To wake up this morning to hear about two shootings on our beautiful island is sickening.

We keep hearing of statistics telling us that crime is down.

I ask the question compared to what?

A few years ago I spent several months in a Scottish city of Perth. It’s population in 2011 was around 50,000 persons so is comparable to the Cayman Islands.

In twelve months June to May 2012/13 there were TWO homicides in the whole region of Fife that Perth is part of. In the same area there were 180 serious assault and attempted murders. Remember we are now talking stats of the whole of Fife – population of 360,000 persons.

In the four months I spent in Perth there was not one reported shooting let alone murder.

The so-called justice system we have is weighted heavily on the side of the criminal.

Even when the Royal Cayman Island Police Service (RCIPS) actually catch, charge and prosecute a suspect there is no guarantee he or she will be found “Guilty”. There is no guarantee even with a “Guilty” verdict the criminal will spend much time in jail. The Appeals Court sees to that. How often do we hear the prosecuted criminal escapes on a technicality?

We have a prison that does not meet the accepted standards a prison should.

We have a prison that criminals have access to drugs.

We have a prison that is so underfunded prisoners can escape through the perimeter fence.

We have an escaped prisoner that is still loose on a small island where it is difficult to hide for four weeks.

We have gangs that attract every low life in this country. The RCIPS say they know who they are.

The killing on Sunday night might be gang related as the victim is the father of Robert “Robbie” Macford Bush, who was shot and killed around the same area in 2011.

The RCIPS are armed with tasers. The criminals are armed with firearms or ones that look exactly like firearms.

Where are they obtaining these weapons?

None of these criminals seems to be at the higher end of intelligence yet they are able to outwit the RCIPS that has seen the largest influx of recruits over the past two years.

Statistics show crime is down.

Everyone is pleased.

Am I the only person living here who is not?