BAHAMAS Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff
By JADE RUSSELL
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Christian Council President Bishop Delton Fernander said yesterday the recent spate of murders is cause for great concern, adding “we’ve really allowed this kind of activity to get out of hand”.
Bishop Fernander said: “It is of great concern the number of murders that the country is experiencing.
“As a church and as the community of faith we want to join forces and we believe it’s time for all the pillars of society to join forces. After that we can come back to what is now at a place where we’ve never had it before. The church is willing and has joined forces with the crime commission (and) Urban Renewal,” he said.
Bishop Fernander added that there needs to be more of a national focus.
“People are doing things in silos and they’re doing great things, but we got to do it together now and focus on it like we’ve focused on AIDS, HIV, and all those things we focused on as a nation. It is now time for us to take this by the horns before it destroys the peace and tranquility that we have in The Bahamas.”
When asked what was his reaction to all of the killings, Bishop Fernander responded: “If the data is right, then we’ve really allowed this kind of activity to get out of hand. And now even the public at large is vulnerable because predominantly these young men are not only killing each other, but they are doing it in such violent ways and using high powered weapons.”
Bishop Fernander said he will pray for both the nation and that its young men can be rescued from a life of crime.
Meanwhile, activist Khandi Gibson of Families Of All Murder Victims, said the violence is taking a toll on communities.
She said this year’s current murder count of 74, could be on pace to meet or surpass the death toll of 2015, which saw 146 murders recorded.
For her part Ms Gibson said the country has a major crime problem on its hands.
Ms Gibson told The Tribune the murder rate is greatly damaging the communities while leaving a lot of trauma for the families and children involved.
She said: “They don’t understand the traumatic effect of it. I have a young guy who is in Sandilands right now because his twin brother got killed and he couldn’t take the pressure of that. I’ve seen mothers who had healthy bodies deteriorate and some even died and didn’t get closure for their loved one’s murder.
Ms Gibson said generations of families are being plagued by murders, adding that retaliation killings must stop.
“Our communities are turning into cemeteries. (I) don’t care who we vote in or vote out, no minister of national security has the answer on crime, so we can take that out of our head. The MP’s ain’t fighting, they ain’t killing up themselves, it ain’t a white on a white, it’s black on black in our country.”
She also said: “It’s like let the bad guys kill the bad guys and soon everything will be done with, we can’t take that approach. When someone drops another bad man arrives.”
Ms Gibson stressed this is the time for people to come together and put their best efforts forward in hopes of finding some kind of resolution.
“I can’t say what the answer is because the police don’t even know what the answer is,” she noted.
Comments
carltonr61 2 years, 4 months ago
Apparently the mandate on the streets among friends and associates is unforgiving and condemned to death in a an expectant selectivity of give and take - an eye for an eye. Among the circle of betrayal are spies and informants in a orgy of death pornography and revenge. Many persons are sealed to a fate of vengeance killing and then also themselves become condemned to the same vicious fate circle. The unknown mystery is how these young people get involved on entering company with the wrong crime grouping. Who oversees these young people, profit or turn a blind eye on the entry level. When kids bring cash for bills and property that parents accept. For those already involved there is no way out but death as the grime reaper will tap on their shoulders. Parents must persuade their kids toward fear of God, painful sacrifice, not watching what others have gambling for instant gratification, hard work, education, honest living, living by example and consequences.
JokeyJack 2 years, 4 months ago
People are frustrated wearing masks. Angry. Oxygen deprived. Brain damage leading to unusual levels of despair, frustration, and anger. Many are unable to control these gigantic feels.
When you mask it, you may cause someone else to need a casket. Look at the incredible rise in school shootings and other ahootings in USA.
Masks MAY play a large role in these deaths.
John 2 years, 4 months ago
There are only three islands in The Bahamad that are having frequent Covid cases. No reason why the mask mandate should not be canceled fully on all other islands. No reason why it shouldn’t be relaxed on the other islands as to not be required outdoors except in commercial spaces and large gatherings.
carltonr61 2 years, 4 months ago
The WHO policy of social suicide lockdown desensitized generations. Being only isolated to a smart device for two years in a home prison where there was zero human affection, love and response just a craving for freedom, desperation for the sunlight and beach food insecurity and deprived of academic or social education many of our young impressionable youths are brain hard wired for Covid policy lifestyle and knowing no other way of life are stuck in a forged, traumatized, desensitized reality for ever. Maybe they played violent video games for two years and hate life and this world inspired by the soulless computer man.
The_Oracle 2 years, 4 months ago
Who has been in charge of our society for the last 50 years? We have. We may not have consciously planned to arrive at this point, but we sure have done everything and allowed everything to get us to this point. We are still operating from a position of trying to catch up, as opposed to leaping ahead in order to deal with it head on. The real issue to be aware of is the potential loss of freedoms, which history will teach can, and usually does, become permanent. At the root of it all? Lack of enforcement over the last 50 years. Al the little rules discarded, overlooked, even all the new rules written to overcome OUR failure as a society to observe the rules, also unenforced. A mole hill can indeed become a mountain.
sheeprunner12 2 years, 4 months ago
Sad to say this, but 95% of our Bahamian clergyfolk are just like Eli & his sons. God will judge them in like manner.
The so-called Christian Council aka 242Sanhedrin bosses have been weighed & found wanting. They do not stand for the righteousness that they say (loudly) with their mouths. They prefer to bow at the feet and hail Caesar.
DWW 2 years, 4 months ago
talk talk talk but no walk walk walk hey? Communities improve communities. it starts at home. it starts with less teen pregnancy. it starts with good open and real sex education and promotion of contraceptives, but have you ever heard of a church preaching to wear a condom? Does the church provide a safe place for curious teens to learn about life? are we leaving it to the internet and porn to teach our youngsters about their body? What about anger management? Does the church (or fernander's church) teach about forgiveness and non-violence or does he spit from the pulpit about evil and punishment and eye for an eye? Perhaps re-examine the role the church has played in denial and profit to the detriment of the society? He proposes not a single actual solution but plays like he wants to be your MP with lots of high falutin words without any substance. Next!
hrysippus 2 years, 4 months ago
We live in a country wre women are forced to give birth to unplanned and unwanted children. Some of these children grow up with love or adequate care. It is not surprising that as adults they do not know how to love and care for others. An unexamined belief in a compromised religion has paid a large role in our national development. Not usually a good role.
hrysippus 2 years, 4 months ago
Should read; without love or adequate care.
pro_test 2 years, 4 months ago
The only solution right now is automatic jail time for being in a gang, we know they're going to commit a crime why the hell we waiting for it. Time to get tuff.
Sickened 2 years, 4 months ago
God has sent these sinners and murders to test our will. Finally the church has found its voice. hopefully it finds its legs as well and stands up to cast these evil doers to hell. Maybe they can preach some sense into the parents of these criminals as they are staring from the pews every f'in sunday!
John 2 years, 4 months ago
It is said that DEAD MEN CAN’T TALK, but what if they could? What if persons that were murdered or even gunned by the police could come back and give their side of the story? How many may prove themselves to be innocent? How many will ‘plead the fifth,’ and say they don’t know what they were killed for? In fact, they don’t even know the person(s) that gunned them down.
. . And so the lack of communication and one sided reporting may be a powerful weapon in making crime and murder especially successful.
mandela 2 years, 4 months ago
As long as we are not able to stop guns from coming into the country or the mindset of our youths, our little darlings, the below D-average youths of today, crime, particularly shootings will increase steadily.
John 2 years, 4 months ago
Stricter gun laws in the US makes it more difficult for illegal firearms to get on the streets of New Providence and other places. NINETY NINE PERCENT of weapons used to commit crimes in The Bahamad are illegal weapons. And, according to the outgoing commissioner of police, most can be traced back to Florida, Georgia or Texas. Coincidentally three US states that are also frequented by Bahamians.
John 2 years, 4 months ago
America doesn’t want to stop the gun trade because it is big business, especially overseas. But illegal weapons are also the fuel for murders. Which other countries are weapons found in the Bahamas made in? If The Bahamas and other Caribbean countries can keep millions of tourists from the US and other countries safe, then why can’t these same countries keep their own citizens from being murdered, almost wholesale. With over 300 incidents of mass shootings already this year, America will have no choice but to strengthen its gun laws from manufacturing to possession.
themessenger 2 years, 4 months ago
The thing that many seem to be overlooking in all this diatribe; guns don’t kill, people do! What the authorities and clergymen need to do is figure out how to alter the mindset of our young people and rectify the socioeconomic issues that have for the past 50 years caused them to choose the life of crime. Actions speak louder than prayers Bishop!
Sickened 2 years, 4 months ago
And automatic weapons kill a lot of people very quickly.
carltonr61 2 years, 4 months ago
We are at war against a terror mindset that have caused and will cause harm once they are armed. Sad that our Police could be charged with murder during this war against gun terrorists against our social health and tourist economy.
SP 2 years, 4 months ago
The Bahamas finds itself where it is today after 50 years of asinine political stupidity!
Successive governments' total failure in education, immigration, training, and development leave the majority of Bahamians behind to fight for crumbs and struggle on the streets for survival while foreigners enjoy the fat of the land.
The clergy class is so busy patronizing and kissing politicians backsides they are unable to mount any level of constructive criticism. Instead, they stand around playing on words with meaningless connotations, just constant blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!
It took 50 years of multifaceted political stupidity to reach this point. Until the PLP and FNM admit they'er failed policies and seriously set about finding ways to reverse the results we now call reality, crime will continue spiraling out of control and the Bahamas will end up like Jamaica. They can continue sticking their heads up each other's backsides and playing dumb to the facts. Nothing will change.
The notion that failed parenting is responsible for our problems is a 100% government cop-out. Politics brought us here and only politics can change our course.
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