By NOELLE NICOLLS

Tribune Features Editor

nnicolls@tribunemedia.net

Prime Minister Perry Christie said he was astonished to learn the scope and scale of the work done by volunteers of the Bahamas Crisis Centre, a non-governmental organisation staffed by only one paid administrator.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the regional conference on Tuesday, Mr Christie said the work of Crisis Centre volunteers is important to the state because it ultimately aids in the prevention of crime.

“This is about people stepping up to the plate to assist in something that is very important to our country and that is bringing peace into our homes, because if there is no peace in our homes it is going to spill over into the streets. Children watching their parents fight, or their boyfriends fighting their mothers and they adopt the same behaviour, so it becomes very, very harmful,” said Mr Christie.

The reality that women and children are beaten and battered on a regular basis often escapes the consciousness of the public, said Mr Christie.

For public figures, he said, it is important to recognise that “even in our governance, we are not as connected as we ought to be”.

All too often, he said, when a problem is not in one’s face, it is not in one’s consciousness.

“I began by acknowledging that I had not been paying sufficient attention to it. It was just a policy issue to me, but as I read more about it I recognised there is much more we can do to assist these volunteers who are doing such wonderful work,” said Mr Christie.

He pledged the support of the government to do more to advance the efforts of the Crisis Centre, which currently receives a $30,000 subvention.

“The state has to find a way through co-operation with organisations like the Crisis Centre to do more, to be more meaningfully involved, and to ensure that the support is sustained and relevant,” said Mr Christie.

“I think the invitation to me will result in there being significant assistance given to the Crisis Centre,” he said.

Crisis Centre volunteers are hoping the increased awareness about the work and importance of the volunteer organisation will help their immediate need for a new home to be addressed.

Since the Crisis Centre was moved from its Knowles House location in 2010, to facilitate the expansion of the hospital, it has been using clinical rooms in the main hospital to provide services to victims of violence.

• The conference continues at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort and Casino until Friday. Follow Tribune Features Editor at @noelle_elleon on Twitter for updates throughout the conference.