The fact that government has a specific
plan as it comes to money and experts in the ongoing fight against crime sounds
great.
But we do have to get value for money.
Many of us remember that the People’s
Progressive Movement also pumped millions of dollars into the fight against
crime, but we aren’t sure what good that did.
Yes, we have a helicopter, but that whole
exercise was a debacle.
This time around it is promised that the
$11 million will enable the police to create 50 additional jobs and help in the
formation of a permanent group that will create a foundation at every level to
deal with burglars, armed robberies and gang violence.
We’ve also been promised that we’ll see a
return to more neighbourhood policing.
Twenty more officers are also slated to be
given arms taking our numbers from 80 to 100.
We thank government for finding this money
in its coffers and for showing an initiative to fight crime.
But our crime problem and the perception of
overseas visitors goes further than just giving the police force more money.
We all have to work together to ensure that
crime is snuffed out and that visitors to our shores feel safe and comfortable
about coming here.
Those of us who live on Grand Cayman
understand that most of the crime committed of late is in isolated areas and
between people who know each other. Indeed, the police have finally admitted
that the recent spate of killings was gang related.
But our visitors don’t know that.
It is incumbent on the police, those with a
stake in tourism and even media houses to let our visitors know that the Cayman
Islands is still a safe place to visit.
Part of the initiative to quell the crime
problem is to bring in an expert on gangs and to look at legislation to
identify what constitutes being part of a gang.
The recent crime problem is not just a West
Bay, George Town or East End problem; it is a Cayman Islands problem and as
such we should all be working hand in hand to find a way to solve it.
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