Prime Minister, the Hon. Philip Davis accompanied by Member of Parliament for Englerston, the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin and other police and government officials toured the constituency yesterday afternoon to view the progress of the Clear, Hold & Build Initiative aimed at crime reduction.  Since the launch of the program in the Englerston community approximately twenty derelict vehicles have been removed, twenty five crime hotspots have been cleared and a number of arrests made.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Anthony Rolle gave an update saying, “we came in over the past three weeks headed by Assistant Superintendent Mckell Pinder.  We have cleared…not just clearing properties and moving away derelict vehicles but we were disrupting and targeting gang activity, gang members, gang leaders.  We did aggressive stop and search.  We executed several warrants on their homes.  It was our job to come and disrupt them to drive them out of this community.  As a result of all of this that was going on we have seen a reduction in major crime.”

Prime Minister Davis said the Clear, Hold & Build Initiative is a holistic approach. “This is not just the police, this is Social Services, this is Ministry of Works, this is Urban Renewal, this is small home repairs and all hands are on deck in this endeavour.  And it is hoped that this will continue throughout The Bahamas and particularly New Providence.  And this is also designed to lift up that aspect of our five point plan in the fight against crime what I call prevention because if we can do these things where criminal activities are discouraged.”

For her part, Englerston MP, the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin said, “we’ve been looking at clearing the lots, moving the vehicles. We’re looking at streetlighting.  We’re looking at speedbumps.  We’re looking at dealing with potholes and all of these issues which are the physical environment which are critical.”

The start of the Clear, Hold & Build initiative was announced by Mr. Davis in October.