The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of National Security has sent a show cause letter to the company responsible for electronically monitoring people on bail, giving it 30 days to explain and remedy the problems associated with its work.

Press secretary Keishla Adderley said during a press briefing yesterday that the government will issue a Request for Proposals and get another company to do the job if it decides the current one cannot do it properly.

She said the police force would contact the company, Metro Security Solutions, to understand the problems and ensure they are corrected.

“The monitoring of accused persons is a very important part of the whole crime-fighting strategy,” she said. “We want to keep an eye on those persons who are on bail.”

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said last

month that the company electronically monitoring people on bail was under review because of reports that its system was failing.

Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said people on bail for serious crimes had removed their ankle bracelets easily with just a paper clip.

Last year, Orin Bethell, president of Metro Security Solution, said the company’s system automatically sends SMS messages to officers when someone breaches their bail.

He said sometimes police fail to respond to notifications, citing the example of George Seymour, who was killed in August.

“I remember the names because these are people who could have been alive if somebody could care enough to go do something,” he said. “We had sent a report to the police on August 17 to say that George Seymour was breaking curfew. They did not take action. Three days later, he was killed at Charms nightclub, breaking curfew again.”