.
The 1864 Act also stipulated that Constables in Nassau were to be responsible for courtroom security and other duties in the General Court of The Bahamas. The Bahamas’ Constabulary Act of 189 1 expanded the Force’s courtroom duties as it mandated that police officers attend all the sittings of all Courts of Justices throughout the Colony. This Act also made police officers responsible for the management, charge and control of fire engines and required them to perform all of the duties of firemen.
Even though there was always a sufficient number of jailors or gaolers (keepers of the jail) in Nassau, the Constables on Out Island Districts had to carry out their duties under an 1870 Act, as the Resident Justice or his assistant were either absent or simply required them to act in this capacity (33Vic Ch 3). Under this Act, the Sergeant of Police was made responsible for all nuisances. Interestingly, one of this officer’s main responsibilities under this portfolio was to ensure that any decomposing animal found in any part of the town, suburbs or harbor of Nassau was removed or buried at the government’s expense. Though viewed by some today as a rather unpleasant job, the cleanliness of the Colony remains an important government priority.
The Police Act of 1909 officially broadened the Force’s duties by stating that, in addition to those previously outlined, they were required to perform “all other duties” by an Act imposed on all peace officers. The duties of all Constables including Local, District and Special Constables were outlined in the Constables Act of 1926 (1 6 & 17 Geo 5 Ch 32). Under this Act, their duties included:
To preserve the public peace
To prevent or suppress crime
To protect property
To proceed from any part of the Colony to any other part
in charge of any person accused of a criminal offence
To carry out the orders of any Court issued to him in
the exercise by such Court of its jurisdiction
The Police Act of 1955 compacted the duties of the Force as a whole into three main functions:
Preserving the peace
Prevention and detection of crime
The apprehension of offenders against the peace
Today, there are five general duties that the Force are mandated to carry out under the Police Act of 1965 and subsequent revised editions:
Maintenance of law and order
Preservation of the peace
Prevention and detection of crime
Apprehension of offenders
Enforcement of all laws with which it is charged
Given the fact that police officers have historically been asked to perform a vast variety of tasks, it was understood that their authority had to be expanded. Hence, the powers of Constables have become more clearly defined over time. In 1838, there were several clearly defined powers and duties that Constables had prior to the formation of the Force. Constables had the authority to stop and detain an individual who possessed property that, in the officer’s opinion, was suspicious or improperly obtained. This permitted arrests based on suspicion rather than probable cause (2Vic 1 22 C.2). The officer was then required to take such a person to the Watch-House and appear before the next sitting of a Magistrate to give an account of the officer’s suspicion. In addition, the 1838 Act gave Constables the power to arrest any person for being drunk, disturbing the peace, or using foul language in o r near a public street (2Vic 1 [27] C.2).
On January 29, 1870, an Act was passed that gave police officers the same powers as tide waiters; the term used to refer to customs officers who board incoming ships at a harbor. Police officers were now given the added task of preventing the smuggling of unaccustomed goods into the Colony. The Constabulary Act of 189 1 broadened the duties of the Force. This Act mandated that tasks would include: attendance at all the sitting of the General Court and other Courts of Justice throughout the Colony; management, charge and control of the Fire Engines and their appliances; practicing and performing all the duties of firemen in the event of an outbreak or alarm of fires and acting as gaolers for Out Island DIstricts when required by the Resident or Assistant Resident Justice of the Peace.
By law, police officers in The Bahamas today enjoy the same powers and privileges as those in many other law enforcement entities, including immigration and customs departments. For example, under the Customs Management Act, members of the Force are invested with al the powers of a custom officer to prevent the smuggling of unaccustomed goods. As the role of the police continues to expand and develop, there is no doubt that many more special powers beyond arrest and detention will be added.
PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND STOP TALKING BULL, IF ALL CONCERN WOULD ALLOW THE FORCE TO FUNCTION LIKE IT SHOULD THEN WE WOULD NOT BE IN THIS MESS. THIS ROYAL BAHAMAS POLICE FORCE IS TAXED TO DO THE POLICE WORK AND ALL OTHER JOBS THAT ARE NOT POLICE RELATED OTHER AGENCIES ARE NOT UP TO THE TASK OR CANNOT HANDLE THE WORK SO THE GOVERNMENTS PLACE THIS LOAD ON THE POLICE AND EXPECT FOR IT TO ACCOUNT FOR SO MUCH THEN WHEN CAN THE FOR REALLY DO THE JOB THAT IS REQUIRED OF THEM. THERE IS SO MANY TIHNGS PEOPLE EXPECT THAT IS NOT POLICE RELATED SO IT SHIFTS THE FOCUS, THE TOWN CENTER UNIT WAS FORM TO POLICE BAY STREET BUT WHEN RESOURES IS NEEDED THEY WILL MOVE THOSE OFFICER TO DO OTHER JOBS NOT RELATED TO BAY STREET.THE DEMANDS ARE GREAT BUT THE MAN POWER IS LIMITED, LET THE POLICE POLICE THIS COUNTRY LIKE THEY SHOULD WITHOUT THE INTERFERENCE AND ONLY THAT RELATES TO POLICE MATTERS N TAKE THEM OUT OF THESE AREAS TO INCREASE MAN POWER, POLICE BUSINESS .
come on now how many stuff happened under the plp watch dont turn this crime problem into a political thing this is a bahamian problem
@ bill gates
Who Dunnit, Mr. Gates?
Under the PLP administration, once Mr. Shane Gibson was appointed Immigration Minister, there was a record clean-up of illegal immigrants in our Bahamas.
It is criminally irresponsible for any government to rest idly by, while thousands of undocumented aliens are allowed to drive our murder and crime rate to unprecedented levels in a vain attempt to regularize them with Bahamian documents for the soon General Elections! That their numbers and names are unknown to our police department means that the crime problem will remain beyond their ability to cutail the incidences of criminal behaviour in our midst.
SAVE THE BAHAMAS OR TOMMY T?
On a typical beautiful Bahamian Sunday morning, with many locals worshiping, the President of the Bahamas Christian Council preaching to his congregation at Cousin McPhee Church, Carmichael Road, and Youth Minister, Hon. Charles T Maynard, preparing for the Annual Youth Parade, plans were being finalized for the assault on our number one Industry,Tourism.
Already impacted by the several violent incidents on Paradise Island, Sol Kerzner, earlier, summonsed the national leadership to Atlantis to express his fears and displeasure with the gradual damage being done to the peaceful and tranquil reputation of the Bahamas,in the international market; crime and the fear of crime was affecting his business.
Just recently, the Hon.Tommy Orville Turnquest, Minister of National Security, in defense of the carnage, record rise in gun related killings, murders, home invasions, sexual assaults and burglaries, remarked that all was well and that he has everything in hand and under control.
It is agreed that the fear of crime within our communities is off the chart; productivity on the job, the quality of life at homes are negatively impacted. We appear to be in a battle zone, defenseless.
The gunmen introduced United States smash and grab techniques, displaying precision and fearlessness as they assaulted the hallowed heritage of World Famous Bay Street and the special Tourist trap, John Bull flagship store. Rightly so, everyone ran for their lives as the economic terrorists laid waste to the security detail at the store; it was a horror experience of a lifetime being visited on American and other international shoppers.The World was to have ended yesterday, not today, and certainly not in the wonderful, friendly and welcoming Nassau, Bahamas. Hell was about to visit them and shake their vacation expectations to the rafters; it was, back to the ships every one, the natives have guns and are attacking the tourist spots.
The very efficient, charming and well trained staff at John Bull, called on their local survival skills and ran, ducking, diving and hiding, anywhere; it was every woman for themselves and for the few men, chivalry was not the order of the day.
The Police came in record time, ready to do battle, however, the masked invaders had done their high yield job and vanished into the palm trees; we must catch these brazen and deadly bandits. I am convinced that we will.
The damage has been done and the fallout will cause the Ministry of Tourism to refocus their campaign to all out damage control, again.The US Embassy must be horrified at this new crime assault on a central favorite of visiting American citizens, in broad daylight, with CCTV cameras about and police patrols in place. What will be their reaction? This is a threat to the safety of their citizens and the Minister of National Security and the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs can be called on the carpet.
Surely we must not blame Minister Tommy Orville Turnquest for the attack on John Bull; he could not be held responsible for smudgy leadership and withholding regular maintenance
at the former fire gutted World Famous Straw Market.
In the Westminster system of governance, it is expected without fail, that a cabinet minister cannot and must not be permitted to serve when it is obvious to all, to include the public being served and who pays the Ministers salary and ensures the perks, cannot be relieved of the ineffective leadership.The general public have long lost confidence in this Minister of National Security.
Apparently, this FNM Government is more concerned about the lingering political fallout from the removal of Hon.Tommy Orville Turnquest as the Minister of National Security, than the damage his uninspiring leadership is causing. Who can comfort those women recently pistol whipped and shot and what about the recent slaughter of the government employee, yes, and the attack on the judge, banks, the court building, the prisoner on work detail shooting, the infamous Barefoot Bandit international embarrassment and drug related skirmishes.
There is more, but will the Prime Minister remain indecisive, out of character or make the change, now.The failure of the Tourism business to and in the Bahamas, rests on the shoulders of the FNM Government and the Rt.Hon. Prime Minister.
The restoration of confidence can often take a lifetime and so it is in the Tourism and Travel business. No matter who survives the upcoming General Elections, the Tourism Golden Egg is fast fading and the future appears dim. Crime is killing Paradise, Bah Mar, Nassau and spreading.
The FNM must choose, save us or keep him.
Dear BP:
This excellent piece on the state of our Tourism product and why Tommy must go, was sent to me by Email. As I fully agreed with its content, I was happy to forward it to your well-read site.
Reegards,
Lady R
Comments are closed.