Mr. Perry Christie (PLP), Prime Minister of The Bahamas seems to have conceded that Urban Renewal 2.0 is not the answer to our nations crime problems after two more murders took place on Tuesday past.
According to The Tribune "the Prime Minister said his administration is “tasked” with finding a formula that will not only sustain law and order, but inspire young Bahamians to understand their heritage."
Hmmm, I thought they had that formula before the last election? Or do we now have Urban Renewal 3.0 on the horizon?
But all fun and jokes aside, I'm no sociologist nor psychiatrist, but I know the rhetoric we're getting is not the solution. If political parties must get involved all they need to do is agree that crime is a national issue that affects all Bahamian's, FNM's and PLP's alike, and work together for possible solutions.
The Police should receive the resources they need, but that notwithstanding, individuals, churches, Junkanoo, political community offices and other community groups should step up and help resolve the crime problems in their areas. Not by trying to arrest law breakers of course, but if it means – to use a phrase considered derogatory these days – pimping on their friends or family members that do wrong is where we have to start.
Many Bahamians were brought up in the knowledge that reporting on each other for stealing, cheating and even littering were important aspects to help maintain a civil society. But it seems like we're losing the will to help keep other in check.
Corruption in every sphere of society, from the Police and politicians to Civil Servants and the general public, must also be rooted out.
At the end of the day the country needs more than wishful thinking that a political promise will solve crime. Society needs to take the bull by the horns, individual by individual, group by group, street by street, block by block and subdivision by subdivision until the genie of crime gets put back into it's lantern.
Yes, as much as the government should be judged on their failed policies, and Urban Renewal 2.0 might be one, the issue of crime is too important to abandon our personal responsibility to each other.
So Mr. Christie, and by extension, The Bahamas, has a real conundrum that will not be solved by finger pointing.
Perhaps they are finally going to realize that there are many things the government can not and should not legislate to get outcomes, morality being one of them. Until there is a shift in the collective consciousness of the Bahamian people in regards to personal responsibly, crime will continue to escalate regardless of sermons, committees and political rhetoric. There has to be an urgency of the people, but there is no urgency because too many have become accustomed to simply waiting for the government to react. So the crippling effects of the entitlement policies which have been perpetuated by all government institutions since the inception of independence are being realized now. We are living the ill effects of pandering to the irrationality and ignorance of the voter rather than promoting and executing what is good for the country.
Right on Lotus & write on Lotus.
Thanks.
Primary schools teach children to tell the teacher when there is an issue with another student, not to deal with it themselves,
High Schools teach the Kids to buck up and stop snitching….. work it out yourselves…..
The preachers admonish us to be faithful, lawful, moral, honest people,
While being related to more of the younger congregation than they’d like to admit….
While we watch them and politicans ride above the law,
openly stealing, fleecing people, being unethical and getting away with it.
Anyone else see the mixed message?
I see the PM now blaming the U.S. for deporting Bahamians back to the Bahamas,
Are they not Bahamians? Whether being there unlawfully, or after being incarcerated for criminal activity, They are Bahamians.
This is by arrangement with the U.S. which was rightly concerned that no U.S. citizen have to endure Fox Hell hole.
That Bahamians have to is our problem.
Bahamians do not want to come back and do their time in Fox Hill, they might not survive it!
I’m starting to think Perry Christie has the I.Q. of Joe Biden!
Give credit where credit is due, guys.
If something (Urban 2.0) isn’t working, then the Prime Minister should and must be willing to change it. Crime is a difficult social problem with clear links to the economic situation in an area.
Therefore to find the right solution (including many of the things suggested above), it will require active experimentation until we get the right mix in place, starting with a correct labelling of initiatives.
Credit where it’s due?
How can we credit political slogans?
The PLP started Urban Renewal in 2006 I think it was. The FNM continued it, changed the name slightly, increased funding and locations.
The PLP changed the name to Urban Renewal 2.0 and increased funding dramatically and what’s changed?
The point is if society keeps sitting back waiting for political slogans and dumping money will fix it, we’re in for an even longer road of crime getting worse before it gets better.
S3S, well done on you trying to throw a positive spin on what is a disgraceful, negative situation.. Yet, Rick is correct in pointing out that nothing really has been accomplished only a renaming and funding of a program that has made no meaningful impact upon the our growing crime rate.. This approach by government is right out of Stephen Potter’s “Gamesmanship” and “One Upmanship” highlighting the folly of the inability of government to address the fundamental causes of our nation’s failings.. Nothing has happened in the last forty years except the consolidation and abuse of political power and control by government over the Bahamian people.. Why should we expect more over the next forty years but more of the same old political gamesmanship..
See: http://www.weblogbahamas.com/blog_bahamas/2012/06/one-little-country-facing-many-giant-evils-crime-in-the-spotlight.html
Or perhaps it should be run all over again; I put a ‘positive spin’ on very little in our troubled country!
Now Christie wants to “Talk” to gang members,are you kidding me you don’t negotiate with terrorists & that is what they are.