POLICE have captured a man who they believe assaulted and robbed a 74-year-old US Diplomat on West Hill Street.
The 26-year-old male of Dorsett Alley reportedly robbed the female visitor as she was walking toward St Francis Xavier Cathedral on Sunday.
Yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell expressed his regret and concern over the incident.
"The government of the Bahamas deplores this and all acts of criminality in the strongest terms and the matter has been communicated to the Ministry of National Security for an immediate and full investigation," he said.
As a result, officials from the US Embassy have offered their assistance to the government to assist in its fight against crime.
"While the Embassy recognizes and commends other church goers and medical professionals at Doctors Hospital for the prompt assistance rendered, yesterday's events only serve to reaffirm the Embassy's serious concern for the safety of United States citizens residing in and visiting the Bahamas. The Embassy urges the Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas to redouble its efforts to address matters of public safety and stands ready to assist in these efforts," said Dana Jea, the US Embassy's interim Public Affairs Officer and Embassy Spokesperson.
Comments
Right242 11 years, 5 months ago
This country is no longer safe. Its time to pull all the tourists, cruise ships, and ex-pats out. Good job, Bahamians. PLP, you guys are doing a fantastic job.
Understandfacts 11 years, 5 months ago
You cant single out one government for ths problem. This a socio-economc and even more importantly a morality issue. More organizations and individuals are to blame - the parents who raise these idiots and thugs share a greater responsibility than the government. So do not be so quick to give praise for this 'fantastic job' to the PLP.
TalRussell 11 years, 5 months ago
It is posts like the above which can equally damage our tourist industry. The US government has not withdrawn her embassy personnel from some pretty dangerous places around the word, despite their having been acknowledged as the Axis of evil. Contrary to what we read in the media, as a nation our Bahamaland is far from such US action even being seriously considered.
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 5 months ago
Posts like these?? Do you mean to say a private citizen's post on this site is more damaging than the giant billboards posted on every major beach a year ago? Rhetorical. I know you don't mean that. And I know you don't mean that a private citizen's post is more damaging than the real problem escalating crime and a govt in a tailspin
Commissioner Greenslade, do your job, prosecute all crime and all criminals. Prime Minister Christie let Commissioner Greenslade do his job
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 5 months ago
1st step is for the Prime Minister to be honest about the state of crime in the country. Stop talking about how Urban Renewal is working...it isn't, you don't even know what the terms means. We've put together a glorified community policy programme to distribute funds to party supporters. It has not one smidgen of the objectives of an urban renewal programme. Also "coming from urban" is not a singular qualification to head the economic transformation of a broken neighbourhood.
Start getting qualified professionals to do these jobs and let them do the job*
I am angry angry angry at this hole they absolutely refuse to stop digging us into
USAhelp 11 years, 5 months ago
Won't miss it till its gone
larry 11 years, 5 months ago
the best way the u.s. can help us is by stopping the illegal guns coming from out of their country into ours that's all i ask from them we do not produce hand guns or bullets here yet they are readily available here for these punks to use on our streets
positiveinput 11 years, 5 months ago
Whenever anyone is a target of crime my heart goes out to them. However, how is it that when a crime is carried out against a U.S. citizen or High Ranking Official, arrests can be made within hours. But when our very own brothers and sisters are being gunned down, car jacked, home invaded, robbed, it seems like nothing is being done.
BeachBoy 11 years, 5 months ago
That's not entirely true. You often hear about arrests being made for home invasions, armed robberies, murder. Someone always talks, and the police know who to look for.
Our problem is crime prevention. It's not use being satisfied with arresting the thug who committed the crime - there are 10 more waiting to take his place. We need to prevent it from happening in the first place.
John 11 years, 5 months ago
Was less than two weeks ago that I posted that the robbers will soon stop being to the tourists and the higher ranks in this country. We are pointing fingers at crime but many of us are not aware that there has been some serious declines the Bahamian econmy over the last 7 months. The misery level for many has increased du to unemploymnyt and th ecent floodings. Many of those young menwo were employed on the roadworks are no longer employed. But is you drove through the any ofhe inner city or lower income communities over the holiday weekend and saw the number of young menjust hanging around with their beer and their guiness and their backwood, it was scary. True it was a holiday and many who are employed were off and 'loving they self', but just to see the number of them with drugs and alcohol. Rather than talking about Urban Renewal, we must now address Urban Sprawl, where communties have gotten larger, or became divided or seperated if even not physically so. The crisis of crime and social and family breakdown is growing..we need to do something
Rontom 11 years, 5 months ago
This a revised post that i posted one year ago.
I propose an Anti-Hooligan Bill since we cannot call them Terrorist for international concerns. and it should be targeted towards repeat offenders of violent crimes and/or involved in weapon trade or illegal arm. These criminals should be deemed TERRORISTS but, we will call them Hooligans. The Bill should read: Anyone who, through an act of criminal violence, causes the death of, or inflicts harm be it physical, mental or emotional to any person within the territory of The Bahamas, or damage to physical property, or supplying or cause to supply, illegal weapons and its instruments, and through his/her actions has a history of recurrent, repeated offenses of similar or more eggregious actions contrary to the Law, shall be deemed a Menace and Threat to ALL civil society and therefore, through his/her own actions be known as a Hooligan and as such, will be viewed as An Enemy To The State Of The Bahamas, and will cause to be put into effect every means necessary to the Keepers of The Peace and Defenders of The Law, to rid such person, without inpedence and/or interference from existing Law, from this Land. ANY discussion be it public/private of this Law will be deemed giving aid and abettment to Terrorist and will be subject to penalty by the courts.
We are in a War against Criminals. We NEED to CLAIM our country back. PEACE is an ACT of The WILL, not mantra
Please support the above. Speak to your representative, your neighbor, your pastor. We need a NEW kind of LAW for these HOODLUMS. Write the commissioner, the Attorney General Office. We Need Change.
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 5 months ago
We need a new prison built on vision.
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 5 months ago
US embassy suspends visa processing today. No mention on ZNS. I now fully understand the govt's answer to any bad news...pretend it doesn't exist.
Crime? Pretend it doesn't . Don't report it. Debt skyrocketing? Pretend it doesn't exist. Borrow more, hire more friends. Corruption? Pretend it doesn't exist. Fire the person who reports it. Failing education system? Pretend it doesn't exist! Declare another national holiday....yaaaay...oh and let's organize another Junkanoo parade while we're at it...lets string this festive mood out for 4 more years., Mortgage crisis? It doesn't exist. Invest pension funds on more bad loans and shoddy construction
atwr 11 years, 5 months ago
The US have offered their help on crime...for Gods sake and the sake of the Bahamian people...please accept it and ask for more help. There is no shame in accepting help...the wise man seeks counsel. Please please please!
SP 11 years, 5 months ago
We have a serious crime problem, but in reality how much can the U.S. really do to help us when they are also unable to help themselves.
Chicago had 12 shotings in yesterday alone so all is relavent...See news story link below:
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/52162427
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