MLAs unite in face of crime
(CNS): In a surprising show of unity following two full days of division and disunity, the entire complement of MLAs united on Friday morning in the face of rising crime. The unusual display of solidarity saw all of the opposition members and the independent member backing the premier when he moved a special motion for a debate on crime calling for a special crime crack team. The premier called on the governor and the commissioner of police to recruit and deploy a serious and organised crime unit to address the increase in violent robbers after another night of violence on Grand Cayman.
McKeeva Bush explained that following the parliamentary debate he intended to call on both Duncan Taylor, the governor, and David Baines, the commissioner, to attend the Legislative Assembly and listen to members' concerns and address them directly about plans to tackle the current wave of violent robberies.
He said that the government was constantly asking about what was being done behind closed doors but he said there were rarely any answers.
Bush said that the government was committed to funding the police and had allocated some $32 million in total for this financial year. He added that only last week Cabinet had given the RCIPS another $1 milllion at their request. Bush said the government had never wavered in its commitment to fully resourcing the RCIPS but he said there had to be accountability and the public deserved to see results.
“The maintenance of law and order is an essential requisite for good governance,” Bush said. He told his colleagues that the latest figures from the police revealed that there had been 52 armed robberies so far this year and these in particular were the crimes that were generating fear in everyone.
The premier said the elected representatives deserved to know what steps were being taken to address the problem and apprehend the criminals, and while he welcomed the various long term strategies, in the short term the police should deploy a serious crime unit that would “kick the criminals where it hurts” now.
Offering his support to the police officers, Bush said a new approach was needed as everyone was criticising the police while the criminals were walking about with impunity and no fear of being apprehended.
Throughout the day every member rose to speak about their concerns about the crime wave washing over the islands and expressed the common belief that the approach to policing had to change. They said the police had to act now and act differently. Most members believed that it was the lack of deterrent and criminals simply believed they would not get caught that was at the bottom of the crime wave. There were calls for varying extremes in deterrents, from the return of the death penalty to more discipline in schools and at home. Ezzard Miller, the independent member, also spoke about arming the police with Tasers.
The fear of crime was also highlighted by most members when many of them recounted stories about their constituents being afraid to go out at night to the ATM or the gas station after dark.
Opposition Leader Alden McLaughlin said he believed the entire system, from the way police investigated crimes and gathered the evidence to how cases were then prosecuted, was in need of review.
He said that while the statistics might say that crime is down and that the current commissioner had addressed the gang related murders, this current wave of armed robberies, which has now escalated to car-jackings, was the stuff that struck “fear in the hearts of every person.”
“Attitudes about policing have got to change,” he said. “They can say all they want about the British style but the recent riots in the UK were down to the delay in a response from the police and then not acting forcefully enough."
McLaughlin said that ifhis lack of confidence motion served no other purpose he was pleased to see the House taking collective action.
During the debate the members also heard news of another attempted armed robbery involving a gun in Bodden Road, George Town, just a few hundred yards from where legislators were discussing the issue.
When the premier wound up the debate the unity began to crack a little when he accused the opposition leader of being irresponsible with his no confidence motion, suggesting that Bush was to blame for crime.
He said that crime has always been of concern to government and for a long time he had been asking for a special task force but he had been told no. The premier said that from several weeks ago he had felt that something had to be done to focus the attention of the commissioner and the governor on the government's concerns that there had to be a change in approach to get results and get the streets of Cayman cleaned up.
But Bush pointed to the problem of the constitutional arrangement that still leaves the power for operational decisions of policing in the hands of official members and not the elected members. “I have asked for an action task force that hits where it hurts but if they don't agree want then. We have no way of forcing them.”
The governor and police commissioner arrived at the Legislative Assembly for the meeting with the elected members at around 3:45pm and stayed behind closed doors until around 6:30, when the governor and the commissioner emerged from the parliament building. Taylor said the meeting had gone well and was adjourned until Monday morning.
The UK’s representative said he welcomed the meeting as the MLAs, like all right thinking people, were concerned about the robberies and he said they were closest to the ground and able to understand the public sentiment. He said there was a lot of input and a lot of creative thinking from the MLAs, who offered theirsupport to the commissioner for anything he needs.
He said that while the governor’s office has the overall responsibility for crime, he couldn’t do it on his own.
“It’s something that all of us have to contribute to and the 15 MLAs, not just because they are responsible for voting for the appropriations but because of their connections in the districts and constituencies and they can tell us what people are saying and what they are feeling,” the governor said. “We need to stop people being scared. People need to feel they can get out about and feel unthreatened and we will do whatever we can to achieve that.”
The governor would not be drawn on his and the commissioner’s feelings regarding the serious crime unit that the premier has called for to hit the criminals hard.
Giving his view on the meeting, the premier said it had been constructive and the MLAs had a very good discussion with the commissioner and the governor, who are the main people responsible for crime. “It was very constructive and I believe we have made good ground. The officials listened to the MLAs," he stated.
Category: Crime
Okay Citizens of Grand Cayman. You'll be happy to know that phase 1 of our anti-crime campaign as advertised on Saturday under the operational code word "MLA's Unite" has now been completed. You'll be happy to know there are no such things as gangs in the Cayman Islands. They are just kids who are bored. More details of phase 2 will eb available next month. God Bless.
Big Mac – Good job! …for a change. More of this please!
Trust that this will unify the politicians and that it's not a "Johnny too late response" as things are bad. In 2002 the then Governor was told that they were gangs in Cayman and that we should be recruiting officers from major US cities to help the RCIPS, the reply the public got was there weren't gangs but criminal elements and bored kids. Well needless to say Cayman has now a highcrime rate that seems to have just begun and the RCIPS and the Government don't have a clue in how to deal with it. This will not slow down unless we change our justice system, introduce death penalty, border patrol, armed officers, curfew, make parents responsible and have an overhaul to the RCIPS. This will come when a tourist or a prominent resident will be murdered then changes will be made as the old saying goes isn't prevention better than the cure. US has already posted travel warnings so that should be a warning to DOT and RCIPS. Arm robberies, car jacking, murders, missing women and assaults have escalated in the past 3 years that residents are living in fear. Mac, Alden, Baines, Taylor and Wil Pineau all better start realizing that crime is a major issue and won't just disappear overnight unless tough and drastic measures are introduced.
The young people of Cayman are under a fall sky that makes them believe that being a gangster is a norm and that a honest days work ain't worth it, so sad. Maybe we have to get the UK military and FBI here to help us and so be it if it'll cost us $10 million. Cayman is in a deep hole socially and economically and afraid that due to a lack of leadership our future looks very bleak. Business and home owners need to be able to arm themselves and more police patroling needs to be done especially in high risk areas. I hope that the UDP and PPM will put their difference and egos aside for the good of Cayman.
Blessings to all,
Say what you want about the oppositionn leader Mr. Alden McLaughlin but he has been advocating and saying to the now government for a long time, that they should do something about the crime in our Island, but they always said they could do nothing because it was in the hands of the Governor and police. But you see what happens when the Premier speaks up and tries to do something and everyone agrees. Thank you Mr. Premier for taking advice and listening to our opposition leader Mr. Alden McLaughlin. He may not be right all the time but he sure has a good head on his body, and a well educated one at that.
The police will not be armed until one of them gets shot. The police are just as scared as the general public for that same reason. Why aren't they patrolling high risk areas? What are they going to do when they do catch someone? Ask them nicely to surrender?
Recruit me!! I watch a lot of CSI and Criminal Minds
The Premier described the offenders as "young fops". So now we have to watch out for young men who are obsesively well-dressed and pre-occupied with their manners? For starters, in that case, they should look at the L.A. Or has the Premier been reading too much Jane Austen?
My biggest concern is the lack of convictions – even when they catch someone. What this says to the criminals – is that even if they get caught, with good defence they will probably get off anyway, so the risk if worth it to them. I think that our police force are lacking in the skills to gather, protect (not lose) and present the evidence in such a way as to make it watertight. There must be some experts in that feild who can carry out training.
Until we start punishing criminals for their actions, there is simply no motivation to stop.
Great! Great! Great! Now that that blast of hot air is out and dispersed nothing else will be done about crime. MLAs have talked so much about all the many things they think should be and would be done but have proved time and time again that they are incapable of getting anything done. They did get some things started but some of those are now in court or soon will be. Pathetic. After all that …..nothing they will now join up and fight crime. Great! What a circus. No rides and bunch of Clowns. It still amzes me that anyone would still pay to watch them work at not working. Way past time to send them all packing and on the road and get some real workers to get stuff done. But this is Cayman so that will never happen until The UK makes them do it. And it looks like the T&C fiasco showed them that what looks like a small pile of crap is actually very deep and hard to clean off.
A good start would be for the RCIP to move the new vehicles off the parking lot and personal drive way and actually crack down on every day traffic offenses so heavilty ticket speeders, car owners of vehicles who have windows tinted beyond the allowed level, parents who's toddlers are standing up in the front seat etc etc. That would be a good start to send a message to the population that police exists and works every day. Right now, the existence of the police (and especially traffic department) is somewhat of a myth!
How is that National Day of Prayer working out for you?
So wheres the new Police car for the Brac?
Yet another "what about a handout out for the Brac" post. Why don't you guys pay the full fees and duties we do and then we might listen to your daily pleas for something for nothing.
I hope u have run up ya to live!!!!!!!!!!
Good thing we don't have all that a robbin going on. You can hear the Brac police car a mile away. She need some serious greasing. lol!
The police being armed will help a little bit . But a person needs to be qualified and there are a lot of police that are not qualified. Some one will rob my store with me at the cash register and customers in the store. This means that by the time that police arrive that the crime has been committed and that the robbers are gone! How is the police having guns going to help me? He can't take a test after he's been in the force for so long? How will he deduce who he is looking for ? I believe we should go back the way it was years ago when we had guns are selves. Young people had a lot more manners then also . People weren't afraid as they are now.
You think that west bay people don't know who killed this one and that ? They are afraid to say, cause who's going to protect them? XXXX
Arm the citizens and demand that they go to a shooting range and get skills.
Soooo, only West Bayers know anything?
I'm happy to hear they are working together on this.
It was very disturbing to read some of the articles last week on local crime, the lack of convictions etc. I've seen so many thing go wrong on this little island, that something need to go right.
It is long over due and they do need to revisit the matter as violent crime has become more of a concern each passing day.
Best of luck to everyone involved.
"ARMED OUR POLICE" It's about darn time that you all armed the R.C.I.P the criminals got guns and our Police don't! What kind of XXXX is that? We have a serious high crime rate here in Cayman and its not getting any better it is getting worse. The people at home are scared and the local business owners also. MLAs this should not be a choice it should be done ASAP! Forget that old theory about Cayman is a Christian place, it's all a lie, we are no different from no other Country, and we are all sinners and there is no saint in Cayman trust me! Now each generation is different but I tell you this is the worst generation in history, they are what the old people used to talk about "THE GENERATION OF VIPERS" and now that our Country has become more and more populated with different expats, the old saying goes the more people the higher the crime! What do u expect???
I am not saying here that it's the expats thats doing all the crime, trust me the majority is done by our own Caymanian boys, its in our own backyards. Caymanian people I hope you are listening to me, we have to STOP saying we are going to do this and do that and do nothing about it! The first step is getting together to sign a petition to let them armed our cops. If it does not workout that way then we as a people will have no other choice but to armed ourselves and protect our families. So to the MLAs the first step for you all to do is start off by fingerprinting everyone by doing a routine background check on everyone that comes to our Country. The next step is to armed our cops and let them keep patrolling the streets 24-7 and last but not least give the young people a curfew time to be in at nights when they hang out together thats when trouble starts. I am done I have made my peace so let it be done. Amen
Mi can’t take no more lawwwwdd!!!
There is such a wide division between common sense and politricks. Its politricks because the party in control is controlled by one man. The opposition can yell and scream as much as they want and nothing gets done. The Speaker seems confused.
Two years ago many intelligent well informed people were demanding that the Government in power unify all elected members and create a united front with The Governor to battle the "out of control and growing crime situation" in The Cayman Islands.
This is pathetic and politricks coming from Bush at this time. The gate has been open for 24 months. Where were you 2 years ago. How many people have been invaded, robbed, hurt, killed or disappeared in the last 24 months.
Until our political system changes and the strangle hold that one person one party has on our Government this crap will continue. It is a crying shame that the good people in Government and the good people in the private sector that could run and won't cannot do anything.
The Cayman Islands is supposed to be the most sophisticated Caribbean county and they are becoming what….you tell me.
I must commend the honorable speaker of the house.
She has single handedly saved us all from a horrible crime that was about to be committed by a female Caymanian Compass reporter. The reporter dared to enter the Legislature wearing fashionable and professional clothing that, gasp, showed a bit of her calf. How utterly disgusting and immoral.
I feel so much safer in Cayman now that this Jezabel's harlot clothing is now banned from the LA. Her wanton display of female flesh is obviously designed to distract the honorable members of the LA.
This was an excellant use your your public time, Ms. Speaker. The Governor and Police Commissioner should take note.
With the greatest respect to everyone celebrating so called unity….they did not exactly have a choice…no mla would have wanted to be on record opposing the motion on crime. There is no unity and there never will be with the 2 party system in a small island which lacks the political maturity and ability to objectively debate most issues….sooncome we hope.
police most of the time are doing their job, it's the courts that let the criminals out, i heard of a local guy that had 13 robberies and break-ins when he was sentenced, and was already out of jail in no less than 5 months, not to even mention all the amenities he had in jail, ie. A/C, TV, Computer(with internet) , video games etc…
This is great. Start in West Bay first and all other serious place next. Let'sget it done.
It is now evident that we
Submitted by Anonymous(not verified) on Tue, 09/06/2011 – 15:54.
It is now evident that we have an organized criminal process going on who understands the RCIP weaknesses. The pattern of robberies,hitting random locations at varying times of the night or day demonstrates an awareness of police movements and deployment patterns. It is also likely that it is the same individuals or at least 4 of them who canvass locations before the hit is made.
All of what I said before points to the need for heavy foot patrols supplemented by motor cycle patrols and stationing of officers at critical junctions in town and island wide so that their presence can act as a deterrent as well as provide rapid response when necessary. It may be argued that there is insufficient police ,however,this remains to be proven for well we don’t see too many of them most of the time.
Also,undercover personnel from neighboring jurisdictions who are fully trained should be brought in to infiltrate the underground community that exists,to provider key intelligence on known offenders as well as sniff out other rats in the sewer that may exist where it is least suspected.
Last but not least,people of the cayman islands must realize that the crime affects us all in one way or other,but ultimately will destroy all that we have if we sit back see no evil,hear no evil and speak not .
Tired and ready to take action.
I never thought I'd ever say this but Mac has a bright idea and glad to see they all agree on it.
The LA can unite as much as they want, but until we get capable police who are prepared to get out of their cars and do some leg work we can talk till we are green in the face it will make no difference.In addition to which friends and family are prepared to protect these "gutter buddies" As for our so called guardians of the law, right now they can't even pass promotion exams, I think we should ask for some examples of there exam work under freedom of information. They can't even control dangerious drivers, possibly the easiest of their jobs, do you expect them to control serious crime?
What isit that unna expect?
Crime will cease tomorrow?
We be ready to be dissapointed unless the community gives up these thugs, there are plently of people who know who these punks are, but yet it is easier to complain and live in fear.
Turn them in, stop using the excuse that unna don't trust the police,
Tell someone else, slip a note under a door somewhere, if every law abiding citizen does thier part then the problem will be solved, do nothing and you are no better than the low lifes.
Reply to' What is it…
I completely agree, very well stated …..
Everyone has to step up and turn in these criminals, whether it be friends or
relatives. Until the whole community acts "together" on this….nothing will
change just more lives lost….
What do you mean adjourned until MONDAY morning?! What are you all waiting on??? You all should have been back in there first thing Saturday morning to pick these talks right back up and get rolling with a plan. We don’t have this kind of time! Do you all not sense the urgency here?!
The MLAs say that crime is not their problem, but let's actually examine this:
– they have the power to legislate sentences
– they have the power to reform court procedures and evidential standards
– they have policy input via the National Security Council
– they fund the police and the Attorney General's Chambers
– they have multiple official and unofficial channels of communication via the Cabinet, joint occupation of the government building, travelling together etc.
If they really care now, we should see change come very swiftly indeed. This is an epidemic. It requires a legislative committee, input from the judges as to what would make their jobs easier, input from the prosecutors as to what aspects of police work are not adequate for them to use in court, etc. Alden is right – we need an INQUIRY. And it needs to take place alongside the immediate deployment of a team with force that EXCEEDS that available to the criminals. People with serious weapons who can chase robbers right back to wherever their hideout is and return fire if fired upon. People who can raid these places unannounced and unafraid. NOW!
I am not 100% sure we want them doing too much inside the legal system. Especially with some of them having issues with it themselves personally.
I am also not sure they can do some of what you are actually saying. The system of law is not exactly how you frame it.
It may not be 'how' I frame it but it is what I said it was.
I hope they never signed an MOU.
Nothing happens when a MOU and Bush are involved in the same sentence. It is code word for delay, often followed by a law suit.
It is breath of fresh aitr to to see all the elected politicians coming together onan important issue.
I do hope they show this same approach intackling the major issues affecting our country– reviving the economy and creating jobs.
You need to go further than this. Stop the empire building local idiots within the RCIPS getting rid of the honest, intelligent, actually law abiding officers who WANT to police, and police fairly. The number of criminals in the Cayman Islands is completely irrelevent. The problem is the number of pious jerks within the police stopping the job getting done because it 'treads on their turf'.
The incestuous nature of your police service will always prevent the application of law and justice. Cayman, you are too small to police yourself, deal with it.
You seem to imply that the problems within the RCIPF is on account of too many Caymanians. Not so. The leadership and the majority of the RCIPF are expats.
Get out of the LA, out of the A/C cars, walk around the neighborhoods, knock on the doors, talk to the individuals involved (we know them – you know them) and confront them eye to eye. Let them know that they have been caught. No need for more meetings…
Why has this taken so long? What's happened is good, of course, and very positive, but how would our representatives feel were the Fire Brigade to turn up nine months after an emergency call?
Absolutely! Laziness, denial, too much self preservation and self image. Action should have been taken a long time ago. Lets see if we are going to get some action now after this more talk. Cos I sure am not going to change my life for this low life.
It's all the Yardies. Now that we are fully stocked how do you get rid of them. Can't. Thank Big Mac. He tipped the scales in thier favor
Yardies? Is that what you call little boys (and girls) pants around ankles no intelligence acting big Caymanian gangstas? What are you doing about it to make such a comment? Your comment is exactly why this is happening.
I find it very insulting that you blame Jamaican all the time. You are still in denial. I have a yard – does that make me a 'yardie"?
This is an insult to all the honest, hard working and law abiding Jamaicans in the Cayman Islands.
We all know the difference between the many hard working, honest, law abiding Jamaicans and those who are not but there is a combination of criminals from around the world (including Jamaicans)- Immigration needs to do a better job of background checks on who is let in this country. Maybe if McKeeva and his gang had done proper due diligence on the 3000 status grants they gave away in 2003, we wouldn't be having some of these problems because it doesn't matter where some of these people originated, they are now "Caymanians".
Let me tell u something I"m a Caymanian and Jamaican people help build this Country, they are good and bad in everyone of us, so don't come with that nonsense that its the yardies doing all the crime when it is our very own Caymanian boys. Jamaican people are good people so don't let one apple spoil the whole pot. Stop blaming everything on the yardies and check your own backyard first.
Dear Government Leaders:
As a Caymanian, it saddens me to see that since the official introduction of a party system in the Cayman Islands, there appears to be a deep severed wound on my body. And it appears that it hasn't healed, but has caused me and my family much grief. The divide on my body, has caused many people to argue, war, defame character, wear blue and red t-shirts over nothing, and produce all manner of thoughts against each other.
Please, I am begging you to be true to yourselves and exercise your integrity: Let us stop dividing the country like this. The endless negativity on news sites, talk-shows… you know too well what I am talking about! It is tiresome. The thirst forpower and attention, is getting us no where! For far too long, we have been cutting each other down, year after year with unfulfilled promises. The epidemic is so bad that as soon as we see a beautiful set of roses beginning to bloom in our garden, your clippers of criticisms, come right away to clip them all away. Yes, there are thorns and many bads things we can foresee down the road that can harm Cayman. But we are never going to get perfection. We are never going to get roses without thorns, good without bad.
You have to reason together, find common ground amidst differences of opinion in all legislations, and do what is direly needed for this country and our young people. Cayman need leaders who will unite the country. YOU HAVE TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE YOUTH AND YOUR PREDECESSORS TO FOLLOW.
Sincerely,
M
I assume you remember WHO started our party system?
once again a little late to the party…why are they only recognizing this now? And the Premier demanding "accountability" is ludicrous. Maybe reducing crime can be considered nation building and they can get a piece of the very untranparent slush fund.
Private gun ownership…..everyone will be much more polite and law-abiding
Some of this report is very interesting, indeed.
If, in truth, the CIG has asked for a 'serious crime unit' and been denied by the Governor and CoP, then these two British officials must have their own agenda and rules of operation for Cayman that runs counter to how this situation is handled in the UK.
These units are very much in operation in the UK as part of Operation Trident, which is a national program that focuses solely on gun crime in the UK.
It was one of these armed police units that shot the man in Tottenham, London, which supposedly triggered the rioting that took place recently.
Another part of Cayman's problem is the local recruitment for police officer trainees.
The RCIPS is now overloaded with locally-recruited and locally trained foreign nationals as police officers; some of these so-called 'police' were clerks, gardners, couriers, mechanics etc etc until recruitment drives and places were made available by the RCIPS for which their applications were successful and bingo…they are suddenly 'police officers'.
Some of these 'officers' have never handled or had any experience in any type of serious crime or law enforcement in their lives and would be manifestly incapable of anything more than routine police duties.
If the RCIPS is to form a 'serious crime unit' it would be best to recruit these police officers from police forces in Jamaica and the USA and have them seconded to the RCIPS for operations and training the local police officers in how to conduct serious gun crime operations.
There's no doubt that some of these gun-weilding robbers and criminals will have to be shot by the police before this problem is brought under some type of control and it will take experienced, hardened police officers to do this.
It is a real pity and shame that our once-beautiful, peaceful Cayman Islands has come to this sorry state of affairs but the problem has to be addressed now before it get worse.
18;29
There is a serious crime task force according to what the LA was told. They are supposedly "led" by A UK woman Inspector.
RCIPS has also sworn to the MLAs that he has 24hr firearm coverage in every district but that is not true. Some one should have the b##ls to make him prove it. 911 records would prove otherwise.
Baines has sucessfully eradicated the entire midlle management of any local officers to make way for his sucession plan of "local UK officers". We do not have any chance of having a caymanian Police service again in our life time since there are only about 60 born caymanians out of the 350 and the permits for Senior retired UK officers are constantly being granted and renewed like those positions cant be filled by locals.
But then again who cares?
SOL
You are so wrong! And your sexist and racist undertone comment about a 'UK woman inspector' is offenive to all those that know the Unit and know her. She is an RCIPS officer committed to working here for many years, and what difference does it make if the unit leader is female.
How many Caymanians out there have tried to join the RCIPs and were not given jobs in place of an ex-pat? I see a lot of finger pointing and whining that there are too many ex-pats on the RCIPs, but I really wonder why the statistics are what they are. For those of you Caymanians who are complaining about the RCIPs on this website, how many of you have actually applied? And why did you not get accepted?
Firstly, Op Trident is a Metropolitan Police Op and not 'UK wide'. Secondly, what makes you think that Jamaican (of which we have quite a few) and US officers are going to do any better than the officers we already have??
The issue here is small town protectionism. This Island has a scant 54 000 permanent residents. That means that there are folks out there who know who is committing the crimes. If you will not come forward to clean up your own bit of paradise, how do you expect others to do it for you.
A court requires evidence to convict safely. If the witnesses will come forward, the police can get the physical evidence (guns, ammo, clothing etc) from the resulting searches post arrest.
So instead of whining about everything, grow a pair and start giving up the a-holes that are ruining your paradise island!
Beware McKeeva Bush!! You blame others when crime runs rampant through these islands and, at the same time, push for independence all for the glory of your own self. You have not managed to do well with the power and authority you have and we have no expectation that you will do any better with the issue of crime. You should stop making promises with your big mouth that you cannot keep.
very good, now i hope something positive come out of these discussions and very quickly.
to all representatives, when your supporters/friends and relatives are questioned, stay out of it and let the police do their job.
the only way to reduce crime is to inforce the law and that must apply to all wrongdoers including our own friends and relatives.
please do not delay the inforcement procedures by trying to introduce another law.
inforce the laws we have now.
when the public start to complain about being harrased, remind them if those that know had came/come forward crime would never have got to this crisis.
so we will all have to suffer the delays and harrasment till it is sorted out.
good luck and be safe.
anxiously waiting to see the > serious and contineous < proactive inforcement of our laws.
You want to face this? OK – let’s face the facts – which one of unna is prepared to demand that status recipients and permanent residents who commit serious crimes have their status revoked and are deported. The law says this is what should happen to them? Why has it not happened? …and don’t bother suggesting none have been identified as serious criminals. Plenty have, including one who was shot dead robbing a house.
If you are not even willing to deport criminal foreigners, the likelihood of you doing what needs to be done to true Caymanian criminals must be non existent!
As a 20 year resident with status I agree. Immigration needs to be 100% effective in revoking status to criminals. Strong message.
Now we have agreed that citizenship should be revoked for criminals, I would like to add the SAME fate for those harboring criminals. This includes girlfriends. Aunties. Landlords. Roomates.If you share housing with someone that is housing a gun and know about it ( or have knowledge that the thug had illegal cash) you too, will be deported!!! Shared blame folks.
The only way to flush out these bums is to give them no roof!
not sure if this point you can say they 'face' crime. They can maybe get it by the tail.
I don't think they get it at all. It seems the RCIPS is only vaguely aware that there is some restlessness among the populace. Arm yourself, I say, and deal with the criminals as you will because the authorities are inept and complacent. Send them all home.
17:54 The police is only chasing down caymanians catching a few fish to feed their families or cooking a little food on the side walk to make afew dollars to pay bills. But I bet you do not see that helicopter and that Doe boat stopping those foreigners catching lobster in the night with flood light. They go out in the night in dive suits and catch all the lobster and conchs for their families, while the poor Caymanians have to walk the shore with a fishing line. Say it is not true? I have seen you all.
When our representatives do nothing but disagree amount themselves we complain now that they have come together in agreement on something very important that affects the whole Islands many are still being veryyyyyyyy negative let us too come together and give credit first to God and our representatives on this one.
For the first time in history All the MLAs have joined up and come together as one to fight the growing crime problem. Now we all get to see just what kind of force this will be and what they as leaders of Cayman can actually get done. This is their chance to show the people of Cayman and the world that they can do something of merit for a change. Its hard not to be negative considering past accomplishments seem to be a never ending series of screwups but here is hope that they do something without spending huge amounts of money and not going to court over it and or pissing off everyone who didn't get a cut.
Please do not form the task force from our own police – ask for help from somplace like Dade County, Florida. And do not announce it!
The usual, wait until its broken and then patch,patch here and there.Its a bit too late…..Even if you do arrest anyone you can even let it stick in court.
I was never so embarassed in my life, speaking with a friend in Africa who asked about the crime in Cayman and what they had read.
Frankly speaking, someone is to be blamed, that this is happening with no end to it. With no remorse "I AM BLAMING THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE and THE GOVERNOR" of these Islands. Sorry but you are the ones responsible and not doing enough. Number one when you take a look at the members of the Police force, you will see that they are all foreigners. People who dont know a hoot about investigating a crime, police who are only in the force for the pay check. They cannot write a proper statement, they dont know a thing about arrestible offences, and all the cases they put before the court are thrown out by the judge. What does this tell you? It tells us that who ever that is recruiting these officers, dont know what they are doing. Long time days ago when there were Cayman men and women in the Force they kicked asses and had a no nonsence approach to crime and Criminals. Now a days the police is just falling over each other and watching the clock.
The Commissioner and the Governor needs to realize that if something is not done quickly, this crime spree will reach the door of their families, friends and maybe even themselves. No one is safe, anymore, and it is just a matter of time.
The Commissioner is obviously not thinking, because enough is not being done. But this happens when you have a Head, who thinks they know it all and will not listen.
The solution to this crime spree is to bring in a number of undercover cops on a 6 month contract, all colours, from different places, black, white and indifference, bald headand bearded, long short and tall. Make them rent rooms in rough crime areas. Do not even let the police force know who they are. let them ago into the communities to do their work of mingling with criminals. We have to find out who is doing these crimes, where they are getting these guns and what is their next move. It is the only way that they will get the information they need. Why does the public have to tell you what to do. We are fed up, and it is utterly disgusting to see that the police we have does not have a clue. Darn it, have a road block every night if that is what it is going to take, but do something.
First you say the problem with the police force is that it is made up of foreigners and in the next sentence you say bring in police from anywhere. Which is it that you want?????
I am sure the poster is referring to the number of specific nationalities that are hired and are not properly trained individuals, but people who are looking for a job and are recruited off the streets. Some of those people are job hoppers from near and far, who came here to work in unskilled jobs and because of good contacts with their own country men are hired in preference of the locals. If a check was done on their initial employment on island, it would tell a story. I know of an hourly paid employee, who has been employed as a police and if he had to write a statement, I am sure, that he himself would not be able to read it.
There is a lot that is known by people, but it cannot be stated. I hope I didn't come across as being bias. We need help, yes, but we have to be very selective in the process.
Obviously 18:34, you are a foreign cop, but read my lips. "There are foreign police, and THERE ARE FOREIGN POLICE" Meaning that what the writer is refering to is that the police from cold countries does not know how to deal with the Caribbean criminals. There are a completely different spate of classic crimes.
So I believe to answer your question as to what the writer wants is to say this" We can do without the cold weather cops. Number one, you guys think that you know it all and do not want to listen if a Caribbean Police tell you how it go. Of course we also have some Caymanians wannabe cold weather cops too, but if they know what I know they would think different. Stop trying to be inferior, and as for the Commissioner of police, he is even worse. The plain and simple truth is that you all need to stop thinking that you are more knowledgable than anyone else., and that the police from Cayman and Caribbean is idiots. We are accustomed to when people come out and when they stay in, when they sleep and when they wake up. The people are not going to talk to you all, because your approach in gathering evidence is agressisve and we do not trust you. Now on the other hand they will talk to a Jamaican, Bajian, Belizan, Caymanian and give them information that we will not give you. I do not know which part of this the Commissioner and Governor do not understand.
Does the Commissioner and his cold climate deputy treat all his officers the same? Ask yourself that question.. Take for instance a whole waggon load of Cold country officers took the exams for Sgt. & Insp. and Failed. but prior to that a handfull of Caymanians and other caribbean officers took it and was sucessful, but is still waiting to be recognized. So what do you call that Mr Commissioner?. You tell me. and dont wonder where I am getting my information, because I am sitting right here on your window sill, looking in the window over your shoulder. So Mr Commissioner you are being watched too. Do the right thing and things will change.
It's all about where de foreigners dem com frum. Get it?
OK so they agreed on a motion. Talk is cheap and so are meaningless motions in the LA.
I will believe that they are serious if they bring in legislation to significantly toughen penalties for gun and other violent crime, end parole for violent crime, bring in mandatory consecutive sentencing for all violent crime and reform Northward. Until then all they are doing is putting on an act for the gullible.
About *&!#&! time!!!! Now, do something instead of just flappin your jaws!
Does this include inside jobs?
Thank you His Excellency and all elected members of the LA. Thank you so very much for the unified decision to address the crime situation. Members of the public I beg you to please do likewise, report any crime and criminals.
All due respect, sentiments are wonderful, nothing has happened yet. Their duty is to do their job and they have not been doing it. There is no praise to be given for something that has not been done. Action speaks louder than words. Now we need – NEED – action now,not talk.
I certainly applaude this decision by the whole House but it is about time.Really come on now.We(the public)have been begging you ALL to get something going as our tourism product is under SEVERE threat for what seems forever.Some may say better late than never but nevertheless it is sorely needed.Now dont lets sit on this any longer with more waste of time committees.Action will speak much louder than words.
Now this is what the Cayman people really want to see the UNIFICATION of our MLAS working together as one to help fight crime. Lets hope this is a fresh start, and a new begining now as people we will have to work together in UNITY with the police and our MLAS to help them solve these crimes and don't be afraid to speak out against anyone that you know has done something unlawfully. We as Caymanians now have a task to do by working together as a team, we have to take back our streets and get help for our youths. Parents please talk to your Children, give them a curfew time to come back in, know what kind of friends they are hanging around with, it starts with you! Last butnot least we all need to pray for God to give us back the little Cayman Isle that we used to know. God blessed us all we pray.
Unite and get rid of the Eastern Caribbean Two-Party system that will destroy us.
As we just saw by this unity, it is PEOPLE not PARTIES we need in power to change Cayman. Parties only pander to cronies and contracts. Even the politicians will get uncomfortable eventually with "Toeing the party line" (*yes, the phrase is spelled correctly). Party politicks always pays a price….a Bitter and sour price.
What a shame we can't see such unity in all of their dealings. Albeit the LA have taken way too long to table this discussion when most of us could see it coming two years ago and have been begging government to nip it in the bud before crime escalated to this dire stage, I am glad we're finally getting around to doing something.
We all share the crime concerns. But;
"Bush said the government had never wavered in its commitment to fully resourcing the RCIPS." That's incorrect. Just 2 weeks ago the RCPIS complained that Govt had failed to give it the budget in 2011/12 that it had in 2009/10 and that it was still understaffed and had been for months. The 2010/11 budget was itself a cut from 2009/10.
“The maintenance of law and order is an essential requisite for good governance,” Bush said. So that's his new excuse for the lack of good governance we are seeing from our Premier is it?
We have UK style policing in a community that has cut it's teeth on US style crime shows and movies and identifies more with the US than the UK…unfortunately, you are NEVER going to see a CoP from anywhere other than the UK or Cayman…the other issue is that the CoP is NEVER going to admit that UK style policing policies have not, are not and NEVER will work in the Caribbean…the cultures are just too different…Newsflash, Mr. Baines…those "yardies and hoodies" that you MAY have encountered in the UK are NOT indicative of Caribbean culture..this is like comparing apples to oranges..chalk to cheese..You NEED to start listening to your Senior officers in the RCIPS who are FROM the Caribbean and stop listening to those numptys from the UK, who have NEVER encountered a REAL Caribbean criminal in their lives…and while you are at it…how about you take some of those senior officers you have sitting in offices doing nothing but overseeing and drafting policies that will never see the light of day and get them back on the streets?? Who the H*LL ever heard of a police service of 300 officers that has FOUR Deputy Commissioners of Police??
For the millionth time, THIS IS NOT, I repeat, NOT UK style policing no matter how they dress it up to be so. This so-called policing is giving real UK policing a bad rap.
Nonsense. The yardies encountered by the police in London, Birmingham etc are Jamaicans. Check your facts before spouting forth.
Wait let me get this straight, all this time we have been paying over 300 police officers and now they want to "create" a serious crime unit??? What the hell have the 300 plus police officers been doing? All we hear is they have this unit that is dealing with the issue. Why do we keep them employed and waste our money if they can't or couldn't do the job. This has been going on for over ten years and now they realize the useless police force we have can't do the job. What is going to be the difference now? Who and where are we going to recruit? Shouldn't this have been done from the start when all these problems were happening.
The idiots are still talking about "arming" the police with tasers. Yes that is a good idea, but they have to be pretty close to someone to taser them. For crying out loud, these criminals are armed, you need to arm your police force!!!!
correction: more than 400 police officers
Locan policemen can't drive cars and you want them to carry weapons? Who will be in charge of of training and psychological evaluation? They have "police schools" in US. What do they have here? Do they have truly "professional" police people here? Or you want to give weapons to everyone on Police payroll?
David Baines and the RCIPS have abandoned the people of the Cayman Islands to the criminals. Chuck the whole damn lot of them and start from scratch. What would be the downside? That the general populace is threatened day and night by a young, ignorant and heavily armed group of thugs? We are there now. To hell with the police, they do nothing.
At least we find room where we all agree. I just wish the Governor who seems to be immuned to all of this would jump on board.
I honestly believe we need to approach the US and ask if they would assist with tactical knowledge on how to approach. I believe they have dealt with far larger issue and Cayman's fairly small thug group should not be hard to corral.
I am not fond of saying this but the UK task force is basically in my view USELESS. I believe we have seen what services they can provide already and are still years later trying to clean up the mess they left behind.
Mr. Baines, this idea of a Police "service" is a waste of time with these Caymanains and Jamaicans criminals. You need a Police "FORCE". That is what they understand. Otherwise we may start to believe this is a UK conspiracy to destabalize the Cayman Islands.
It walks like a conspiracy…
bla bla bla bla
2 decades too late, and still bla bla bla bla
32 m for the police ? That budget was cut, it used to be more.
Cayman is going to the drain, thanks to the government.
There is no way back.
Bla bla bla I agree!!
Talk is cheap….It's great to see they all agree on something…but..this talk is just a lot of
fluff…..unless they actually carry out a plan to get TOUGH on these criminals and
SOON…..nothing will change….