The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

UNLICENSED private security firms will be shut down as the Ministry of National Security tightens enforcement in an industry officials say includes operators working without licences, particularly in the Family Islands.

National Security Minister Myles Laroda told more than 100 private security personnel and firms at the Private Sector Security Service Third Annual Seminar in Grand Bahama on Friday that authorities will no longer tolerate non-compliance.

"The days of treating non-compliance as a manageable inconvenience are over," Mr Laroda said.

He said the Private Sector Security Services Unit has stepped up compliance and enforcement, collecting more than $156,000 in licence fees and removing 150 inactive firms and 200 unauthorised guards from the system.

The ministry is also preparing amendments to the Security Guards Act to impose tougher penalties for unlicensed operations, strengthen training and conduct standards, and improve oversight of security companies.

"We are protecting the public and protecting compliant companies from unfair competition," Mr Laroda said.

He said the government is also introducing a new security guard licence with enhanced safety features, including a magstripe module and single laminator, to replace a system vulnerable to fraud.

An online portal through MyGateway now allows electronic payments and licence issuance.

Samuel Smith, manager of the Private Sector Security Services Unit, said officials have found unlicensed security companies operating in the Family Islands and will move against operators who fail to comply.

”We will give you a chance to fix yourself, get your licence together. If you don’t do it, we going to close you down,” he said.

Mr Smith said the seminar was held in Grand Bahama this year to better inform security guards and companies about the law and to get feedback on proposed amendments.

He said the Private Security Act, which dates back to 1970, is under review and is expected to be modernised by the end of the year.

He said consultations are being carried out across the Family Islands as officials seek input from operators before final amendments are made.

He said there are about 12,000 security firms in The Bahamas, along with many inactive companies that have been deleted from the system.

He said the private security industry remains a multi-million-dollar sector that spans every island, with firms increasingly using surveillance technology such as drones and camera systems instead of traditional patrol methods.

Mr Laroda told security officers they play a key role in national safety and crime prevention.

"You are the eyes and ears in spaces where the Police Force cannot maintain a permanent presence. You protect our hotels, banks, schools, gated communities, and public events. For the year ending 2025, this nation recorded a 31 percent reduction in murders and an 11 percent reduction in overall major crimes. You are part of that record," he said.

Family Island inspection visits are planned for the first quarter of the upcoming fiscal year.