Shameless miscreants devoid of decency robbed the Bahamas Red Cross of $77,000 worth of equipment critical to the disaster recovery efforts undertaken by the organization.

The equipment, including generators and other power equipment, was stolen from the organization's head office on John F. Kennedy Drive in New Providence.

In the middle of hurricane season, no less.

Director General of The Bahamas Red Cross Alicia Pinder has made an appeal for the return of the equipment.

"I do know that the motives behind may not have been well thought out," she said.

"You probably are just self-seeking and in need of financial gain whether necessary or unnecessary. I will advise you that technology may not be on your side and the ability to gain cash from these items probably won't be as easy as you think."

She continued, "We realize that the individuals involved are not petty thieves. These aren't people without talents and ability to earn income of their own. So this instant gratification, in the long run, it will not help the individuals nor The Bahamas at large."

While we are disgusted, we are, sadly, not surprised.

And Pinder is correct - those with the capability to cart away heavy equipment are certainly not committing these crimes out of some sort of necessity.

That they would target an organization that works tirelessly to help those in desperate need speaks to their own moral failings, and gives an opportunity for us to examine the broader moral failings of our nation — though, to be clear, the failure is mainly a New Providence issue.

Police have reported that property crimes were down in 2022 compared to 2021.

However, the crime rate is still far too high.

And there is too much thievery occurring on this one small island.

High crime rates do not necessarily indicate a single moral failing but can result from a combination of social, economic, political, and historical factors.

Inequality, for instance, can lead to feelings of frustration, hopelessness, and desperation, which can contribute to criminal behavior.

Disparities between the rich and the poor certainly exist in The Bahamas.

But as the gap between those with means and those without has declined in this country, the level of crime has increased.

Often inadequate education can limit opportunities for people, increasing the likelihood of involvement in criminal activities.

In the case of The Bahamas, access to education is universal and free from first grade through to university, so that cannot be a significant factor driving this illegality.

Poverty can lead people to engage in criminal activities to meet their basic needs.

While poverty is a significant problem in The Bahamas, there are many channels through which one can have their basic needs met.

And what we often see from surveillance videos of the things people plot to steal - gas tanks, vehicles, copper, water pumps etc. - appear to involve people who spend their time plotting to take what others have worked for, rather than bothering to find work themselves.

The truth is that we have become a society that has allowed our sense of community and shared values to diminish.

We are plagued with too many people who lack moral or ethical values engaging in dishonest behavior and either do not consider the consequences of their actions or how their behavior impacts others.

We have too many people who understand the basic social principle that you are not allowed to take what is not yours, and still violate it.

Over time, the erosion of ethical values can contribute to moral decay, where dishonesty, immorality, and unethical behavior become normalized.

Thankfully, though crime is too high, we have a robust police force and criminal justice system that deals with many perpetrators.

And those who are of good moral character who wish to work for what they need and want, and who still wish to live in safe communities where we honor each other's values, far outweigh those who resort to criminality.

We are under no illusions that those who are so despicable as to carry out this theft of such a well-reputed charity will be moved by anything we have said.

We hope the police swiftly bring them to justice with the help of law-abiding citizens.

We hope that civil society will help replenish the Red Cross.

And we hope that those of good character can use moral suasion to foster a greater sense of self-reflection in our nation.

The post Shameful theft at the Bahamas Red Cross appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

The post Shameful theft at the Bahamas Red Cross appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

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