The newly-appointed junior minister of national security is Keith Bell. He is a career police officer and someone who is well in tune with the criminal elements in our society. In a recent television interview, he said that while he was a police officer, he was shot at several times.
Bell has been at the center of a controversial issue recently as he and Minister of National Security Dr. B.J. Nottage were granted licenses to carry firearms and they have armed themselves accordingly.
Bell and Dr. Nottage are well aware of the fact that there have been over 800 murders in The Bahamas over the last 10 years. They are also well aware of the fact that murdered victims in The Bahamas receive next to no justice. They are also aware of the thousands of unreported cases of violent crime that are not published on a yearly basis. It seems logical to me that Bell and Dr. Nottage have made a responsible decision to bear arms, given the fact that they have inside knowledge of today’s criminal activities.
During Bell’s interview, he said that all Bahamians can apply for a firearm just as he did and that the commissioner of police would make the final determination whether someone receives the legal right to carry a firearm or not. We all know that very few Bahamians in this country have legal rifles and an even smaller number attain the legal right to carry a handgun. Let’s not kid ourselves, Minister Bell.
The junior minister of state knows that the crime situation in The Bahamas is extremely dangerous and this I believe is why he carries a handgun, but what is he going to do to ensure that the average Bahamian is protected as well? He has 24-hour security, a driver and a handgun to protect his person. I have no problems with Bell protecting himself. But sir, what legislation will you draft or cause to be drafted to ensure that the average Bahamian like me is safe? Will there be a law enacted which can allow me to protect my wife and my two young daughters by becoming the carrier of a legal handgun? Or will I be forced to use a cutlass, a baseball bat or my fists to protect my family from a miscreant carrying an AK-47 rifle? We all know what fate I would suffer, God forbid, if I were ever put in that situation. As a law-abiding citizen of this country don’t I deserve a fair chance to protect me and my family as you have done, Minister Bell?
I can’t afford a security detail, cameras, security locks, guard dogs or to live in a gated community. I am out there exposed like the average Bahamian with no protection from these street thugs. Kudos to you sir for ensuring you and your family’s protection. I guess my choice is to continue to rely on the luck of the draw.
By: Dehavilland Moss
