By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

BISHOP Cedric Moss, senior pastor at the Kingdom Life Church, blames Prime Minister Perry Christie and the government for the “unbelievable increase” in murder in the Bahamas.

In a letter to The Tribune today, Mr Moss says hardly a day goes by without our nation “being greeted with horrific news of one or more” cold-blooded murders. He said Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade should not be held responsible; instead the blame should be placed at the feet of Mr Christie and the judicial system.

The country’s murder count stood at 107 for the year last night. Seven people have been murdered since Friday.

“Those who blame the Commissioner of Police for our nation’s state of criminal siege must remember that the commissioner of police is not able to pass laws with stiffer penalties, and he certainly cannot lead the process to amend the Constitution to address bail weaknesses and to ensure that convicted murderers are executed without prohibition from the Privy Council,” Mr Moss wrote.

“Only Prime Minister Christie and his government can take those necessary steps to address our culture of murder and violence; but they have different priorities, like the unnecessary ... gambling referendum and their $13m carnival, which could have put CCTV cameras throughout New Providence. As long as we wrongly place blame for our culture of violence and lawlessness at the feet of the Commissioner and others who are not responsible, things will only get worse.”

Mr Moss said instead of ridiculing Mr Greenslade, the public should commend him and the officers on the Royal Bahamas Police Force for all their hard work and dedication.

“The Commissioner of Police and the men and women of the police force are generally doing an excellent job. They are overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated. Yet, they do their jobs every day, and they do it well, putting their very lives on the line for the rest of us, including those who wrongly blame them for that over which they have no control,” he said.

“So, to those who desire our criminal culture to be reversed, I encourage you to place the blame where it rightly belongs: at the feet of Prime Minister Christie and his government; and then hold their feet to the fire. If not, let’s brace ourselves for more of the same.”

See Letters, section.