By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A CABINET minister said people convicted of rape should be castrated or executed.

The comments of Environment and Natural Resources Minister Vaughn Miller came after police raised concerns about sexual assaults in the Bacardi Road area in his Golden Isles constituency.

Mr Miller said he was furious when a woman was reportedly abducted, robbed and sexually assaulted at 10am on Saturday.

Police said they have since arrested the suspect in that incident.

“I wish to register my anger against persons who commit such violent, reprehensible, detestable acts,” Mr Miller said. “In fact, I am rather draconian in my mindset on this. I’m from the old school, the old, old, old school. If you find them guilty, without a shadow of doubt, you castrate or execute them and prepare ‘em tell ‘em bid farewell to this side and say hello to whatever is on the other side. That’s my draconian opinion.”

 Sexual assaults and rapes are the only serious crimes that have recently increased.

 “In this Bahamas,” Mr Miller said, “we must not tolerate these acts by giving what most consider to be a slap on the wrist sentences. We must send a strong message to perpetrators that if found guilty, you will be dealt with in such a manner that you will never be able to repeat the offence. The people of Golden Isles sent me here to be their voice maximised. This is the message we wish to send.”

 “Our people must able to traverse our streets and occupy their homes without the fear of being attacked or assaulted.

 “We have become or are, on many instances, fast becoming a people who do not like to be disciplined. But I’m reminded of a statement by the founder of Kwanzaa Dr Maulana Karenga who said, and I quote, ‘the people who refuse to be disciplined will in the end be destroyed by the lack of discipline’.”