Outgoing Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade.
ALTHOUGH he served in the police force for fewer than 40 years and as Commissioner of Police for fewer than ten years, outgoing Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade will receive maximum pension benefits because the Minnis Administration intends to amend the Pension Act, Attorney General Carl Bethel confirmed yesterday.
“We are bringing legislation to amend the Pensions Act to capture and formalize what occurred in the 1980s where Richard Demeritte, the auditor general at the time, was permitted to complete his pensionable time while serving as High Commissioner to the Court of St James (United Kingdom). That practice allowed him to complete his pensionable years in that capacity.”
Under current law, Mr Greenslade would not be entitled to maximum benefits, a fact former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham suggested in The Nassau Guardian several weeks ago was a point of dispute between him and the Minnis administration even after he had agreed to step down as Commissioner.
“The commissioner of police is not now entitled to the maximum pension which a commissioner of police who served for 10 years would receive, as he will not be in office for 10 years for another three years,” Mr Ingraham told National Review.
“Secondly, he does not yet have 40 years of service as a policeman, which would also have given him the maximum pension which he would get as ten years of service as commissioner. And I understand that he is quite willing to step down, if the government honours what they promised him, which was that he will receive his full benefits as a commissioner of police as a retirement benefit, and that hasn’t happened yet. I think the law needs to be amended for it to happen. Under current law, he is not entitled to it. He would be foolish––and I use that word advisedly––to retire without receiving his maximum benefit.”
The Pensions Act says powerful appointees like the Commissioner of Police who have served in the public service for a minimum of 40 years or in the public service for a minimum of 25 years and at least 10 years in a Permanent Secretary-like position are, upon retirement, entitled to a “pension at a rate of one seven hundred and twentieth of that person’s pensionable emoluments in respect of each completed month of pensionable service as if that person had served for a period of 40 years, save that the pension payable to that person pursuant to this subsection shall not exceed two thirds of the highest pensionable emoluments paid to that person during his period of service in the public service.”
Last week, the Minnis Administration announced that Mr Greenslade has been appointed High Commissioner of the Bahamas to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and as Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization.
He was referred to in the press release as “former commissioner” although the government had not previously announced his resignation.
Some in the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the Free National Movement (FNM) have privately expressed concern about the handling of his departure. It has not yet been accompanied with the pomp and pageantry typical for departing commissioners and, some senior PLPs contend, the Minnis Administration hasn’t duly explained why it wants Mr Greenslade removed. The PLP has not been characteristically vocal about Mr Greenslade’s treatment, however, because sources in the party say the former commissioner has asked its representatives not to do so.
Mr Greenslade’s appointment to the High Commissioner’s post came after months of speculation and concerns about the effect questions on his future had on the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF).
Comments
TalRussell 7 years ago
Comrades! Just in case anyone still has any doubts, this is not the promised types citizens financial relief and work opportunities formulas that thousands voters fell hooks, lines and red sinkers for.
How is this going make it possible for the younger and the working poor and near poor people's to begin to enjoy some that much promised Red Shirts will govern to help raise the younger and the working poor and near poor citizens paycheques?
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years ago
This is all foolishness by Carl Bethel as AG who is making Minnis look bad by giving him shoddy legal advice. There is another avenue that should have been pursued for justifiably replacing the grossly incompetent and corrupt Greenslade as Commissioner of Police. Apart from his very dismal crime fighting record, there is ample evidence to show that Greenslade was beholden to the corrupt Christie-led PLP government by his shameless acceptance/endorsement of uncalled for and very costly promotions throughout the police ranks that were done as an integral part of a much wider scheme to try 'buy' as many votes as possible for PLP candidates in the last general election. Greenslade has for years been a shamelessly incompetent and corrupt leech sucking on the Public Treasury. This latest very dumb and costly proposal by Carl Bethel, that successfully makes Minnis look like a dimwit, is frankly unconscionable. Yes indeed, we once again see Minnis being played by foolish advice from his AG, with Symonette no doubt grinning from ear-to-ear in the background. We, the taxpayers, should be outraged that Carl Bethel and Minnis are prepared to unjustly reward Greenslade at our great expense rather than sack him. Our constitution does not afford the Commission of Police job security or severance benefits of any kind in instances where there is ample just cause for his removal from that public office.
DDK 7 years ago
Another FNM disservice to The People! Sickening.
licks2 7 years ago
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE WITH THE WHEN HI DID THE VERY SAME THING WITH COP FARQUARSON FOR THE SAME GREENSLADE. . .WITH YOU BRAND AROUND THE CABINET TABLE? HOW SO WE FORGET WHEN WE REFUSE TO BE FAIR!
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years ago
Only in your weak mind can a previous wrong somehow justify another wrong. To right thinking folks, two wrongs will never make a right!
TheMadHatter 7 years ago
He must know all kinda tings.
bogart 7 years ago
Wasnt Demeritte who served as High Commissioner representing Our Bahamas only just the former Chairman of the Bank of the Bahamas?
Passing one over to to another òposition to get a personal employment benefit should not be fostered onto the people and at theor expense without the peoples apprpval.
If the bosses do not want you in a position they should say so and lay you off like the pore black employee at the bottom of the ladder and with what is the law your entitlements. If there are any disagreements then try finding some lawyer to go up agsinst the govt just as you would have the pore black man do.
Another point is that if anyone has some disagreement with some official they should say so whichevet side of the parliamentryntable they are priviliged to be serving the people from.
birdiestrachan 7 years ago
what Mr: Greenslade has done is right. If No Games wants to get rid of him so badly. He has to buy out the rest of his contract. Mr" Greenslade is a very smart man, and I am sure he had legal advice. If Mr: Greenslade stayed the FNM Government would blame him for everything. That is what they do Because they have no vision they cast blame and they will find some one or something to blame for the rest of their term. If they break the BEC Contract they will have to pay .
sheeprunner12 7 years ago
Why do we continue to reward mediocrity????????? ......... smdh
DEDDIE 7 years ago
It's obvious that some of the remarks here indicates a "personal axe to grind" regarding Mr. Greenslade. Crime is the result of social decay and it is ludicrous to place it at the feet of any particular commissioner. Greenslade was appointed by the FNM and continued to perform his duties under the PLP. It's obvious that the Minister of National Security wanted revenge and took full advantage of his "Brutus inclination".
Reality_Check 7 years ago
Absolutely astonishing! It's becoming patently obvious that Carl Bethel enjoys tightening the vice-grip clamps that he has on Minnis's nuts.
Socrates 7 years ago
comfortable post in London with luxurious benefits plus a full pension.. not his fault, but life can't be any better than that!
bogart 7 years ago
Settle the pension issue according to law. If the law has been good up to this point for the pore Black man then it should be good for all others.
Stop promoting persons into higher positions to resolve a problen is disappointing as this has been an ongoing issue as the Demeritte refrence indicates. And in this case where Demeritte went on as Chairman of the Bank of the Bahamas resulting in continuois increasing debts to the Bahamian public for hundreds of millions of dollars.
In the good Commissioners case the public through its MPs should have a say. Many doubts remain about the job like criminal inbestigations into any govt entity amd succrss in prosecuting those committing fraud, more white collar crime investigations instead all we are reading daily is some pore Black man alleged criminal tiefing or murder, the question as to how come the public knew where all the illegal number houses existed for decades and yet they continued to exist illegally until legalized despite the Bahamian voters voting against its legalization. Part of the illegal number houses operations existed while the Commissioner was in charge..
While I am somewhat certain there are some advances on crime, we the public just seem to be short changed and such a small opposition seem heavily burdened to be effective.
birdiestrachan 7 years ago
What has been done to Mr. Greenslade shows what this FNM Government is all about. but never mind those Haitians in the Mud will teach them and teach them well . They said they put the FNM Government in place and they will remove them. There is also the undisclosed donation. The devil is in the details. But Mr: Greenslade know a Just God very well and his justice will prevail.
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