Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade
By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
POLICE Commissioner Ellison Greenslade yesterday said the investigation into the Bahamas Electricity Corporation bribery claims is “totally out of my hands” but added that a senior assistant commissioner of police is investigating the matter with the Office of the Attorney General.
“That is totally out of my hands and I am going to continue to speak clearly that matter is in the purview of the attorney general’s office, she has spoken to it several times and I do not want to speak across her,” Mr Greenslade said at a press conference yesterday.
“We are fully supportive of the work that has been done, we are part of the investigation, I have a senior assistant commissioner who is working with the Office of the Attorney General.”
Earlier this month, Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson confirmed that US authorities had provided her with the name of the Bahamian who allegedly received a bribe from a French company over a decade ago to help that company secure lucrative BEC contracts.
However, the name has not yet been made public.
The bribery claims were unearthed in a $722m plea agreement between Alstom and the United States Justice Department last year.
In December, Tribune Business revealed that French energy company Alstom (formerly ABB) paid more than $300,000 to a government official to secure the purchase of a slow diesel generator for the electricity company nearly 15 years ago.
Cheerleader
Mr Greenslade also took the opportunity to respond to Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins who called him a “political cheerleader” earlier this week.
“I cheer leaded yesterday and I will cheerlead again. I am thanking all these men and women seated here for the hard work they are doing. I am demonstrating and saying to them as commissioner, I am grateful,” Mr Greenslade said in response.
“I am telling you well-meaning Bahamian citizens far and wide call me, text me, email me and say ‘We appreciate what you are doing, please don’t stop, we feel better as a result of what you are doing, we feel safer as a result of what you are doing’. As commissioner I have the right and obligation to thank hard working decent Bahamian persons on the police force and law enforcement in general and I will continue as commissioner to cheer lead them. That is good leadership, that is good business. These officers are working hard and are asking for nothing but appreciation and a duty of care before them. Can I have the right equipment? Can I have the right footwear? Can I have the tools I need? That is all they ask for, that is all they want.”
Mr Greenslade also said it does not bother him if crime is used as a political football by the major political parties as long as the RBPF is equipped with all it needs to fight it.
Comments
TalRussell 9 years, 4 months ago
Comrades not play fools game that somehow an Attorney General "anointed" to office by the PM of the land and swore an oath to office to be answerable to the PM and their collective cabinet colleagues - could ever be fully expected to practice independence away from political influences. No greater example than the AG, while investigating V. Alfred Gray, continued to sit around the very same cabinet table with a colleague she was investigating. It's a damn joke!
DonAnthony 9 years, 4 months ago
It is sickening in this country how the the rich politically connected white collar criminals are coddled and protected from prosecution. Yet the poor black young man who is found with a joint is prosecuted and sent to fox hill. Our prison is full of poor uneducated black men many of whom committed far less serious crimes that this bribe taking traitor who the attorney General continues to cloak. In the United states this criminal would be subject to a public walk of shame in hand cuffs to demonstrate no one is above the law. Our attorney General should be ashamed of herself, she refuses to even name this traitor much less prosecute them, the hard work has already been done by the U.S. authorities, there is a confession by Alstom. The injustice in the country and particularly with this corrupt PLP reeks to high heaven.
Honestman 9 years, 4 months ago
Most educated Bahamians believe that if there is a political advantage to the PLP in prosecuting the alleged offender then charges will be brought. Most educated Bahamians believe that the AG is not the independent arbiter she ought to be. Most educated Bahamians believe that the "nolle prosequi" case dealt with by Minister Fitzgerald was an absolute disgrace to the integrity of that office. Most educated Bahamians believe that the failure of the AG to charge V Alfred Gray over his alleged political interference on a judicial matter, pretty shameful.
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 4 months ago
Most educated honest Bahamians know Allyson Maynard-Gibson for what she is but can't say it because the appropriate words are not suitable for uttering, even under one's breath! Let's just say that she exudes much more evil than even the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz!
Chucky 9 years, 4 months ago
The name and all the info about "who" got the bribe is available online, the court doc are public record in the USA. 2 min on google and you can find it.
EnoughIsEnough 9 years, 4 months ago
i have found the court documents online and, chucky, you are wrong. the names are not indicated. they simply refer to Consultant I and Official 8. What boggles my mind is what Maynard -Gibson is even investigating..... It is all clearly laid out in the US court documents so the fact that this is being covered up here is absolutely pathetic.
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