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Call for commissioner to address police raid

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Dr. Duane Sands

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FNM Deputy Chairman Dr Duane Sands is calling for Police Commisioner Ellison Greenslade to comment publicly on the raid of Darron Cash’s home and for National Security Minister Bernard Nottage to confirm or deny whether those under his command played a role in sanctioning the raid.

His comments come after Dr Nottage denied on Saturday that he was personally involved in the raid of the home of the FNM chairman. Dr Nottage said he did not have prior knowledge of the search warrant executed at Mr Cash’s Cable Beach home, nor did he inquire about the incident.

“As trained officers in law enforcement, the police were simply discharging their duties under the law and the person of Mr Cash is immaterial to the job of the police as nobody is above the law,” Dr Nottage said. “For the record, as the substantive Minister responsible the Ministry of National Security, I take the lead in setting government policy. I do not interfere with the operations of the Royal Bahamas Police Force as that is the responsibility of the Commissioner of Police and his executive team according to the dictates of the law.”

Analysing Dr Nottage’s statement, Dr Sands said the minister “was clear to make it personal. He didn’t specifically include his junior minister or any of his agents. He made it very clear that he did not have anything to do with it. Inquiring minds want to know if he will speak for everybody under his command with the same degree of categorical denial as he spoke for himself.”

Dr Sands added: “Given the appearance of this, this requires some comment from the place where the buck stops. Notwithstanding the fact that the Commissioner (of police) was out of town on vacation, it’s his organisation. A serious allegation has been made and it deserves a response from him.”

Mr Cash filed a constitutional motion seeking redress for the violation of his constitutional right to privacy on Thursday, through his attorney Carl Bethel.

Earlier that day, police raided his home, seizing two laptop computers and a cellular smart phone belonging to him.

The actions by the police, according to Mr Cash’s statement, was an unreasonable, unconstitutional and unlawful seizure and search of his personal property.

Police seized items containing personal, business and general political information, e-mails, and communications, which relate to his profession as an accountant and generally to his political activities and responsibilities as the national chairman of the official Opposition as well as personal family communications and information, he said.

The police action came as a result of an ongoing investigation into operations at the Bank of the Bahamas (BOB).

Over the last few months, Mr Cash and other FNMs have been critical of the government and its handling of the various concerns that have come to light over the management and lending practices of the BOB.

On Friday Mr Cash denied any link to the alleged leaks of confidential information at the bank. In a radio interview, he said: “I never have and never will disclose private and confidential information.”

“My wife, whose name they have taken through the doggone mud, is also professional. She works at the Bank of the Bahamas in human resources. She never had access to the kind of information that was released to the public – never and never would. So explain to me how the managing director of the bank, the board of directors of the bank, the auditors of the bank, the ministers who had access to the information ... have their personal computers been seized? Have their cell phones been seized? “I don’t want Perry Christie ... or anyone else in that regime to judge me by their undecorated standards.”

FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis had called the police raid a “political witch-hunt”.

In his statement, Dr Nottage said: “The suggestion by the Leader of the Opposition that the collection of a laptop computer and cellular phone by the police from the home of Darron Cash, Chairman of the Free National Movement, was somehow politically motivated is foolish and smacks of political mischief.”

He added: “But that’s not surprising to anybody because the opposition leader is becoming known as one who routinely puts his foot in his mouth with inappropriate and off-coloured remarks. Such is the life of opposition politics”.

Comments

ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago

Aaaahhhh....the Commissioner was out of town. I personally believe the Commissioner is a man of principle and really tries to operate in a professional manner. Does he do everything right? Probably not, he's human, but beside the point..When I heard about this raid last week, I could not understand why he as the professional he is would have anything to do with this, why he would not have spoken personally to the officer in charge and said, this is a sensitive situation handle yourselves like professionals. Because that is the type of man he is. But it now makes sense, he was out of town...time for the dog and pony show.

Mr Cash is quite right, as I said last week, who next? The cleaning lady? It's quite possible a file was open while she was cleaning a desk after all. Why not raid her home..?

And there goes BJN again showing us how leaders lead by absolving themselves of all responsibility.

When the healthcare website broke down in the US, Obama didn't say, why you blaming me? I don't know anything about IT. To the contrary he said "The buck stops with me"

Cabinet run amuck...everybody doing what they want to do, down to using the police force to act on personal grudges. my God

sheeprunner12 10 years, 5 months ago

ANSWERS NEEDED

From which Police Station did the warrant originate??????? Who was the JP or magistrate that signed the warrant????? Who were the O/C and officers who executed the warrant?????? What "case" was been crafted to use these items as evidence???????Where were the confiscated items taken for storage as exhibits??????? Which police department or legal officer is now in charge of the "case" ????????

realfreethinker 10 years, 5 months ago

Why was Mr Cash targeted,he does not work for the BOB and the punch was the first to report the situation at the bank. were there offices search,and how does one legally leap from Mr Cash working at the bank to seizing his personal items.

spoitier 10 years, 5 months ago

His wife works there, this was about his wife not him.

TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago

Sorry, Comrade Red's Deputy Chairman Dr Duane cause the Policeman's Commish got's better things to do than fall for the red shirts political traps. Where in the hell is Duane's evidence that those under the Commish's command did in fact play any "unconstitutional" role in carrying out a lawfully sanctioned search and seizure on his Red Chairman's home and computer? Maybe when was in power, above the law, not today.

birdiestrachan 10 years, 5 months ago

As soon as Dr.Sands comes to the realization that no one is above the law. Not even FNM Chairmans the sooner he will come down to earth. Cash does seem to have according to him a lot of sensitive information from the BOB. He can sing his song until the cows come home, that his wife works in what ever area. She works in the BOB.

And common sense dictates that persons who work in the bank should be investigated first. they are the ones who have access to the records. How dumb does Sands Mr. High and Mighty. believe the Bahamian people are? They sure are smart enough not to send him to the house twice.

ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago

Yes how dumb are you? Ms Cash works in HR. If you know anything about banks, persons in HR are FAR removed from any financial transactions other than possibly those affecting employees of the bank. She can't sneak into the archives and look up information. Access is controlled, she can't log onto a computer and view client data that is also controlled.

spoitier 10 years, 5 months ago

In the Bahamas in a Government ran bank or any entity, anything is possible, look how the NIB was ran. Besides she could have people in different department that has those access.

ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago

Yes I know that but going after her because she "works at the bank" and is the wife of the FNM chairman is ridiculous. The line of suspects in front of her must be pretty long. The entire bank could have been talking about who borrow what and didn't pay back. Why chose her?

Further why aren't the police at the loan delinquents door seizing assets?

thomas 10 years, 5 months ago

The persons in those departments should be the one investigated.

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