The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune. MINISTER Tommy Turnquest wants an apology from an Australian journalist. His Australian documentary, now showing on YouTube, presents the Bahamas as a country "under siege by crime and violence". Mr Turnquest wants an apology? Excuse me, but is Mr Turnquest living in a bubble? Do the politicians care to know what is really going on? Recently at home, I was robbed of everything of value I have ever owned, and then two weeks later, another break-in, but this time at 3 am with a gun held to my head. In recounting this to others, nine times out of ten, I am told of similar occurrences. One friend, raped and robbed at gunpoint, at 3 am - on Cable Beach; she was then dragged in a choke-hold with a gun to her head, right along West Bay Street in a search for money in her car. Another relayed a situation where employers at a small company were advised that a young man who'd been working there for a month - wasn't coming back as he didn't need to work now. He'd been working only for a short while just to save the money to buy a gun. Another friend's husband, followed from the bank at 1:30 in the afternoon, held at gunpoint when he stopped his car which was overheating. This was on the new highway going north to Saunders Beach. Every time I turn around, I hear more and more. The client of mine who won't go out to drop the garbage after dark; she keeps it till the next day. Another who told me that there had been four robberies on her street the previous week. It goes on and on; this journalist is telling it like it is. It is bad. These politicians are in denial; the country is in a crisis and laws need to be brought in now to get these morally unacceptable individuals and their guns off the streets. The murderers, rapists and gun toting punks must be held without bail, and incarcerated where they can't terrorise law-abiding Bahamians who are afraid to live their lives, becoming prisoners in their own homes. TRUTH MUST BE TOLD Nassau, March 19, 2012.