Although the Christie administration is "pleased" with the progress it's making in the fight against crime, it understands that progress is not enough, given the nation's persistent murder rate, according to Minister of Labour and National Insurance Shane Gibson.
Gibson, who spoke to reporters in the wake of a shooting incident in his constituency that left one man dead and five others in hospital, said crime is not unique to The Bahamas and everyone has to "put [their] heads together" to find solutions.
"I watch the U.S. television every day," he said. "I watched where a family of nine -- somewhere in the U.S. -- was executed at different locations.
"I watch Miami news where there's a huge problem right now with gun violence. Every morning I turn on ABC, I see killings in the U.S. Every morning. Every morning without fail.
"I don't know if there's something in the air; I don't know what it is about young people - and I see we've not been spared here in The Bahamas. I don't think what's happening here in The Bahamas is unique to The Bahamas. I think if you pick up the paper anywhere in the world, it's a huge problem - crime and violence."
On Tuesday night, a group of people was standing in Sunshine Park when a gunman in a white Honda Legend fired shots before speeding off, police said. Five men and one women were taken to hospital, where one of the men died.
"My heart bleeds for the family," Gibson said of the shooting. "I'm really sympathetic to those family members who continue to be affected by the impact of crime in our communities. I think we just have to get together and find solutions."
Gibson thinks more programs should be put in place that "capture the imagination and the time and energy of young persons" whom he says have too much "idle time" on their hands. He pointed to the Christie administration's Urban Renewal Programme as one example.
"We've made significant progress with Urban Renewal," he said. "If you look at the marching band, if you look at those hundreds of young persons who are now involved in Urban Renewal in one way or the other, you ask yourself the question, what would they be doing had it not been for Urban Renewal?
"Even though we are very concerned about what's going on, we're also equally pleased with the progress we're making. [But] obviously the progress is not enough because if one life is lost, it's one life too many."
In opposition, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) blamed crime on "poor governance".
Ahead of the 2012 general election, the PLP erected billboards highlighting the high murder count under the Ingraham administration. The billboards said there were 490-plus murders in that five-year period under the FNM. Since the PLP was elected, there have been 499 murders.
Since the start of 2016, 42 murders have been recorded.
Dana Smith, Guardian Staff Reporter
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