The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune,

My reason for writing this letter is because I’ve heard the news on television saying that crime has decreased, but has crime really decreased? This is the question.

I’ve spoken to a lot of people concerning this vexing question. Everyone I have spoken to said crime is increasing at an alarming rate. The crime in the Bahamas is at a very alarming high and something has to be done urgently to protect the people of the Bahamas and the reputation of the Bahamas, being a tourist-oriented destination.

Listed here below are a few listings of the news reported in The Tribune, The Nassau Guardian and The Punch, all reporting on the tremendous affect crime is having on the Bahamas and its people.

1. The Tribune, April 27/12:

‘ANGER AS PLP SIGNS REMOVED’

Mr Davis said: “I do not know why they would take down the signs with the murder count on them. That’s a fact. The fact is there were more than 490 murders in this country. We cannot run away from that.” When asked if he thought the posters would scare potential tourists from visiting the country, Mr Davis said: “We cannot hide the truth and we cannot suppress the facts, we have to address the issues of crime.”

Even the taxi drivers have also been complaining about the signs. We are a tourist-oriented country and tourists have been complaining to the Ministry of Tourism.

NOTE: Mr Davis, with all due respect, this action will do more HARM than good to the reputation of the Bahamas, and its people.

1. The Tribune, May 7/12:

Crime is the biggest problem facing the country today, PLP leader Perry Christie told Bahamians during a televised national address last night. Mr Christie lamented the 500 murders in the last five years and said: “Add to that the hundreds upon hundreds of rapes, the thousands of assaults and armed robberies and the drugs and guns that are flooding across our borders and into our communities. Let’s make no mistake about it, we are a nation and people under siege.”

1. The Tribune, May 11/12:

“MYSTERY SURROUNDS STRING OF MURDERS”

Police are still unsure of the circumstances that led to the shooting deaths of five people within a 48 hour period.

1. The Tribune, June 11/13:

“US DIPLOMAT IS ROBBED”

A 74-year-old diplomat who police sources identified as Kathleen Cayer was attacked as she walked to church Sunday morning.

Two more tourists were victims of robbery in the area of Woodcock Primary on Hospital Lane yesterday.

“GOVERNMENT TO SEEK HELP TO DEAL WITH CRIME”

Dr Nottage in discussion with representatives from US Embassy”

1. The Tribune, August 2/13:

“US EMBASSY OFFICIAL IS VICTIM OF ROBBERY”

Less than two months after an attack on a senior US diplomat, another US official was robbed at the beach with his family last weekend by two men.

1. The Tribune, October 25/13:

“BRAN’S BROTHER IS MURDERED”

Kurt McCartney shot dead after “death threat”

1. The Tribune, November 20/13:

“GRENADE ATTACK ON NEWSPAPER”

A live grenade was thrown through the front door of The Punch Publications.

1. The Tribune, November 27/13:

“EIGHT SHOT IN 24 HOURS”

1. The Tribune, December 10/13:

“ROBBED: APM BRAVE DAVIS AND WIFE WERE HELD AT GUNPOINT AND ROBBED”

1. The Tribune, December 14/13:

“BAHAMAS CHRISTMAS CRIME WARNING FOR US CITIZENS”

Alert sent out – “warning against increased criminal activity in the Bahamas for US citizens”

1. The Tribune, December 18/13:

“7 SHOT, 1 KILLED AT PEACE PARTY”

“Bring the peace back in Bain Town party Monday night.”

1. The Tribune, December 31/13:

“CRUISE SHIP CONCERN OVER CRIME – BUT NO ULTIMATUM”

The entire cruise ship industry remains concerned about the safety of passengers and employees in the Bahamas, an executive at Carnival said yesterday.

1. The Tribune, January 6/14

“POLICE ALARM AT MURDER RATE”

1. The Tribune, December 28/13

“FOUR DEAD IN FOX HILL BLOODBATH”

Three men and one woman were killed “execution style” and four others were seriously injured in a drive-by shooting at Freedom Park in Fox Hill last night.

1. The Nassau Guardian, December 28/13:

“MASS SHOOTING IN FOX HILL”

4 shot – 7 injured

1. The Nassau Guardian, December 30/13:

“CRIME: A PERSISTENT MENACE”

1. The Punch, December 30/13:

“CARNIVAL WARNS – FIX CRIME OR WE PULL OUT SHIPS”

Carnival, the world’s biggest cruise ship company has given the government a final warning on crime – fix crime by June or we will pull our ships out of the Bahamas.

“In all fairness to Greenslade, his hands have been tied by the meddling Christie, Nottage and Deputy Police Minister Keith Bell. The politicians will not allow the police to implement the harsh measures that are needed to defeat the criminals.

1. The Punch, January 2/14:

“MURDER COUNT FOR 2013 HIT 120”

Violent crime is so bad that we have been categorized as a conflict zone and one of the 10 most dangerous places in the world.

Now Carnival, the world’s biggest cruise ship company is threatening to pull out its ships unless the government gets crime under control.

NOTE: Referring to what The Punch said in the December 30/13 paper re: “Greenslade hands being tied”, the government should NOT interfere in the Commissioner’s job. Let the Commissioner do his job. Mr Greenslade is a professional, and a fine police officer. He knows what he is doing. When Mr Greenslade was in Freeport, Grand Bahama, he did a magnificent job there with the crime. If the government would stop interfering things might be different. Give him that courtesy and respect.

1. The Nassau Guardian, January 6/14:

“ARCHBISHOP PINDER DECRIES RISING CRIME”

There were 120 murders in 2013 and at least 4 recorded for the year so far. But Pinder said all is not lost.

1. The Nassau Guardian, January 7/14:

“US ATTORNEY RAISES ALARM OVER CRIME”

With calls from victims of crime in Nassau, the “majority” of those received by his firm, a Florida-based maritime lawyer has claimed that Nassau may be “one gunshot away” from seeing cruise lines drop it from their cruising itineraries. (Jim Walker, partner at Walker & O’Neil, a Miami law firm).

1. The Tribune, January 3/14:

“MAN GUNNED DOWN IN STREET”

Victim is fifth to be killed in three days

1. The Tribune, January 2/14:

“FOUR DEAD IN 36 HOURS OF VIOLENCE”

Four men are dead and three others are fighting for their lives in hospital following six separate shootings in the capital between New Year’s Eve and last night.

NOTE: With all the above reports, re: crime, the crime in Nassau and the Bahamas has not decreased but increased. A blind man can see that crime has not decreased.

I never thought that Nassau would come to this. Crime and the fear of crime. Nassau and the Bahamas was once a peaceful place, but now it has become a war zone. Bahamians are more afraid now for their safety than ever before. We need help and we need it now.

I was told by a security guard, who said he worked at the College of the Bahamas grounds, that the students are using the ‘F’ word all the time. He said the parents are not teaching their children good manners. They are very rude and they have no respect for anyone.

I was also a victim of crime. On Thursday, July 3/08, armed robbers held me at gunpoint in the office car park. I was in the car when three masked men held me up. One of them pointed the gun in my face, but he didn’t fire. This was 1:55pm in the afternoon.

I wrote a letter in the paper July 15/08 pertaining to this. Almighty God protected me from these men.

God’s word says in Isaiah ch.54 v17, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn”.

There is too much crime in this little island of New Providence. I wrote this letter for these three men to read. This is no way for you to go out and shoot, kill and hurt people. Too many people have died, families devastated and traumatised and the effects are forever.

Nassau used to be a peaceful loving place to live. Now there are too many rapes, too many murders, too many robberies, too many killings. What we need is a spiritual revival in this country before it is too late.

Jesus said: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you”.

The Lord God is a loving God, and He says in 2nd Chronicles ch.7 v.14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”.

If you continue to live by the gun, you will die by the gun. Stop your life of crime before it’s too late. Don’t let the devil fool you.

“Crime does not pay.”

The US Embassy gave out a warning for US citizens, warning against increased criminal activity in the Bahamas for US citizens, reported in The Tribune December 14/13.

In The Tribune, December 31/13, the cruise ship concern over crime about the safety of passengers and employees.

Also in The Punch, December 30/13, Carnival warns fix crime or we pull out ships.

Also in The Nassau Guardian January 7/14, a US attorney raises alarm over crime in Nassau.

If the US Embassy puts a stop on US citizens coming to the Bahamas, we will be in serious trouble. It would affect taxi drivers, hotel employees, government employees, it would affect everyone in the Bahamas. If you think the crime is bad now, if this happens, God forbid, the Bahamas would sink and the crime will be worse than ever. Then you will see the Wild West in full force.

As the prime minister said in his address to the nation of the Bahamas reported in The Tribune, May 7/12: “Let’s make no mistake about it, we are a nation and people under siege. Crime is the biggest problem facing the country today”.

Dr Nottage was in discussion with representatives from the US Embassy for his government to seek help to deal with crime, reported in The Tribune, June 11/13 after a US diplomat was robbed going to church.

Dr Nottage asked the FBI and Scotland Yard for help. The Bahamas is at the crossroads. We need help now.

The cat-o-nine tails is on the law books, but never enforced. I was told that a certain member of Parliament said that it’s barbaric.

When vicious criminals gang rape women, rape little babies, young girls, elderly women, isn’t this barbaric and their lives are ruined forever? If the cat-o-nine tail was applied to these vicious criminals, you will see the crime reduced. Do this in public. The world is watching the Bahamas.

I hope and pray that Almighty God for His continued help and to give wisdom to those in authority that they will do the right thing to stamp out this evil and protect the people and the reputation of the Bahamas.

The Bahamas was a sought-after vacation destination, however this is no longer the case.

Don’t let these vicious criminals destroy the reputation of the Bahamas and its people. There have been too many rapes, murders, robberies, killings. Too many people have died, families devastated, traumatized, and the effects are forever.

We are supposed to be a Christian nation. Let’s live up to that name.

May God Almighty continue to bless and protect the Bahamas and its people is my prayer.

Sincerely in Christ,

TONY G ZERVOS

Nassau,

January 9, 2014.