The Tribune

IN 2010, the Cayman islands brought in British police to tackle a rise in gang-related crime that business leaders feared could hurt the territory’s image as a safe financial and tourist destination.

Fourteen British officers arrived after British-appointed governor Duncan Taylor decided that crime had to be brought under control before it took the Caymans down.

Jamaica with the highest murder rate in the region also looked to the UK for help.

Today, The Bahamas is faced with an even worse situation than the Caymans. Of course, Jamaica with 1,192 killings in 2015, about a 20 per cent increase from the year before, is in a league of its own.

Here in The Bahamas with crime out of control, Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander has assured the public that it had “no need to be afraid.” He seemed to overlook the fact that there had already been three murders and several shooting incidents just 48 hours before his statement. Two days before his statement the bullet riddled body of Via Cafe owner, Albert Rahming, was found in his parked car on the Montagu foreshore and five days later terror gripped Sunday morning shoppers at a SuperValue foodstore when robbers struck.

However, Supt Fernander assured Bahamians that they were in safe hands. The only “gang” on the streets that mattered, he said, was the Royal Bahamas Police Force, which was there to protect them.

Many of those terrorising the country were men, charged with murder who were out on bail. Why and how they could have been granted bail is anyone’s guess. One of those killed a few days ago was wanted for murder.

Recently, four men wanted for questioning in connection with recent murders turned themselves into the police, while the police continued to search for three others. Obviously, having learned of one of their own being gunned down –not by the police, but obviously by a member of the gang — they probably considered it safer in a prison cell than being chased by murderers seeking revenge for an earlier vendetta.

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As we write this at 10:30 pm Wednesday, our computer bell has rung to alert us of a message from the police — another shooting: “Suspect who fired at police shot dead handgun recovered.” The details of this shooting can be found elsewhere in today’s Tribune.

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In November last year, Nancy Treco wrote to The Tribune pointing out that what The Bahamas was going through was the same problem that the Caymans had experienced. She pointed out that just as outside investigators had succeeded in the Caymans, they would also succeed here.

“Crime is now under control (in the Caymans),” wrote Ms Treco. “Our Caymanian friend explained to us why it only took a year. It was because this ‘outside help’ did not have any affiliation with people in Government or in the public. They came to do their job. They did not have a cousin who was arrested for murder, but who knew the judge’s sister’s auntie and therefore got a slap on the wrist. They didn’t have a brother who knew the member of Parliament, who made a call and arranged a quick bail. They did not know the gang member’s mother who knew the uncle of a ‘big wig’ in Parliament, so he was released after a year. God knows I could go on and on but I am sure you know what I am talking about.”

We certainly do know what she is talking about, and although we have great faith in our police force this is a small country and it must be very difficult to do one’s duty when nature is tugging on the heart strings. Outsiders, trained in police work, could introduce knew techniques and a broader concept of how to handle many of our problems.

However, police do have a major problem on their hands — a problem that the government cannot ignore. The police cannot solve this crime epidemic alone. They need the help of the public, but government has to provide a more efficient witness protection programme. On Friday, November 19, a young man, a potential witness, was walking home in Yellow Elder when he was shot and killed.

Killers out on bail often stalk potential witnesses.

We know of a case of a witness who was to give evidence by a video conference. This witness, shunned by family who feared being involved, has had to give up a good paying job to go into a so-called witness protection programme – a programme that is desperate to find a safe have for such people. This witness has a family to support, a mortgage to pay, but has to try to exist on a miniscule stipend while in the so-called protection programme.

We have heard of a case of two brothers – one on the right side of the law, the other on the wrong side.

The brother on the wrong side of the law was granted bail and ran from Nassau to Freeport. In the meantime, in a case of mistaken identity, the brother on the right side of the law was gunned down.

Recently, a video created in a prison cell, was sent out as a Whatsapp message to certain persons in the community directing hits on certain people. Several years ago —many years before the creation of Whatsapp — there was a prisoner, who it was claimed, was directing hits on his enemies from his cell. Whether this was true or not these crimes suddenly ceased soon after he was removed from our shores.

This is a serious issue, an issue that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should discuss with the American Embassy to find out if it could help the Bahamas create a safe and more efficient witness protection programme.

There should also be better protection of our courts and for its judges. For example, everyone entering a court room should be screened.

No one intends to demean our police force, but they do need help. We highly recommend that government look to the UK for that help.