Minister of National Security Marvin Dames.
By SANCHESKA DORSETT
Tribune Staff Reporter
sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames yesterday admitted that there is a “significant amount of work to do” to reduce serious crimes in the capital, however he said he is “confident” that with the new policies the government plans on introducing, “things will begin to change”.
Mr Dames said “crime issues” did not manifest overnight and it will be “some time to find a solution” to the problem.
His comments came a day after the country experienced its 76th murder for the year, marking the fourth homicide in five days in New Providence.
There have been 23 murders since the Free National Movement won the general election.
In response to the high level of murders, Mr Dames said in the short term, the government will increase the number of officers on the street and also plans to introduce new legislation.
“These are deep-rooted issues and problems and for anyone to think that they will go away overnight is absurd. We recognise that we have a significant amount of work to do, the police are doing things and we are changing and adjusting strategies,” he said.
“The issues that we see have not manifested overnight, these are deep rooted and we have to introduce measures in the short-term and medium and long-term. We have continued to share some of what our government said we will do to bring those levels down especially toward violent crimes. It’s all about presence and visibility and improving on strategies.... So, it’s not as easy as just grabbing people and putting them on the street and saying ‘alright, crime’s down.’
“It’s a very complicated business, and we recognise that you will see results, but you have to work towards those results in the long-term. There are a lot of things that have already improved, but it would be unfair for me to tell you they have improved to the point whereby murders and everything else will go away.
“It takes more than just enforcement to reduce numbers. And that’s one of the things that we continue to say. So, we’re working on what’s the role of social services, what’s the role of education, what’s the role of national security, and how can we come together, and we’ve been working together as Cabinet colleagues to find the solutions, find the programmes, improve on existing programmes where necessary to ensure that at the end of the day we can bring relief to the communities of New Providence in particular, but throughout the Bahamas.”
Mr Dames also said his ministry is working toward adding more officers to police stations in the evening.
“There shouldn’t be that at some stations at night time you have two officers,” he said.
“There’s no way two officers can provide services to a district, especially not in New Providence. So, we want to know, if at any station in this country, if the number should be 200, then we should work towards 200, so that at any time of the day or night that station can provide the necessary services to that community no matter what time it is and that’s what we’re working towards.”
Comments
We_doomed_242 7 years, 4 months ago
Sounds funny when the recruitment process has been placed on hold. It almost look as though there aren't sufficient police officers
Alex_Charles 7 years, 4 months ago
I have no faith in any initiative he brings forth. Crime is a symptom of a disease. Deal with the root causes that are systemic in this country.
Time will tell whether or not their initiative will be just as ineffective as that of the late Dr. Nottage.
DDK 7 years, 4 months ago
There was an international broadcast this week with a 'social expert' discussing the violent crime problems in Baltimore, MD. The commentator said basically that the violence among the youth was due to their feeling disconnected with society. He stated that the feeling of disconnect was due to successive generations of children being born into environments with no family structure. These children grow up feeling that no one cares about them, therefore they do not feel part of the community.
Sound familiar? If there is no home for education to start in, surely there should be a major focus in all schools of the plight of our youth today due to the never-ending cycle of children being born out of wedlock. The problem needs to be nipped in the bud.
Turning these violent men out on the streets with ankle monitors begats violence. Perhaps the ministries should combine their efforts to tackle this scourge on our society.
We_doomed_242 7 years, 4 months ago
Our government needs to send these so called bad boys to fight on the front line with isis since everyone here trigger happy
SP 7 years, 4 months ago
Here we go again "reinventing the wheel"!
Marvin Dames is following the same play-book as BJ Nottage and Tommy Turnquest which was a proven path to failure. The government increasing the number of officers on the street and plans to introduce new legislation will have very little if any effect on reducing crime.
Studies have already concluded crime that there is a positive correlation between both violent and property crime, not only with the unemployment rate, but also with GDP per capita, high school graduation rates, police officers per 100,000 inhabitants, and poverty rate.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct…
Somebody needs to tell Dames the Bahamas will only see a measurable reduction in crime after resolving the high incedence of unemployment.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 4 months ago
Mr. Dames does not know. That is bad enough. The problem is he does not know that he does not have a clue as to what should be done. It is to bad that the FNM blames the PLP for crime and the PLP blames the FNM for crime.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago
Dames does not train recruits ........ man police stations ..........patrol the streets .......... act on police reports ......... investigate incidents ........ interrogate suspects ........ produce case files ....... execute court trials ........ HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING THE MONS POLICIES, PROVIDING MONS RESOURCES, SUPPORT THE COP, AND ESTABLISHING THE POLITICAL VISION FOR THE ARMED FORCES ............ He has to play his role effectively ... Can he????? ....... We will wait and see how he performs 2017-18.
BTW: ........... Shock Treatment should be merged with STAR Academy & Programme SURE to deal with all disruptive youths 12-18 .......... It will clean up the public schools a lot
Indiajohn 7 years, 4 months ago
In the UK we have a mandatory five year sentence for possession of an unlicensed hand gun. These are frequently carried by ten year olds, unable to be prosecuted, on behalf of the user. however this has cut gun crime dramatically.
BahamasForBahamians 7 years, 4 months ago
Lets see how well he performs now that he has to govern.
Considering he's using the same tactics as Tommy Turnquest as BJ Nottage it appears that his success may be similar. Very little.
lets see how it goes though.
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