In a sense, it was – as the saying now goes – déjà vu all over again this week-end past for any number of nurses and other medical personnel at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

As in another instance some years ago, these people found themselves in the bloody middle of gunfire and mayhem as one man in police custody allegedly turned the tables on his guard.

As a consequence, one police officer is today nursing serious wounds to his face and jaw. In addition, there is today also any number of terrified nurses who –as it were – looked Death itself in the face.

This is all so very sad.

Indeed, we are today obliged to remember that other time when in a similar scene, gun-men brought their nasty selves to a surgical ward in the hospital as they strove to complete what we learned just happened to be some kind of ‘botched’ hit.

In that dread instance, one nurse – Joan Lunn – was killed.

As we now recall, the news at the time indicated that, “…Charges against two men implicated in the murder of Nurse Joan Lunn have been amended to include conspiracy to murder Anthony Saunders, whom she was tending at the time…”

Indeed, we also remember that, “… Nurse Lunn was killed on July 7, 2001 in the Private Surgical Ward of the Princess Margaret Hospital as she was tending to Mr. Saunders…”

It is also to be noted that, “…The new charges read to the defendants were as follows:

“That you Kendon Brown are charged with conspiracy to commit murder. It is alleged that you on Saturday July 7, 2001 conspired with Monte Thompson to kill Anthony Saunders; and that, you Monte Thompson are charged with conspiracy to commit murder. That you on Saturday July 7, 2001 conspired with Kendon Brown to kill Anthony Saunders…”

Eleven years later, the bloody beat continues.

While these kinds of blood-drenched crimes do routinely make the news the fact remains that, there are other crimes that are also having their dread impact on this nation’s economy and society.

As we have previously reported, “…The United States Department of State has rated the crime threat level in New Providence in The Bahamas as “critical” and “high” in Grand Bahama…”
The Embassy also notes that, “…New Providence Island, in particular, has experienced a spike in crime that has adversely affected the traveling public,” said the Bahamas 2012 Crime and Safety Report, which was recently released. “Armed robberies, property theft, purse snatchings, and general theft of personal property remain the most common crimes against tourists. There has been a dramatic increase in general crimes in 2011.”

It added: “In previous years, most violent crimes involved mainly Bahamian citizens and occurred in ‘Over-the-Hill’ areas, which are not frequented by tourists.

They also point to the fact that there were numerous incidents reported that involved tourists or have occurred in areas in tourist locations. These incidents have specifically occurred in the downtown areas, to include the cruise ship dock (Prince George Wharf) and the Cable Beach commerce areas…”

Here we underscore the fact that, “…The US Embassy has received reports of assaults, including sexual assaults, in diverse areas such as casinos, outside hotels, or on cruise ships. In several incidents, the victim had reportedly been drugged…” the report said.

This is surely cause for each and every Bahamian; this because of the fact that home-grown thugs have decided to – as it were – tear this nation’s social fabric down to the last thread.

Evidently, the question that still arises has to do with finding that formula that can in the shortest period of time bring some relief to this scourge.

In addition, urgent attention must be put on sorting things out.

In other words, we must – as a people united in service and in love- drain the swamps that now breed and harbor the social pests that would – if given the chance – destroy everything civilized in their feral path.

Indeed, were more Bahamians predisposed to looking in on some of the matters that routinely make the news in Jamaica, we are quite certain that they would be struck by the number of similarities between them and their Bahamian counterparts.

Of greatest significance would be the extent to which gun-violence has become endemic in both countries.

There is also that drugs connection that links Jamaica to a Bahamas that has become a hub for the movement of ganja and other-such contraband to markets in the United States of America.

The bottom line is surely that – we are to staunch the blood-shed and also build stronger and more honest societies in this region – we need more help from the United States of America.