The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Tommy Turnquest yesterday demanded an apology from the Australian journalist whose documentary depicted the Bahamas as a country under siege by crime and violence.

Claiming that the 15-minute report is a "total misrepresentation" of the crime situation in the Bahamas, Mr Turnquest said he rejects the message that Nick Lazaredes publicised through Australia's Special Broadcasting Services. Up to press time last night, the video had almost 4,000 views on Youtube.

"He did interview me, asked for crime statistics, and then tried to portray us as a country that is held hostage by crime. However, he owes an apology not only to the people of the Bahamas, but to the police force who I think is doing an excellent job of fighting crime on the streets."

"While crime is out of control by everyone's standards, we are making moves on the fight against it with all the laws that we recently upgraded and revamped, more specifically getting tougher bail laws."

Called "Caribbean Crime Wave", the report highlighted the brutal killing of 11-year-old Marco Archer as a new low for the country.

According to Mr Lazaredes, Marco's death was the final straw for Bahamians who are forced to live in fear of being robbed and their homes broken into.

Former ZNS broadcaster Jerome Sawyer was also interviewed by Mr Lazaredes who said the Bahamas' crime problems began 30 years ago with the arrival of the drug trade.

He said: "I was robbed in front of my gate one night coming home. But that has significantly changed my life. It has changed my outlook. I don't see my country the same way I saw it 10 years ago. We sell it as a paradise, that's a sales pitch."

Mr Sawyer goes on to criticise the Privy Counsel for its role in prolonging the legal process and convictions of criminals. "Through legal wrangling, you're able to stretch out the appeals process to the point where the law then says, 'Oh you cannot put this man or woman to death because of a 5-year period that has passed'."