The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe on Friday expressed confidence in the government's crime plan despite the country's murder count surpassing 100 fatalities.

He told reporters that many of the nation’s murders are “domestic related” and mentioned introducing programmes to divert young people from crime.

The minister’s words came as police were aggressively investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of an adult male who was found with gunshot injuries to his upper body in southwestern New Providence on Thursday night.

Preliminary reports revealed that shortly after 9pm, police responded to information of a ‘dark male’ lying in the street at High Point Road off John F Kennedy Drive.

Responding officers summoned EMS personnel who confirmed there were no signs of life.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Criminal Investigation Department’s retreat on Friday, Mr Munroe gave a stern warning to individuals contemplating committing crimes and challenging police.

“Well, we don't think that magically the fellas involved in gang-banging are gonna stop because we reach 100,” he said. “We don't think that gangbangers were created overnight. We see them ranging in age now from 15 up to about 23-24.

“We are telling them, as it's been happening, if you insist on committing crime, the police are now out on saturation patrols; they will get you. If you choose to be foolish enough to produce a gun on the police, they will respond. The police are very aware that we have people who have no compulsion in taking life. And the one thing I encourage all officers is when you see these people who decide that they’re going to arm themselves, menace a society and produce a gun on the police. Could you imagine that - if you would shoot at the police, who would you not shoot at?

“And so we do not expect that miraculously anything that you can say to somebody who's willing to gun another fella down in the street is going to change their trajectory now. A lot of the murders are domestic related. People don't get along with people, people get aroused and suddenly decide to stab someone to death or shoot someone.”

In August, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said he was of the view that there was room to “finish the year strong”, not surpassing 100 murders this year. At that time, there had been 85 killings.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis on Wednesday said his government was introducing a broad range of policies to better protect Bahamians. He added that the government has already started several initiatives in this regard by recruiting more workers to law enforcement agencies among other measures.

Mr Munroe pointed to more assistance for law enforcement.

“The only persons who are going to turn the tide is us and so we're introducing programmes to divert young people from crime. We're giving the police more resources, more vehicles to be on the streets to get the people who decide they want to be menaces to society and, as we say, we do it holistically by introducing programmes so when you are in the prison we educate you for your release,” he explained.

“And so I said it from the beginning, there is no magic number. All over the world after lockdowns were lifted crime has gone up. So, that's the reality of it. It may be that we did not have programmes operating during COVID and so that is how a young boy who was 15, who was 11 not so long ago, who was in primary school not so long ago, can end up charged with three murders.”

The Freetown MP repeated that expanding the ShotSpotter initiative and work in Grand Bahama must be done because that island has experienced a “little uptick” in gun violence.

“We've expanded the range of body cameras, CCTV networks on a very practical level. There are other resource issues that we met in place that we’re moving to address,” he said.

Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson, officer-in-charge of CID, revealed that his department was presented with some of the more up-to-date equipment to carry out investigations.

He said he is encouraged every day by members of the public who are calling anonymously and coming in to see him personally.

Meanwhile, Mr Munroe said Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander and his team visited Abaco and Grand Bahama about a week or two ago, noting officials are not satisfied with the police accommodations in Marsh Harbour.

He said they would move to address that.

“There have been stations that were damaged. The police presence there. There are issues related to vehicles that we're moving to address, but with very little having been done in the two to three years since Dorian, we're now seeking to move at light speed to address it,” he said.

As for an estimated cost, he said: “Having a look at Marsh Harbour where the police are now - they can’t stay there. Their station was completely destroyed and in my estimation we’ll require a completely new police station for Marsh Harbour as that will be the divisional headquarters.

“It's likely to have to be a substantial building that can withstand hurricanes because we see that they come there. I would have no ideas about that until the plan is drawn, but it just has to happen.”