Minnis: Crime smothering nation

Wed, Apr 2nd 2014, 10:37 AM

Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis said yesterday crime is "smothering" the nation despite Prime Minister Perry Christie's repeated statements that his government will arrest the problem.
There have been five murders in the country since Saturday.
"He said he was going to smother crime," Minnis

said. "It looks like crime is coming to smother us."
He called on the government to re-establish the dedicated gun court which was established by the Ingraham administration.
"That no longer exists and gun cases are mixed with other cases which means that there can be delays," Minnis said.
"And the criminals know this, that their cases will not [be heard] in an expeditious manner."
He also urged the government to ensure greater restrictions are placed on people on bail for serious crimes.
Minnis suggested they be placed under house arrest.
He said something has to be done so that defendants are not committing new crimes while awaiting trial.
"That is an area that has to be dealt with and would resolve a lot of the issues that we face," he said. "That must be dealt with as quickly as possible."
Minnis said the government must enforce existing laws, create jobs and support social programs to lower crime.
During an open house and exhibition at the Government Printing Department on Old Trail Road on Friday, Christie said the government will dedicate more resources to law enforcement and social intervention programs.
"I am continuing to dedicate resources to the police force because I intend to smother, to smother and suffocate this bad behavior," he said.
"At the same time [I will] continue to dedicate resources to holistic programs of Urban Renewal where in the big sense of the word we are able to deal with kids in their environment as we find them.
"And the reason I have chosen to say this to you is because no matter what kind of speech we make...unless we are able to control the behavior of young people in this country, some of whom arrogate the right onto themselves to shoot and kill and rob with impunity, then we are not working in accordance with our Christian ethic and heritage."
Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade recently reported that all categories of violent crime with the exception of murder have trended downward up to March 19.
There have been several murders since Greenslade's statement.
A woman was shot and killed inside her Yellow Elder Gardens home yesterday morning.
Relatives identified her as Leoneise Jones, 24.
On Saturday, a man was stabbed to death outside a home at Graham Drive, Yellow Elder Gardens, at 3 p.m., police said.
Alexis Smith, 15, was shot to death outside a bar in Kings Subdivision, Eight Mile Rock, around 3:06 a.m. on Sunday, police said.
On Monday, police said two men were murdered on Grand Bahama.
Lenardo Pierre, 22, was found with multiple gunshot wounds on Adventurers Way around 1:45 a.m.
The second victim was shot and killed on Weddell Avenue shortly after 9 p.m., police said.

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