Homicides down - but ‘one murder is too much’

By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

WHILE lamenting the fact that “one murder is too much,” Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday said homicides are down considerably compared with this time last year.

Still he stressed his administration will do what it can to counter the problem.

He spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a Mortgage Corporation event yesterday when asked about a reported murder-suicide on Sunday and what the government would do to stem domestic violence as well as general crime.

“We have spoken to that extensively in Parliament,” Dr Minnis said. “I pointed out that murder has been decreased by 45 percent. You know, one murder is too much. And we’ll do everything we can to try and minimise it as much as possible. We’ll do everything possible that we can do.”

There have been 23 murders recorded thus far for the year, while 38 were recorded in the same period this time last year, according to The Tribune’s records.

While Dr Minnis noted a decrease of 45 percent, The Tribune’s figures show murders have dropped by 39 percent compared with this time last year.

Earlier this month, National Security Minister Marvin Dames reported that overall crime is down 14 percent.

On Sunday, Nicola Bethel was murdered by her husband, Ashondi Bethel, in an apparent murder-suicide.

Mr Bethel reportedly shot his wife in their Yellow Elder Gardens home before turning the gun on himself.

The couple shared three children who were reported to have been home at the time of the incident.

Yesterday, police found Cammaron Lewis, 34, dead in a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds.

The incident took place in the area of Dignity Gardens, off Carmichael Road.

Police are appealing to the public for any assistance in these investigations or any other case.

Comments

Aegeaon says...

Don't get too prideful, in the next few hours, we may lose about four people in 24 hours.

Posted 27 March 2018, 3:55 p.m. Suggest removal

licks2 says...

YA SEE HWY I DOES CALL YINNA SILLY. . .MY MY MY. . .FOR WANT OF COMMON SENSE AROUND THIS PLACE!!

Posted 27 March 2018, 7:37 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

Like was stated earlier : IF murders are down by 39 or 45 percent and police involved killings are up 300 or 400 percent, there is NO net decrease in homicides. And when the public or the family of a victim killed by the police have a different account of how a person was killed then there should a proper investigation and a proper inquest. The commissioner of police admitted that the police cannot investigate themselves. But there has to be proper investigation and accountability and trust of the police. Everyone wants crime, especially murder to decrease. But they also want the war on crime to be genuine and follow due process. How many of the 57 arrested in Grand Bahama has been charged thus far? Persons in authority should not put out statements to grab headlines and lead the public to believe a situation is worse that it really is. There is enough fallout when foreign entities put out these type statements against The Bahamas.

Posted 28 March 2018, 5:31 a.m. Suggest removal

licks2 says...

There you go again. . .TALKING FOOL. . .do you read what you write? For want of reasonable common sense dialogue you present NOTHING AT ALL! My my my. . .what a waste of a brain. . .poor political person. . .making them self look like a blinded fool. . .and for what? Just to "dig into" and man who don't intend to let you get to him? I would you "wannabe politicians" focus yinna dialogue on we the public. . .make it sensible and balance. . .not trying to make doc look like a fool no matter what. . .if he is dimwitted like yinna say. . .he will do that job just fine all by himself! What a pity to see educated persons become such ninnies. . .and for what. . .they can't stand the PM! Boy yinna catch yasef aye! 2022 een far away ya know. . .we don't want no more stupid governments. . .and if yinna will act this dumb. . .forget yinna for leadership. . .yinna are just bunch of fakes. . .

Posted 28 March 2018, 12:03 p.m. Suggest removal

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