Premier Brown: Public Safety is a Serious Matter
Bermudians pay for the Bermuda Police Service and, yet, Bermudians don't have the final say when it comes to protecting our people.
Today, Premier Ewart Brown reiterated the seriousness of the crime issue and the PLP Government's commitment to keeping Bermudians safe. He believes that Bermudians deserve more than conversations and lip service from Government House - we need action. Premier Brown:
This Government has taken strong steps to address serious crime. This Government will continue to do so as long as serious crime on our streets carries on its upward path. We know that an effective attack on crime results from a partnership with the Government, the Police and the citizens of Bermuda. The citizens of Bermuda hold us accountable for ensuring their safety. Their dollars pay for policing.
We must be able to allocate budget to policing programmes and we will continue to do that. We must be able to pass legislation that affects crime and we will continue to do that. However, we must also be able to closely monitor policing programmes and change them, when necessary. That is what operational control means.
We should not be hamstrung by having to go through a third party, the Governor. We are not in any way criticising the Governor. We simply believe that we must have direct operational control of policing, as happens in most modern jurisdictions. That way, we have complete responsibility for policing and Bermudians can hold us accountable for how we spend their hard-earned dollars.
Crime is a serious issue and it requires action. We must not be hamstrung. Bermudians pay for the police, Bermudians know the land and the people and Bermudians hold their elected officials accountable for public safety.
It's time for action. We need all the resources at our disposal to fight crime.
