Premier says crime not as bad as public thinks
(CNS): The Cayman Islands’ premier said that crime was now falling and the public perception that it was out of control was incorrect. The truth, McKeeva Bush said Monday, was that crime figures were down and things have improved as there had been no murders this year and overall crime was down 26 percent, with the only serious exception being robbery. He called on people to give the commissioner a chance and emphasised the need for people to speak up about who is committing the crimes. Bush said he did not believe that people didn’t know who the “young punks” were and that the people needed to stop blaming others and go the police and tell them what they knew. (Photo Dennie Warren Jr)
Speaking at a public meeting in North Side on Monday evening, the islands’ premier stated that the robberies continued to cause concern for the police and the RCIPS was carrying out robbery patrols and conducting intelligence led arrests. But the premier revealed that the police were challenged because as soon as it was under control in one area it appears again in another. Despite those challenges police were working with business owners and banks to make sure their security measures were sound, Bush added.
He pledged the support of the elected government for the police with funding for the equipment and manpower they need to control crime and he would push and agitate on the National Security Council, but he said the elected government could not tell the police what to do. He referred to a medium to long term plan which had been drafted by the council to tackle the causes and said government would continue to advocate for measures that it believed would combat crime.
“But we can’t order police to take any specific action,” Bush stated. “That’s the kind of constitution we have. Law and order is not under the control of the elected government.”
Criticising the people for getting on radio and the blog, Bush said it was so one sided that if it was a boat it would sink, as he said they were “looking seats themselves” to get elected and that was why they blamed government for the crime problem. Government was doing everything it could and was asked to do, he noted. Pointing out that the increase in crime was a phenomenon across the Caribbean; he said it was connected to the poor economic conditions. Being poor, however, was no reason for anyone to go out and steal, the premier stated.
“The truth is there are some young punks running around this country that cause all these problems, so we have to make sure our social programmes work. Years ago, when you were criticising me for being a communist, saying I wanted birth control when I said children shouldn’t be having children, it’s those children that are doing the crime,” Bush declared.
He said it was the community’s job to support the police and the people must do their part. Bush told the audience that if they had information they must take it to the police as they can’t win the battle against crime if the public is not willing to give the information they need. He said people had been too willing to blame someone else. “People say it is Jamaicans and then when the catch them, who they are?” he asked. “Those are our own young punks committing those crimes.”
These young men “lived in somebody’s yard, and somebody knows when they got money to spend,” the premier said, as he called on the people to stop blaming someone else or someone else’s child. While not all police were perfect, Bush said, the people should support them and stop pointing fingers. “Understand that the people who are robbing banks and stores and grabbing bags live somewhere and somebody knows something,” he added.
Category: Crime
What would he really know
for is never on the island to know what is happening in his own country. What an absolute disgrace.
I am not saying crime is up or down but one must realize that all statistics as well as government finance reports are dictated by the ministries in order for them not to look like fools and feed whatever they want to the public. As a consequence there are no reliable numbers to base any decisions on.
The youth of this island need a real eduation system where they cannot move to the next grade if they cannot do the work so that they can all read and write when they leave school, or they are given extra help when needed. We need more teachers who care about our kids. To all of you who do, thank you for all your hard work and dedication. However, there are plenty who could not care less about our children. XXXXX This is what our kids have to go through with plenty of teachers on this Island. If the kid’s parents don’t care about the child, they have no chance because many of the teachers don’t care either. Once again, I know there are many excellent teachers here. We need more of you. We also need to stop the neglect and abuse by some parents to their own kids. There are kids who are dropped at school with no breakfast, snack or lunch and no money to buy it. I remember the Principal at oneschool kept a constant supply of bread, peanut butter and jelly because so many kids came to school hungry and would have left hungry if she hadn’t taken her own money and made sure those kids at least had a PBJ sandwich. The Premier has been in Govt. for over 20 years. Stop blaming the PPM for everything. I really believe they tried to clean up the mess they inherited and they started to do something about edcuation, which of course this govt. has torn down. We must realise that the Premier is instrumental in the mess we are in. Poor governance for the past 20 years is what has resulted in this mess.
Crime is down, where the heck is he livivng. Must be Dubai. Just last weekend two of my family members were robbed while they were in north side swimming. Can’t even go to the beach to relax without having to be on guard. That doesn’t sound like crime is going down to me.
Why on earth does anyone even still pay attention what is coming from his mouth because we all know by now it is garbage! Turn the other way when he is coming, don’t bother to attend any functions where is is present (and for sure not the one where he is a speaker) because he doesn’t listen to anything anyone else says anway. Don’t have any idea why people still give him the time of day.
Does this mean Mac will get rid of his security detail?
And take down the ugly fence that has lowered property values in his neighborhood.
Right Mr.Premier, that’s how you feel because you are never here to feel it or to know what is going on. Just because you are so far disconnected to what is happening in our little island does not mean it is not happening. Ever heard the saying “who feels it knows it”? Well we feel it, but just because you don’t feel it does not mean it is not happening. Crime is worse under your government than it has ever been in our history. IT IS BAD MAC. You live a life of luxury & protection (at our expense) so you would not understand or care. IT IS BAD MAC!
what security detail? the premier and the deputy premier both have people who a new to the diplomat protection detail and don’t know how to protect their clients.
someone with more experince is needed, client first bystanders later.
For the bank robberies, check the flights coming in to Cayman on Wednesday and going out on Thursday night. The Police say they are well organised crimes, not something some young "punks" could pull off. Quit insulting your own people and start looking for hardened criminals who may have been deported from another country and find it very easy to get into Cayman because of the slackness in background checks, fingerprinting, etc. etc. They are so confident they will not be apperehended that that can leave the crime scene on foot. When the Premier gets held up and robbed, he will change his tune then.
(CNS, March 2011): "According to statistics revealed by the police commissioner, the number of serious crimes that were reported during the first quarter of 2011 has fallen by almost 27 percent compared to the first quarter of 2010. Although robberies have increased by 215%, a significant decline in burglaries, murders, attempted murders and other crimes have pushed the overall numbers downward…"
He says crime is not as bad as the public thinks. Yet robberies have increased by a whopping 215%… and who is it being robbed? You guessed it – the PUBLIC!! So how the heck can it not be as bad as we think when so many of us are being robbed… and I hasten to add it isn’t just criminals doing the robbing: when hypothetically speaking, it also feels to the general public that our Premier is robbing us toowith the public purse.
He obviously is only counting the days when he is on island.
Those who have fences and cameras around our home, a free car and free security detail dont have to worry about getting robbed.
OUr Premier seems to favour nationals of a certain neighbouring country far more than his own people. He is always quick to stand up for them but his own young people who are getting into trouble are “punks”. We all know there are good citizens from all countries. We also know that quite a few nationals from that neighbouring country have been found guilty of committing crimes here and some were even given status. How dare he talk about his own people that way. This proves more than ever before that the reason HE gave away those status grants was to ensure that HIS ADOPTED PEOPLE would vote him back in. Well, I’m pretty sure that many of them are having just as hard a struggle as the rest of us and hopefully have enough sense not to vote him back in.
We need to get the "young punks" jobs serving the "sandwich" tourists that would solve all our problems.
The Premier talking rubbish again! He is well secured in his mansion, 24 hour security service etc, what difference would it make to him. I wish he would just RETIRE! everytime that he speaks it is more distasteful proproganda.
Those who side with the corruptsteal from Cayman.When i have ceased to break my wings against the faultiness of things, and learned that compromises wait.Behind each hardly open gate,when i can look life in the eyes,grown calm and very coldly wise,Life will have given me the truth and taken in exchange for my youth. Just how my chances and time & money do we give this man, what the premier really means is another term. What they are actually saying we the people are the real problem and not them. That itself is the real crime?
Why this sudden flurry of spinning from Mr. Bush? Defending travel and double dipping and crime not as bad as the public thinks. Defensive politricking. Many people disagree and feel the travel is excessive and the pension is just wrong. Crime not as bad as last month maybe. Compared to 5 years ago its out of control.
He is rehearsing for his soon come tv network.
It is very sad when the elected head of a country displays and verbalises such ignorance for the whole world to read.
All I can say it is a damned good thing that the Police are NOT subject to directions by the elected arm of Government. And long may that continue.
Give Baines as much hell as you want, but please don’t ever even consider putting the Police under one of our politicians, who will inevitably make it into his/her own Gestapo!!!
…..and Jesus is real
McKeeva is right. The only people complaining about crime is the few that have been robbed. Some of them probably deserved it.
UDP supporter , are you nuts? How can you say that a person robbed probably deserves it? Thats very self centered and downright shallow.
MacNuts is nuts. He’s been gone touring so long he can’t recognize the Cayman Islands.
“That’s the kind of constitution we have. Law and order is not under the control of the elected government.” Am I missing something here? How many laws has Mac changed in the last two years, anyone care to hazard a guess? Later on in the exact same meeting, he goes on to tell everyone how HE, not Government have made changes to the Companies Law. XXXXX
I wonder if both the police and Mac realise that “other crime” is down because the people who were committing those have moved on to things such as armed robbery which clearly pay as oppsoed to simple braking and entering.
Now there is a thought.
and the earth is flat
and santa exists
and the rollover is a huge success
and tourists love being fleeced by airlines into Cayman
and its great to see all Seven Mile Beach under concrete
and nobody in government has any side-businesses that may do well from any deals
and the dump looks great
Is he crazy??
never mind….
“People say it is Jamaicans and then when the catch them, who they are?” he asked.
The people who elected a Premier who does not speak proper English should be embarrassed for him and for themselves. This is who you have running your country!? Also, he forgot to mention that it takes the police, on average, 15 minutes to get to the scene of the robbery. Sorry, but that is much too long considering the station is 5 minutes away from these banks/stores. Besides, if cop cars are cruising the beat all over town, like they should be, then at least two cops would be on the scene within minutes after they’ve been radioed from headquarters! But I do agree with the Premier that witnesses need to start coming forward. People know who these punks are. Call anonymously and rat them out!
Wow… the crime situation has improved because there has been no murders this year? Seriously? Is that the new measuring stick? No murders…good job Cayman… let us try and remain murder-less next year as well then we can really pull out the champagne and party hats!
These crimes are now being committed in broad daylight, which means that there is a possibility those committing the crimes have no jobs, are not in school and have too much time on their hands. Not every soul is meant to have a 9 to 5, Monday to Friday, sit behind a desk office job. We need to teach our young people trades, have them in schools learning,have them on site training…. show some INTEREST in these "young punks"!
We can drive around the island and see those young people that are simply home idling… our leaders of today need to talk to them and help them… don’t just label them and dismiss them.
YOUNG PEOPLE ARE OUR FUTURE AND THEY NEED ASSISTANCE. THEY NEED HELP. THEY NEED A TRUE LEADER! NOT A LEADER WHO SPENDS HIS TIME TRAVELING. NOT A LEADER WHO HAS HIS PRIORITIES OUT OF ORDER (or are they?). Rather than putting forth legislation to assist deportees, how about we try to enable our young people so that we may become a more self sufficient, productive society.
Having a friend that just had their apartment broken into and cleaned out of all things of value.. I find it hard to believe that these types of crimes are not made public…when questioning the regularity of crimes such as these the response was….." there is an average of 3 home invasions reported a day..and I have responded to 5 today" If my friend had known this he would of had somebody stay at his home…so please take this as a public announcement….. secure your homes …its very sad…
That’s all and good to say but in actuality….home break ins are considered and crime and those are not stopping by any means….knowing somebody that just got their home broken into and cleaned out..take this as a warning….lock you houses…when asking about events such as these….the answer was…there is an average of 3 breaks in reported a day…why is this not in the news….if my friend had known he would have had somebody stay at his place while he was gone….just letting all of you know 🙂