The Tribune

AS the country’s leaders continued to ignore the warning signs, the “noose of crime” was slowly tightening and is now starting to strangle the country, local activist Rev CB Moss said.

He pointed to the recent murder of a US citizen during an armed robbery on East Bay Street and how the incident was broadcast around the world by the Associated Press, shining a negative light upon the Bahamas.

Rev Moss said: “Bahamians should be on pins and needles as we have been warned internally and externally about the downward path that this nation is on as a result of crime.

“The US Embassy had previously issued two public statements expressing concern over the risk to US citizens presented by the very high level of crime.

“Following this incident, the US Embassy issued an alert to US citizens visiting or living in the Bahamas warning them of the danger.

“The Minister of Tourism, the leader of the opposition and other politicians publicly issued statements decrying the incident and the high level of crime and trading blame for the state of affairs.

“The truth is there is sufficient blame to go around. We told you so, for years. Now we are reaping what we sowed.”

Rev Moss, executive director of Bahamas Against Crime (BAC), noted that on Wednesday night, the murder count was further increased when two young men were shot and killed.

“How long can this trend continue before the authorities are willing to take serious action?” asked Rev Moss. “Unfortunately not very much longer until something has to give.”

BAC is once again appealing to the politicians to stop fiddling while the “crime noose is tightening around the nations neck,” Rev Moss said.

He warned that the situation is very likely going to get worse, and reminded the government that one of its most fundamental obligations is to provide a reasonable level of security for citizens.

“Security is more important than providing jobs and it is a responsibility that the government should not, cannot, shift to anyone else. Either do the job, or accept the blame,” he said.