OBA Chairman Thad Hollis On Crime Statistics

Public Safety Shadow Minister Michael Scott is “normally the most polite and fair-minded of politicians, so it was odd and disappointing to see him in the role of Opposition pitbull, trying to sink his teeth into the OBA’s leg,” said OBA Chairman Thad Hollis today [July 21].

Last week Mr. Scott commented on the recently released 2013 Crime Statistics saying, “The current crime statistics represent a downward trend that began in 2009 and continued up to the present. The real credit should not go to the OBA, but to our Police Commissioner Michael Desilva and the fine men and women under his command.

“Under his leadership, we’ve seen impeccable investigative work leading to more arrests and more convictions. Our partnership with the Bermuda Police Service and the legislative and policy seeds planted by the PLP are bearing fruit for our people today,” said Mr. Scott.

Speaking today, Mr. Hollis said, “Whether the PLP’s work in public safety during the 13 years of its governance justifies it being able to take all the credit for the successes we are now enjoying is something I feel strongly about.

“Much of the work the OBA and its candidates did before the last election was aimed at dragging the PLP to the realization that they weren’t doing nearly enough. Had they been left to their own devices, I think we’d have been in much worse shape than we are now, and I think the election result was a pretty solid signal that the public agreed.”

Mr Hollis’ full statement follows below:

The One Bermuda Alliance would like to join with others in congratulating the Police Service for its excellent work in the continuing fall in the crime rate…now the lowest since the year 2000.

We would also like to congratulate those members of the public who have had the strength of character to help the Police in their efforts. What was once a trickle of information has become a stream, and we look forward to the day when it increases to a flood, and crime is reduced to the more manageable levels we once enjoyed.

We acknowledge that making Bermuda safe again is very much a job for the whole community; with the law-abiding working with the Police to keep their homes and communities safe. There are many who have contributed, and many who continue to contribute. I think it is fair to count the Progressive Labour Party among the contributors, as it is to count the OBA among those who continue to contribute.

I was amazed, therefore, to see and hear the Shadow Minister, Michael Scott, saying in the press last week that no credit should go to the OBA because the Government was simply reaping what the PLP had sown.

Mr Scott is normally the most polite and fair-minded of politicians, so it was odd and disappointing to see him in the role of Opposition pitbull, trying to sink his teeth into the OBA’s leg.

Whether the PLP’s work in public safety during the 13 years of its governance justifies it being able to take all the credit for the successes we are now enjoying is something I feel strongly about. Much of the work the OBA and its candidates did before the last election was aimed at dragging the PLP to the realization that they weren’t doing nearly enough. Had they been left to their own devices, I think we’d have been in much worse shape than we are now, and I think the election result was a pretty solid signal that the public agreed.

It is worth reminding the PLP that if they wish to take credit for things they’ve done, then perhaps they should accept all of what they did as Government, instead of being opposition for opposition’s sake. They may want to reflect on what is being done by the Government to rectify and restore social and economic equity. What took years to create cannot be undone in months and we invite the Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition to assist the Government in getting Bermuda working again.

Our current Public Safety Minister, Michael Dunkley, said that the reduction in crime “goes to show that not only is the enforcement and policing plan having an effect, a real positive effect on what’s going, it also shows that some of the initiatives that the Government currently has enacted are starting to be successful…”

Asked if he felt the new Government could take any credit for the drop-off in criminal activity, Mr Dunkley said: “I am very pleased to see that we are heading in the right direction, and we will do everything we can to help going forward.”

I think he’s being modest and politically well-mannered.

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Category: All, Crime, News, Politics