Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Michael Pintard said the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government is failing the Bahamian public as it relates to crime.
He noted that while numbers have decreased compared to last year, the murder toll is still significantly higher than it was under the last FNM government.
“[Minister of National Security] Wayne Munroe’s recent comments on crime show just how out of touch this PLP government is with the fear Bahamians live with every day,” Pintard said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Instead of speaking to the people honestly, the PLP has chosen to defend the indefensible. This is what we have come to expect: excuses, spin, and arrogance from a government that refuses to face the reality on our streets.
“Here is that reality: under the PLP, murders are up nearly 40 percent.
“On average, 30 more Bahamians are dying every single year compared to when the FNM was in office. Families are burying their sons, their daughters, their loved ones, and this government had no answer when confronted with that alarming fact. They could not deny it, so they tried to distract from it. That silence speaks volumes.”
It is unclear which numbers Pintard used to arrive at the percentage increase figure he cited. However, it is evident that for most of the four years of the Minnis administration, murder figures were lower than those recorded in the first three years of the Davis administration.
There were 122 murders in 2017, when the FNM was ushered into government in the May general election. There were 91 murders in 2018, 95 in 2019, 73 in 2020 and 119 in 2021.
The general election was held in September 2021, with the PLP coming out victorious.
It is also notable that during much of 2020, Bahamians were subject to strict measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which included lockdowns and curfews.
The curfew on New Providence was not fully lifted until after the election.
In the years since then, the numbers have been higher. There were 128 murders in 2022, 110 in 2023 and 120 in 2024.
So far this year, however, police said murders are down, with 44 recorded up to the end of June.
The Davis administration has taken this as evidence that its five-pillar crime strategy, announced at the beginning of 2024 during a surge of murders, has been reaping rewards.
The FNM, however, which released its own 10-point crime strategy earlier this week, has argued otherwise.
The government has labeled the FNM plan a rehashing of the PLP strategy, which focuses on initiatives in prevention, policing, prosecution, punishment and rehabilitation.
Pintard rebutted that position in his statement.
“If Mr. Munroe and the prime minister want to dismiss our plan as ‘recycled’, then let them explain this: if they already have the tools, why have they not acted?” he questioned
“Why has the green paper on the prevention of violence, produced by their own administration, sat on a shelf?
“Why have they failed to implement it with urgency, bring churches, NGOs, and community leaders together, and put resources behind the groups already saving lives? The truth is simple: this government is unwilling to act. They prefer photo ops and press releases while Bahamians continue to bleed.”
He added, “Let us not forget the timing of Mr. Munroe’s remarks; on the very day he claimed communities are safer and young people are getting opportunities, four Bahamians were hospitalized in three separate shootings, and another man was murdered – the 58th killing of the year.
“Add to that a youth unemployment rate hovering near 20 percent, and his words are not just out of touch, they are insulting to families living this nightmare.
“The PLP continues to treat Bahamians like they don’t know any better. But the people know how they feel and under this government, they do not feel safe.
“That is the reality Wayne Munroe refuses to face, and it is the reality Philip Davis runs from every day.”
Pintard said the FNM “will not make excuses” and “will not hide behind empty talk”.
“Our 10-point plan combines tougher, smarter policing; faster and fairer justice; and a public-health approach that stops violence before it spreads,” he said.
“We will work hand-in-hand with churches, civil society groups, and community leaders already doing the work, and we will back them with real resources. Above all, we will lead with urgency, transparency, and zero tolerance for corruption.”
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