The One Bermuda Alliance has hit back at suggestions that Government does not deserve any credit for a drop in crime figures, accusing the Opposition of “pit bull” political tactics.The governing party’s chairman spoke out following news last week that crime has dropped 19 percent in the first half of the year compared to the year before. The news prompted Shadow Public Safety Minister Michael Scott to claim that the current Government — elected last December — was benefiting from policies introduced by the last Progressive Labour Party Government.Last night Thad Hollis described Mr Scott’s claims as “odd” and “disappointing”, adding that the whole community deserved credit for falling crime.“The OBA would like to join with others in congratulating the police service for its excellent work in the continuing fall in the crime rate — now the lowest since the year 2000,” Mr Hollis said.“We would also like to congratulate those members of the public who have had the strength of character to help the police in their efforts. What was once a trickle of information has become a stream, and we look forward to the day when it increases to a flood, and crime is reduced to the more manageable levels we once enjoyed.“We acknowledge that making Bermuda safe again is very much a job for the whole community, with the law-abiding working with the police to keep their homes and communities safe. There are many who have contributed, and many who continue to contribute. I think it is fair to count the PLP among the contributors, as it is to count the OBA among those who continue to contribute.“I was amazed, therefore, to see and hear the Shadow Minister, Michael Scott, saying in the press last week that no credit should go to the OBA because the Government was simply reaping what the PLP had sowed.“Mr Scott is normally the most polite and fair-minded of politicians, so it was odd and disappointing to see him in the role of Opposition pit bull, trying to sink his teeth into the OBA’s leg.“Whether the PLP’s work in public safety during the 13 years of its governance justifies it being able to take all the credit for the successes we are now enjoying is something I feel strongly about. Much of the work the OBA and its candidates did before the last election was aimed at dragging the PLP to the realisation that they weren’t doing nearly enough. Had they been left to their own devices, I think we’d have been in much worse shape than we are now, and I think the election result was a pretty solid signal that the public agreed.“It is worth reminding the PLP that if they wish to take credit for things they’ve done, then perhaps they should accept all of what they did as Government, instead of being opposition for opposition’s sake. They may want to reflect on what is being done by the Government to rectify and restore social and economic equity. What took years to create cannot be undone in months and we invite Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition to assist the Government in getting Bermuda working again.”