The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

A gang “general” has given The Tribune an insight into the background behind the recent spate of killings which have left the blood of young men running in our streets.

“Ghost”, as he calls himself, first spoke to The Tribune some months ago and at the time seemed full of confidence and bravado. This time he was anxious, edgy, slightly remorseful, claiming to be a wanted man.

Now in his mid-thirties, Ghost has been in the “game” for the past 20 years having been recruited into a drug dealing, gun -running gang when he attended a private high school. He said he was raised in the church, but needed something else in his life. He wanted to know that he mattered and most importantly he wanted to be feared.

It’s no longer about money and power for him, instead it’s a game of survival. He has one daughter who he says he does not want to go down the road he chose.

“I know I am going to die soon,” said Ghost. “Look at me! Can’t you see the Grim Reaper beside me? Word is already out that I am a wanted man. That is out there on the street. So consider this my last will and testament.

“I want to send this message to my mother. This is my last will and testament, Mommy. Take care of my baby and make sure she don’t take the road I did. Pray for me Mommy! You were right, I could have done better, but I’m in too deep now. I have to finish what was started!”

What had changed in recent months? Why was he no so resigned to the face someone wants to kill him?

“You have no idea what is happening, do you?” Ghost asked. “We are in the middle of an all-out war. These niggas not playing on this road. Someone from Kemp Road is going to take me out. I know it is coming! I’m saying my goodbyes now. They coming for me! You hear me? Write that!

“When they come for me and do what they gatta do, the kings and generals will rise up from the south and flatten Kemp Road. That will be a human tsunami, trust me. There will be no peace on Kemp Road until every last one of those generals are dead. Not much of them are left now because plenty damage was done there, but they still functioning and they are coming for me. I am at peace and ready for it because I know it’s coming.”

Asked what the war was about, Ghost said it is about the supremacy, drugs and respect. He said war comes when “generals” are disrespected.

In our first intereviw Ghost became extremely agitated when he was asked if he ever killed anyone. He had accused The Tribune of trying to trap him into saying ‘yes’.

This time Ghost was more forthcoming. He admitted to killing people and seemed somewhat remorseful for it or it could have been the fact he feels he is going to die soon.

Constantly looking over his shoulder, Ghost seemed resigned in his thoughts. He said he could not relax during the interview as it was not safe. Two men who waited on him beside a nearby car paced back and forth seemingly on the lookout.

“I have killed a lot of men,” he said. “I admit it. I did! May their souls rest in peace. I know they will have a lot to say when they see me on the other side. I did what I did and there’s no coming back from it. Karma is a bitch and I know I will get mine soon.

“This world was never meant for us to stay in forever. It’s my time now. It will be someone else time after me. We are not meant to get comfortable here. Each soldier has to watch their back because in this war there is not much warning. I know they are coming for me, but when Ghost came for them, they never knew I was coming.”

Some time back Captain Godfrey G Rolle, RBDF (Rtrd.) and former Ambassador to The Republic of Haiti, wrote a letter to the Tribune’s editor, lamenting the horrible state of gang violence in our country.

During his tenure - 2007-2012 - as the first Director of the National Anti-Drug Secretariat within the Ministry of National Security, there were several organized meetings with gang local gang leaders that Captain Road felt were ignored by the authorities. The gang leaders had sought help in bringing peace in their communities.

Captain Rolle said the country is now seeing the full manifestation of the fears of those gang leaders - the rise of “the soulless young men”.

In the past Ghost said his mother told him he had no soul, just before she kicked him out of the family home. He continued on about the violence to come.

“It’s only going to get worse,” he said. “The police don’t police us, you know. They are reactionary! The come when we already dead. You ask me the question if I trust the man beside me … if he could be the police. Police don’t infiltrate no gangs in Bahamas. They come after we done dead and say ‘investigations will ensue’. That’s what they do. I told you this before.

“How we know where to go. Trackers are on every marked man’s car. All we have to do is follow where that tracker goes and… BANG!!! We sneak one! This is now a common sense game and we have to be one step ahead of everyone. No one has time to be following people around for days to see patterns and stuff like that. We get it over with it in one night.”

Right after this, a discussion was had about the possibility of coming clean and going to the police to save his life. Ghost said before doing that he would rather stand in Kemp Road where his enemies are and whistle.

“So you want me to be a snitch?” he said. “I must run to the man (police) with news like a lil bitch? That’s what you saying? I would never do that! I might as well be a girl like you if I do that. Before I do that I might as well show up and stand in Kemp Road and whistle to them to come out and kill me.

“There is no integrity in pimping off any man. I must go to the man and say ‘so and so them trying to kill me and this where they hide their dope’? You must be joking, woman. What kind of man do you take me for?

At that point he took off his mask and tam exposing his weather worn, but very handsome, face. He laughed heartily while looking around cautiously and continued on.

“No!” he said. “We deal with our own matters. No police! Why you asking me about gang hot spots? You want to ride through? These streets are nothing to play with. You’ll better pray your curfew stays in place because the war is going to get worst and people who not involved need to be indoors.

“These hot spot areas as you call them are Kemp Road, East Street, Elizabeth Estates, Fox Hill and so on. People like to run on about Ridgeland Park going to shed blood because some man nephew got shot. The thing is these guys in jail. Their power run out long time. The ones out here are who people need to fear and worry about. This thing about running things from jail is a myth. That played out long time.

“The generals are on their own curfew now. Everyone trying to stay inside to duck the Grim Reaper. No partying! No posting whereabouts. No stray woman! This only works for a time and then the Grim Reaper finds you.”

After he completed tales of the Grim Reaper, one of the lookout men yelled Ghost’s name and warned him to wrap up the interview. He stood up, walked around for a bit and then sat back down to continue.

“I want you to know I don’t fear death,” Ghost said. “I will prolong its arrival, but I don’t fear it. All will die in the end. We are not getting out of this life alive … none of us. I am taking care of my affairs, but I say my prayers every night and wait.”

With that said, Ghost got up, asked for a parting hug that was declined and then disappeared into the heavily tinted car he arrived in. His fate is unknown, but clearly he is willing to embrace whatever it is. He has resigned himself to the life he has been living for the past 20 years and will ride it out to the bitter end.

Sadly he shares the same mindset with many young, Bahamian men.