The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

It is my hope that the contents of this letter will not change my good relationship with senior management of our Royal Bahamas Police Force. It is intended to be constructive and to enlighten them of the inefficiencies that may exist in the area of criminal investigations. It is very important to our reputation to investigate accusations in the international media about corruption in our Police Service. The latter causes some embarrassment and concern to those who serve with Honour and Pride.

The Peter Nygard report, that was published in The Tribune on the 16th of December 2020, reminded me of the promises made by the Minister and then Commissioner to investigate allegations, that complaints of sexual assault of three young women were made to the Royal Bahamas Police Force and nothing was done about it due to corrupt influences allegedly made by Peter Nygard.

At the time, (February 19, 2019) I wrote letters advising the Police that there ought to be a thorough investigation to ascertain if the girls had made complaints here and the results of the investigation. I advised that the girls be located and interviewed with their parents or guardians, they would be able to identify the Police Station and the Police Officers who interviewed them and took their report. They would also be able to describe the process that they went through during the course of the complaints.

The Police would be able to confirm or deny their allegations to the foreign press, that complaints were made to the local Police. If the Police were satisfied that complaints were made, efforts had to be made to locate the file and records, eg written statements, doctors reports and most importantly, the interrogation of Mr Nygard and others involved. To date there has been no report from the Police on the promised investigations and our reporters apparently have not asked the hard questions. The allegations of corruption is again being made.

Another promised investigation that we have not had any results is the disaster involving the Haitian boat with reportedly 97 persons aboard, that capsized and sunk in Abaco, February 2020. There were 18 survivors and 26 Haitian residents who identified bodies that were recovered. A total of 44 persons were to be interrogated for information in what was a massive people smuggling operation. Through efficient, effective and patient interrogation, law enforcement personnel should have been able to obtain information of the following:

• The name of the capsized boat

• Ownership of the boat

• Identity of Captain and Crew

• Cost of the trip

• Identify persons who were paid in Nassau and Haiti and who among the 26 the residents had paid to have relatives or friends smuggled into The Bahamas.

A thorough investigation would have exposed persons involved. In people smuggling and those who aid and abet by paying the smuggling fees.

Finally, the investigation of the allegations of bribery against two Members of Parliament were incomplete and should have been observed by the Director of Prosecution, his staff and the Queen’s Counsel. If the Police and the prosecution believed that large sums of money (shingles) were paid in several payments over a short period of time, totaling in excess of $200k. Efforts were not made to locate the money or its equivalent in assets during the relevant period, such as bank inquiries, home and abroad, search warrants executed to find receipts for large purchases, investments, and real estate. The acquittal was inevitable. Kendal Isaacs, Neville Smith and Langton Hilton would have returned the file to the Police with their directions.

PAUL R THOMPSON, Sr.

Ret’d ACP

Nassau,

December 17, 2020