Dis we culture. Our minds have been poisoned. Back in the day , people had one pair of shoes that they used for school , church and other functions. They did not steal . Today, fellas have gold chain, motobikes, expensive Jordans , and still steal.

Hon Minister, Thanks for clarity on the law as it relates to the looting of the Brooking Bridge barge. The barge was NEVER abandoned. There was a local marine company on scene from day one along with the Tug that was towing it. To say it was left unattended is false.
The issue here is the Defence force dropped the ball again just as they did in Dorian. To admit publicly that they were fearful of rioting suggest to the world we are a joke. This isn't just a black eye for Abaco, but for the entire Bahamas . There is enough videos out on FB to catch and prosecute plenty. Shame on our law enforcement and shame on our political leaders from all parties....but most of all, shame on our Religious leaders who is going along with the looters.
Trust me....the US is watching and waiting. Just make inquiries into how must debris that was thrown into the water by the looters. . Paint, Oil, Tires, Card board , Cases of Cornflakes and chips....Stupid is what stupid does. PS...just for clarity there were Americans second homes owner looting as well..

You can't steal from an abandoned vessel. Perhaps the minister needs to read up at maritime law.

That vessel was not abandoned.

To be fair, the track record of grounded barges and freight ships in this county is to abandon and leave the vessel where she sits. case in point, there are currently 2 abandoned barges right now in various states of decay on once healthy reef ecosystems. the sand on one is still sitting there where it was left. I don't blame the fellas for thinking the barge was abandoned and left if there was no clear indication that the vessel was left to the elements. There was that freight boat in Long Island, left to sink and rot. There was that barge near Great Exuma left to rot as a navigation hazard that govt eventually got around to moving after someone died or almost died on it. The image I saw that barge is high and dry and not moving until the freight is taken off and the load lightened. They are lucky to have a calm weather window this week but if they don't get it moved by the weekend the next blow will compromise the hull if she is not already holed. I agree with Munroe, where was the owners rep to secure the merchandise? it is not our tax payer dollars that should have to foot the bill to protect some foreigners property that happened to float into Bahamian waters. Next time ensure the tow cable is not old and compromised. If the weather is inclement slow down - almost a guarantee that the owner was pushing the captain to make the delivery as quickly as possible and pushing the safety envelope. We all learn lessons the hard way sometimes.

When Trump blows up the next set of boats approaching a US ship who will you blame?

Mr. Munroe should resign.
Does he not see that this is a black eye to the entire nation?
Does he forget that some of his top employees are locked up in the US for drugs, guns and money crimes.
He is part and parcel of the country's law enforcement culture, or lack thereof.
Mr. Munroe is morally adrift, for having to spend so much time defending the indefensible.
And, to read the comments from our administrators, pastors and police. any black eye we receive is due to our own slackness and turn toward evil.
This country is finished unless we oust every person in a position of power and replace ALL of them with new blood.
We must replace the entire political, national security, police and so-called Christian pastors for this country to survive another generation.
This entire PLP administration is rotten to the core.
This fish rots from the head down.
This country is adrift. And,I hope the world sees this and acts accordingly.
And, we still do not know who the senior politician is who was involved with the recent scandal in the US, do we?
Go Mr. Munroe. You do this country no good whatsoever.

"*In its statement, the barge company claimed Bahamian police initially avoided confronting looters “due to concerns of possible violence,” saying the delay “created a dangerous situation that could have easily resulted in injury, or worse, to our US personnel or others.*”

... all of the freight on that container is insured! The shipper is the one with the responsibility of ensuring the safety of their cargo, not local law enforcement! As soon as the company found out the barge was grounded, they should have mobilized security to ensure the cargo was safe and coordinated with local law enforcement to advise of the potential of confrontation with looters! It also would have communicated to potential looters that there was a risk to them of interfering with private property! That said, there is no reason for people to board and retrieve items from a ship that is obviously not theirs. Stealing is just plain wrong!

So according to the esteemed Munroe Bahamian law enforcement was promptly dispatched.

So how did most of the containers’ contents disappear?
With fully 91% compromised??
Or perhaps the RBPF/RBDF/RBCI etc collectively cannot master the failed logic of the timeline they & Munroe have put forth from their ‘immediate arrival’ to the point at which the ship is bare?
And why only two arrests with all those fine looking boats pictured bellying up to the trough, complete with their registration numbers?