Former Chairman of the National Advisory Council on Crime Bishop Simeon Hall said the criminals are "laughing" at the government's recent crime strategies announced by Prime Minister Perry Christie on Monday.
"I'm not sure that those [initiatives] did very much to send fear or to make a would-be criminal tremble," he told The Nassau Guardian during an interview at New Covenant Baptist Church yesterday.
"...Obviously, the criminals scoffed at Mr. Christie's 20-point plan because within hours they just went ahead and did what they wanted to do."
Hall was referring to the four murders that took place in the days after Christie revealed the plan to "escalate" the war on crime.
Another murder occurred on Taylor Street last night -- the third for 2014.
Many of the ideas are already in place or are plans the government previously promised to implement.
Christie said police will target prolific offenders, especially those on bail, and establish a gang unit.
He said the Ministry of Works has been given instructions to "work around the clock" to complete the refurbishment of additional criminal courts so that 10 facilities will be able to operate simultaneously.
The government will also expand New Providence's CCTV coverage; expand the use of reserve officers; accelerate the training of police recruits; expand the use of plainclothes officers and adopt a "strike force" strategy.
Other plans include the introduction of legislation aimed at career criminals with stiffer penalties for gun crimes and trafficking, witness intimidation and other serious crimes.
The government is also considering a gun amnesty and a special court for firearm cases.
But Hall said the country needs to take a more "serious national approach to this nightmare".
He said despite pronouncements of swift justice, repeat offenders are not afraid to go to jail.
Hall said the fact that many of the more than 100 murders committed in 2013 were allegedly committed by people already known to police clearly shows that the judiciary is nearing the edge of irrelevance.
"It is clear that some [people] in our society are impervious to whatever the laws of the land state," Hall said.
"They are indifferent to the best efforts of the church and the work of other civic groups. Such [people] do not respond to the best of civil society and must be put away for a lifetime."
Hall said the fear index is at its highest.
He called for all political parties to meet in a national conclave to develop a 10- to 15-year plan.
Hall said the fight must include more than just politicians. He said the Bahamian people must become more involved by providing police with information and turning in their criminal relatives.
The murder count stood at 120 at the end of 2013.

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