Chairman of the Free National Movement (FNM) Senator Michael Pintard said he believes the biggest issue the country is currently faced with is the rampant problem of crime.

As a guest on popular radio talk show Jones and Co. on Sunday, the opposition’s chairman said in addition to crime, the administration of law and order is another current issue that has flooded the national headlines.

However, Senator Pintard said crime is not a political issue, but should be handled by the government.

“I think the FNM officials have been consistent and I don’t remember any of our members in the upper or lower house contending crime as a political issue,” he said.

“We as a people need to properly socialize our children and groom them and even correct them. It starts with the family. We have some grave concerns as it regards to how Bahamian families are evolving but to the extent that the government is not providing for example, the appropriate pieces of legislation or policies or programmes to impact the behaviour of people who would otherwise fall through the cracks or continue to commit crime. Only in that sense it becomes political.”

Senator Pintard said government officials play an important part in the alleviation of crime.

He said the time for some cabinet members has long expired and called for them to either step up or step down.

“What is missing is the will of government officials,” he said.

“And that is who we need to complete a number of these initiatives. There is really an absence of ideas. There are a number of political figures whose time has simply come and gone and they need to either move along or get engaged in assisting Bahamians with furthering this country. Overall, I think the absence of will and the absence of creative ideas on dealing with issues, moreover, crime is why we have these issues.”

Senator Pintard said he believes that the root of crime is within the home.

He called for parents to show more involvement with their children to assist with crime prevention in the country.