Minnis decries “culture of violence” and dysfunctional judicial system”

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — While acknowledging that the proliferation of illegal firearms is a serious issue, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday suggested that the greater problem this nation faces is a “culture of violence” and a “dysfunctional judicial system.”

The former Prime Minister made the remarks during his contribution yesterday to the debate on the Law Reform and Revision Bill  in Parliament.

Minnis noted that while Prime Minister Philip Davis has repeated calls for the United States to do more to combat the trafficking of firearms into the Caribbean, the crime problem in The Bahamas has many roots.

“Domestic violence is one such root,” he said. “We have done a poor job in terms of developing our people. Unemployment is chronically high. More needs to be done to provide Bahamians with affordable health care and housing.

“Too many Bahamians have poor conflict resolutions skills, meaning that simple arguments often turn into violent confrontations. These are the major issues we the Bahamian people must address to improve or country. They are all contributing factors to our crime problem. We must own this and work on fixing what is wrong to improve or communities.”

Minnis acknowledged efforts that the United States has made to address these issues, as a longstanding trading partner of The Bahamas.

“We should continue to partner with the United States and other friendly nations in law enforcement matters,” Minnis suggested. “No leader of The Bahamas should suggest that some other country is at the heart of our problem. Guns are absolutely an issue but the greater problem is our culture of violence and the dysfunction of the justice system.”

Prime Minister Philip Davis recently stated that regional leaders have declared a “war on crime,” as he reiterated calls for the US government to do more to combat illegal weapons trafficking to the Caribbean.

In a statement at the regional symposium in Trinidad and Tobago to address crime and violence as a public health issue, Davis, who also sits as Chair of CARICOM, noted: “We must reform our bail policies, review our legal systems, and explore ways to expedite cases while ensuring that the rights of the accused are respected. The bloodshed on the streets of the Caribbean is a heart-wrenching tragedy, and we must do everything in our power to put an end to it.”

Davis again called on the United States government to do more to combat illegal weapons trafficking to the Caribbean.

“It is time for our international partners to take responsibility and play their part in preventing the flow of illegal firearms into our region,” he charged.

“We made a strong start last month when The Bahamas joined Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and  Tobago, and our regional neighbor Mexico to jointly file a brief in the United States Court of Appeal in support of a $10 billion lawsuit to hold US gun manufacturers liable for the destruction American-made guns have caused in our countries. We must continue to hold international stakeholders accountable for the devastating impact of this trade,” said Davis. 

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