What consecutive governments have failed to recognize is crime is a symptom of other major problems (social and economic) so one cannot fight crime without addressing the problems that cause it.
When Grand Bahama and New providence had near to full employment crime was at its lowest. In fact crime was near none existent in Grand Bahama for many years, but when the magic left the crime came. Crime is lowest in places like North Abaco, The Berry Islands, San Salvador, and the Exumas, where employment is high, especially among the male population and the youth. Crime is also not bad in islands like Eleuthera, Cat island and Andros where, while there is serious unemployment and economic challenges, there is still a sense of community and close family structure.
New Providence and Grand Bahama have the highest populations, the highest levels of unemployment and a corresponding high level of crime, violent and even deadly. In some instances it is a form of cannibalism and survival of the fittest. It is a case of the unemployed preying on the employed and the have not's taking from those who have. It is a matter of persons becoming anti-social or anti-society. There are generations of drug dealers, some who left school to pry this trade and who now find themselves otherwise unemployable. There is the "D" average school leavers, who are not being addressed, except to acknowledge that they are "D" average. Unfortunately these persons also have financial obligations and, if no opportunity is made available to them will turn to crime. Some may become parents or have parents they have to care for. Males do not usually take advantage of social programs and government must look at ways to provide or cause to be created employment for them. Then most businesses, like food stores, gas stations, fast food outlets and even hotels, have all become 'young people orientated' in that you can no longer grow old on their job. They take advantage of the high unemployment and change staff frequently. Hardly anyone in many of these business are over 40 or been employed there more than 5 years. So there is no job security. And when a worker gives these companies their best and brightest years, they find themselves being made redundant and having to go job hunting. Then there is a serious drug/substance abuse problem in this country. Everyone needs something, weed alcohol or a combination to take them away from reality. And there is moral decay; It is easier to get out a relationship and start over than to stay and make it work. And so many wires get crossed. And many people in this country do not know or fear God. Some have never been in a church and so they live only in the flesh. And they will kill without fear,especially when they believe there is no consequences for their actions.

The government has admitted, more than once that the $400 million figure for unpaid property taxes is overstated. Many of the properties that are on the books as owing taxes are delipidated and unhibitable and buildings on other properties have been demolished. So rightfully the tax charges should be zero on these properties when then got to that state, even though prior taxes may be outstanding the amounts owing are overstated. Other persons have paid taxes up to three years ago and they are still receiving tax bills for the taxes that wereb paid. Persons who goosey the government over this property tax issue should realize that whenever property is bought or sold in this country, the government collects a tax from buyer and seller. When a person constructs a building on any property government collects up to 45% in customs duties and another 7.5% in VAT on all materials and furnishings used in the building.. So up to 1/3 the value of the building could be taxes alone. How can a government then justify charging property tax on this property? It is only those that do not understand double and even triple taxation or those that live on the Family Islands that do not understand the burden of these taxes on local Bahamians that push for them to be collected. What is the benefit of offering a mortgage relief program, then stuffing property taxes down a person's throat? How can a government justify giving (foreign) investors exemption to the same taxes they find necessary to burden Bahamians with, even on their homes. Yet the cost of living in the areas that receive the most tax breaks are the highest in the nation.

The major expense to BEC is fuel. Over the past three years the price of fuel has gown down from $160.00 a barrel to $40.00 a barrel. In face by Leslie Millers' admission BEC had an agreement to buy bunker at $30 a barrel (people probable giving it away because is is becoming an obsolete fuel and even being banned in some countries. So since BEC never reduced its prices to consumers until recently, they should have realized enough savings on fuel and enough surplus revenue to pay off all its debts and upgraded its plant, at least in New Providence with more efficient and more eco friendly and more reliable equipment. So why did this not happen? Is this BPL plan to increase power rates and the government claim "o but we stopped them, just another game of smoke and mirrors. What short term plan was put in place to avoid load shedding this summer? What if Bah Mar was up and running ? Is there sufficient power even after all the delays? A company that realizes a 75% reduction in the cost of its major input cannot fix itself after three years? And is looking for a price increase? Please lower the Bahamian flag and let's start over!

Speaking of crime...do you know some maids in Freeport (the city that gets billions in tax breaks) are paid $3.50 to clean a hotel room? YES, Three Dollars and Fifty Cents! So to make minimum wage, these maids must clean at least 13 rooms per day, 5 days a week. They must scrub 13 bath tubs, clean 13 toilets and make over 20 beds. And when there is no work they are told to stay home. When there is little work, they can go home with less than $20 a day out of which they must find lunch and transportation to and from work. Some come from as far away as West End. Meanwhile some of these same rooms rent for more than $200 a night and the hotel properties gat massive tax breaks from the government. Does this seem like a reason for an increase in crime or is it a crime in unselfish? Can you get a joneser to clean your car for $3.50? Ok just to clean the outside.

Bull$hyt watcher!!! BPL had the opportunity to do due diligence and, in fact they charged us, the Bahamian taxpayer $1million to do it. They are greedy dogs who have raped Bahamians in Grand Bahama for over 30 years, now their thirst for (blood) has brought them to New Providence. New innovations, new fuels and new technology have power companies around the world producing so much energy that they have to give it away. But the greedy dogs prey on the Bahamian consumer. And our politicians invite them, support them and entertain them here, to grease their pockets, at the expense of the Bahamian taxpayer and consumer...and ignorant sympathizers, like you, encourage them

@ Obie: the next time you address a PLP convention or PLP rally look boldly into the eyes of your your audience and say, "we all all responsible for the increase in crime levels." Then you will be 100% correct.

Ain't this the same minister who lie and tell the Bshamian people they will never be locked and fenced out of Paradise Island beaches? And a few short weeks later they were locked and fenced out and arrested if they lingered. And you want know who is the blame for crime. Thousands of foreign workers brought in to work on Bah Mar and The Pointe and in Bimini while Bahamians sit idle and starving and you ainn know who cause crime to increase. Election soon come.

You do the math (some say maths). $10 million missing from the Public Hospitals Authority, $20 million unacvounted for at Urban Renewal, $47 million missing from Road Traffic ($1 million cold cash vanishing out a safe in broad daylight) $100 million plus additional millions in monies to BAMSi with no proper accounting, No one charged. No one gone to jail. Was anyone even fired? Hard earned taxpayer money just vanishing. foreigners getting tax concessions and free land while Bahamian getting goosey with tax after tax after tax and you don't know who is responsible for crime? You ainn serious!

piss on this government! While this government is bragging about how much additional taxes they are collecting, do you realize that more than half the anchor projects that received tax breaks and government concessions are at a stand still or are shut down. Start with Bah Mar in Nassau, Ginn in Grand Bahama, the project in South Eleuthera, the Mayaguana project, Bimini is pulling back its throttle, just to name a few. So where is all the additional taxes coming from? Struggling Bahamians! Bahamian businesses are being taxed out of existence and poor Bahamians are being taxed in to starvation, not to mention BPL! And the foreigners who have gotten all the concessions and all the tax breaks have taken the high road or are sitting on their hands. Chilling. How can a government justify even thinking about giving Bah Mar additional concessions when they have already received gifts of land and taxes in excess of $1 billion? How can this government justify extending the agreement with the port authority in Freeport when there has been no major development in Freeport in 10-15 years? No new infrastructure. And the cost of living for poor black Bahamians on Grand Bahama is higher than most places in the Bahamas. And most of them are unemployed. The foreigners are taking the tax breaks to enrich themselves and are disenfranchising legitimate Bahamians. This country cannot progress while this cock-eye, pocket stuffing government continues to give away the country to foreigners and continue piling tax after tax after VAT on poor struggling overburdened Bahamians! Now we have to contend with this BPL scam where they cannot keep your lights on and where they are coming around every two weeks to disconnect your power. Cry shame

The fact is that no matter how much testing and evaluation is done, the truth of the pudding is in the eating. Only after Bah Mar is open and up and running will the true faults and defects be known. And yes it is true that a building that sits idle runs down faster than one that is occupied and it will have to sit idle at least 5 years before even considering having to gut it and rebuild from the ground up. A more immediate remedy would be (if no resolution is in sight) to sell off whatever furniture and furnishings are in Bah Mar and reffitting when it is going to open. If the government had left well enough alone and let Bah mar fight its own battle with the Chinese, the project may be open today.