By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE number of people being killed in the Bahamas hugely under-represents the number of people who are actual victims of crime, Dr Duane Sands yesterday.

Dr Sands, former Senator and Emergency Room Doctor at the Princess Margaret Hospital, said that the newest crime statistics released by the Royal Bahamas Police Force, in no way paints the true picture of what he sees in the hospital everyday.

According to the latest police statics released on Monday, overall crime decreased by 11 per cent this year compared to the same period last year – January 1 to May 27.

When questioned about the decreased figures in relation to the high volume of shootings in New Providence this year, police officials explained that some shootings were classified as “causing harm” based on severity of the crime.

Incidents of “causing harm” were not included in the official statistics that were released.

Murder and attempted murder also decreased by 13 per cent and 60 per cent respectively.

However, Dr Sands said if it wasn’t for the intervention of medical professionals the murder count would be significantly higher.

“This has been an issue we have been discussing in the medical field for some time. There have been incidents when a patient comes into the Emergency Room with a serious life threatening injury and they are only saved because of the intervention of doctors and medical staff. Then we hear, the person responsible for shooting or stabbing this individual has a reduced charge of causing harm. There is something, I believe, wrong with that,” he said.

“The only reason some of these people are alive is because attackers are not good shots and they missed. But they were trying to kill not trying to harm so how is that not attempted murder? It almost makes you feel as a clinician that you are contributing in a bizarre way to allowing a culprit to get back on the streets. I had a lady stabbed in her heart and she was fortunate enough to survive after we repaired a laceration to her right ventricle but then we heard the person was charged with causing harm. It is just absurd.

“We have no say in the matter, it is entirely up to the judicial system what they charge a person with. So I could have someone shot multiple times come in the hospital but because of the intervention and the huge amount of resources the patient survives but it is only causing harm and they do not give any rhyme or reason for their decision.”

Dr Sands said the Emergency Room at the Princess Margaret Hospital sees more than 250 persons getting shot a year, over 1,000 stabbings and over 3,000 assaults. He said there is a huge crime problem in this country and the recently released crime statistics are just a tip of the iceberg.

“You cannot just focus on the murder rate, that does not paint a true picture of the crime in the Bahamas. We rank in the top 10 for violent countries in the world per capita. This is the reality, this has been the reality for a long time and this is not a PLP or FNM statement,” he said.

“I have no interest in rebutting the numbers of the Commissioner but what I can see from experience working at the Princess Margaret Hospital, I find no solace or comfort in reports that violent crime is down. There is a huge problem in this country. Things are bad. We should find no comfort in these numbers at all. And if our politicians, whether they be PLP or FNM, are of the belief that any single group can solve this problem they are delusional. Anyone who says that is an idiot.”