Minister of National Security Marvin Dames revealed on Tuesday that enforcing a curfew for Abaco is still an option he’s still considering and a determination will be made based on assessments.

“Nothing is off the table.  You know our job is to ensure that the people and the residents of Abaco are secure and safe and we will do whatever we need to do to certainly guarantee that,” Dames said. 

However, Opposition Leader Philip Davis called the curfew “a knee-Jerk reaction” and maintained at a Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) press conference on Tuesday that he objects to the idea.

 “I don’t whether curfew is the answer. I think the answer is responding to the needs that’s out there for the people,” Davis explained. 

“If they’re desperate, they are prone to do desperate things. So I think we need to be addressing the cause of desperation.  I think the answer to that cause is responding to their needs. So I think there has to be a response to the needs of the people on Abaco and then once your respond to that need, then I think law and order will just take its course.”  

More opposition came from the governing party as Chairman of the Free National Movement’s (FMN) Central and South Abaco Constituency Branch Victor Patterson told a local newspaper that he wanted Dames to resign over “weak security” on the island. 

Dames said he understands the sensitivity of the issue and wants to be careful in handling the matter. He asserted that boots are on the ground working and asked member of the public to make their concerns known.

“The police and the defence force continue to work these settlements throughout Abaco and Grand Bahama as well as throughout the cays and I continue to say if you have a concern with security then we have a place where you can go and the numbers were shared to share those concerns,” the minister insisted.

“It’s not productive to any of us if we just take to social media and just blame to police without reporting the matter.”