In light of the alarming increase in the number of home invasions, personal assaults and car thefts during the past six months in Blair and Harmony Hill, I would, as a resident and recent victim of car theft, have expected to see a significant increase in the number and frequency of police patrols in the area.
Far from that, the residents of the area have been forced to form their own roving patrols and flying squads as the anticipated and promised increased police support hasn’t been forthcoming.
The Member of Parliament for the area has expressed disappointment with the police response and is apparently suggesting that the residents purchase and install CCTV throughout the area. Really!
This typifies the knee jerk reaction we have come to expect from our politicians and police and glaringly highlights the lack of innovative thinking and resolve we have come to associate with them both.
Many of us are of the opinion that as the police, aka Government, cannot or will not provide protection from this rampant predation then we as citizens have the fundamental right to provide it for ourselves, hence the recent formation of armed resident roving patrols and flying squads.
This has become an extremely explosive situation with the levels of anger and frustration in the area at the boiling point, and it is now simply a matter of time before a potentially deadly confrontation occurs, no doubt resulting in some long-suffering resident being prosecuted because of the State’s inability to provide him with the level of civility and protection to which he is constitutionally entitled.
A year ago to the day I wrote a letter suggesting that we as a people, stop being delusional, to put aside our misplaced “National Pride”, and demand that the Government bring in the outside police and judicial assistance that is so obviously required.
In Proverbs 29:18, it is written “Where there is no vision the people perish but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
I can however state categorically that there is no vision and we are not happy.
Ian Mabon
Nassau, Bahamas
November, 2011
