House of Assembly
Contribution by
HON. DR. BERNARD J. NOTTAGE, M. P.
minister of national security
on
2013/14 Mid-Year Budget Review
Thursday 13TH March, 2014
Please check against delivery
Mr. Speaker,
“The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering” Bruce Lee
I rise to contribute to the debate on the Mid-Year Budget Review of the 2013/2014 Budget. I will specifically report on pertinent developments regarding the Ministry of National Security (Head 29), the Police Force (Head 31), the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (Head 32), Her Majesty’s Prison (Head 11) and the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas.
Mr. Speaker,
Let me first thank the people of The Bahamas for the gifts they have granted to me. The award of a first class primary and secondary education; the provision of a scholarship which permitted me to pursue a first class tertiary education at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, where I studied medicine in one of the oldest medical schools, which itself provided clinical excellence since 1497, for over 600 years, followed by first class training as an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist.
I had the good fortune of attending Aberdeen University at a time when the department of Ob/Gyn had become a world leader in its fields and had a leading professor who was a keen advocate of social obstetrics.
This, at a time when the Bahamas was about to emerge from its colonial roots and was preparing its people for independence and sovereignty, prepared me for many of the challenges with which we as a people would be confronted. These included the very concept and meaning of family, family planning, contraception, general health, familial relationships etc.
When I left home to attend university, it was over 50 years ago and when I returned, having completed that phase of my education, it was some forty years ago.
Unlike the students of today, I had long spells away from home. I could not return from the U.K. every break or even every year as our children do today! But, whenever I got the opportunity to come home, along with others of our generation we gathered ourselves together, formed a grouping which we called Operation Unicoll, later Unicomm, and studied the crucial political, social, and economic issues of the day.
Mr. Speaker,
I had many talents, I guess, and one of them was athletic.
Even prior to going off to university, I had represented The Bahamas abroad in the CACAC Championships held in Jamaica, as a sprinter in the 100m and 200m, as well as the 4X100m relays. So it was only natural that I continued to compete in the UK, where I was able to become the Scottish and Scottish University champion for a number of years in those same events.
This drew attention to me by the local BAAA and as a result I was invited to return home for several years to compete for the Bahamas in the CACAC, Pan American (1967), Commonwealth Games (1966) as well as the Mexico Olympics (1968). That was how I was able to get home in those years, as my mother really could not afford to bring me home each year.
In Scotland, I became captain of the University teams of which I was a member and was elected chairman of the Aberdeen University Athletic Association, and later, Scottish Universities Board.
There began my experience as a sports administrator and this led to me ascending to the presidency of the BAAA, which I held for thirteen years and the CACAC Confederation for eight years.
It was in 1974 that I completed my education and training and returned home to begin my career.
My early years of medical practice were very exciting, as I sought to utilise the lessons I had learned during my educational journey…exciting and provocative.
I recognized early that female fertility and male sexuality were a productive, or over productive and dangerous combination and I, as I was trained, set out to transform them instead to a positive and controllable combine.
Too many women were getting pregnant who did not desire to be pregnant. Too many teenagers were getting pregnant who either did not want to be pregnant, or did not know how to prevent an unwanted pregnancy etc. Too many men or boys saw impregnation of their significant other as an act of manhood and had no desire or preparedness to deal with the responsibility of parenthood.
That there, was a formula for a variety of social dysfunctions and over the ensuing years, I have been dealing with the penalties of those man-made consequences!
Early on, after my return home I came to grips with life in our Bahamas, but even earlier on, when I was a mere high school student, I had committed myself to a life of public service.
So, through my days of service as the elected member of Parliament for Garden Hills, Kennedy; throughout the time I spent in the wilderness I was being prepared for the service to which I am completely now committed.
Mr. Speaker,
I offer my sincere thanks to the people of the heritage constituency of Bain and Grants Town for the opportunity they have given me to complete my mission in this here Commonwealth and I promise never to forsake them.
But, it is not an easy assignment.
On the way, I have served in many capacities:
Chairman of the NIB;
Member of Parliament
Minister of Consumer Affairs;
Minister of Education;
Deputy Leader of the PLP
Leader of Opposition Business in Parliament
Member of the Senate
Minister of Health and National Insurance
Leader of Opposition Business
Minister of National Security and
Leader of Government Business
Ministry of National Security
Mr. Speaker,
When I assumed the offices I now hold, I was under no illusions about the enormity of the task.
The portfolio includes:
The Royal Bahamas Police force
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force
Her Majesty’s Prison
The Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas
The Parliamentary Registration Department
National Anti-Drug Secretariat
Bahamas Television and Plays Board
Prerogative of Mercy
Relations with BTC
Relations with Cable Television
I want to reiterate to this Honourable House that I take my responsibilities as Minister of National Security very seriously and that I am also prepared to answer any appropriate questions members of this Honourable House may have regarding the Ministry of National Security, the Departments and Agencies for which I have portfolio responsibility.
Mr. Speaker,
For just shy of two years, I have been privileged to carry out the mandate to ensure the national security of The Bahamas, a task I have accepted wholeheartedly. So far, I have found the issues of national security to be complex and pressing ones that cover a broad spectrum, as they are both domestic and transnational in nature. I have embraced both the challenge and the opportunity to assist in framing national security policies and programmes for The Bahamas, which would enable all of our people to feel safe and secure. I am finding it a never ending task in seeking to arrest the level of degradation that has been allowed to invade our society over the years, and compromised our country’s security, particularly in our inner city communities. I work daily to ensure that the policies, programmes, strategies and measures that are put in place will result in lasting and concrete long-term solutions to the national security problems of this country.
As Minister, I am in the distinct position to know of the unprecedented and unwelcome changes in the national security of this country that have been brought on principally by changes in the social, moral and spiritual foundation of our people, and which are consistent with developments around the globe in this first part of the 21st Century.
Crime
Mr. Speaker,
I commend the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister and Minister of Finance for his initiative and leadership, in spearheading fiscal discipline that has resulted in the favourable fiscal situation for the reporting period. There has been smart and prudent expenditure of public funds. Further, the Government is not seeking authorization for additional expenditure or public borrowing.
Crime in its many manifestations is the single most catastrophic factor that is inhibiting the lives and livelihood of all of our people. I wish to state unequivocally, that this Minister of National Security intends to make a substantial and noticeable impact on reducing crime to a manageable level in this country. I am here to articulate that the level of tolerance for behavior that is unacceptable and which have allowed criminals to have sway in this country will be reduced substantially. You can mark my word that no effort would be spared in removing the criminal element away from our society for good.
Mr Speaker:
Coming off a year in which The Bahamas recorded 119 murders in 2013 and with 19 murders on record thus far for 2014, let me confirm that the crime prevention aspect of my portfolio is uppermost in my mind, as it is in the minds of the Bahamian people.
The first responsibility of any government is the enforcement of law and order. This Government is committed to reducing crime and lawlessness so that citizens could go about their daily lives in peace and security. We will not rest until we significantly reverse the crime trends in our country. We cannot engender a culture that tolerates crime and violence.
Mr. Speaker:
The evidence is clear that the high level of murders and other serious crimes in our society is related, in large measure, to the proliferation of gang activity, the drug trade and the use of guns. (But it is also related, at its foundation, to poor parenting, especially fatherlessness, poor housing, inadequate or incomplete education, poverty, neglect, high unemployment and the inability to take advantage of the opportunities a country like The Bahamas offers.)
Too many of our young people are not participating in the numerous opportunities for education and training, sports and culture that are available in our country. Rather, they are choosing to be involved in self-destructive social and criminal activities, which hold their communities and the entire society to ransom.
We cannot ignore the fact that failures in the education system – and other systems in the society – have led to a large number of persons being unemployed and unemployable. We cannot ignore the fact that there are persons living below the poverty line who can easily find themselves at a precipice wondering how to feed their hungry children.
We cannot deny the fact that our young have too few positive models of males accepting their responsibilities for the care of their families and that in our Over-The-Hill communities, where males are ever present, there is too much drinking, gambling, and drug use going on. While among a recent sample of schoolchildren in New Providence, 84% of school children lived in a house with their mothers, only around 42% lived in a home with their fathers! Think about it!
Guns and drugs have been allowed to engulf some of our communities. Children are growing up without positive role models and without options. In some places circumstances are set against them so that they are disadvantaged in the academic race. Sometimes the gangsters lure them away from school or decree that they must become drug mules. Too many of them do and become modern day slaves to their choices.
Reducing Crime
Mr. Speaker,
For the year to date, major crime figures are down over crime figures for the corresponding periods of 2013. This is borne out by hard facts.
The comparisons we make are against the same categories of major crimes as have been recorded in The Bahamas for a period well over 30 years. In essence we have compared apples with apples for the period I have just mentioned. I again lay on the floor of this honorable house the fact that major crime figures are down and are trending down.
Mr. Speaker
Despite our successes, the increases in murder has overshadowed our good results. We recorded far too many murders in 2013 and again this year we see a very disturbing trend. Despite this, we have charged 14 persons before the courts for murder for the year to date 2014.
Mr. Speaker,
We are actively seeking quite a number of offenders who we are satisfied will be charged once arrested. These dangerous criminals live among us. They are from our homes. They are our relatives and friends yet they are hurting us. We must take a stand in turn them in. Enough is enough Mr. Speaker and all of us must come to terms with the fact that we must play a part in fixing this problem.
Urban Renewal
The soft approach to address crime involves going into those communities and demonstrating that positive options do exist. It involves mentoring and socialization to help these persons appreciate the good things in life and to see that they are attainable. This is what the Urban Renewal Programme is all about. It is about bringing hope and support.
It is regrettable that partisan politics has prevented those opposite from embracing the obvious advantages of first, the Urban Renewal Programme as implemented by the 2002 Christie government and, against all the evidence and public acceptance and acclaim that the Urban Renewal 2.0 has attracted, to pillory and reject it.
This programme is intended to empower community residents through positive engagement and to improve the quality of their lives. Ministries of the government, combine their mandates to service the needs of the young, the elderly and the poor and neglected.
The Ministry of National Security provides policemen who do a superb job of community policing, crime prevention and crime detection. The ministries of Social Development, Health, Housing and the Environment, under the overall direction of the Ministry of Works and Urban Development have provided hitherto unknown services, which include social assistance, clearance of overgrown properties, removal of derelict vehicles, demolition of abandoned houses and other structures etc. These all combine to aid in the reduction of crime, the detention of active criminals and the prosecution of offenders.
Over 350 homes have been repaired; small contractors have been engaged to do this work and they have employed hundreds of unemployed youth; hundreds of dilapidated structures have been demolished, many overgrown properties have been cleared and many derelict vehicles have been removed.
Instead, of joining in and taking advantage of these benefits in their constituencies, the Opposition continues to heap scorn upon it and the benefits it delivers, they also complain that those same benefits are not available to their constituents!! It is time for that bi-polar irrational partisan posture to be abandoned by the opponents, of this programme that has been described as the greatest social initiative that any government has implemented in our history and for all of us, instead to support it and bring needed relief to those of our constituents who need it.
Mr. Speaker:
An example of the challenges with which we are faced, in the fight against crime, can be gleaned from the number of juvenile males (ages 16-19 years) who were on remand at Her Majesty’s Prison, Fox Hill awaiting trial. As of 24 February, 2014 this population numbered 30 persons who were on charged such as murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, causing grievous harm, possession of dangerous drugs, rape, housebreaking, stealing, receiving, possession of unlicensed firearms and possession of prohibited ammunition. Actual numbers for the various crimes were:
Nine (9) charged with murder
Four (4) charged with attempted murder
Fourteen (14) charged with armed robbery
One (1) charged with rape
Mr. Speaker:
If we are to effectively address the current challenges and bring crime under control, we all need to play our part. Fighting crime cannot be the responsibility only of the police, even though they certainly have a critical role to play; fighting crime is for all of us. The Government’s role is to set the strategy, provide the resources and the appropriate legal framework and lead by example. This Government’s Strategy has been outlined in A Charter for Governance under Project Safe Bahamas.
Over the past 18 months or so, a central part of the Government’s strategy to deal with crime has been to engage the community to hear from them their ideas / proposed solutions. We have done this by hosting public fora with the general public, with pastors and with the youth in New Providence and Grand Bahama. The public interaction is very important in that it seeks to mobilize the entire national community to see crime prevention and the solving of crimes as their civic responsibility. One of the byproducts of these has been a compilation of the solutions suggested by members of the public which we have used to help us further refine our strategy.
Already we have passed several legislative amendments to our laws such as the Marco Archer amendment and amendments to the Sexual Offences Act which provide for the creation of a Sexual Offenders Register.
We have under consideration now a Parental Responsibility Act, which, if agreed and passed will render parents liable for certain acts of their minor children. This too was a suggestion from the public listening fora.
The Ministry of National Security is currently spearheading the conduct of a comprehensive Household Survey in the constituencies of Centerville, Bain and Grants Town and Englerston in order to gather information that would inform Government’s policy on living conditions, crime, and social behaviour, special circumstances of households, employment status, education, and individuals with special needs. In addition to Government’s policy being informed by the outcome of the exercise, steps are being taken to bring urgent and immediate relief to cases requiring immediate action. The intention is to extend the survey to other constituencies in due course.
A school survey carried out in four public schools recently, namely Oakes Field Primary, (grade 6), A.F. Adderley Jr. (grade 8), C.R. Walker Sr. (grade 10), and R.M. Bailey Sr. (grade 12), revealed that 84% of students lived with their mother, while only 42% have a father in the home!
Mr Speaker:
There is a further key element in our crime fighting strategy. It is that I am part of a Government that is working as a team, cooperatively, in a multi-faceted way to counter crime and criminality and fear of crime in The Bahamas. Consequently, ours is a strategy in which law enforcement agencies of the Ministry of National Security work hand in hand with the Attorney-General’s Office, the Customs Department, and the social ministries.
Mr. Speaker:
The fight against crime is part of an integrated approach in the Government’s effort to accomplish the goal of a better life for the citizenry. Improving the quality of life also means improving conditions of safety and security of the people in their homes, in their communities and in their places of work. We are not going to allow criminals to prevent us from fulfilling our goal of improving the quality of life of all our citizens and free the potential of each person.
Citizen Security Unit
We are going to deepen the partnership with communities. In this regard, the Ministry of National Security is establishing a Citizen Security Unit – a Unit dedicated to focusing on deepening the interaction with communities, civil society, businesses, faith-based organizations and the spheres of government for the implementation of effective crime prevention strategies. My Ministry is collaborating with the Inter-American Development Bank [IDB] on the design of comprehensive citizen security and violence prevention strategies and it is the Citizen Security Unit that will have carriage for oversight. As we meet here this morning, stakeholders from the private and public sectors are meeting in a one-day workshop to facilitate the exchange of information and views on crime and security issues in The Bahamas, suggested approaches to addressing the crime and security challenges etc., in preparation for a wider study to be conducted later this year.
Two programmes which we indicated in the Charter for Governance that we will introduce were “Shock Treatment” and “Violence Breakers”
Violence Breakers is…
Shock Treatment is…
Trafficking
Drugs
Guns
Persons
Wildlife
Mr. Speaker:
There is one form trafficking that I wish to address briefly – that is wildlife trafficking. I wish to mention this because a few weeks ago two Romanian women were caught at London’s Heathrow airport trying to smuggle 13 of the southern Bahamian iguana, one of the most threatened of the West Indian rock iguana, to a buyer in Germany. This case is currently being investigated with the engagement of the Bahamian police and Interpol officers in collaboration with other professionals from various government agencies and the private sector.
On a global scale, wildlife trafficking is a multi-billion dollar criminal enterprise that has expanded from a conservation concern to an acute security threat. The increasing involvement of organized crime in poaching and wildlife trafficking promotes corruption, threatens the peace and security of fragile regions, strengthens illicit trade routes, destabilizes economies and communities that depend on wildlife for their livelihoods and contributes to the spread of disease.
Driven by high demand and high profits for wildlife and wildlife products, coupled with low risk of detection and often inadequate penalties, criminal syndicates and terrorist networks are increasingly drawn to wildlife trafficking, which generates revenues conservatively estimated at $8-10 billion per year.
You are all aware that a network of traffickers in valuable wild life has been encountered which initiates in The Bahamas. Iguanas, which we used to regard as lizards have turned out to be quite valuable and they are being caught and illegally exported to collectors in Europe. I am told that a male animal is sold at $10,000, while a female iguana sells for $30,000! It is believed that as many as 53 of the animals may have been spirited out of The Bahamas in recent times.
Trafficking In Persons
Mr. Speaker,
One of the most recent crimes discovered or perhaps I should say uncovered in The Bahamas, is Trafficking in Persons. There is a worldwide campaign to stop and prevent human trafficking, especially as it relates to women and children. Since I joined the Ministry, much energy and man hours have been devoted to the prevention, detection, investigation and now prosecution of human traffickers. We have worked hard to educate the general public about what constitutes the crime of trafficking in persons.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force
Mr. Speaker,
I wish to digress for a few moments to put into context this whole issue of crime and how we arrived at where we are today. I wish to remind this Honorable House that on the FNM’s watch; well over a million dollars were spent to bring in a British consultancy firm known as CDR to fix the Force and to fix the crime problem in this country.
Mr. Speaker,
This was I believe in 1999 or thereabout on the FNM’s watch. There was a crime problem then. There was community outcry then. There were inefficiencies in the system then Mr. Speaker. The FNM Government knew that they had a problem that they were incapable of handling and this initiative obviated that. It is therefore disingenuous to suggest, as some opposite have done, that this state of affairs just developed. Suffice to say Mr. Speaker that when the FNM Government left office, they left many things badly broken including our economy!
Mr. Speaker,
A report was produced by this firm (CDR) and many changes were made which has caused us many problems. The CID as we knew it was broken up and what was referred to as Divisional Detective Units were established at many of the major police divisions. The criminal records office was altered and scene of crime officers were sent to many of the major divisions. Traffic Units were established at many of the police stations.
Mr. Speaker,
A whole raft of changes was made to the force under the theme of what was referred to as devolution.
Mr. Speaker,
While the intentions seemed good, many of these initiatives lacked good judgment. The net effect was that the CID, as we knew it ceased to exist, and the experience and talent which existed in CID were frittered away. Many good senior officers and detectives left the police service.
The respect which CID enjoyed rapidly diminished and the capacity of CID was weakened. The capacity of the criminal records office was also diminished. In essence Mr. Speaker, though well intentioned, the consultancy group lacked an appreciation for our local geography and our culture.
Nassau is 21×7, so pray tell me where is it that a detective cannot get to within a reasonable short period of time with emergency lights and siren. We are talking about the Island of New Providence Mr. Speaker. We are not discussing an Island where it would take an inordinate amount of time to attend at a crime scene due to the vastness of the landscape. Hence, devolution of CID had the opposite effect of what I guess they intended. They merely cannibalized the uniform resources at police stations thereby reducing police visibility and at the same time they adversely affected the unity of command principle for such a vital area as CID!
Notwithstanding these significant challenges which they, the FNM, created Mr. Speaker, upon assuming office we sought to realign the important resources of the Force.
Due to the incidence of crime and the urgent need to arrest the surge, the Commissioner of Police has utilized as needed the 12 hour shift in the Royal Bahamas Police Force;
The Royal Bahamas Police Force has also re-doubled its efforts to provide complete police coverage of criminal hot-spots through Saturation Patrols;
Recognizing the importance of intelligence gathering to understand developing trends and best allocate resources, a new Director of the Central Intelligence Bureau in the RBPF has been appointed and the Intelligence Department is being overhauled;
In addressing the need to provide greater support to our criminal justice system, the government is committed to ensuring that we reduce our dependency on external laboratory testing in criminal trials, we have decided to set up a comprehensive Forensic Laboratory. Dependence on foreign labs has severely retarded the ability to deal with serious crimes in a timely fashion. That will soon be a thing of the past.
Once operational, we will be able to save considerable sums on external testing whilst improving the speed and efficiency of the justice system. We have the capacity to undertake these tests, and we have the qualified professionals. All that is needed is to provide the resources to undertake what they have been trained to do;
Increased interdiction of guns and drugs; The Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, have taken a significant number of guns and drugs of the streets of the Bahamas, particularly in New Providence and in Grand Bahama. A renewed Firearms Tracing Unit has been created, which has proven to be very effective in removing drugs off the streets and indirectly saving lives.
Illegal Firearms
Mr. Speaker,
I am pleased to report that from January to December of 2013, we removed 438 illegal guns and 6,853 rounds of ammunition from the streets of this country! For the period 1st January 2014 to the current date, we have removed 86 illegal guns and 765 rounds of ammunition from our streets.
For the year to date 2014, thirty 0ne (31) persons have been charged for illegal firearm and ammunition possession and are currently before the courts.
Mr. Speaker,
I am pleased to report that since my last budget presentation, we have installed the “Fire Cycle” firearms database at the Forensic Lab Police Headquarters. We have also installed the integrated Ballistic Identification System (IBIS) which is an automated ballistic analysis platform. Both of these systems are worth well over $2 million dollars and are in fulfillment of promises we made to our electorate.
Mr. Speaker,
Despite these successes, there are still far too many illegal firearms in our country. These are instruments of death hence we must focus all of our collective energies on eradicating them from our communities. I believe that we must approach this serious issue from many angles. As a priority we must educate our children and our adult population regarding the dangers of firearm possession and use. We must convey a very strong prevention message and change the mindset of our people.
Mr. Speaker,
We must also ensure, as a priority, that when we take persons before the courts for firearm related offences that the cases are swiftly prosecuted and that the punishment serves as a deterrent to others who may harbor thoughts of possessing illegal firearms and ammunition. My colleagues and I are actively discussing this issue with a view to advancing the most feasible solutions.
CCTV implemented in crime Hot Spots in New Providence, particularly in areas frequented by tourists.
Mr. Speaker,
We have configured, at Police Headquarters, a state of the art CCTV monitoring center. This facility is equipped with the latest technology and will be manned on a full time basis by police officers and specially trained police civilians and Reservists. To date we have in excess of 200 cameras deployed at strategic places in New Providence.
Many of these cameras are mounted in the downtown core to protect of vital tourism industry. The cameras downtown are “live” and are recording constantly. Therefore, we have the ability to now monitor areas frequented by tourists in an effort to create the safest environment for visitors to our shores. In the week ahead I will have much more to say about this.
Tourism Policing
Mr. Speaker I previously informed this honorable House that in 2005 the Tourism Policing Unit (TPU) was launched by the Royal Bahamas Police Force in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, and Tourism stakeholders. A building was identified and assigned for the exclusive use of Tourism Police Officers who were mandated to maintain a dedicated presence on Bay Street and adjacent areas such as Woods Rogers Walk to prevent crimes against tourist and to reassure visitors by their constant presence. This unit has performed very well over the years and we have had no significant incidents against visitors in the city of Nassau.
Mr. Speaker, recently much attention has been drawn to Bay Street and adjacent areas as a result of a small amount of unfortunate incidents that have affected visitors to our country. Since we last discussed this issue, I have been assured by the Commissioner that much work has been done to improve the safety of visitors and residence in the downtown core. Meetings have been held between the police, the ministry of tourism, cruise ship personnel and stakeholders in the downtown core. As a result, there are many initiatives now in place and police visibility has been heightened. Mr. Speaker, I wish to point out that because of the importance we attach to our tourism industry, the Commissioner has devoted a strategic priority in his plan for 2014 aimed at protecting the tourism industry.
Listening Crime Fora where information and suggestions were taken from members of the public have been conducted by the newly established Citizen Security Unit of the Ministry of National Security; These were held in New Providence and audiences included national youth organizations, senior high school students and pastors from all denominations to get their insight and suggestions to combating crime in the Bahamas.
Joint Citizen Security initiative with IDB; The Ministry of National Security in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), is organizing a design to allow for meaningful interaction amongst experts, government officials, industry leaders to share experiences as well as identify lessons learned in order to determine key elements that would inform the design of a successful Citizens Security Program.
Electronic Monitoring System is being revisited and an RFP is ready for release; in the past, there have been challenges with the Electronic Monitoring System where persons on the program were either found dead or involved in other criminal activities.
Targeting prolific offenders – The Royal Bahamas Police Force and Her Majesty’s Prisons have been given this task to compile a list of prolific offenders so that measures can be put in place to deal thoroughly with such criminals
Revitalization of School Based Policing – School based policing has been amplified thus resulting in the reduction of incidents on school premises since its revamping.
COB Student Safety
1. Student safety and security is a priority
2. I have asked the Commissioner of Police to review the safety problems with which I understand the students and even staff members have been confronted.
3. Additionally, I have instructed the Minister of State for National Security to meet once again with College leadership in order to evaluate the extent of the problem and he did so last week. He is in contact with the Acting President on the way forward
4. COB should have its own College Policing Unit, (CPU), preferably led by a seasoned well trained, experienced police officer. (There are many recently retired former members of the Executive Management Team of the RBPF who might be available.)
5. Members of the CPU should be properly trained and should have the powers of arrest. This can be achieved by their being police trained as Reserves Policemen or Local Constables. They should also be properly vetted by the Security and Intelligence before they are engaged.
6. They need to be mobile around, within and between college campuses. Consequently, a Mobile Unit, equipped with bicycles, golf carts and vehicles should be formed and utilized to assist with surveillance
7. The perimeter of college properties need to be fortified and entrances to college properties need to be manned around the clock.
8. The college should have a modern CCTV system which is compatible with the newly installed government system in New Providence, which is expected to come on stream very soon. This will provide a way for the Royal Bahamas Police Force to assist with the off campus monitoring.
9. The RBPF would be directed to provide ongoing training for members of the CPU and to provide support of the Satellite patrols, which are currently patrolling the areas in which college campuses and buildings are located.
National Identity Card – A national system of identification is being explored as part of an initiative to combat the illegal immigration problem. Once implemented. no person should be found in public without some approved form of ID. This would alleviate some criminal activity and significantly reduce the illegal immigration crisis.
It is essential for the police to be visible in the fight against crime and assure those criminal elements that criminality will not be tolerated. The Commissioner has specifically mandated that the Forces uniformed resources are deployed to crime hot spots on Saturation Patrols. We are putting the resources where they are most needed – in communities and on the streets. To this end over the past year, we have added 70 plus new vehicles for patrol and crime fighting efforts.
Provision of Resources to the Police
Mr. Speaker, since assuming office, we have provided significant resources to the police force and we have committed to providing additional resources as requested by the Commissioner. We fully appreciate that the men and women of the force must be provided with the best resources to enable them to perform their duties efficiently and effectively. Therefore, my Government harbors no reservation in appropriating the necessary funding to support the force.
Mr. Speaker permits me to share just a brief summary of a portion of the expenditures we have made to ensure that the police force is properly resourced:
$1.3 was recently expended to acquire 40 new Ford Interceptor Police Vehicles for saturation patrols. This is in addition to 30 of the same type vehicles which we purchased last year. These vehicles are all now actively mobile in the fight against crime and I am very pleased by the comments I am beginning to receive from members of the public. People are now feeling a greater sense of security and the fear of crime is diminishing. We have, however, much more work to do and will continue our saturation patrols on a sustained basis.
$266,974.00 was spent to acquire weapons and ammunition to support the ongoing crime fighting efforts of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. This infusion of new weapons has moved the Force closer to the goal of “standardization” of firearms and associated equipment
$41,354.40 was spent to defray the cost associated with the “detailing” of police vehicles (to ensure that they are properly marked for identification purposes and for higher visibility day and night)
$186,095.51 was expended to acquire “in car partitions,” window barriers, weapon racks, and equipment consoles for the new police interceptor patrol cars
$$158,368.10 was spent to acquire roof mounted light bars and associated LED accessories.
$176,204.00 was expended to acquire sirens for the new police interceptor patrol cars
$308,839.00 was spent to acquire police radio sets
In addition to the above, the sum of $302,440.00 was expended to provide meals for hundreds of police officers who were assigned to 12 hour shifts in New Providence over a period of three weeks (3). Suffice it to say, we took good care of the welfare of our officers who performed admirably during the difficult period that they were assigned to work the twelve hour shifts.
Reducing Crime
Mr. Speaker, for the year to date, major crime figures are down over crime figures for the corresponding periods of 2013. This is borne out by hard facts.
The comparisons we make are against the same categories of major crimes as have been recorded in The Bahamas for a period well over 30 years. In essence we have compared apples with apples for the period I have just mentioned. I again lay on the floor of this honorable house the fact that major crime figures are down and are trending down.
Mr. Speaker despite our successes, the increases in murder have overshadowed our good results. We recorded far too many murders in 2013 and again this year we see a very disturbing trend. Despite this, we have charged 14 persons before the courts for murder for the year to date 2014.
Mr. Speaker, we are actively seeking quite a number of offenders who we are satisfied will be charged once arrested. These dangerous criminals live among us. They are from our homes. They are our relatives and friends yet they are hurting us. We must take a stand in turn them in. Enough is enough Mr. Speaker and all of us must come to terms with the fact that we must play a part in fixing this problem.
Recruitment
Mr. Speaker,
Two squads of police recruits are preparing to graduate from the police training college during mid April of this year to supplement the manpower of the Force. In another week, a squad of 33 recruits will commence training at the police training college, Nassau and early into the new budget period two additional squads will commence training. We intend to continue this training rotation until we have sufficient officers to perform the critical duties required to make our communities safer.
This is a significant expenditure but we understand the importance of increasing the manpower of the Force in the interest of the safety of our communities. We will continue to devote our attention to this most important initiative.
Royal Bahamas Defence Force
The Force is charged with the defending the sovereignty of The Bahamas. As such it has the mammoth task of patrolling 100,000 square miles of sea and over 700 islands, rocks and cays to ensure the safety and security of our shores against criminals and their illicit activities. This mission is a demanding one that calls on and challenges every Officer and Marine.
The Defence Force has managed to maximize the use of its limited resources in addressing a myriad of challenges. These include narcotics trafficking, small arms smuggling, smuggling of undeclared goods, human smuggling and poaching of marine resources. Over the past year, as a result of their unwavering commitment to duty, they were able to apprehend over 1,800 illegal migrants aboard a number of unseaworthy vessels. They also arrested some 120 foreign poachers and captured more than 80,000 pounds of fisheries products. The vessels from which they operated were confiscated.
On the high seas, members of the Force are assisting with maritime security as ship riders aboard United States Coast Guard vessels operating in waters between the Republics of Haiti and Cuba. The Force has assisted with ensuring the safety of over three million cruise ship passengers at the Port of Nassau during the past year. More recently, Marines have assumed Port Security duties for North Bimini, which has received some 8,000 visitors to date.
The RBDF is a vital partner in the fight against narcotic trafficking and have assisted The Royal Bahamas Police Force in seizing over 1,000 pounds of illegal drugs in the past year. Additionally they helped to arrest and hand over to the police some 40 persons who had outstanding warrants and they seized some 10 weapons form boaters that were not declared to Bahamas Customs. In doing so they were performing the law enforcement role which is part of their legislative mandate helping to reduce a myriad of criminal activities.
In addition to the traditional roles the Force plays in guarding against threats to our national security, they participate in joint operations with the Police, Customs and Immigration Departments. The Defence Force is also playing a key role in protecting Her Majesty’s Prisons against serious threats to security.
The Defence Force has also been an active participant in the restoration of peace and safety on our streets by aiding in the reduction of crime and violence with the deployment of some 120 Marines and assuming the responsibility for the securing the facilities of some 13 Government agencies. This involvement of the Defence Force has allowed more Police officers to patrol the streets of New Providence.
The RBDF has also been actively involved with saving 313 lives at sea in partnership with the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA) and with the vital support of the United States Coast Guard for whose assistance the Government and the people of The Bahamas are most grateful.
The nation-building role of the Defence Force continues through the Force’s Ranger Youth programme. The Rangers now number over 700 students from 29 schools in New Providence, 9 schools in Grand Bahama and 4 schools in Abaco. This past weekend the Rangers Band made a spectacular debut at the annual RBDF church service.
In addition to developing leadership and character among our nation’s youth, the Rangers Youth Programme focuses on preparing high school students for employment in the commercial shipping industry at the entry level in partnership with the Bahamas Maritime Cadet Program. They run an annual successful Summer Youth Programme with over 1,000 attendees. Additionally, throughout the year more than 65 high school students participated in the Work Experience Programmes at the base in Coral Harbour.
The RBDF has proven to be more that border protectors. They are also a vital part of our crime fighting strategy.
This year, I visited Spanish Wells to hear the cries of the fishermen there, who have indicated that due to the preponderance of poachers, most of whom appear to be Dominicans, their lobster and conch reserves are being noticeably depleted.
I have heard their cries and we have planned a specific project to counteract the problem. Despite the fact that we do not have a full complement of boats which have the capacity to make the longer voyages, we will be seeking to use Gun Point Ragged Island as a transit point from which we can launch our larger sea going vessels to intercept and capture poachers in our waters.
We also have under consideration a kind of ship rider programme, by which marines are embedded on the commercial fishing boats to give the Force instant intelligence information and to provide the fishermen with added protection.
Established an outpost at the South Beach Pools to alleviate illegal immigrants smuggling and trafficking in Persons (TIP); We know that the geography of our islands and porous borders render The Bahamas ideally suited as a transit point for illicit trafficking activities from the South destined for the North and, trafficking in persons is no exception. Our Government is taking proactive and determined steps to combat the problem of trafficking in persons before it becomes ingrained in our society. In the past, the southern Bahamas was inundated with illegal immigrants. It was amazing to see how these illegal immigrants were able to navigate their vessels through our chain 0of islands and up on our shores here in New Providence. However, since the implanting the outpost at the South Beach, there have been no illegal immigrants attempting to enter New Providence in that area.
$230 Million Acquisition of vessels – the largest single acquisition in history; This Acquisition Project will support the Force’s decentralization strategy and will significantly improve the Defence Force’s operational response time to maritime incidents. The Sandy Bottom Project will represent the single largest capital investment the Government of The Bahamas would have made in the 33 year existence of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. In total, the project will cost approximately $232 million. In addition the vessels and infrastructural assets will provide employment opportunity for more than 800 new service members thus substantially increasing the manpower of the Defence Force from its current complement of 1154 to 1900 Officers and Marines over a three to four year period;
Upgrade to base in Ragged Island and Coral Harbour Base, New Providence; At the Coral Harbour base, the main slide gate is being refurbished and the roadway is being paved. A new female barracks in on stream
85 new recruits joined the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (75 males and 10 females) February 8, 2014. This is the largest recruit in the history of the Bahamas;
Redeployment of 100 plus RBDF officers to assist the RBPF in the fight against crime; since this implementation, crime has decreased overall.
Establishment of a new base in Grand Bahama under aggressive construction;
SAFE BOAT
USA handed over $431,000 of equipment to boost Maritime Security on January 13, 2014; The US Embassy made this donation of equipment to support local efforts to bolster maritime security. The equipment includes a top of the line 25-foot full cabin (Secure All-around Flotation Equipped) SAFE response vessel, a two year supply of spare parts and a two week training course for RBDF marines to enhance border security.
Commander and Lieutenants sent on training in the UK, USA and Jamaica Jan – Feb, 2014;
26 RBDF Officers and Marines to participate in an Incident Command System Course (ICS) hosted by Northcom Mobile Training Team March 3-28, 2014;
GOALS, DEPLOYMENT & EQUIPMENT VIA CHARTER FOR GOVERNANCE 2012
AGENDA
COMMENTS
Undertake maintenance and replacement of the existing fleet of vessels of the RBDF.
Work commenced “Sandy Bottom Project.”
Engage HONLEA to consider the establishment of bases at strategic locations in our jurisdiction to ensure deterrence and rapid response to all criminal and illegal activities.
Work commenced. Bi-weekly meeting being held. Locations identified.
Establish an Air Wing for law enforcement agencies within the RBDF to maximize expertise and use of resources.
Discussed but not activated.
Integrate helicopter surveillance for search and rescue as well as other critical operations.
A costly undertaking. Presently engaging United States Coast Guard.
AGENDA
COMMENTS
Acquire and make use of modern technology within the RBDF for intelligence gathering purposes for illegal activities interdiction.
Work in progress. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
Review the deployment of the Force to ensure that maximum use is being made of these highly trained personnel (e.g. Overseas Missions, deployment at Detention Centre) Human Resources, Training & Welfare.
Deployment to Urban Renewal and static duties.
Establish Basic Officer and Staff Officer Training Courses in The Bahamas.
Commenced talks with the College of The Bahamas, Lowell J. Mortimer Maritime Academy, and Bahamas Maritime Training Institute.
Continue to appropriately supplement the human resource of the RBDF and provide local, regional and international training and retraining for professional development.
New Entry Training, United States Academy Training, Midshipman, Officer Candidate School, Officer Indoctrination School and Engineering Training in progress.
Seek to improve technical pay for staff as well as provide incentives to retain the services of officers.
Work in progress.
Explore the establishment of a cemetery for military personnel and high ranking officials of government.
Work in progress.
Her Majesty’s Prison
Mr. Speaker:
At Her Majesty’s Prison, reform initiatives aimed at moving the Prison from an inflexible, punitive organization to an institution focused on reform and rehabilitation are proceeding.
Focus is now being given to providing inmates with education and training to enhance their reintegration into society upon their release. Only recently, a team of prison officers visited Cuba to view first-hand the various industries that are carried out in Cuban prisons with a view to seeing how such programmes may be implemented at Her Majesty’s Prison.
Last week the two (2) Acting Deputy Superintendents of Prisons travelled to Canada to commence a three-month correctional leadership training programme with the Correctional Services of Canada.
In January of this year a minor league baseball diamond was constructed at H. M. Prison. It is to be fitted with dugouts, scorer’s booth, bullpens, bleachers and a concession facility. It is the first phase of a comprehensive plan that will result in the construction of a Mini Sporting Complex that will include facilities for track and field, basketball, tennis, and other major sports. Construction of the baseball diamond and the mini sporting complex is part of the government of the Bahamas’ move towards the facility serving as a correctional institution rather than a penal institution. The sporting complex will allow it to advance its correctional side and allow for greater interaction between the facility, its staff, inmates and members of the general public.
I want to especially thank Sen. Hon. Gregory Burrows, a noted Baseball Youth Programme developer, for the leading role which he played in the development of the baseball diamond.
New Roof being built at Maximum Security Section of HMP
Services of Canada and HMP January 15, 2014; Correctional Services of Canada Study visit Bernadette Murray and Doan Cleare Deputy Superintendents (Acting) February 14 – June 1, 2014;
14 persons including Superintendent Wright (Acting) and Deputy Superintendent Cleare (Acting) traveled to Cuba on a study tour of Cuba’s prison industries and small manufacturing, February 12 – 21, 2014;
Superintendent Wright (Acting) and Deputy Superintendent Cleare, went to Nebraska Department of Corrections on a study tour of Inmates Industries (license Plate Manufacturing) and drug treatment facility that was sponsored by Walker’s Industries February 23 -25, 2014;
2014 SunGard Public Sector Users’ Group (SUGA) 26th Annual Education and Training Event June 2 – 6, 2014. The following persons are expected to attend:
DSP Doan Cleare – Director of MIS Service
Mrs. Julianna Bullard – MIS Services Unit Coordinator
Mrs. Celeste Rahming – Assistant Accountant
Mrs. Kendrika Kemp-Wilson – Secretary to the Deputy Superintendent
Mrs. Juanita Thompson – Records Officer;
Officers are expected to attend the Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization 2014 Mock Prison Riot Certification Training Moundsville, West Virginia U.S.A. May 1 – 10, 2014;
65 male recruits are expected to commence training in April 2014)
Parliamentary Registration Department
Mr. Speaker:
I wish to express gratitude to the Acting Parliamentary Commissioner and staff at the Parliamentary Registration Department for their continued diligence to duty. Their job is dedicated ‘to affording every eligible Bahamian equal rights and access to the Electoral System, and the opportunity to be registered and to vote in free and fair elections’ to determine who should govern the country’ every five years. Whilst the PRD does not bestow citizenship, it is the Department entrusted with the awesome responsibility of ensuring that only Bahamian citizens register to elect a government to govern the country.
Mr. Speaker:
Mr. Speaker, voter registration is a costly, laborious but essential aspect of our electoral system. 172,128 persons were registered in the 2012 General Elections and 91.2% of them actually voted. To date, an additional 2,400 voters have been added to the register. Local Government Elections scheduled for 23 June, 2014 and the Parliamentary Registration Department is taking the requisite steps to ensure that those elections are effectively conducted.
Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas
The Wilderness Experience
Mr. Speaker,
My time spent in the wilderness served me well.
Like others, I had the time to reflect, to sit back, evaluate the past and to plan for the future.
I had the time to meet people that I would not have met had I continued along the road that I was on. These were new, young, talented Bahamians who, like me, wanted a better Bahamas for themselves and their children.
These were Bahamians who had travelled a different road, had experiences that I did not have and many of them had ideas and unique experiences that brought new perspectives.
But there were too, older Bahamians, some of whom were politicians with a small “p”; some were former civil servants who understood the shortcomings and benefits of the public service and many had ideas for the future growth of our Bahamas.
I learned a lot as I travelled to the islands and listened to the Family Islanders to hear what they wanted and what they needed to survive.
Together, many of us articulated and wrote a new set of policies and proposals that we would espouse whenever we got a chance.
We developed the concept of the need to “Enlarge The Bahamas” and to “Elevate Bahamians”!
An “Enlarged Bahamas” meant a Bahamas in which the Family Islands were repopulated by Bahamians who would take advantage of new opportunities to possess the land, develop their economies and enjoy the benefits of the bountiful resources. The islands would be transformed one at a time, and create a new class of entrepreneur who could benefit from an expansion of economic opportunities including the same concessions which were being offered to non-Bahamians; planned diversification; broader participation and OWNERSHIP.
We thought that to do this there must be what we called “Institutionalized Island Economies”…a development strategy which would jump start island economies by locating or relocating selected public enterprises to such islands where the institutions would become the impetus for economic activities, which would attract employees and potential entrepreneurs to those islands to provide the new services that would be needed.
The prime institutions that we thought could be relocated were the College of The Bahamas and Her Majesty’s Prison.
Stick a pin there.
Mr. Speaker,
Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Sciences Institute (BAMSI)
I am not here to speak on agriculture but I just want to clarify some misleading statements which have been presented to this House during the course of this debate. Godfrey Eneas, my friend, who was kind of in the wilderness with me, has stated to me repeatedly that “it” started with me. Yes me! What did he mean?
When I presented to this House in 2010, the potential which the Agricultural Sector held for job creation in The Bahamas, many on the other side took it for a joke. At the time I recalled the reaction of the Minister of Finance in the FNM government years earlier when I was promoting agriculture/food production as a future plank of a diversified economy, who dismissed it by saying “man if you want to get potato, go to Idaho”!
In my address to Parliament at that time, 2010 I think it was Mr. Speaker, I stated that we could create 10,000 jobs in the Agricultural Sector during this term in office. I went further Mr. Speaker to identify the sub-sectors in which it was possible and the kind of agribusinesses which could be developed.
I was not talking pie in the sky.
Mr. Key, who is a distinguished farmer, was in the House at that time fighting a losing battle with his own government to give agriculture a chance.
However, the Leader of the Opposition at the time is now our Prime Minister, and he was here at the time. And ever since then as we planned for the 2012 victory, a major part of the plans for economic development was for new agricultural and agribusiness development.
While members of the thEn governing party ignored the potential the member for Centreville took it seriously and decided to make it a reality when we won the election of May, 2012.
Mr. Speaker,
Much has been said about BAMSI and already this project is bringing about a transformation of Andros. With the initial investment of $22 million worth of construction, many Androsians and other Bahamians will be able to move to that island, to provide services to the newly employed persons. New businesses will emerge and along with them residents will build homes, apartments etc.
Nowhere in the history of The Bahamas has any FNM government even thought about the creation of a tertiary education institution for training in the sciences of agriculture and marine life.
Matter of fact the FNM government presided over the collapse of the Sector.
With reference to my original identification of 10,000 jobs, new information has been provided and a more detailed job potential list based on the analysis of the Regional Programme for the 20 Year Plan, “Rebuilding Bahamian Agriculture” which the Cabinet approved this past August.
This new schedule has identified a potential for some 13,000 jobs, so my original figure was modest.
Two weekends ago, the Prime Minister brought reality to Sir Lynden’s dream for Andros. For the five and a half centuries since the discovery of the New World, this is the first time in the history of The Bahamas that a comprehensive economic development action plan is being put in place to develop the fifth largest island in the Caribbean Region.
As the late, Clarence Bain would loudly proclaim, Andros, oh my Andros. The potential of this island, which he described as the “Continent to the West”, will be unlocked and will be tapped to provide a sustainable livelihood for thousands of Bahamians today and thousands yet unborn.
Andros is on the march because today; Andros is the new “epicentre” of economic development in our Family Islands.
The centre piece of our development programme for Andros is the fulfillment of an election promise to build a tertiary level science based institution – The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute, (BAMSI) on North Andros.
This marks the beginning of the establishment of a formal training institution’ of this type in The Bahamas.
BAMSI will offer several types of academic qualifications:
Certificate (skills – short term training)
Diplomas
Associate Degrees
Some people ask where the agricultural students will come from.
Let me tell you.
The certificate level will be open to anyone – you will need no qualifications only the desire to improve yourself.
Those with BJC’s and BGCSE’s can enter at the diploma and associate degree levels.
A battery of people will be trained in marine sciences – fishermen in new technologies, new processing techniques, small engine repair – with the objective being to utilize and commercialize more of our marine resources.
We have a country of 100,000 square miles; there is much ocean to be possessed. The potential of our marine resources will be unleashed through partnerships with world renowned institutions like the University of Miami.
This institution will be different from the University/College of The Bahamas. It will be different because those who complete their courses will have a skill which they can use to setup their own businesses rather than looking for a job.
Entrepreneurship will be key, as new cadres of young business men and women will be developed.
To date, BAMSI is already generating about $40,000 per week to employ people – young men, husbands, and fathers.
Today Andros women are already making a living selling lunches at the construction site.
Overall, some $50 – $60,000 each week are being pumped into the Andros economy because of BAMSI – not by any foreign investor but through the ingenuity of this government and the vision of our Prime Minister.
With the $20 million for the construction of the large buildings like the auditorium, dormitories, laboratories and classrooms, finding local labour with the skill set to construct these types of buildings may be a challenge. This will cause labourers from other parts of The Bahamas to migrate to North Andros.
Andros will experience a construction boom.
BAMSI will bring focus to our Agriculture and Marine Sectors.
Without knowing it we are now “Enlarging the Bahamas” and we are now “Elevating Bahamians”!
For the concept of “Elevating Bahamians” is to enable Bahamians to go into business, be proficient and competitive and become owners and employers in a new economy. It means empowering Bahamians by giving the opportunity to get in on the ground floor as a matter of government policy.
It means no longer will Bahamians be bypassed and it means much more than that.
With the development of The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute on North Andros that is taking place the reality of these diverse type of jobs will be realized by the Bahamian people as the Institute develops and plays its role in the socio-economic development of our country.
Mr. Speaker, We will see come September.
A paradigm shift is about to take place as these sectors are pushed into new technologies and challenged to be innovative.
Food security for The Bahamas is nearer our fingertips; there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Mr. Speaker,
I represent an inner-City constituency where every day my people are confronted w