The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE crime problem is indeed vexing and heartrending. We are losing by the day one potential soul for great change in The Bahamas. It is along this vein that I write. One of the greatest measures in our resolution of the country's foremost issue is being neglected. I am beginning to wonder if it is purposely so.

I speak to the matter of The Royal Bahamas Police Force Reserves. These officers have not received any overdue and pending promotions within nearly ten years; that is from 2002 until present. Career officers have had three promotions under two and now three different governments. It was said publicly by the Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade that there is only one police force.

How is that career officers are being duly advanced and their counterparts are not? When the criminal element decides to plague this nation, they make no distinction between reserve and career. They see one force united to rid our country bit by bit of senseless illegality.

Officers as a whole place their lives and the future of many of their families on the line, often with little recognition or reward. How is it that we as a people, a government do not give unbiased honour where it is due? Looking at reports, I understand that the Police Force is severely undermanned. Should those several hundred officers receive the unspoken message that their time, service and selfless giving of their very lives is not valued, where do we leave this mammoth issue?

I certainly would not sleep well at night knowing that the country is a few hundred officers shorter than it previously was. Would you?

I have seen many of these same officers work in their communities, at a much deeper level; mentoring youth, donating and volunteering to programmes, churches, the elderly and even people's personal lives. Some are in small business, helping to employ those who are in need and speed up economic recovery. Many stop to help and report when they see some ill taking place. They are not just fighting crime on duty, but off duty as well.

Can there be uniformity in deed and not word alone? Can the problem of crime be tackled by career officers alone? Can this country continue to devalue emphasis on equality and fairness and expect our children to grow without a skewed view of justice? Certainly not. These reserve officers deserve better and are indeed worthy of the promotions that are so long overdue.

I implore those who are in power to effect change, to do so speedily in the fight against crime, for the sake of a nation beyond setting crime records.

A CITIZEN

Nassau, May 16, 2012.