The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The Whistleblower is struggling to make heads or tails of the PLP’s relationship with and treatment of Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade in recent times.

Immediately after getting back into power in 2012, the PLP amended the Police Force Act of 2009 – a legislation, passed by the former FNM government, in which the police commissioner and deputy police commissioner were appointed for a term of five years.

Under that law, the police commissioner, after the completion of the five year term, could receive an extension of a period no longer than five years.

At the time of the debate in the House of Assembly, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage said that the bill passed by the FNM gave the PM too much power over the commissioner, which would affect his ability to carry out his duties. This point was rehashed repeatedly by the PLP on the campaign trail.

The PLP also took issue with Greenslade being sent off to Canada to train for approximately a year while Reginald Ferguson manned the top post on the Force.

Ferguson is a close relative of former FNM senator and chairman, Jonley Ferguson. Ferguson served as acting police commissioner between November 21, 2007, and March 16, 2009.

On the latter date, he was appointed to the substantive post of police commissioner and served till his retirement on January 4, 2010. The PLP gave the impression that Greenslade was sent abroad in order to make way for Ferguson, a reported FNM, to assume the top post.

Listening to the PLP, one would have thought that the FNM was being mean towards Greenslade, and had treated him with condescension. This bit of propaganda worked like a charm. Many police officers swallowed it hook, line and sinker.

If 70 per cent of the Police Force did not vote PLP, then the PLP didn’t get a single vote from that organisation. Many police officers have a short memory.

They have forgotten that under Pindling, police constables were carrying home a pittance of a wage. When Hubert Ingraham became PM in August 1992, constables were making about $1,000 a month. The FNM increased that amount several times. Today, constables are making close to $2,000.

Small wonder, then, why many children of PLP cronies are banging on the door to get into that organisation.

In light of the amendment of the Police Force Act, the Whistleblower really thought that Greenslade and the PLP were two peas in a pod. Either he was mistaken or the two have had a falling out.

The observations of the Whistleblower are based on the ongoing brouhaha on the wedding at Central Police Station. In defiance against the direct orders of Greenslade, an assistant superintendent and three junior officers allowed a jailed suspect to wed his fiancee.

FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner told a newspaper that Senator Keith Bell, who is state minister in national security, sidestepped Greenslade by giving the officers permission to allow the wedding ceremony.

Butler-Turner claims to have gotten her information from police officers. If these allegations are true, then it would mean that Bell and company have hamstrung, embarrassed and humiliated Greenslade. His post has plenty bark, but very little bite, thanks to the PLP.

The Whistlblower believes that the PLP is intentionally making Greenslade look like a weak and inept police chief, in order to make way for Assistant Superintendent Stephen Seymour, a PLP and close friend of PM Perry Christie.

The police officers who voted PLP are probably now regretting their decision to vote for that party, especially how shabbily the PLP treated the Police Staff Association and their police chief.

If Greenslade threw his support behind the PLP, he too is probably regretting his decision.

Whatever is going on in his mind, he must surely now realise that the FNM treated him far better than this government. I hope he has learnt his lesson.

THE WHISTLEBLOWER

April 3, 2014.