The Tribune

By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE newly elected Free National Movement government yesterday promised to “implement modern crime fighting initiatives,” collaborate with civic leaders, including the religious community and initiate neighbourhood safety programmes in an effort to “reduce the culture of violence” in The Bahamas.

The Minnis administration also promised to have a zero tolerance for all crimes, including minor infractions.

Yesterday, the government also said it would work to reduce youth and overall unemployment and invest in skills training.

In the Speech from the Throne, which was read by Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling at the opening of Parliament, the government also promised to enact legislation to establish the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and formally establish a Guns and Gangs Unit.

The NIA, a Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) campaign pledge that was introduced in 2012 and headed by former Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Clifford “Butch” Scavella, currently has no basis in law. The agency came under public scrutiny in 2014 when Loretta Butler-Turner, then FNM deputy leader, raised concerns over its legality.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, Official Opposition leader at the time, demanded a complete shutdown and full public disclosure of NIA’s operations in the absence of a legal framework to govern the organisation.

Former National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage promised to table the legislation, however it was never brought to Parliament.

In the Speech from The Throne, the new administration also pledged to “close the gap between science and criminal justice and the quality of admissible DNA evidence.”

“Our steadfast resolve is to target the root causes of crime and implement modern crime fighting strategies,” the speech noted. “My government is committed to collaborating and working with community partners: parents, educators, church leaders, youth leaders, social workers, and all relevant agencies of the government. Through neighbourhood safety programmes and community-based partners the culture of violence in our communities will change.

“My government continues to be committed to zero tolerance for crime, inclusive of minor infractions...Our most urgent priorities in crime fighting are initiatives that focus on prevention, deterrence, and enforcement. My government will enact legislation to establish the National Intelligence Agency. My government will enact legislation to address the conditional release of offenders into society through a Parole and Probation of Offenders System.

“My government will enact legislation to establish a Guns and Gang Unit that will focus on dismantling gangs and disrupting the trafficking in illicit firearms.”

The FNM also committed to “fully engaging members of the spiritual community” in order to awaken and re-establish “national values”.

Youth

In terms of youth development, the government said it is “troubled” by the perceived increase in talented young Bahamians seeking their fortunes outside of the country and pledged to maximise the talent of the nation’s youth in the Bahamas.

“We propose to enlist our religious communities to assist my government in reawakening and re-establishing those national values, as a persistent, ongoing and ever growing effort. And with an eye to the future, we fervently ask for the support of our religious community, in bringing an increasing number of our young people, and especially our young Bahamian men, back to becoming fully engaged members of our spiritual communities. We must intervene to save our youth, for this time is indeed, and especially, the younger people’s time,” the speech noted.

The Minnis administration also pledged to implement a national skills register of Bahamians overseas “to assist with their participation in national development and to provide them with opportunities for engagement in regional and international organisations.”

The speech added: “My government will work assiduously to reduce the high level of youth unemployment to secure the future of this nation. We will also seek to reduce total unemployment which will improve the standard of living and quality of life for all of the people of the Bahamas. We will address youth unemployment, in collaboration with stakeholders, through the implementation of specialised programmes that will equip our youth with essential job-related skills and provide employment opportunities.”

Recognising the influence of the Internet and the use and misuse of social media, the FNM also pledged to “place emphasis on the detection of financial, commercial, and cyber-crimes.”