The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright said the government does not have a crime plan.

His comments came after Wednesday’s double homicide on Prince Charles Drive, which brought the country’s murder count to four.

“As we have exceeded the regretful milestone of 100 murders in our country yet again for two consecutive years, we join with Bahamians who are deeply concerned about the bloodbath occurring on the streets of the capital, while there seems no coordinated strategy by the government to stem it,” Mr Cartwright said in a press statement.

“Two years into the governance of the Davis administration, the population feels no more secure, despite the promises of the PLP to deal with crime. What has been the impact of the crime consultants? Why had there been no significant slowing of gun violence in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas?”

Mr Cartwright condemned the government’s handling of crime, noting in March 2022, the opposition party made 14 recommendations to tackle crime.

“The opposition has repeatedly echoed the sentiments of those calling for judges to limit bail to those who have been repeatedly accused of crimes but not yet brought to trial,” he said.

“We have also stated that we recognize that it would be a judicial, legislative and constitutional issue that the executive and Parliament must address. The government’s crime plan is non-existent and they are failing the Bahamian people.”

“After two years of the Davis administration, we see a deep commitment to optics by our executive, but little in the way of decisive action to deal with a consistent crime problem that threatens the Bahamian way of life.”

He urged the government to revisit bail legislation so the judiciary could be hesitant with granting bail in cases of murder and repeat offenders. Notably, the Minnis administration did not do this, and legal experts have repeatedly said courts would strike down such restrictions.

“The police force is just one part of a larger machinery dedicated to law and order in our society,” Mr Cartwright said.

“There is a constitutional right to apply for bail and learned judges are often frustrated by an overloaded system that does not function optimally.

“Law enforcement must be given the full support of the executive and the legislature and changing laws to better facilitate the operation of the system must be a part of the conversation.”