The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) former leader yesterday suggested that “the biggest crime in this country” is the cost of living crisis that is continually squeezing middle class and lower income Bahamians.

Branville McCartney told Tribune Business that “the quality of life is not what it should be or ought to be” as he asserted that the cost of crime is also worsening the impact of inflation for many.

Speaking after Prime Minister Philip Davis KC’s national address on crime on Sunday evening, he said that the cost of combating the potential threat to staff, patrons and the financial health of his family’s pharmacy, Wilmac’s, meant security-related expenses are the company’s second-highest expense after salaries.

“It’s been affecting the private sector for decades in terms of security systems that we have to put in place and hiring security guards,” Mr McCartney told this newspaper of crime-connected costs. “The security services we use are among the largest expenses of the pharmacy.

“Security services, next to salaries, that’s my biggest expense. Surveillance and security personnel. That is an expense a lot of businesses have to deal with on a daily basis and, unfortunately, it’s passed on to the consumer. Crime is expensive, very expensive and everybody pays for it. Everybody.

“It adds to the cost of living which, in itself, I think is a crime in this country. That’s the biggest crime we have in this country. The cost of living. It’s unsustainable, and what the Government is doing and not doing is causing businesses and the every-day man to just be in a position where the quality of life is not what it should be or ought to have been in this country.”

As for crime, Mr McCartney said nothing has changed for at least two decades. “When I was in charge of the crime prevention committee for the Chamber of Commerce 21 years ago it was the same issue. The same issue. Nothing has changed since then. This isn’t anything new,” he said of the present situation. “This shouldn’t have come as a surprise to the Prime Minister. It’s been going on for decades.”

The Halsbury Chambers law firm principal told this newspaper that the crime-fighting measures unveiled by Mr Davis are “the same old, the same old”, and are effectively repackaged and rebranded strategies employed by previous administrations.

“It’s the same thing that Perry Christie came out with. That’s all it is,” Mr McCartney said. “What happened? Nothing has happened since in terms of reducing crime in this country. The question after the Prime Minister’s speech is whether the country is still in fear of crime. I think it still is.

“It didn’t give us much comfort in terms of suggested solutions. They’ve been suggested before. The real test is whether they will be acted upon. I don’t think so. It’s not going to happen. There has to be some drastic measures taken. It’s enforcing the law - from the smallest to the most heinous crime. Enforce the penalties. As simple as littering. Sweat the small stuff to show we are serious.

“Talking won’t work. It sounded like the same old, same old to me. I do hope there is action based on what the Prime Minister said. I’m not encouraged by previous circumstances. We’re good at talking, but putting things into action is totally different. We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but it’s the same old, same old, same old. That’s the bottom line.”

The Prime Minister, in his speech, warned that more intrusive policing will form part of the response to the present murder rate and this “may make you late for your appointments, or delay plans you have, but this is a small price to pay for the collective benefit of having our streets made safer, and our lives less blighted by murder and other violent crimes”.