The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

On perusing The Tribune’s 22/01/2015 issue the headline story “Police failed says Nottage” and the lead story “Nottage: Jailhouse wedding discipline not down to me” on page 3 aroused my curiosity so I read them first.

The sub-head to the story: “Minister feels no comfort as murders rise”– was curious to say the least because the story goes on to not only categorise the crimes; but to identify, in the case of murders, the reason for them being committed. I say without fear of contradiction that no police force in any nation on this planet has an answer for Domestic Violence, crimes of passion, revenge killings or drug-related murders, in fact drug-related and revenge killings should not be classified as murders; but as crime-related executions.

I was also a bit confused with the minister’s statement near to the end of the interview when he said the following: “I want to congratulate the RBPF because it is my view that they’ve been working diligently and with due diligence in being able to bring down the numbers of crime across the board”

What is this? What does he really want to say? In one breath he is saying: “They have FAILED” in the next breath he is congratulating them for doing a good job of reducing crime across the board. Please Minister, tell us, Which is correct? Have they failed or have they done an excellent job?

Remember, sir, you were the one when the PM said some time ago that he had no faith in the RBPF leadership, that said the Police were doing a good job. Why the double jumbo-mumbo now?

With regard to the jailhouse wedding, the minister was quite correct when he said: “Discipline not down to me”. That is the Law; but do members of the Government ever observe the law when dealing with our Security forces, especially the Police and the Defense Force? Since the inception of Ministerial Government in this nation when responsibility for the Police and the prisons were transferred from the Governor to a minister of the Government, political interference into the day-to-day administration of the Force seems to be the norm by successive administrations, starting with the UBP when the late Roy M Solomon, the first Minister responsible for the Force, was appointed.

Things went smoothly until he tried to dictate policy to the Commissioner of Police, the late Colchester Weymss. He, Weymss wasted no time in enlightening the Minister as to what his role was as Commissioner. The Government retaliated by drumming up false charges against the Commissioner and appointed a Commission of Enquiry to investigate the charges. The Commissioner was vindicated, but he was recalled by the Colonial office, and that was the end of his career.

When the late Lynden Pindling became Premier, he attempted to dictate to the Commissioner of Police, the late Nigel Morris who was Deputy inspector General of Colonial Police Forces before taking up his appointment as C of P of the Bahamas police Force. Morris politely informed the Premier of his, Morris’ duties as C of P. Morris had purchased a piece of land in Free Port at a bargain price. Pindling attempted to do a Solomon on Morris, but failed miserably; Morris resigned and moved back to the UK.

The first Bahamian Police Commissioner in an independent Bahamas, Salathiel Thompson, was directed by the Minister of National Security to provide him, Minister and party, with air transportation (Police plane) to a destination in the South East Bahamas. The Commissioner informed the Minister that he will check the plane’s schedule for the time the minister wanted to travel and if the schedule was for that area it would be no problem. The Minister said: “I am not asking you, I am telling you, I am the Minister responsible for the Police.”

“I know who you are,” said the Commissioner, “but you apparently forgot who I am, so I, with due respect I must remind you that I am the Commissioner of Police with responsibility for all personnel, property and equipment under my command and  if the plane is going in that direction tomorrow you and your party are welcome to the ride, if not, I am afraid that you will have to make other arrangements.”

After that clash, the Commissioner could get nothing for the Force from the Government and in the best interest of the Force he, Commissioner, resigned in disgust. I mention the above incidents of which I am sure that Commissioner Greenslade has knowledge, to show how vindictive those in power can be if they do not get what they want.

The Commissioner and the Commissioner alone is mandated by the Constitution of the Bahamas with sole and absolute responsibility for the RBPF and everything pertaining to it; but as aforementioned circumvention of Laws, Conventions and victimising public officers and/or persons who do not support or agree with them are the norm with all administrations in this nation. With regard to the wedding at Central police station, Mr Greenslade had given a direct order to a Gazetted officer who saw fit to ignore that order and appealed to a politician who gave the green light to do an act that brought the RBPF into disrepute. The Commissioner knew what his options were and realised what the consequences to his Administration would have been if he had done what was needed to be done and that would have been, after having the incident investigated refer it to the police Service Commission for necessary action against the officer and forward the evidence against the politician to the Prime Minister for necessary action.

He, the Commissioner, would have been victimised and the matter would have been as it was, swept under the carpet. By taking the route he did I am sure that he, Commissioner, acted in the best interest of the Force under the circumstances at the time. I am of the opinion that politicians are not concerned about the damage they inflict on the discipline and morale of the Force when they so callously undermine the Commissioner’s authority. Heads of our security Forces who are professionals in their field should be allowed to perform their duties without interference from politicians.

ERRINGTON WATKINS

Nassau,

January 24, 2015.