Citizens For Justice is pleased with the recent announcement by Dr. Bernard Nottage, Minister of National Security with regards to new crime fighting strategies. Bishop Walter S. Hanchell, Chairman of the group that advocates against crime and injustice stated, “We are confident that Commissioner Ellison Greenslade and his hardworking brave officers will continue to reduce crime with their saturation patrols and excellent policing. We support all of their efforts and urge the general public and civil society to join in the fight against crime and lawlessness that is threatening to destabilize our nation.
We commend the government for using all of its resources to fight the scourge of drug trafficking, murders, armed robberies and assaults that have plagued the Bahamas for too long. Citizens For Justice call on civic organizations and the church to organize and implement community outreach programmes in particular for our youth. Interested persons are encouraged to join our
Boots-On-The-Ground initiative that goes into homes in crime hotspots and reach out to the families.
We again recommend that legislators enact laws that give stiffer penalties to repeated criminal offenders and amend the Bail Act to enable judges and magistrates to set stipulations that would make it much more difficult to receive bail, if one is charged with a serious offense. Also, we believe that Capital cases should be completed within two years to eliminate bail applications for accused murderers.
Capital punishment must be enforced in order to reduce the high number of murders that occur each year. Whatever is needed to achieve this goal must be done. Senseless brutal murders by cold-blooded young men in revenge killings is far too common. Family members of murdered victims claim that justice is not being served in the Bahamas when laws on the books regarding capital punishment are continuously being averted to appease special interest groups. Citizens For Justice also calls for the return of corporal punishment for persons convicted of illegal firearm possession, rape or child sexual abuse.
Bishop Walter S. Hanchell, J.P.
Chairman, Citizens For Justice
