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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

I'm a snitch and here's why you should be too

There has been a lot of discussion about recent sentences for crimes committed against visitors. I get this and I support the discussion about the need to send a message to criminals and would-be criminals that crimes against visitors will not be tolerated. However, and anybody who knows me knows that I’m a tourism guy at my core, I submit that we should be sending the message that no crimes will be tolerated, whether they be against residents or visitors. More on this after the top 20.Immovable at #1 is Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen, the most popular track on the planet and the most requested ringtone, for those who like ringtones. Up to #2 is Birthday Cake by Rihanna and Chris Brown. It has one of the hottest beats we’ve heard in some time, with catchy lyrics to make you sing along. Improving to #3 is Rihanna’s other hit, Where Have You Been? A hot track by Rihanna, who I have crowned as the Queen of Pop! I will happily debate this versus anyone. Falling to #4 is Wild Ones by Flo Rida featuring Sia, a banging and really high energy dance track.On the way up at #5 is Titanium by David Guetta featuring Sia, a former essential new dance tune and a steady dance hit. Up to #6 is Climax by Usher which is doing really well in international charts. Slipping to #7 is Starships by Nicki Minaj. Down to #8 is Glad You Came, one of the hottest pop/dance tracks on the planet by The Wanted. Dropping one space to #9 this week is Boyfriend by Justin Bieber.Improving to #10 is Cheater’s Prayer by Christopher Martin, one of the smoothest reggae songs in some time. It’s kinda funny too and has lyrics with which many people can identify. Tumbling to #11 it’s Give Me All Your Luvin’ by Madonna featuring Nicki Minaj and MIA. Down to # 12 is Dance Again by Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull. Up to #13 is the crossover dancehall hit She Doesn’t Mind by Sean Paul. On the way up to #14 is Link Up by Destra, a soca hit for 2012. Falling to #15 is the hot dance track by Chris Brown and Rihanna, Turn Up The Music. This hit has had a good run in the charts but its shelf life isn’t much longer.Improving to #16 is Wide Awake by Katy Perry, last week’s essential new tune. Slipping to #17 is The Motto by Drake featuring L’il Wayne.Up to #18 is Mercy, by Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chainz, a hot new rap track and this week’s essential new rap jam. It is also very flexible and creatively produced, with something for everybody.Improving to #19 is Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye featuring Kimbra. On its way out at 20, after several weeks in this chart, is Take Care by Rihanna and Drake. I can imagine that there is enormous chemistry between these two.Now back to this week’s topic, crime. I am all over the recent ‘statements’ by judges regarding our need to protect tourists, whether they be business or leisure visitors. We have to send a signal to criminals that crimes against visitors will not be tolerated.However, have we missed something? If we had taken, or if we now take action to send a message that crime in general will not be accepted and will be punished to the full extent of the law thereby taking care of local residents in the first instance we will be taking care of our visitors as well.I’m not even going to get whether we’re suggesting that visitors are more important than residents, but I will say that if we issue swift, decisive punishment to people who commit crimes against residents, they will be less likely to commit crimes against visitors, because our position on crime in general will have been well communicated to them.But what else can we do? Well in my humble opinion it starts with reporting by family and friends of criminals.If you know that someone has the propensity to commit crimes, let the police know about it and the person or persons can be put under surveillance. This is called being proactive and preventing crimes from happening. Why wait until the person has robbed or assaulted someone when you can stop that from happening at all?Another easy thing we can do is to have workshops with offenders to educate them about the impact of crimes on the individual, the individual’s family, the economy and Bermuda. A similar presentation can and should be made to school kids at all levels.The police are doing a pretty good job these days and deserve some props. But we, the people, the community must do our part. We have to get community policing going and working effectively all over the Island.We have to remove the stigma that goes along with reporting incidents to the authorities; which is that many people don’t want to be a ‘snitch’. Well guess what, I’m a snitch. You do wrong and I know about it, I will report you to the authorities.So grow up Bermuda. It’s time for more of us to report crimes to the police because this will go a long way to helping to minimise crime whether it be against locals or visitors. Peace ... DJLT