The Tribune

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ response to the US State Department warning its citizens against visiting Fish Fry at Arawak Cay at night was “comical” and “lackadaisical,” Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday.

His comment came during a press conference in which he also criticised the Minnis administration’s handling of violent crime, despite a recent downward trend in the murder rate.

Dr Minnis recently told reporters that not only will the government ensure Arawak Cay is safe for patrons, but also that Bahamians must take responsibility to “prove or show that we are not like what people may think we are.”

“This is comical to me,” Mr Davis said in response. “All of us should know it’s very difficult to prove a negative.”

Mr Davis said the government should instead be proactive and ensure such advisories are not released in the future. However, the US released several travel advisories in relation to the Bahamas when Mr Davis served as deputy prime minister.

In its 2016 holiday crime notice, issued last November, the US Embassy in Nassau said the holiday season has “historically served as a catalyst for an increase in crime and violence.”

At the time, a warning was also given about Arawak Cay.

“Think prudently about after dark travel. Inform someone of your travel plans and when to expect you. At night, park in lit areas when possible. Avoid unlit areas where persons could hide and ambush. For example, Nassau’s Arawak Cay area on Sunday evenings is a popular hangout and the scene of recent crimes of opportunity such as muggings and assaults, resulting in an increased police presence,” the US Embassy warned last year.

Yesterday Mr Davis said: “Ask the US government why do you believe they need to issue advisories in the nature they have. They (the Minnis administration) boasted they have the answer to crime but so far we see nothing different happening from when they accused the PLP of fostering crime. What concerns me more is the hypocrisy of this government.”

Mr Davis criticised the government for disbanding the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). The Minnis administration disbanded the agency because it lacked legislation governing it. Last year National Security Minister Marvin Dames tabled a NIA bill. It’s not clear when it will be debated in Parliament, though the administration promised a period of consultation for it.

“To me it was a mistake for the FNM to shut down the NIA,” Mr Davis said. “There was nothing unlawful about it. The government at any time has the legal authority to convene administrative bodies, to review criminal matters and other intelligence and in fact they could convene to deal with any issue they think would lead to better governance. As it stands today, in all of our law enforcement agencies there is nothing which prevents the sharing of information even today.

“What the NIA purposed was to break down the silos between the agencies so there is constant flow of information and intelligence so each of the agencies may be proactive when any matter comes to its attention that concerns its agency… I’m now wondering if there is any correlation with the uptick in the pace of murders and the ability to prevent them and the shutting down of the NIA. On the question of crime generally leading from that, I see no evidence and I dare say there is no evidence that the efforts of the FNM to fight crime on their new initiatives has done anything to lessen crime.”

Nevertheless, PLP downplayed the work of the NIA while in government. Although Mr Davis now stresses the agency’s importance, in 2014 then State Minister for National Security Keith Bell told reporters the agency was not gathering intelligence and “not operating.”

The Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) recently created an Anti-Gang and Firearms Unit. Senior police officials claim these have resulted in fewer murders in recent months.

There were 13 murders in November 2016, but there was just a single murder in November 2017, according to The Tribune’s records. Similarly, there were 15 murders in December 2016, but just six in December 2017.

Up to January 15, 2017 there were nine murders, but up to yesterday there were only three murders for the year so far. Police have also found two decomposed bodies in Abaco, although it’s unclear if they will be classified as murders as police are awaiting autopsy results to determine a cause of death.

Pressed on his claim that there may be a correlation between disbanding the NIA and a rising murder rate, Mr Davis admitted that the murder rate has been on the decline recently, but said there appears to be an uptick in other kinds of violent crime.

Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson is expected to reveal end of year crime statistics during a press conference today.