The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AFTER receiving his first conviction three years ago, Raymond Ward Jr says he’s now hoping to have a fresh start by getting his criminal record expunged to fulfil his goals of becoming an electrical engineer.

The 22-year-old was one of several people who met with members of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Committee during an interview exercise held at the Ministry of National Security yesterday.

The group — which has the power to expunge records of young people and first-time offenders who meet the criteria — is currently reviewing some 60 applications from Bahamians seeking clean records.

One of them is Mr Ward, who applied to the committee after he was charged in 2018 with stealing by reason of employment.

An aspiring electrical engineer who hails from Eleuthera, Mr Ward claimed he didn’t commit the offence of which he was convicted.

The young man said while he “knows within” his heart what really happened, he just wants to move on from his past and focus on new opportunities.

In order to do so, Mr Ward believes he needs a clean record, something he said that will erase the dark cloud currently hanging over his head.

“I feel like in a way all things happen for a reason because even though at that point of time, I didn’t really find the reason for why it happened because it was a work situation thing that worked badly in my favour and ended up going to the extremes that it did. I also feel as though it was a stepping stone and I feel as though in order for me to push forward to get whatever goal I want accomplished, it will be best to get rid of this (charge) and give myself a clean slate,” Mr Ward told The Tribune.

“I’m still young and I have an entrepreneurial mindset. I’m trying to build. I’m trying to learn new skills and recently I just finished a short carpentry course back on the island so I’m hoping to look to venture out into job opportunities in that field.”

Asked how his criminal record has affected his efforts to find a job, Mr Ward said it has to some extent, but not to a point where it has left him without work and unable to make ends meet.

“I would say it has affected it (my situation) but luckily for me, it hasn’t affected it in the way I was backed into a corner or couldn’t do anything at all, but thank God because my dad also has his own construction business so I was able to have that to fall back on which has resulted in me going back to the island,” he added.

One Bahamian woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said she applied to the committee because she wants to get a new job.

The mother-of-four was convicted in 2017 after police found small amounts of marijuana in her backyard.

“It was my first time being convicted,” she told this newspaper. “I was employed at the time and (the charge) didn’t interfere with my employment but I resigned in 2019 and I feel as though it’s time for me to do something different and that’s why I seek the expungement because it’s necessary to have a clean police record if I want to apply anywhere else.”

Also speaking to The Tribune yesterday was Kelcy Lundy, who was charged with attempted murder nine years ago.

Mr Lundy, who is currently working at a local water company, said he has learned from his past mistakes and has since moved on with his life.

However, the 50-year-old said although life is going great for him now, there are certain freedoms he would like to enjoy again, like travelling.

Mr Lundy said the situation has left him unable to take his wife on a cruise, something he promised her years ago.

“The past is the past,” Mr Lundy stressed. “I already served my time in prison and I took advantage of a lot of opportunities the prison presented and I took about three certificates and I was a part of creating the licence plate departments. I was a trustee at the prison and I presently work at a (water company) as a wells manager so God has allowed my life to continue to go on. My wife is still with me and everything seems to be going well.

“My reason for wanting to have my record expunged is because I promised my wife a cruise and I told her after we had completed a building we was working on and this incident ended up happening before I was finished and I didn’t get a chance to take her so that’s really why I’m trying to get the record expunged so I can take her on the cruise (after the pandemic) that I promised her we would go on.”

Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Amendment) 2015, people who have committed murder, manslaughter, treason, armed robbery, rape or possession dangerous drugs with the intent to supply 10 pounds of marijuana or two pounds of cocaine cannot have their records expunged.

But after five years most others are eligible if they are first-time offenders or were younger than 21 at the time of their first conviction. These offences can also be considered by the Prerogative of Mercy.

National Security Minister Marvin Dames told reporters on Tuesday that the number of people seeking clean records in the country is increasing “by the day.”