PRIME Minister Perry Christie said the government has made it clear that its over-riding priorities are resolving "the crime issue" and addressing unemployment.
During his contribution to the 2012/13 Budget Debate on June 13, the Prime Minister noted that Minister of National Security Bernard Nottage said he needs more police officers and cars to fight crime.
"I am going to say today that I do not know that I could meet the immediate needs, one time, as Minister of Finance, but to assist with the attainment of the objective, we will over the next 18-months, purchase at least 70 new vehicles for use by the police force, to show their presence over the breadth and depth of the streets in all areas. This will facilitate quicker response by the police."
He said the government is also looking at making "enhanced use" of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, to supplement the activities of police in certain areas at certain times.
"There seems to have been a notion put forward, that we are taking away from the protection of our borders to give Defence Force officers policing responsibilities," the Prime Minister said.
"Every defence force, or whatever they are called in the region, have established protocols where in some circumstances, if there is a crisis, they are able to work in tandem with the police."
He said the relevant agencies need to work out those protocols now, so in the event it becomes necessary, such a deployment will not threaten other security priorities.
Prime Minister Christie said the government's implementation of house repairs and community improvements will create employment.
"I am instructing the ministers responsible, mindful and recognising that people are suffering and they are looking to the government for relief.
"We will seek to utilise a portion of the $15 million special fund to identify people in distress and to more effectively target their needs through our various programmes of assistance. This will not be a cash hand-out; it will be targeted at satisfying certain household commitments," he said.
"So the ministers responsible for those areas are now directed to ensure that they make application for part of that fund to target people who are in distress so that we may bring relevant relief to people right away."
Comments
242 12 years, 4 months ago
The fact that he said this will not be a cash hand out in the statement, makes it appear to be exactly what he says it is not. We hear you Prime Minister Napoleon Christie...
concernedcitizen 12 years, 4 months ago
HE THINKS IF HE KEEPS SAYING CRIME IS THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM IT WILL GO AWAY ,,,ITS NOT FNM OR PLP ITS US MR PRIME MINISTER ,BAD SEXUAL HABITS AND NO MORALS ...SINGLE MOTHERS AND ABSENT FATHERS ,,NEXT YEAR THE MURDER RATE WILL BE THE SAME AND YOU WILL BE SAYING THE SAME THING ,,MAN UP PRIME MINISTER AND TELL THE PEOPLE THE TRUTH IF WE DON,T STOP HAVING BABIES FOR HAIR DO AND LIGHT BILL, AND IF OUR YOUNG MEN DON,T GROW UP ,,THE CRIME RATE WILL CONTINUE TO ESCALATE ...
JohnBrown 12 years, 4 months ago
He knows better but is not prepared to do better as long as the people accept rap, crap, then that's what they will get - nothing more and nothing less.
positiveinput 12 years, 4 months ago
Like the service BTC upgrade us to? That type rap, crap.
John 12 years, 4 months ago
When Pindling said it about 20 years ago, everyone squrimed and scorned and shouted back in protest, but something has to be done to 'institutionalise' our young people between the time they leave school (16-17) to the time they become mature adults(21-25) These are the ones wreaking criminal havoc on our country and many of them are not criminals, they are just mischieveous and misguided young people. with lots of misguided energy, who end up in criminal mischief that sometimes can be deadly. As the former prime minister said, those who are not employed, or not in a learning institution full time will have to register and become a part of a national program. ANd while it does not necessarily have to be one of military training, it must be one where the individuals can recieve learning, gainful employment and 'adult supervision'. It must be a program of subsistence where individuals enrolled can receive financial aid so that they can affrd to pay parsonal bills until such time as they can become gainfully employed.
Purchasing more cars and strengthening the police force may be a short term strategy, but it will never be a solution to our social-crime problem. Because unless individuals are offered alernatatives to their current way of life and behaviour, they have little or no means of changing it. Put some of that 'police car money' into social, recreational and cultural programs for our youth and stop allowing them to become criminals!
John 12 years, 4 months ago
P.S The previous government created a women's crisis desk. Why not create a male crises desk or better yet a Youth Empowerment Services (YES) think positive! A place where young people can gp to recieve assistance. Young men for example who may be ordered by the court to pay child support and genuinely wants to pay, but may currently be unemployed or underemployed, Rather than sending him to jail offer him the opportunity to pay child support and counsel him to be a father to the child. ANd young persons who may have traffic tickets but may not have the funds to pay. Rather thanhaving them 'ducking" the police they can make arrangements to have the tickets paid or even get some temporary employment to pay the tickets off. Then there ore those who may be in crisis where they may have kicked out at home. WHile the government will not want to interfare with parenting, they could ensure that these persons do not live on the streets and become vagrants (or criminals for that matter).
And YES a very large number of young people are into drugs, Males and females are smoking marijuana. Many still beileve it is a harmless drug and you can kick the habit when you want to. But unfortunately the dope on the streets today is more potent, more addictive and more harmful than ever before..many young people are tripping out. WHat is being done to educate them nationally.
AND YES one more thing...do you beileve it is more easier for foreigners to get a drivers license in this lil town than young people? Do you know how many young persons cannot get jobs beause they dont have a drivers license? Why is not drivers ed, and Drug ed made a part of ALL 12 th grade school curricula? In the USA you cannot graduate high school unless you pass druvers ed. In New Providence you need to be educated to drive on these roads and heavy traffic..so why not make it a part of high school education..YES
positiveinput 12 years, 4 months ago
Wow your comments were better than reading the article. Good points dude.
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