The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

BISHOP Simeon Hall has called for a moratorium on murders, urging Bahamians and residents to “pray and trouble God’s throne for divine intervention” to halt killings for a period of 30 days.

The prominent pastor made the call yesterday in a press statement in which he implored Christians and those who fear God to combine their collective will, for what he called “divine favour,” to touch the hearts of men and women who attach no value on human life.

The call comes after a spate of killings; 10 people were killed between April 21 and May 9.

Among these killings are two double homicides and the stabbing death of a father-of-two, all of which occurred last week over a 15-hour period.

Bishop Hall, pastor emeritus at New Covenant Baptist Church, said: “And as faith without works is dead, after we pray, we must put feet to our prayers by turning in and on criminals. We should intercede for the good of our nation and not allow our political biases to hinder our prayers for our country’s peace and stability.

“It is a rank contradiction for parents or anyone to pray for peace in our land and then knowingly harbour criminals simply because familial ties or because they benefit directly from such behaviours.

“It is also incongruous to politicise the homicide rate and level of criminality in the country based only on which party currently is in office. A grieving mother is not comforted by statistics or by playing the blame game.

“Indeed, we should pray fervently, but every patriotic Bahamian who sees or is aware of something nefarious also must say something to the police or the authorities. ‘Evil always prospers when good men do nothing.’

“I call on all well-thinking people – Bahamians and residents, black and white, FNMs and PLPs, Catholics and Protestants – let us all come together as a collective to put the fear of God in the hearts of those who have no regard for their lives nor the lives of others.”

Following last week’s killings, Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson announced the creation of a special team “to look closely at certain persons”.

Speaking to reporters at a walkabout in Kemp Road last Thursday, he revealed he had assembled this team of officers to root the criminal element out.

While he didn’t go into details, Commissioner Ferguson went on to caution those who were “running all over the streets” that their days were numbered.

“There are persons who know of persons who have weapons and I think now would be the time for you to say to those persons put that gun down or go and turn it in. I’m not going to release all of what we have because when you go to the battleground you can’t let the enemy know what you are going to do.”

According to The Tribune’s records, there have been 28 murders so far this year.