Stop & Search - My Two Cents I see that there is a mixed reaction to the proposed stop & search initiative on Bonaire. While some welcome anything that may stem the increasing violent crimes on the island, others see it as a violation of their liberty. One commented that it would have an adverse effect on tourism. I disagree. While a small amount of people will be against it, I would guess that if they had to choose between being a victim of crime or being randomly searched, they would go for the latter. Of course, in an ideal world there would be no need for either, but, this is not an ideal world. There are many reasons why Bonaire finds itself in the situation that it is in today. Austerity, inflation, the 10/10 agreement, lack of police presence, lack of opportunities for youngsters and of course down right greed. Whatever the reasons, we are where we are and posthumous blame is not going to help the situation. A line has to be drawn in the sand and the government, chief police prosecutor & the KPCN have to bring in new initiatives to stop this now. In addition, the island government needs to look at how youngsters can be guided away from a life of crime, better education, more opportunities etc. The cost of living is too high, either salaries need to increase or prices need to fall so that those on the lowest incomes can at least afford to eat properly, pay for their utilities & keep a roof over their heads. It is time that the Dutch government opened up trade with Venezuela. They are oil rich and produce most of what Bonaire needs for day to day living and is only a short distance away. Filling the shelves with goods that many cant afford from Europe & the USA is pointless. Stop & search may prove to be a great success or a miserable failure, only time will tell. However, I applaud any initiative that tries to address the situation and I look forward to more. If these short term actions can be coupled with long term solutions, maybe, just maybe Bonaire can have a bright future.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 09:15:37 +0000
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