The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THE “Clear, Hold, Build” crime strategy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis revealed on Friday is largely similar to the plan he disclosed at the start of the year.

Some Englerston residents and business owners expressed scepticism about the plan, as some questioned the government’s ability to bring real innovation to its strategy.

The strategy is being implemented in Englerston first because of an increase in violent crimes, including murders and armed robberies.

While the “Clear, Hold, Build” initiative is presented as a renewed effort, many elements — such as the focus on law enforcement and disruption tactics — mirror the previously disclosed approach. Repeated strategies include increased police patrols, technology like CCTV, drones, and ShotSpotter systems, and targeting stash houses and gang leaders.

Nikita Burrows, who operates a printing shop in Englerston, expressed scepticism toward the government’s crime strategies, calling the approaches reactive rather than proactive.

“I personally feel like everything has to start from the schools, opening up different counselling and things because there’s so much hurt,” she said.

Pastor DW Dorsett, a long-time stakeholder in the area, said: “I haven’t seen any police officers walking on Balfour [Avenue] for several months. It’s possible that they passed through when I wasn’t here. Some days I leave early, and it could have been the very time police made their presence known, but I haven’t seen it.”

He welcomed police involvement, adding: “We want to be friends with the police, working hand in hand with them and the government of The Bahamas for the betterment of all.”

Assistant Superintendent McKell Pinder, who leads the Englerston Urban Renewal initiative, hailed the government’s ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ strategy during a walkabout of the area as an effort to help residents feel safer by clearing hazardous properties linked to criminal activity. Part of the plan includes engaging the community through feeding programmes, after-school mentorships, and partnerships with schools to address underlying social issues.

While she acknowledged police efforts in clearing dangerous areas, Pinder emphasised the importance of community involvement and ongoing maintenance for lasting change in Englerston.

“We feed seniors every week,” she said. “We have an after-school programme at our center. We also have a mentorship programme and work closely with the schools, especially with our young people and the primary school. We are proactive in what we’re doing, and this is ongoing every day for us here in Englerston.”