Despite the brutal murders of two teen boys over the weekend being followed by a construction worker being killed at his job on Monday,

National Security Minister Dr. Bernard Nottage is re-assuring the public that there has been a reduction in serious crime.

A view that is sure to raise some eyebrows, Dr. Nottage attributed the recent partnership between the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the police force as the primary factor.

His comments came while speaking to reporters outside of Cabinet yesterday morning.

“The agencies have been working very well together. They are extremely supportive of each other, generally speaking there has been in my view a considerable reduction in violent crime over the period since we have introduced the program.

“Then you have instances such as the one that happened over the weekend that throws us back some in our thinking,” Dr. Nottage said.

The national security minister added that officials are becoming perturbed with with the fact the ages of murder victims seems to be decreasing.

“Those of us who are familiar with the incidents of crime in the country in recent months would tell you that there has been a preponderance of relatively young persons (teenagers) involved in some of these crimes.

“Which indicates to us older men are taking advantage of these younger men in a sense entrapping them and giving them incentives to commit crimes that these older men do not want to commit themselves because they are afraid of the consequences,” Dr. Nottage said.

Thirteen-year-old Keishon Williams his cousin, 15-year-old Devonte Lindsey were found shot to death in a dirt road in Yellow Elder Sunday morning.

After the discovery of the bodies over the weekend, Prime Minister Perry Christie reflected on his government’s anti-crime efforts as he restated his administration’s commitment to stopping the “madness that has seemed to grip our country.”

Mr. Christie told reporters the increase in homicides is bigger than the Progressive Liberal Party, the Free National Movement (FNM) and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA).

He said everyone must come together to save the reputation and integrity of The Bahamas.

In the country’s latest homicide 40-year-old Anthony Neely of Avacado Street, Pinewood Gardens was gunned down while working on a construction site on Tonique Williams Darling Highway.

The murders were numbers 36, 37 and 38 respectively.

Police confirmed that the deceased was known to police and had been “in and out of the system” prior to his death, but officials say they have no motive for the killing.

Investigations are ongoing in both incidents.