By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FOUR teenagers have been charged with murder and are serving prison sentences at HM Prison, Fox Hill, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage has revealed.

Among them is a 15-year-old, two 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old.

Studies have also discovered, the Minister told students at a crime forum yesterday, that at least one out of every five students in the public school system uses marijuana.

These statistics have sparked serious concerns for Bahamas Against Crime (BAC) representatives. Yesterday BAC called for the government to “stop talking and craft a good plan” to save young Bahamians.

Executive Director of BAC, Rev C B Moss told The Tribune yesterday that the signs of a faltering youth have been evident for a long time.

However, he said, the times and circumstances have become more serious as veteran criminals are using young people to do their work, which has resulted in more young people facing the law for serious crimes.

“If they can recruit young persons,” Rev Moss said, “they don’t have to get too close to the crime. And if they (the young people) are caught, they convince them that the law will be lenient to them.

“We are dealing with a time when youngsters have been born in this environment where crime is more complex and occurring more frequently and so they mature a lot faster.”

Fighting crime, Rev Moss insisted, is not just a government issue. He urged major stakeholders to assist in investing in the lives of young people, especially those prone to criminal activity.

“I am calling on the government to target these young people at very young ages. To have them at eight and 9 years old stressing the virtues of a great person.

“It’s unfortunate that governments for the past number of years have believed that they can solve this crime epidemic on their own.

“We have a crisis in this country and they need to acknowledge that and it must be contributed to by all of the major stakeholders, including the church, the business communities, and civic organisations.” he said.

“The plan should not only be the police and buying police cars and equipment, it should be the result of serious involvement by major stakeholders and turned into a plan of action,” Rev Moss said.