By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

TALL PINES MP Leslie Miller yesterday blamed “gutless politicians” for the increase in murder and serious crime in the country.

In an interview with The Tribune, Mr Miller said many of his parliamentary colleagues are “afraid to implement the laws on the books” and urged Bahamians to vote for persons who will “carry out the death penalty” and “send everyone else packing”.

Mr Miller’s comments came on the heels of the country’s ninth homicide of the new year, a figure already surpassing the total of eight persons killed in the entire month of January, 2016.

The last two months of 2016 were the deadliest for the year according to official police statistics, with November and December recording 13 and 15 murders respectively.

Mr Miller said it seems as though, the government as well as opposition members in the House of Assembly, “do not have the guts” to do anything drastic to deal with the crime situation, and “the criminals know it”.

“These young punks aren’t scared to shoot you in the head because they know there is no penalty. They will spend a few nights in jail and then come back out to kill someone else. Do you see how they smile for the camera when they are being charged? It’s because they know they will soon be free,” Mr Miller claimed.

“Crime affects all of us. If you send someone to Parliament who does not agree with your views on crime, vote them out this time. I don’t care which party they belong to. People are afraid to go out at night. People are afraid period, yet we are more concerned about the murderers than the victims. The criminals are winning and they know it. I am not blaming the government for crime, but it is our responsibility to put the laws in place to reduce these heinous acts. The death penalty is on the books but these people too afraid of pissing other countries off instead of protecting their own people.”

Mr Miller said the police are doing an excellent job apprehending the criminals after the fact but added that crime is so rampant “that even that is not enough”.

“The Commissioner said crime is down and I believe him. I believe the statistics show that, but the statistics do not measure how the public feels and the truth is most people are still afraid and they do not feel safe,” Mr Miller said.

“These politicians in Parliament are gutless and these criminals don’t give a damn. As long as there is breath in my body I will fight for the death penalty. Voters have to ask themselves, who do you want to represent you that will have your back when crime and murder is so rampant? You have to vote for individuals that will make the changes that are necessary to get this crime situation under control. I am not blaming the government for this but we must pay the price. Why are we sparing these people’s lives when they don’t care about us?, How many people have to die? Who is next?”

Last year, Mr Miller predicated that most of his parliamentary colleagues will be “gone” after next year’s general election.

Mr Miller also said this will be an “extremely tough” election for the Progressive Liberal Party and predicted there will be “massive changes” in the House of Assembly after the 2017 vote.