‘Turning blind eye to gang wars will only make them worse’

NOTED psychiatrist Dr David Allen says the stabbing of a teen boy last week highlights longstanding gang wars in inner city communities, adding that as long as the nation turns a blind eye to the issue it will only get worse.

According to Dr Allen, who works with troubled youth, many young boys claim they are unable to walk on certain streets or ride a bus of choice due to gang involvement or for fear of being victims of gang violence.

In the aftermath of 15-year-old Perry Rolle Jr’s tragic death, Dr Allen said it may be time to implement a system that will ensure children are safe as they walk to and from school.

The plan involves paying former gang leaders to escort children in poor communities where gang violence is prevalent.

This he said will ensure children’s safety and put money in the pockets of ex-gang members who have fallen on hard times after turning from a life of crime.

“If kids can’t walk home in safety we have a huge problem,” Dr Allen told The Tribune in a recent interview. “This goes to the heart of the nation.

“We are denying that kids are in gangs but the fact of the matter is the gangs do things for them, control them, set them up with money and other things.

“We have to stop denying it. There has always been a warring faction between CC Sweeting and TA Thompson (schools) because the gangs are here and they are among our young people. Even the parents don’t realise how deep this is.

“These kids say they can’t walk in certain areas. They can’t ride on certain buses. That is wrong. These kids are carrying weapons and this shouldn’t be on an island 21 by 7.”

He also said: “Going from home to school, children should be able to walk home safely and if they can’t do it we should train people to do it. I will take the ex-gang leaders and pay them to get these kids to and from school.”

Rolle was stabbed multiple times during an altercation with two high school students last Tuesday afternoon after school outside the premises of TG Glover at around 3pm.

He was walking home in the Pitt Road area when he was accosted by two young men who are students of CC Sweeting School.

“The two young men, one of which was in possession of a knife and handed the knife to the other young man and directed him to stab the victim, which the young man did several times about his body, one of which was his chest,” Education Minister Jeff Lloyd said in an update to reporters following the incident. “The victim was taken to the hospital and succumbed to his wounds.”

Rolle’s mother Gladys Louis, 38, has questioned why he was killed.

In an emotional interview with The Tribune the after her son’s death, she said: “Tell me well, why did you hurt my son like that? Why did you take his life like that? Because my son didn’t have that in him, to take another person’s life.”

Police said last week that two boys, one 15 years old and another 16 years old, are in custody.

Authorities have not yet said what charges they will face or when this may happen.

Comments

bogart says...

BEY....AN NOW GET DIS......WE DA PORE PEOPLE IN GETTO.....KNOWN AREA....FRACTURED FAMILIES....ETC......NOW A PLAN IS FER WE DA PORE PAYING EX GANG MEMBERS TO ESCORT CHILDREN SAFETY.....?????????............AND......WE AREADY....DONE PAYING EXTRA VAT regressive taxation......hurtin pore worsely....UP TP 12%.....TO PAY BILLS FOR POLITICIANS.....GUBBERMINT WORKERS....RICH PEOPLE TO RIDE SOFETLY......WIDDOIT INCOME TAXES AN CORPORATE TAXES......PAY GUBBERMINT WORKERS MONTHLY SALARIES...TO GET IMPLEMINT...THE KNOWN SOLUTIONS..........AN SLUNKING....AN NOW WE DA PORE IS TO PAY ...PROTECTION FEES TO EX GANG........!!!!!!!!!!???......dey smokin crack eh...

Posted 1 April 2019, 6:58 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV)

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Unless God intervenes no flesh will be left alive. Dr Allen is on point about the gangs , but he must also acknowledge that this is spiritual warfare. No matter how expensive a phone is, it cannot function without a SIM card. God is the SIM card and unfortunately he is missing in many phones, rich and poor. And others have SIM cards but no minutes (faith). We wrestle not against flesh and blood..’Ephesians 6:12 King James Version (KJV)

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Dr. Allen is a good Christian Doctor.

Posted 1 April 2019, 9:47 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

A few years ago I posted about predator drugs that were so powerful they can change a person’s DNA. They become killers and once someone is identified as the enemy (prey) the predators will not rest until they attack and kill them. In London the incidents of teens (of rival) gangs stabbing each other fatally continues and have gotten to the point where schools are now teaching students how to treat stab wounds. In Chicago and a few other major cities the gunfire is like a war zone and so are the dead bodies. And so is the violence in Jamaica, Trinidad. And what do all these areas , including London, have in common with The Bahamas? In all cases both the major victims and pepatrators of the crimes are black.

Posted 2 April 2019, 4:19 a.m. Suggest removal

bogart says...

DA GUBBERMINT ....DA PATRIOTS....DA CITIZENS.....WANTIN TO HAVE A SOVEREIGN BAHAMAS.....FER FUTURE GENERATIONS..........NEEDS TO FORM A HOMELAND SECURITY FORCE....WID POWERS.....AN FORCE TO LAY SEIGE TO THESE AREAS......AND GUT THE FILTHY CRIMINALS.....GANGS.....AND JAIL THE ...THE COHOTS.....CRONIES....INTERFERERS...PACIFIERS...cuddling continuous decades old increasing..getting worse..waterry solutions ending resulting continuous gut wrenching trajic disasters earning gubbermint paid monthly salaries an repeated failure dere solutions not working...!!!!! ......BRING ON SOVEREIGN HOMELAND SECURITY FORCE.......AND ...WITH FIRM NO NONSENSE ACTIONS....NATIONAL HOMELAND SECURITY FORCE.....!!!!!....CLEAN THE INFESTINATION....OF CURRUPT..DISEASES....FORTHWITH.......DA EVIL AN WICKEDNESS NEEDS....HARSH ACTION...!!!!!!!!....NOT APPEASEMENT...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....

Posted 2 April 2019, 8:35 a.m. Suggest removal

Chucky says...

this guy has lost his mind!

"pay former gang members" to watch our children.

just so wrong and such a stupid idea,

idiot!!!!!!!

Posted 2 April 2019, 8:41 a.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

Is it that hard to infiltrate gangs and find gang leaders on New Providence????????

Or is the biggest gang (Police) a part of the gang war culture in the city????

Posted 2 April 2019, 9:18 a.m. Suggest removal

Sickened says...

We don't need to escort kids to school; we need to rid the streets of gangs. I'm sure the police have a dossier on every gang and the vast majority of their members. Pass a law to allow police to round up all the gang members and throw them in jail until they die. Very simple!

Posted 2 April 2019, 9:54 a.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

Yep - have a big holding cage anchored at sea for all gang bangers ....... sharks will be their natural security detail

Posted 2 April 2019, 10 a.m. Suggest removal

stillwaters says...

The police force may round them up and jail them, BUT .......come election time, politicians will let them out!!!!!!

Posted 2 April 2019, 10:29 a.m. Suggest removal

bogart says...

International Organization of Migratiom......has data on some up to 50,000 illegals.
Part of the challenge is the failure to have illegal migrants acconpany captured adults deported.....an govt ...enlisted children...in POWERFUL EDUCATION SYSTEM TO GIVE EDUCATION TO SWEETHEARTED..CHILLREN...schooling....many without citizen papers....some dropouts...Many seems to be children also and raised by single parent oftentimes female. The male adult ....father was obviously chosen as best prospectives for future.....with job....position....even slightest upliftment.....Many of dese wutless non parenting fathers....ARE DEFINITELY IN NASSAU....throufh neighbourhoods...and would if any would find ways to get dere offspring evading da law...dese gang bangers likely fatherless upbringing presence ....BUT DEFINITELY LIKELY FATHER BAHAMIAN EXISTS...who are by law MUST BE LISTED NAMED ON BIRTH CERTIFICATES...OUTSIDE CHILLREN PAPERS..even baby mother illegal or legal.......Fathers need to man up to dere gang bangers chillrens...be responsible...stead of terrorizing nation...

Posted 2 April 2019, 1:12 p.m. Suggest removal

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