The Tribune

THE fight against crime should not need to be a partisan matter. Reducing the number of murders in particular should be a goal that we all strive towards together.

Of course, that has not always been what has happened. Current Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis infamously defended the PLP putting up billboard signs in 2012 displaying the number of murders, saying “We cannot hide the truth”.

Mr Davis is now the man tasked with dealing with the murders that plague our nation. Last year, there were more than 100 murders. The year before, there were more than 100 murders. This year has started out with more murders than days so far.

Yesterday, as he addressed members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force at a church service, Mr Davis talked of the numbers of deaths this year, saying that “something has indeed gone very, very wrong in our society”.

But what of solutions? His party’s Blueprint for Change ahead of the last election was very light in how the PLP would address crime. There are just three mentions – a pledge to “enhancing crime fighting methodologies in our aggressive war against crime”, a section that says the PLP will ensure “that the necessary reforms are executed for a safe Bahamas” and to “introduce research-based analysis and policies on countering anti-social behaviour, violence and crime”, and in a section on disaster recovery in Abaco to “address increased levels of crime with proven, effective crime management measures”.

At yesterday’s service, Mr Davis asked the question himself “what can we do?”

He talked of having recruited more police officers. But that is what have we done, not what can we do. That hasn’t stopped the current wave of murders.

He talked of having strengthened control of our borders to reduce the illegal trafficking of people and firearms – again, this is in the past, not what is in the future.

One thing that is new is that he talked of how in recent months there has been a “strategic initiative” to implement a “whole government response” to tackling gang crime. Apparently, we will hear more in coming weeks.

We have heard of anti-gang initiatives in the past that seemed to take forever to start – the violence interrupter scheme for example that recruited individuals such as Carlos Reid and Rodney Moncur. A report on the status of that project would be helpful.

And then Mr Davis asked the Christian Council to consider a national day of prayer.

We have been praying long and hard for an end to violence already – the prayers will be welcome, but as the saying goes, the Lord helps those who help themselves.

We have long seen measures in place such as saturation patrols – but what do we do next in the face of ongoing high levels of murder?

Tomorrow, the Police Commissioner will address the recent killings in a briefing. He has recently said that officers need to go back to the table to determine new strategies.

Solutions do exist. Look at New York, which has experienced sizeable drops in violent and serious crime.

We should leave no stone unturned in our search for those solutions and ways to implement them here.

And that should be a matter for all sides to come together to achieve.