The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of National Security Wayne Munroe says the government will not rush the implementation of the Independent Commission of Investigations Act, warning that haste has historically cost the public treasury millions in lawsuits.

Mr Munroe was responding to criticism from St Anne’s MP Adrian White, who accused the government of “selective urgency” and of deliberately delaying the operationalisation of the commission, nearly a year after the legislation was passed.

“I made quite a lot of money suing the Bahamas government,” Mr Munroe said yesterday, cautioning that rushed legislation and poor implementation often lead to legal challenges and financial loss for taxpayers.

Mr White, in a statement issued on Sunday, argued that delaying the commission amounts to avoiding oversight, saying accountability delayed is accountability denied. He called on the government to clearly state when the commission would be established, funded and begin its work.

Mr Munroe said he did not fully understand what Mr White meant by “selective urgency”, but said if the criticism was that the government was being deliberate, he agreed.

“There is a temptation to rush things,” he said. “And when you rush things, in my experience, you generally pour money out of the Treasury when people sue you because you haven’t done things properly.”

He said Mr White “should know better”, noting that the two had previously worked together.

“Mr White worked with me. I trained him, and I trained him that the way government often fails is when it rushes to do something for some sort of urgency or PR circumstances,” Mr Munroe said.

“This is not a PR government. We’re into doing things properly.”

Mr Munroe said the government has already taken steps to ensure the commission will be effective, independent and able to withstand scrutiny. He noted that Parliament has passed the legislation and that focus has shifted to careful implementation.

“We passed a bill. I went to a meeting in Argentina where we sought assistance from the IDB, because we’re not reinventing the wheel and want to learn from what other jurisdictions have done,” he said.

He said the government is deliberately moving forward to ensure the final product is sound.

“It’s a matter that we are deliberately moving forward so that the product that’s produced will be a good product that can stand scrutiny,” he said.

Mr Munroe said he would not support hastily implementing a system that could later collapse under legal challenge, again pointing to his experience litigating against the state.

He also suggested the opposition’s criticism was politically motivated.

“I think we’re into that season where they have to find something to complain about,” he said, adding that more constructive engagement would involve specific proposals rather than general accusations.

The Independent Commission of Investigations Act, passed in early 2025, forms part of the government’s effort to strengthen oversight and accountability within law enforcement and other public bodies. The commission is intended to operate as an independent body empowered to investigate serious complaints, including allegations of misconduct involving members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

Government officials have previously said the commission must be properly resourced, staffed and structured to ensure its independence and effectiveness before it becomes operational.