Chairman of the Free National Movement Sidney Collie is bashing the Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage after he announced a decrease in crime, stating that the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) solutions are not working.
On Tuesday during his contribution to the 2016/2017 budget debate, the National Security Minister announced that crime is down by 29% compared to last year around this time.
“The PLP Government’s ‘solutions’ are not working as our sons and daughters are being killed on our streets daily,” he said.
“With another murder on Saturday we have seen five murders in five days since Minister Nottage gave his speech declaring that crime is down.”
Mr. Collie said that the minister who is protected at all times by police has no idea what crime is like nor does he care about how unsafe the Bahamian people feel under the current Christie led administration.
“Whether it is night or day – the Bahamian people do not feel safe inside or outside their homes,” he said.
“If you look at the national crime for all Bahamas in the first half of this year, from January 1-June 14, there are 22% less murders than there were a year ago, 9% less attempted murder, attempted rape 38% less, armed robbery 21% less. This is the effect of some of the strategies we have adopted,” the minister said.
“Burglaries are down 48% percent house breaking is down 34% stealing 35%, stealing from vehicles 39%, stealing of vehicles 17%.”
“This is the effect of some of the strategies we have implemented.”
Over the last week since the minister’s announcement, there have been four murders in the capital, along with a major drug bust.
“Two weeks ago the ‘Minister of National Security’ was explaining away a weekend of multiple murders as ‘unusual’ before a chorus of backlash from the people forced him to backtrack. And just this week he declared that crime is down, yet every day this week the news has been filled with more brutal murders,” Mr. Collie said.
“On the very day he gave this speech two more Bahamian sons were viciously gunned down. This PLP Government hides behind statistics but refuses to face the mother that lost her son, or the young lady that was sexually assaulted, and tell them that things are getting better and that they should feel safe.”
Two weeks ago the minister received backlash after he referred to two crimes on a Sunday as usual. Many persons viewed his comments as insensitive and uncaring about the current crime situation in The Bahamas
“We in the FNM believe our people are more than numbers. To the PLP those that are murdered on our streets are just numbers, to the FNM they are tragic victims of a leaderless government that spends more time on numbers than on truly solving problems,” Mr. Collie said.
