The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

There have been nearly 400 murders in the past 40 months, which have coincided with the current tenure of the Christie administration.

Whatever crime fighting policies enthusiastically touted on the rally platforms have failed spectacularly. I cannot even begin to imagine what the PLP will tell the Bahamian people in 2017. At the current rate, the 2011 murder record will be shattered.

I hate politicising crime because it affects all of us. Ingraham is no longer prime minister, so obviously the PLP can no longer point fingers at his policies or erect massive murder posters throughout strategic areas of New Providence in order to score political brownie points. Dr Bernard Nottage is the substantive national security minister.

There have been more murders under his watch in a three-and-a-half year duration than under any other national security minister during the same length of time.

Prime Minister Perry Christie should remove him from this vitally important ministry, notwithstanding Nottage’s pride or feelings.

Nottage is way too ineffective and underwhelming. I hold no brief for him. To his credit though, in recent times he has finally chosen to address the media after an awfully long period of silence. Some have interpreted that silence as Nottage being mentally exhausted and out of ideas on how to address the murder crisis.

Whatever the case may be, far too many human beings are being murdered in this country. At this juncture, it is too late for Christie to salvage his party’s political image as a knight in shining armour coming to the rescue of the Bahamian people beleaguered by crime. Christie cannot look the Bahamian people with a straight face in 2017 and say that Urban Renewal and Project Safe Bahamas have succeeded. Bahamians are fed up with all this bloodshed, and are no longer putting up with political mumbo-jumbo.

Christie, however, can make the best of a bloody mess by appointing a more competent, seasoned individual at the helm of national security. I believe that person is none other than former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Marvin Dames.

Dames left the Royal Bahamas Police Force in May, 2011, under the Ingraham administration for a lucrative senior security post at the embattled Baha Mar resort. Dames is a skilled law enforcement officer and a consummate professional with an impeccable moral character. Dames is highly trained in law enforcement and is immensely experienced.

Whereas Nottage is woefully out of his element at national security, Dames, on the other hand, knows the ins-and-outs of this ministry, based on his vast experience as a crime fighter.

His appointment would boost the morale of RBPF and Defence Force officers. National security is in dire need of an experienced individual at its helm and around the Cabinet table. In order to be constitutionally qualified for the Cabinet, Dames should be appointed to the Upper Chamber, even if he is not a PLP.

PLPs and FNMs are being killed by the ruthless murderers who are wreaking havoc. The murder crisis transcends partisan politics.

I believe Dames will prove invaluable in the fight against crime. With all this uncertainty looming over Baha Mar, now is the time to lure Dames from that troubled project to national security.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport

August 24 2015