By CELESTE NIXON
Tribune Staff Reporter
cnixon@tribunemedia.net
EXPRESSING “alarm” over the Commissioner of Police’s claim of a falling crime rate, a former Cabinet Minister called for hard proof to be produced.
Releasing a press statement yesterday, FNM Senator Zhivargo Laing noted that while Urban Renewal is fulfilling a useful function in demolishing derelict houses, statistics showing exactly how this made communities safer are needed before the programme can be deemed a success.
He asked: “These may be useful things to do but are they bringing down murder, rape or robberies? Is the Commissioner of Police saying that they are bringing down crime in these areas and if so, where is his statistics to support same? Is it making Bahamians across the Bahamas feel safer?”
Mr Laing also challenged Commissioner Ellison Greenslade to explain why, if home demolitions and other Urban Renewal tactics have somehow resulted in less crime, why didn’t the force take this action before.
He said: “Is he suggesting that the former administration kept him from doing these things or that he did not know that this was what needed to be done? Is that what he means by the comment that ‘now’ they can do their job? Is the Commissioner saying that his new initiatives are only able to be implemented now that the government has changed? Then what in heaven’s name was his published strategic plan all about?
“Is he admitting that his plan was ineffective and that only Urban Renewal 2.0 was needed all along? The Commissioner produced the plan; he published it; and he was responsible for implementing it. It’s effectiveness is one of the statutory bases upon which his performance would be judged.”
Speaking on Monday at Police Headquarters, Mr Greenslade said crime, including murder, is on the decline across the country thanks in part to “significant work” being done by police officers.
“We had a very difficult period earlier on in the year and you see now a distinct change in terms of what is happening. I must also tell you what is significant, we have arrested a number of prolific offenders and those persons are still incarcerated. That is also the reason why things have been quiet – so a combination of things happening at the same time,” he said.
“Serious crimes are not up. All of our numbers are down with the exception of armed robbery, which is up marginally, but all of the categories are down, including murders.”
Serious crimes such as rape and murder are down by six per cent overall and continuing to decline, Mr Greenslade continued.
Additionally, Mr Laing questioned whether Mr Greenslade’s support for the Urban Renewal programme was politically influenced.
“As the murder count continues to climb, the Commissioner says Urban Renewal, not his crime strategy, is working. Is the Commissioner under pressure from the PLP administration to serve them, given their promise to give the Commissioner tenure once again,” he asked.
While in support of the commissioner carrying out his duty, Mr Laing said in order to combat crime the police must be unbiased and not influenced by political affiliations.
“If we all must be a part of the fight against crime, then it will require leadership by the police that is absolutely free of politics,” Mr Laing said. “It must be a fight where the police are seen as purely professional and only on the side of the law.”
Comments
MartGM 12 years, 3 months ago
I was also questioning the Commissioner's remarks when I read them in the Guardian yesterday. I feel like saying serious crime is down by 6% is really irresponsible on his part...every day we hear about a new murder or rape...how is that possible? How do they calculate their statistics? Furthermore, down from what? Down from the same time last year? Down from May 7th? Down from when??
welly 12 years, 3 months ago
To-date, the Royal Bahamas Police Force's the official murder count stands at 73. Initially, it was for this year it stood at 75, but the Force changed the number to 73, indicating that it decided to re-classify two of the murders to manslaughter. As if that meant that the two man slaughters some how indicate that its not a murder. Had that re-classification not occurred, the murder count would be higher this year than the same time last year.This same time last year, the official murder count from the Royal Bahamas Police Force stood at 73, WHICH MEANS THE MURDER COUNT FOR THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL ROYAL BAHAMAS POLICE FORCE STATISTICS, IS TIED WITH THIS SAME TIME LAST YEAR – NOT DOWN OR LOWER. But Murder or manslaughter, whether intentional or unintentional these acts are both death by a perpetrator. So to me the count still stands at at least 75.
concernedcitizen 12 years, 3 months ago
its simple 45 murders under the fnm in 4 months , 30 murders under the plp in 2 1/2 months ,i know give the plp time ,but take from that what you want .................6 of one half a dozen of another .............
JohnBrown 12 years, 3 months ago
Professor Laing, you raised many good questions, now that you seem to have found your tongue after the brutal elections. But kind, Sir, are you not indeed looking for brownie points, as a politically overly ambitious, self serving and not Bahamian serving individual that has not really been a victim of crime nor been physically abused with evidence that directly tie you into the violent crime business here in the Bahamas? Now, you had the eyes, ear, and influence over this same Greenslade fellow while you were in power and you always kept you now juice mouth shut as crime escalated out of control, tell me, why did you not speak up then and there in public in protest against the mismanagement by your police officers with respect to crime then? Every time you spoke, when you were allowed to, you had an endless array of numbers that spoke volumes about nothing. Are you not afraid that after having failed to manage the finances of my country properly (and together with your former cabinet members possibly cooked the books and fattened you own pockets) and refused to tell the honest truth about dishonest deals that you might have been a party to with regards to the level of debt that will enslave our nation for another two decades, and that due to your fumbling the ball without prosecution, that possibly someone might want to have a shake down talk with you sometime soon? Those are a few fat question that you should consider, Sir. If you are looking to take a run for the leadership position, close your mouth and park it. DON'T!
Arob 12 years, 3 months ago
More Statistics Since the PLP "believes in transparency", I would like to see a comparative analysis, table format, of the BJC and BGCSE results for the past five years for all of the Government schools.
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2012…
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