The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe welcomed the support of the United States on combating gun trafficking – but warned it was not a solution on its own to the country’s crime problem.

Mr Munroe made his comments following last week’s visit by US Vice President Kamala Harris. She announced the appointment of a coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions at the US Department of Justice to help crack down on firearm smugglers.

“We still have a lot of guns here,” Mr Munroe said. “We have knives here, we have ways that people can kill other people. The ultimate answer to this is to work on stopping people going out and killing people.”

The minister said even if all the guns were effectively removed in the country, there are still people with the intention to kill.

Asked if he was pleased with the efforts of the US on gun trafficking, Mr Munroe said, “Yes, of course.”

Mr Munroe noted that Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis had said that despite the constitutional right to bear arms in the US, that does not mean guns should be trafficked to The Bahamas.

“He has pointed out to them that any right that they have in America to actually have guns does not include a right to traffic guns illegally to The Bahamas. And this is one indication that they’re listening to him because this is a positive response to it,” Mr Munroe said.

Mr Munroe added that he attended the bilateral meeting with the US last week, along with the other multilateral meetings.

In terms of combating crime, Mr Munroe explained he wants a more collaborative approach from Bahamians in being a part of the solution.

“The police are finding firearms, high-powered rifles in homes with young men and other persons - mothers, sisters, brothers. We all have to become a part of this fight.

“Because if their sons get involved in this street life, then eventually the statistics show that they are the ones not only who are committing the murders, but who are the victims of the murder. So, we just can’t sit back and say it’s for the police to do this, it’s for the Americans to do this. I stress in order for us to stop people killing people we have to work on the attitude in the person.”

He continued: “What we’re seeing coming out of the pandemic is the age of people doing this is falling as well. So, we have to pay attention to our young men. They are the perpetrators, and they are the victims.”

Vice President Harris co-hosted a US-Caribbean leaders meeting on June 8 with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, the chairman of CARICOM.