Dames now says COVID restrictions ‘probably’ had an impact on crime Marvin Dames.
Minister of National Security Marvin Dames admitted that COVID-19 restrictions “probably did” have an impact on crime in The Bahamas.
“If you look at the trends from last year, especially in the United States, for example, where you had the same situations, shootings and murders are up and that’s a global trend,” Dames told
The Nassau Guardian.
“But, we reversed that trend. Now, we can argue back and forth on whether some of the lockdowns and the adjustments had an impact on crime. It may have. I beg to say it probably did.
Dames: Murder spates not unusual
Minister of National Security Marvin Dames said yesterday some of the six murders that took place in the first week of the new year were domestic-related.
“You’re going to see from time to time periods where you have incidents of crime or you may have a spate [where] today you have a murder, tomorrow you have a murder,” Dames told reporters.
“The police are learning from those experiences in terms of, ‘how do you adjust your enforcement strategies?’”
He continued, “Although I would say that of those matters over the last few days, you had quite a number of them that were domestic-related. And so, we know that we have to work in that area.”
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NASSAU, BAHAMAS New Year’s Eve parties in contravention of the emergency orders risk regressing The Bahamas’ progress with the coronavirus and will be aggressively “shut down”, according to Minister of National Security Marvin Dames.
In an interview with
Eyewitness News, the minister said authorities had served over $20,000 in fines on Monday alone for breaches of the orders.
Echoing the tone of other government officials, Dames said while he understands the desire of some quarters of the public to close the year with celebratory events, it represents too great a risk and exposes the nation to a potential third wave.
A group of 44 migrants were apprehended on a Haitian sloop about a mile northwest of Norman s Cay shortly after 3pm on August 2, 2020.
NASSAU, BAHAMAS Following two illegal landings over a 48-hour period on Long Island and Andros, Minister of National Security Marvin Dames said the armed forces of The Bahamas and its partners have ramped up their presence and adjusted their strategies to thwart human traffickers.
“The police and defense [forces] continue to remain focused on their primary responsibilities,” Dames told
Eyewitness News.
“They have been working this now since over the holidays and the weather would have certainly disrupted some patterns, but fortunately that we were able to interdict and that’s a good thing.
Minister of National Security Marvin Dames speaks with members of the media ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, December 29, 2020.
NASSAU, BAHAMAS Minister of National Security Marvin Dames said yesterday the Rehabilitation of Offenders Committee has seen a recent uptick in requests for expungement of records.
Speaking to reporters outside Cabinet, Dames once again urged individuals with criminal records to apply for the initiative and take advantage of a “second chance”.
He noted that in the new year, the committee plans to launch an aggressive public education strategy so that Bahamians can be more informed about the opportunity.
“We ask everyone to apply, as much as possible,” he said.