By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Against Crime Executive Director C B Moss yesterday announced the expansion of his organisation’s “Hands Around Bain and Grant’s Town” project to an island-wide initiative.

During a press conference held in Rawson Square, Rev Moss said calls from communities around New Providence forced BAC to reconsider its original plans.

He noted that crime and its effects have plagued residents of New Providence for too long, adding, “healing is needed.”

Rev Moss said BAC’s push to “arrest crime and put it in decline” has inspired the residents of New Providence to stand up and unite.

“Due to the limited resources, Bahamas Against Crime was unable to organise a national event, so it was therefore decided to stage a regional version covering the community of Bain and Grants Town.”

“However, the push has been tremendous in the weeks since we first announced these plans and now we have decided to take this initiative one step further,” he added.

Rev Moss said the initiative “Hands around New Providence” would adopt the principle goals of his group’s initial plans.

As presented, the new initiative intends to assemble local residents to join hands along a prescribed route encircling the island of New Providence in a symbolic gesture of protecting the communities across the island from crime and violence.

The initiative has been scheduled for April 24.

The BAC is hoping the initiative will raise funds to aid its anti-crime effort. The funds will be raised through sponsorships, special donations and shirt sales.

Additionally, the “Hands around New Providence” initiative will act as the high point in a project that will look to establish a number of auxiliary campaigns.

These include parental skills training programmes; job training and placement; joint projects with the Royal Bahamas Police Force and other law enforcement agencies; conflict resolution programmes; academic and vocational scholarships; and sporting activities and environmental projects.

There have been 19 murders recorded so far this year.

Last year, the country recorded a record breaking 146 murders, according to police statistics.

There were originally 149 homicides in 2015, according to The Tribune’s records, however police later said some of the matters had been reclassified.