By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
DR Duane Sands, Director of Accident and Emergency at Princess Margaret Hospital, said yesterday he believes the disparity between police and hospital statistics is the result of “political interference.”
Dr Sands was responding to statements made by Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade who said to question the statistics would be “questioning his integrity”.
In an interview, Mr Greenslade said: “If you say it is doctored, whether it be on social media or the media or elsewhere, you are basically saying that your Commissioner of Police, Ellison Edroy Greenslade, let’s not sugar coat this, is dishonest. And I look you back in the face and say I am insulted by that. You could not ask for a more honest Bahamian citizen.”
Dr Sands, who released the PMH statistics exclusively to The Tribune, said he was not questioning the integrity of the commissioner but the truth of the police statistics.
“The interview with the commissioner seems to suggest that I had an issue with his integrity or honesty. While no names were ever called, I have no issues about integrity or honesty with the commissioner. What I do have a concern with is the discrepancy between the statistics collected by emergency room doctors at the Princess Margaret Hospital and the ones published by the Royal Bahamas Police Force under the instruction of the Ministry of National Security,” he said.
“Unlike individuals who will not have their legacy tied to the RBPF, I have no problem with my reputation and integrity being linked to the RBPF led by Commissioner Greenslade. Unlike days gone by when great efforts were made to eliminate interference by the RBPF, we have gone back to a different era and given the fact that there are discrepancies it appears that there is political interference but Bahamians are entitled to know why there is a discrepancy.”
Dr Sands said the government and/or the police force needs to explain to the people, how these crimes are reported and what definition is used to classify crimes.
“We have watched the development of an environment where there has been an obvious interference with the RBPF and it must be coming from Cabinet,” he said.
“The truth is the truth and facts are facts and when you have different numbers people need to know the truth. Two different things can not be true. We, the FNM, introduced the Freedom of Information Act and by choice this administration has not enacted it because then the media and the people of the Bahamas would have access to this information and we would know what their methodology was.”
According to PMH’s statistics, in the rape category there were 147 cases while the police said there were 104. For attempted murder, authorities said there were only 10, but the hospital statistics show 519 cases of shootings and stabbings that physicians at PMH took care of.
National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage says he has no reason to doubt the veracity of the RBPF’s crime statistics.
Comments
nationbuilder 10 years, 2 months ago
Dr Sands is not the Director of A&E for PMH, why does the Tribune keep calling him that? And the Commissioner of Police did not respond to the hospital statistics the Tribune reported on. This statement from Mr. Greenslade in this story was made during a press conference in 2013. What's with these glaring errors?
thomas 10 years, 2 months ago
See NB 12 news Feb. 6th 2014. Those were is exact words.
nationbuilder 10 years, 2 months ago
Yes, that clip was from an interview last year that they replayed in that news story. That clip was not a new interview.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 2 months ago
The answer seems simple to me, a reconciliation between the numbers must be possible. I cannot believe someone comes in to the hospital claiming to have been raped and the doctor does not call in the police, same for a gunshot...the guy could have just robbed a bank and escaped, those types of injuries are reported to the police. So the police must have some report that shows how the numbers reported by the hospital were filtered down to the official crime statistics and why.
Rather than the Commissioner claiming to have his character impugned, just give us the reconciliation details, it's not a secret and we're entitled to it. These politicians will sink this country if you follow them. All they want is to create construction and environmental waste companies and grab up government contracts.
Bahamianpride 10 years, 2 months ago
Re classification is what's occurring, the crimes are either being ignored or reclassified to lesser offenses. The manipulation of crime figures with comstat has been going on for years. Rapes into assualts and robbery into theft etc, etc. Like unemployment figures politician like to play games by influences numbers. We will never know what the true figures are but i will believe the hospitals figures any day over a Police Department, what's in it for them to lie.
TalRussell 10 years, 2 months ago
Could the return of Papa be the reds only answer? Dress it up and put on all the makeup you want it still comes down to a direct/indirect credibility attack against the Comrade Commish da Policeman's. I don't knock Comrade Duane's red shirts leadership's ambitions but he will need some kinds of a divine miracle intervention or his urge to lead is about to go as far as his previous political attempts. Comrades Duane, Loretta and that other red Bran, keep trying desperately to make something out of nothing and as far as the Commish hiding true crime statistics its is pure hogwash. Comrades if this is the total sum of what the reds have to throw at Minnis he is safe for now come the 2017 General Elections and that ain't saying much for the reds chances to win back the powerful instruments of government and as the months pass even fewer reds sincerely see Papa's return from exile as their 2017 salvation tool.
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 2 months ago
If Greenslade is hoping for a future in politics he's gonna have to do better than this when asked a sensitive question.
What an arrogant ass. Numbers show a discrepancy. Instead of this challenging bullshit answer about your integrity, give us the reason for the damned discrepancy.
He sounds guilty to me, like he's hiding something.
Arrow 10 years, 2 months ago
FYI he is not in charge of AE. Secondly, he knows he hasn't got a chance in hell of winning the leadership of the FNM. He is clearly delusional and being guided by spineless old men, some advice for the good doctor and please feel free to use prn try winning Elizabeth seat first and if you manage that buy a personality.
birdiestrachan 10 years, 2 months ago
I do not believe anything Dr. Sands has to say. when it comes to integrity Commissioner Greenslade wins hands down over Dr. Sands. Sands is looking for brownie points. The man thinks he is God's gift to man kind; He will do well to humble himself, because any gifts he may have comes from God and they can be taken away from him any time.
birdiestrachan 10 years, 2 months ago
Is Dr. Sands serious with his freedom of information act. the FNM Government had five years to pass that act. they waited until the end of their term before they attempted to pass the act. Bahamians are not as foolish as Dr. sands believes..How fitting that Mr. Pinder won his first race against Sands by three votes (3) and the second time by one hundred and three (103) that should be a message for Sands. He want to be PM of this Country. But he does not know how to walk with the common man. His Papa them song was "better than all the rest" Dr. Sands them song will be "How great I am".
TalRussell 10 years, 2 months ago
Who in hell tis me to be giving advice to them reds. Those highly influential reds who want Minnis out, but only if he is to be replaced by Papa, Loretta or maybe Bran. I knows the way these reds think and Comrade Dr. Duane has all but guaranteed their behind the scenes red nastiness tis upon us and will now become exposed to the public. It means that the reds hands are being forced into making a much quicker decision over what they is going do with Papa, Loretta or Bran. Chances are good that even if Duane is wasting his time, some major leadership disagreements will surface from under theem red sheets over at their Mackey Street headquarters. How they handle Papa's return or deliver a strong message calling for his permanent exile, is pretty damn important, cause if they can't gets a handle on things, tis going gets explosively out of hand. Duane my just be onto some'tin we may have all missed??
jackbnimble 10 years, 2 months ago
People we are missing the point. The point is the disparity in the statistics. Whatever Dr. Sands' reasons for releasing them (political brownie points, FNM leadership aspirations, or whatever) the point is that there is a huge disparity in the figures which makes anyone reading this wonder if there is indeed political mischief involved. I said it before, and I am saying it again. I believe this has been going on for a while because you hear all these stories on the street regarding robberies, rapes, etc. and most of the crime is hardly every covered by the main stream media and when the cases come up in court, you hardly get a media report - so what are we to think? Should be continue to bury our heads in the sand and be fooled into thinking crime is just not that bad, when in my mind, it is clearly out of control.
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