All extremely accurate statements by the US. I personally take these precautions being a Bahamian. I have also been robbed several times over the last 2 years. We have a serious problem that will continue to get worse, unless we figure out a way to address it. Government really needs to think outside the box, and implore drastic measures to reduce crime.

This is what happens when you show floating bodies by Bay on FB.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CRIME IS OUT OF CONTROL!

A body is a dead body.Don't you get the ^%$#@(&%% message.Someone died and in more likelihood than not was murdered.A dead body is someone's son,daughter,father or mother or a relative of someone.

Bahamians who have taken to putting gross crime photos on the internet for the US law enforcement to see almost on a daily basis ........ that is the problem ........ Very little major crime affects the tourists ......... How many tourists have been murdered in Nassau in the past 5 years????

A U.S. tourist was just shot during a break-in to the residence he and his family had rented in Providenciales, our near neighbour. It could well have been Nassau or one of the Family Islands. I think the contents of the report are accurate. Denial is not the answer. Posting sick photos on the internet has become a sick way of life, no doubt about it. Crime is out of control and needs to be reined in now. The same attitude towards major crime is that applied to petty crime like littering, shop lifting and ignoring road rules.
At some time we have to grow as a people. That includes people who have moved into the Bahamas, many illegally, and now call these Islands home.

I definitely disagree with you sheeprunner. The internet is a way of life, and it gets reported the same way everywhere else. While the violent crime hasn't escalated towards tourists, break-ins, and thefts most definitely have. Crime on a whole is out of control. The jetski guys raping tourist women is only one level less than murder in my books. I think it is great the US continues to put pressure on our government to address the crime problem, because it needs a more comprehensive plan than what is now in place.

One murder is too many regardless of who they are locals or tourists. Crime is a crime and murder is a murder.Don't you get the message.

The article is factual in all respects---Regretfully the Bahamas has become a haven for criminals. They couldn't show floating bodies if there were none to show---When the tourist stop coming we will know the reason why!!

Add to this the fact that The Bahamas is the eighth most expensive place in the world to live and you wonder why anyone would want to come here at all!

Sources ........... please

Give it time, we're working on it!

What about the crime rate in the US? They concerned about that?

Comrades! It's a delayed reality coming back to bite Minnis and his renegade red shirts. Who can forget how the then official red shirts rebels opposition went publicly before the US media to lend their support for Cuban exile activist Ramón Saúl Sánchez, leader of the Cuban Democracy Movement's call for a BOYCOTT the Bahamalans.... who had since been ordered by the Obama administration to leave the USA. Can you imagine what the reaction of the world's media would have been like - had a bunch former red MP's and Senators joined in a 'flotilla' sailing towards the Bahamaland from Miami? { No need make this stuff up }.
Comrades, this is no longer the' Free Enterprise' red party of Papa Hubert and Cecil Wallace-Whitfield!

Even most Bahamians don't feel safe in Nassau.
True freedom is gone.
The Family Islands are the last bastion of decent living.
What we worry about here is how quickly the city people will bring their bad habits with them.
It is already happening.
Family Island police are too laid back and corrupt to take charge.
This crime epidemic will do us all in.
Even if the criminals don't take our life, they will take our livelihood.
Isn't it happening now, right before our eyes?

You really have a low level of respect for Family Islanders' work ethic and productivity........ recheck your thinking, my friend

I said the police.
Reread please.
And, I stand by my statement.

Yup! I definitely agree with you, as I have lived several years in Exuma and Abaco. Crime is definitely on the rise in Abaco big time, and it is because there are a lot of Nassauvians coming over to Abaco. At this point it is mostly over women or petty drugs, and small break-ins, but it is increasing in frequency. In terms of crime being posted the internet is a way of life, and it gets reported the same way everywhere else. While the violent crime hasn't escalated towards tourists, break-ins, and thefts most definitely have. Crime on a whole is out of control. The jetski guys raping tourist women is only one level less than murder in my books. I think it is great the US continues to put pressure on our government to address the crime problem, because it needs a more comprehensive plan than what is now in place.

You would expect that rather than just sending out advisories on the crime situation in The Bahamas, the US would offer advice and maybe even assistance in tackling the crime problem. But many Bahamians are leaving New Province and going back to The Family Islands. Many cannot understand the unacceptable crime problem in the capital, especially murder. Of course much of the crime is driven by unemployment and other economic conditions.
The question now is how to fix it.

Two thirds of people who live in New Providence ....... and 90% of Grand Bahamians ............ have their roots in other Family Islands ....... The solution is rather simple, but we seem unable to face the reality that without immediate Family Island Development, we are doomed

The fact is there is still family structure on the Family Islands and true community life. If one is not working on the family islands you can at least manage to scrap a meal or do some odd jobs around the community to survive. In Nassau even people who are working are struggling to make ends meet so in most instances someone asking for a hand out is seen as a nuisance, an unaffordable expense. Some people believe they are more successful turning to crime than looking for charity. Then there are career criminals and generation criminals. They came from parents that were drug dealers and never had a legitimate job and so they are on that same road.

There a lot of drug dealers on the Family Islands as well ...... smh ...... Just look at the names and faces brought forward to the Nassau courts

While there's no question that crime is out of control in New Providence, the US needs to make note that their claim of "traffic accidents pose a safety hazard in some parts of the Bahamas, primarily due to intolerant drivers speeding and driving recklessly on two-way, two-lane roads not designed for high-speed travel and, in some cases, in need of maintenance.”

They do not add that several serious accidents in the out islands were caused by their own US nationals not bothering to drive on the left! And when questioned by police after the accident, claimed to not realized they weren't in the US and that they figured we drove on the right too. Maybe a bit drunk too? Or just arrogance?

Comrades! The Red Cabinet should do away with allowing tourists and visitors to the Bahamaland to drive any form of motorized vehicles. We also should completely do away with the renting of vehicles, including renting to locals. An immediate restriction should also be placed on importing gas powered vehicles.

Good luck with that Tal!

Comrade Gotoutintime, As far as I am aware there is not a single car rental agency on the island of Bermuda. The last time I visited there were no car rentals anywhere on the island. Car rentals are not allowed by the Bermuda Government. Not only are tourists not allowed rent cars but neither can the locals.
Bermuda also has a very clean and efficient bus service and the taxis are also well operated.

Tal--If we had made the changes you have so rightly suggested 50 years ago it could have worked---Now, it's much too late I'm afraid!

Not advised as many experienced tourists prefer to rent a car in order to have mobility and, most importantly, to experience the sights and people outside of the 'tourist areas' which are serviced by the taxis and buses.

This is a strength for the Family Islands.

Banning rental cars would decrease employment and tourism as well.

I lived in Nassau in the 70's and also in 2009 and it is a major difference in crime. Two murderers a year in 1973-76 and now close to 80 a year and growing. In 1973 a murderer was hanged at For Hill prison and this capital punishment must come back.Crime is out control for such a small population. I say hang them and hang them high like it was back in the 70',otherwise crime will increase and tourist will not come. It is getting bad in Providenciales,T & C and it seems like they are all elated or from from the same stock.

We should respond by reminding the U.S. that it has several cities, each with a population far exceeding the population of our entire country, where the violent crime rates are so high that vast densely populated areas have become literal war zones, e.g. Chicago, Baltimore, Los Angeles, etc. Many Bahamians no longer feel safe while shopping in Miami these days!

USA has posted that it is not safe to go over the Hill in Nassau. This was the same in 1974
-1976 so you can only imagine what it is like to day, some fourtly- four years later. I lived there during this time and it was a cess' pool then with no running water and tarred paper shacks.
Tourists were warned as well as people living and working on permits were told the same.
Everyone in nassau had a dog and not an dog, but a German Shepherd or a dog trained to
protect you and they lived out doors.Nassau is a very good City otherwise and a few criminals
cause all the problems.Too many guns and no control over drugs. They have an attitude kill
or be killed and relative or not.The majority of the people in Nassau are somewhat related in any event.

in any society about 5% of the population are sociopathic. Most will not know that they are as they have never felt differently. A well trained sociopath can do very well in society, particularly in the military or police and also in politics, the ability to lie convincingly is useful in this career choice. It is fairly easy to identify the 3 sociopaths within the ranks of the PLP, can you see who they are?
Just as dangerous are the sociopaths who have not been properly socialized and can kill without remorse, these are the ones who become the murders we read about in the newspapers. Parents are responsible for bringing up their children in this country but hundreds of them do not have the resources available or the education. Crime is going nowhere except up, doesn't matter which party is in power. It's sad, this used to be such a beautiful country to live in.