The Tribune

POLICE Commissioner Anthony Ferguson could not be blamed if he felt a little uneasy this morning.

After all, National Security Minister Marvin Dames effectively told everyone the police chief is on his way out – and that he ought to have picked out a successor.

Being an officer at the top level doesn’t seem to be a post where you can sit comfortably these days. Whether it’s Defence Force Commodore Tellis Bethel shunted off on leave, or the raft of police officers sent on leave with an unsure future to return to, as evidenced by Assistant Commissioner returning to find himself reassigned to the Ministry of Social Services, there seems to be at the very least a brusque manner of dealing with veterans.

We can look further back to the way in which Senior Assistant Commissioner Stephen Dean said he felt “hurt” by the government’s handling of his pre-retirement leave and felt it should be done “with more respect”.

One wonders how respectful it is for Mr Dames to stand up at the annual church service and effectively tell all those serving under Commissioner Ferguson that he is no longer going to be their leader soon. How does that affect discipline? How does it affect the command structure and the willingness to carry out his orders in a timely manner?

There are of course some sensible things about what Mr Dames said with regard to continuity of leadership, and about preparing those who will follow in your footsteps, to ensure they will be able to pick up where you left off.

But how does that contrast with sending senior officers off on leave prior to their retirement or reassignment? In what way are they able to prepare their successors while they are out of the office or despatched to some make-work post to see them idle out their remaining time?

And taking Mr Dames at his own words, where is the Minister of State for National Security in his own department being groomed to be his own successor?

When Mr Dames talks to a building full of officers and asks them what have they done about their legacy or to bring out the best in those around them, we would not be surprised if a few were looking back at the politician and saying they were around before he was elected and they’ll be around after he’s gone.

The force is made up of young officers on the rise, and older veterans with expertise and who have earned their place in the ranks – but seeing the discomfort some of the senior officers are experiencing as they are left feeling unsettled in their positions, wondering what will come next, is a feeling that can filter down through all ranks.

We hope that if the commissioner is indeed on his way out then he was aware his name was to be called out by the minister, and that he isn’t returning to the office today to an uncomfortable seat of his own.

After all, leadership is about many things, but one thing is for sure – ensuring everyone is pulling in the same direction makes it a lot easier to reach the destination.

Focus on safety amid Iran tension

THERE are giants in the playground of international politics at the moment, and here at home, we must try not to get stomped.

The decision by the US to kill Iranian general Qasem Soleiani has put the focus of the world squarely on the situation in the Middle East.

Iran has already threatened reprisals over the death of the commander – and even reportedly has put an $80m bounty on President Donald Trump’s head.

How does this affect us here? Well, it’s long been said that when America sneezes, The Bahamas catches a cold. As a destination where the majority of tourists come from our near neighbour, their security concerns are our security concerns.

We should be stepping up our watchfulness, not in expectation that something will indeed happen, but out of an abundance of caution to ensure something does not.

This is not just for our own sake, but out of a duty of care to those who entrust us when they come to our shores.

In the international political world, our voice will be drowned out by the drums of war, but here at home, we must ensure we do all we can to keep ourselves and our visitors safe.

We hope that this morning that is on the desk of the National Security Minister, and that he draws on all the experience available to him to make sure it happens.