We agree with the Hon. Allyson Maynard Gibson when she says that “over the years, comfort and complacency have led to deterioration in our expectations and mediocrity has in too many instances taken the place of excellence- Today we face a crisis of crime and social decay that threatens our very existence.”
It is also quite true that tomorrow is always another day. This implies that there is always room for correction and discipline.
We make this seemingly innocuous point in order to illuminate the notion that people should always focus on the challenge in the moment.
Each Bahamian should do their best to see to it that this country of ours is suffused by justice, decency and right-living.
Quite evidently, we shall not always succeed in reaching the highest standards or achieving perfection on this side of the grave. But the fact remains that we must continue to aspire to that greatness that is to be found in love of oneﾒs neighbor and in the building of community.
We make this point as we continue our reflections on issues germane to the Rule of Law. More specifically, we take note of the call we made to the Minister of National Security and the Police Commissioner to answer certain questions concerning the actions of police officers who were in clear dereliction of their duty.
We make the demands we do because this is our duty. This is what we are called to do in circumstances such as these. We are ﾖafter all- concerned with all those issues that might make or break this beloved land of ours.
Surely, crime is one of them. The fear of crime is another one of them. No one can disagree with the proposition that no person should ever come to believe that there is one standard for some and another for certain others.
Crimeﾒs tentacles must be tackled wherever and whenever they emerge, with fear or favor for absolutely no one. And here, the emphasis is on ABSOLUTELY NO ONE.
No one -after all- is above the law.
In this regard and on this day, the public needs, wants and demands an explanation from the Commissioner of Police as to why and how it came to be that some police officers were on the streets yesterday in full flight dereliction of their duty to protect, defend and uphold the rule of law in this Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
When we heard the news, our response was visceral. We were simply appalled, totally flabbergasted and utterly distressed when we heard some of the news about the conduct of certain police officers as they made their undisciplined presence felt on Bank Lane.
The matter that had driven some of them onto the borderline of incipient rebellion, it now seems as if their actions were precipitated by what they had been led to believe was a decision made by the Attorney General.
Today we call upon Prime Minister the Right Hon. Perry Christie to see to it that the crime issue remains at the forefront of his attention.
This would bring its own strong message to all and sundry that every one who counts is ﾖas it were- on the same page concerning crime and what is to be done about it.
There is today ﾖand at long last- a growing sentiment in The Bahamas that things have been allowed to drift for far too long. There is also strong support for the sentiment that slackness, cover up, cloaking and corruption have gone too far.
We do most sincerely believe that todayﾒs Bahamian is fed up to the gills with this kind of behavior and that they want miscreants brought forward.
There is also ﾖand refreshingly so- a renewed sense of the close connection between face and shame. Put simply, we are energized and enthused by what seems a growing desire on the part of many right-thinking Bahamians ﾑto let the chips fly where they mayﾒ.
We ﾖtoo- are today very happy.
This is so because we have long contended that Bahamians have allowed too many things to slide for far too long. And so, now that the proverbial chickens are coming home to roost, we should recognize them for what they are, yesterdayﾒs half-steps transformed into todayﾒs harvest of distress and distemper.
Editorial The Bahama Journal
