By STAFF?WRITER

FN News Desk

The move by the present government to address crime through the Urban Renewal Program was met with approval by the Council of the Concerned Citizens Abroad (CBA).

In a recent press statement, the group said this comes as a great answer from Bahamian-Americans who are asked by prospective tourists.

The statement noted that newly hired police officers with specialized experience have now been engaged in the process, and 41 Royal Bahamas Police Force officers have been assigned to Urban Renewal centers.

They are looking also at the increased policing of schools, and the ministry has begun the removal of many abandoned homes and derelict vehicles, and programmed increased police walkabouts in many inner city communities.

"Also notable in the process, the new government has highly publicized its new procedures, sending a message to the criminals and providing the ever important assurance to the international community that resolution of the problem is at hand and being taken seriously. Reports from CBAs around the globe confirm that the international media is already attuned and reporting that these remedial measures are quickly being implemented" said the press release.

"The new Security Minister's approach in convening a National Crime Summit is to be applauded, and especially so in light of the additional crime solving measures his Ministry has implemented within its very short time in office.

"To date, the new government and National Security Ministry has re-implemented the Urban Renewal Program, and immediately pushed a program to crack down on the number of illegal firearms. Portions of the Project Safe Bahamas and Operation Cease Fire, as outlined in its Charter for Governance have already been implemented."

The release stated that viewed from the outside, these efforts right out of the gate by the new government are reassuring and proper adding that the fact that they seem to have hit the road running against the crime situation will certainly be positively viewed by the international community.

"Viewing from the outside with a CBA perspective, it appears that it would behoove the opposing political parties to be more careful in their criticisms on this issue. The issue is so important that all entities within the country should concentrate on providing whatever positive assistance and solutions they may contribute. It may be more appropriate that they jump on a bandwagon that at least in this case seems quickly and prudently off and running in the right direction."

The release began by noting that Dr. Bernard Nottage, newly appointed National Security Minister, announced that he will be convening a National Crime Forum on the Resolution of Crime in the Bahamas, so that all interested entities will have a chance to provide input and analysis to the Nation's most pressing social problem.

This the release said, upon the announcement, opposing political parties criticized the proposal and that the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) which has been surprisingly quiet since the election, has surfaced to call the Plan a "Stalling Tactic" and claimed that the PLP administration has already had enough time and information to be able to solve the crime problem without further public consultation. Further it said that former FNM National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest appeared amenable to the idea, but suggested that the PLP had claimed prior to the election that they already had the solutions.

"In March 2012, prior to the Election and in the wake of widespread international reports reaching CBAs and international viewers about the increased crime level in the Bahamas, the Council for Concerned Bahamians Abroad (CBA) called for the then FNM Government to convene a National Crime Summit.

"A major purpose would be to provide the ever important tourist and investor communities with the confidence that something big was being done about the problem. Another reason was to ensure that all interested parties were participating in a non-partisan effort to resolve the serious blemish on the County as viewed from outside. The report detailed the crime situation as a major problem the more than 50,000 Bahamian-Americans must address for enquiring prospective tourists."