by Jerome Pinder
The daily headlines continue to report on violent crimes, the most recent is Saturday’s headline (June 19th): “Homicide count hits 41 after man shot dead.
Prior to this disturbing headline, the Minister of National Security gave us an update on the status of our judicial system. It appears that every time the Minister speaks publicly about crime or our judicial system, he brings embarrassment to the current administration. We have 252 persons awaiting murder trials and 130 out on bail facing murder charges.
The MP for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador tells us that we have 20 years of work ahead of us, with the work load continuing to grow as the murder count grows. Then we can add in the 129 cases at the coroner’s court. Not to mention thousands of other minor cases.
To add insult to injury, the Junkanoo Minister wants to tell us that the criminal defence lawyers are to blame. What a sham! Clearly the Minister is in over his head, along with many of his Cabinet Colleagues. The criminal defence lawyers may manipulate the system, but then it is the Government’s responsibility to fix the system.
Neither of the Ministers above spoke to solving the problem or laying out a plan of action. As always, they seemed to try and cast blame elsewhere. It was only several months ago in the press that the Minister of National Security claimed that hangings would resume again. What another sham! As some would say “dey must think we fool.”
Since coming to office in 2007, the current Government has done next to nothing to tackle our broken justice system. We will hear the same old cry that Government cannot prevent crime. I couldn’t agree more, but Government can get the criminals off the streets and keep them off. They can ensure that the laws are enforced, so that people start respecting the laws.
To make matters worse, the PM feels that we only need 13 justices instead of 16. We need 16 justices just to handle the backlog of murder cases, putting aside all the other trials. We need no bail for those charged with murder and capital punishment to be carried out. This should have been the Government's priority two years ago, but better late than never.
At the very least, pitch a large tent on one of our vacant islands to house the 252 awaiting their murder trials. Feed sharks around the island to prevent any escapes, add a couple of patrol boats on top of this, and drop off a load of food and rations daily. One major problem solved with a limited budget.
Parliament could change the laws if they had the political will, but this administration appears to have lost the battle
About time for another commission on crime, don’t ya think?
Another case of expecting Government to cure the ills (that they allowed to exist in the first place, along with a complacent society)
Seriously, we need to revert to the rule of law, and yes, the Government needs to stop meddling in the judicial systems but at this point, recovering it is essentially not doable.
No one within the system has any compuntion to fix it, least of all the lawyers who can still make a buck whether the system works or not.
From top to bottom it is riddles with incompetence, graft, manipulation, deferrment, timidity and besides, some portions of the public have decided that justice is served by their own hand…….
So true Jerome.What is wrong with our PM, I mean, cutting back on judges ! How much more backward can we get ? For God & our country’s sake Mr.PM STOP this madness.My suggestion would be to cut all the MPs by half, cut all the cabinet ministers by half,they only do what the PM tells them anyway, then get 30 more judges to get rid of the back log in the courts.I do not expect the government to solve crime, but I do at the very least expect them to punish the offenders of it. I tried to make an appointment a couple of weeks ago with the police chief & I was spoken to in a very rude & obnoxious manor by a police that would not even give me his name, all this under our “New & Improved” police chief.I can also tell you that someone I know went down to the AG’s office to try & find out about a murder trial & they were spoken to in a very rude & abrupt manor by someone is is supposed to be in charge !I’m sorry but I have little faith in any change in our situation, I think its going to get worse, apparently, this is just how the Bahamian people want it.
There has been a lot of noise on the weekend about Obama playing golf and the head of BP in England watching sailing races while the people in the gulf region are suffering because of the oil spill.
Well, the Bahamas is wallowing in crime and our PM will be in South Africa watching soccer. Should he not take some of his cabinet and their wives with him?
Good idea.
And don’t forget to take the Opposition too.
As Charles Krauthammer said in this article ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/27/AR2010052702988.html ) “Well, when you anoint yourself King Canute, you mustn’t be surprised when your subjects expect you to command the tides.”
I think we expect far too much of our political class.
After all, they’re like our society are they not?
Obama is going to finish off the US & Ingrahm is going to fish off the Bahamas.Say what you like about Bush, at least he would not even play a round of golf while he was sending soldiers in harms way, just because he knew that would not look right.Obama does not give a damn, apparently Ingrahm is not far behind.In my opinion, just leaving Turnquest in charge of National security is an injustice to our country.I think they think we are all just a bunch of dumb fools.
….maybe skip those First Class tickets to South Africa and budget in a few more judges… no wait… my bad…
The Government needs to stop corruption in the judicial systems but at this point, recovering it is essentially not doable.
Now the Bahamas is engaging in crime and our PM will be in South Africa watching soccer. Should he not take some of his cabinet and their wives with him?