The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

Every sovereign State has the right to issue advices to their citizens as to the safety of travel to any area in the world – it is their sovereign legal constitutional responsibility.

So US - Canada have issued a ‘caution’ to their citizens to travel to The Bahamas - Editor back 11 plus months ago alerts were issued by both the US followed soon after by Canada which begs the question did The Bahamas do anything to change the opinion of the US-Canada that the dangers they specifically stated in their alerts were now removed and were no longer?

If both the US and Canada re-issue and in the case of Canada up the alert level then we have done absolutely nothing in the perception of both the governments of US and Canada to remediate the criminals dangers, threats, etc. Thanks! We knew!

Failure in 11 plus months to remediate - improve the safety level is just that failure…Failure in this business of perceived public safety is not just for citizens of the US or Canada but is essentially confirmation that residents and Bahamians citizens are under threat of insecure surroundings and not as the Minister - Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner keep on trying to tell us.

Walkabouts of the top brass of the police do nothing - press comment after press comment from an over frowning minister does nothing if it is not felt and perceived and in the eyes of the US and Canada they don’t see it like we the residents also do not see it.

Purposely drove around yesterday in the constituencies west of Kemp Road - through St Barnabas and into Englerston - Black Village middle of the day did not see a single Police Patrol. How many patrol cars did we buy? Not a further $2 plus million worth? The patrol cars seem only used to get the police from a station to the scene of the crime after the public called in a 911 call!.

How many motorcycles were purchased? You only see them screaming through traffic escorting some VIP or after a big wig funeral with the new thing of the use of rental limo buses to move the families without any consideration of the public, where are they rushing to?

The use of sirens - a writer recalled his seeing the Commodore of the RBDF vehicle leaving a parade screaming through traffic - then there is the BMW, blacks SUV with CD plates - are we required to stop for them? Can someone with authority advise?

2019 had better see an improvement in the perception of public safety for us selfishly first because if we are safe then the visitors will also be and the alerts from the US and Canada will disappear - don’t blame them thank them as politically they are telling you on public safety you are failing, no failed…improve in 2019 please.

T J ALBURY

Nassau

December 30, 2018