National Congress of Trade Unions of The Bahamas (NCTUB) President John Pinder yesterday blasted what he views as the lack of action by the government over the high crime rate, and charged that officials need to do more to prevent illegal guns from entering The Bahamas.
"Ninety percent of the murders we had were committed by people with guns," Pinder said.
"We have a problem with illegal guns and ammunition entering our country. I don't think we are doing enough.
"We need to do more to find these weapons and take them out of the hands of would be criminals."
According to police, 377 firearms and 7,401 rounds of ammunition were seized this year.
"It always saddens me the amount of murders that are taking place in our country," Pinder said.
There have been 115 murders for the year so far.
"Crime is cheap, but freedom is very expensive," Pinder said.
"You get yourself in trouble and what will it cost to get out of that trouble? Thousands of dollars."
Pinder charged that the failure of officials to enforce all of the country's laws has led to a lack of faith in the justice system.
Opposition Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis has said the failure to properly enforce laws is a key reason for the high crime rate.
On Thursday, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade admitted that police have to do more to stem the tide of violence.
"There is a spirit of conflict that prevails where nobody wants to take, as we used to say in school, last, and if you wronged me, people want to take that to death," Greenslade added.
"That is why those numbers are so high."

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