The Bahamas government accused of poor handling of crime

The opposition Democratic National Alliance says systems need to be restructured following record murders.

NASSAU, Bahamas, Monday October 3, 2011 – The Hubert Ingraham-led administration has been accused of lacking practical solutions for the country’s crime problem following a record 104 murders for the year.

The charge has been leveled by Political Leader of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Branville McCartney, who said legal systems such as the Office of the Attorney General and the Police Prosecution Department are not functioning properly resulting in the release of violent criminals.

He said too that criminal offences need to be prosecuted in a timely manner and facilitated by the restructuring of the prosecution offices.

“The Ingraham crime-fight plan must also address, in practical terms, the shortage of judges available to try criminal matters and should speak to an amendment to the Supreme Court Act to either increase the present maximum number of judges, or to provide specifically for the appointment of Acting or Reserve Judges to fill in for permanent Supreme Court Justices while they are on leave so that the jury courts in the Criminal Division sit for the entire year.,” he said.

“The scheduling of Acting Magistrates to fill in for the permanent Stipendiary & Circuit Magistrates when they are on leave so that those courts operate year round without breaks for the leave period of the Magistrates.”

The DNA leader said too that the prime minister must lead by example by declaring his assets as required by law as part of a zero tolerance approach to crime. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)