By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie said a holistic approach is needed to combat crime, adding young men have become “human weapons”.

He spoke to reporters as the body of Elwood Donaldson, Sr., lay in state.

Twenty-five people have been killed in 2024, one of the deadliest starts ever in a year.

“We clearly will have to find the formula to understand why young men, in particular, are being weaponised by the environment in which they live,” Mr Christie said. “They literally become human weapons and weapons that are not working in the best interests of the country.”

Mr Christie believes involvement in crime relates to someone’s home environment, neighbourhood, struggles with unemployment, or being drawn to the form of brotherhood that exists in gangs.

“It’s a question of governance and effective governance and putting that in place and making sure that you are responding to the needs of the people,” he said. “And, as I said before, I think that those ideas are now in play. And I have no doubt in the coming days and weeks, you’re going to see major activity on the part of the government.”

The murder rate has sparked concerns about the impact on the tourism industry.

Last month, Tourism Minister Chester Cooper said he is not concerned about this, adding: “The Bahamas is a safe place.”

Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said yesterday that Mr Cooper’s response was unfortunate.

“His statement gave the impression that he had no concerns when the stakeholders themselves immediately respond and say we have concerns because our bookings have changed,” Mr Pintard told reporters. “And so the response of government should simply be one, that you meet with your stakeholders and strategise around how we are addressing the issue that affects the number one industry in the country.

“Secondly, you ought to make sure that your public relations machinery is communicating the right message. I thought it was a mistake for government officials not to directly talk to the international media. What they sought to do is to work through the various agencies that work on our behalf, who couldn’t tell the story better than we can. And so I thought they missed an opportunity.”