The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama resident Elder Paul Joseph has released his tenth Stop the Violence poster that relays a strong message against gun violence. The poster, which consists of a gun in a red circle with a diagonal cross bar, reads: “Guns don’t kill people. Stupid people with guns kill people.”

He stressed that the use of guns is wreaking havoc on the lives of young people, many of whom have lost their lives in shootings in the past six months.

The national murder rate stands at 65, following the murder of a teen in Eleuthera on Sunday. Although 18-year-old Haywood “Woody” Thompson was stabbed to death, Mr Joseph said the teen was the victim of a crime, having been violently attacked and murdered.

“This young man is the country’s 65th murder victim, and this year’s count surpasses the murder rate for the same period last year,” he noted.

According to crime statistics recently released by the Ministry of National Security, the murder rate from January 1 to June 10 increased by nine per cent from 2013.

Elder Joseph believes that his poster ministry is making an impact in bringing awareness to the crime situation in the country. His posters are distributed in many local establishments and police stations throughout New Providence and Grand Bahama.

When asked why, he said: “I go by what God gives me and this latest poster about gun violence is what God has downloaded to me. I went to Nassau on June 26-29 and it was well received over there,” he said.

Mr Joseph said he also dropped posters off at the various police stations, starting from the airport and going down into Yamacraw.

“When I go on my poster ministry in the inner city, I am very encouraged by the reaction I get from the people, especially young people,” he said.

He noted that most of the country’s murders occur in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco, describing it as the murder triangle. He pointed out that illegal gun smuggling is a major contributor to crime and murders in those islands. Although there has been a murder on the islands of Eleuthera, Bimini and Exuma, Mr Joseph said that such occurrences are rare in those Family Islands.

“I am hoping that through this poster ministry, Bahamians will be sensitised to what is happening in our country at this time,” he said.

Mr Joseph commended police officers who put their lives on the line to protect the country’s citizens. He stressed that it is important that citizens also support them in their fight against crime.

While in Grand Bahama over the weekend, National Security Minister Bernard Nottage expressed concerns about violent crimes taking place in the country and the need for support from citizens.

“The people who are carrying out these crimes are our children, and we got to do something about it. Therefore, whenever we have a problem ... I have a responsibility and I am supposed to do something about it. We cannot do it by ourselves, we need the support of the community,” he said.

The minister noted that the Bahamas has been witnessing an unprecedented crime wave for almost a decade. Government, he said, is committed to doing all it possibly can to address the crime problem, including the implementation of mentoring programmes for at risk youths.

Donna Jones, who has lost several relatives to violent crime, commended Mr Joseph for what he is doing.

“I support him in his endeavour because I have had close relatives who were brutally murdered, including my father, uncle and godson.

“There are persons out there who know who the perpetrators are, but because they are family members they do not want to turn them in, but we must come together and stop the senseless violence and bloodshed in our country,” she said.