By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
STATE National Security Minister Keith Bell yesterday blamed the country’s crime challenges on a growing gang culture, which was left uncontrolled by the previous Ingraham administration, along with increased numbers of illegal firearms on the streets of the capital.
Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Mr Bell said when the Progressive Liberal Party took office in 2012, the administration met a festering gang problem, which spread to several areas of New Providence.
Mr Bell said while the Christie administration had more than 370 murders under its belt, he was confident that the government had the capacity to stop the spate of shootings and homicides in the country.
He named several of the country’s major gangs including One Order, Fire and Theft, Dirty South Order and Money Over B, or MOB.
These gangs, Mr Bell said, thrive in areas that stretch from the eastern end of New Providence to inner city communities.
“These gangs are creating havoc on our country,” he said. “Now what does that mean when you look at the fact that the night clubs also exist in some of these areas? We have to ask the question: What is the strategic long-term plan for New Providence?”
He said the government has taken a step to crack down on the problem by passing an amendment to the Penal Code.
The legislation stipulates that organised gangs of three or more persons face penalties of $500,000 or imprisonment for up to 25 years, he said.
He told senators that it was the intention of the government to tackle gangs and gang activity.
Illegal firearms are also one of the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s major challenges, Mr Bell said.
“More than 90 per cent (of these weapons) enter from the great United States. The challenge is the more you seize the guns the more they come in. We have seen a paradigm shift (of) more powerful hand guns and machine guns.”
He said police recently arrested a man who was found with a desert eagle, a high-powered gun, pushed down in his waist when he was caught.
Mr Bell also recalled a recent police discovery of a high-powered weapon that was found concealed on a 15-year-old boy who attempted to enter the National Stadium during a high school track meet.
He said police investigations revealed that the weapon was connected to several murders in New Providence.
“This question of guns is a very serious issue,” he added.
“We must ensure that our policies are strong enough to deal with what is upon us. When we talk about gun violence I know we have the capacity to stop the shootings and the homicides.”
Mr Bell commended local authorities saying they have intensified their work to now search homes where weapons have been discovered. He said in such instances police have decided to arrest and investigate every person in the home for a possible connection to the weapon.
Comments
B_I_D___ 9 years, 9 months ago
3 years on now, you guys with all the answers should be making a dent in the problem...a decline...not an upsurgence!!
asiseeit 9 years, 9 months ago
If these assholes would stop pointing fingers and just do their jobs in a professional manner we may get somewhere. Also Mr. Bell, with respect, everyone knows that 95% of politicians and their cronys are crooked, you think that does not affect the mindset of the regular Bahamian. Shit, you crooks refuse to introduce Freedom of Information because you KNOW your dirty panty's will make everyone else own look sparkly fresh. So sir, might I suggest that you and the rest of the slime bucket politicians in this country take a long hard look in the mirror, I doubt you will honestly like what you see.
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 9 months ago
This hand gun toting imbecile is certainly capable of shooting himself in the foot; hopefully he does so when he next puts his foot in his mouth!
duppyVAT 9 years, 9 months ago
The American inner-city social influence on The Bahamas has not been positive ever since crack and rap were engineered and commercialized in the 1970s and 1980s .......... then the police, gang and prison culture that sprung from crack/rap has ruined black America and by extension all of its copycat societies (like The Bahamas) .......... gun violence is a natural offshoot of this destructive sub-culture.
TalRussell 9 years, 9 months ago
Comrades with permission from Tribune readers, here's how Bells speech would have been reported, had I been his speech writer:
Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Mr. Bell said, when the Progressive Liberal Party took office in 2012, the administration met a festering illegal numbers problem which my cabinet colleagues allowed spread to several areas of New Providence and family islands. He said police never arrested a numbers man's who could have easily been found with proceeds from numbers rackets pushed down in they'd waists. Mr. Bell also couldn't recall riding around on no horse race track, or of a police discovery of a single illegal gambling machine, that could have easily been spotted out in the open and not concealed, in any one of dozens of illegal gambling joints. In fact he could have asked the National Insurance Board to provide many of their exact addresses? We the PLP government ensured that our policies were strong enough, not to encourage the policeman's to deal with illegal activities being advertised right on talk radio stations.
When we talked about breaking the laws, we never included the numbers man's in our law enforcement cabinet discussions.
Understandably, Mr. Bell also couldn't commend local authorities, saying, they have lacked the support of government to have intensified their policeman's work to search web shops, where lots illegal computers could have easily been discovered. He said in such instances police decided not to arrest and investigate every person in them shops, for a possible connection to illegal gambling.
Amen!!
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