The new Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson and former Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade pictured during Monday’s ceremony. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
ANTHONY Ferguson officially became commissioner of police yesterday evening during a transition ceremony full of pomp and pageantry.
He became the seventh person to ascend to that office, succeeding Ellison Greenslade who has been appointed high commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and as permanent representative to the International Maritime Organisation.
Mr Ferguson – seen as “reserved,” “quiet” and “nonpartisan” by associates – now faces the challenge of leading the Royal Bahamas Police Force while the country continues to produce one of the highest murder rates in the world.
A former officer in the Central Detective Unit and Drug Enforcement Unit, Commissioner Ferguson’s appointment gives what the Minnis administration hopes is a fresh start as it seeks to implement its crime fighting agenda. He has served as acting commissioner for the past several months.
“Our mandate, which is to maintain law and order, to preserve the peace, to prevent and detect crime, to apprehend offenders and to uphold the law, will be carried out with respect, professionalism, knowledge, fairness and firmness,” Commissioner Ferguson said moments before accepting the instruments of his appointment.
“Never in my wildest dreams could I ever imagine that coming from humble beginnings in Mount Thompson, Exuma, that I would become commissioner of police,” he added.
At the ceremony, Mr Greenslade praised him, saying he “brought his manners and respect with him when he joined the force.”
For his part, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis delivered a characteristic speech that emphasised his administration’s commitment to rooting out corruption and holding people accountable for crimes both small and large.
He repeated his view that the country’s current crime problem is rooted “in (the) sad and sordid history” of the 1970s and 1980s when the Bahamas became “A Nation for Sale.”
“We were a narco state,” he said. “Foreign drug dealers set up bases in our islands. The government of the day turned a blind eye to the merchants of drugs and death. Our social order, and the minds and bodies of our sons and daughters were being poisoned by illicit drugs and the wanton disregard for human life and life-affirming values. As I noted in my first national address this past summer: The crime problem we face today was set in motion by the sins of the past. We must restore the productive values of Bahamian culture. I intend to lead the fight by ensuring there is honesty in government; that there is fairness in contracting…and that the corrupt are no longer able to use power to protect themselves from the law.”
Despite the Minnis administration’s desire for a fresh start with a new commissioner, observers in the national security community say the top brass of the force has been largely united in its views on how to fight crime.
One source said he expects Commissioner Ferguson “to be more inclined to follow” the government’s policies than Mr Greenslade.
The outgoing commissioner had reportedly frustrated officials in the Progressive Liberal Party with what they viewed as his unwillingness to fully embrace “saturation patrol” policies, the source claimed.
And although the PLP has criticised the Minnis administration’s decision to replace Mr Greenslade, a PLP government would have looked to do the same thing had the party won the May general election, well-placed sources in the PLP said.
Along with Commissioner Ferguson, Deputy Police Commissioner Emrick Seymour would have been considered as a possible heir to Mr Greenslade in such a scenario, PLP sources said.
Comments
TalRussell 6 years, 11 months ago
Comrades! Since May 10, 2017 general election day this prime minister has continuously failed at every single opportunity to bring his new governing regime from out behind the curtains. Why the PM couldn't see the benefit of filling-in the public in advance of the name of the new policeman's chief sworn in at the change of command ceremony... which full transparency calls for the general public to have been invited. Again, the PM's promised transparency but has failed just likes when his red cabinet were sworn in atop Mount Fitzwilliam, and when their cabinet discussions are held - never general public invited events. Well, PM, where is the slightest bit of evidence of..... 'It's the Peoples Time?
John 6 years, 11 months ago
What did Tal Russel say?
John 6 years, 11 months ago
While the prime minister believes that the current crime wave the country is experiencing is rooted in the drugs eras of the 1970’s and 1980’s, the retiring commissioner took his parting shot by saying that regardless who is the commissioner of police (in person) there will be no decrease in crime (specifically murders) until there is fundamental change in legislation that allows repeat offenders to access bail and get back on the streets to continue a life of crime. And while the new commissioner of police did not speak specifically to it, it appears that the new policing strategy is to go after gangs and dismantle them and also gun smugglers and drug dealers. So there are there not mutually exclusive or collectively exhaustive views on the crime situation. The prime minister really seems to be repeating something that was told to him, without conviction even. Because if we have a crime situation whose roots and genesis 40 years old and the Bahamas, as a country cannot arrest and stamp out that problem, then we all need to pack our bags. And when one considers the fact that both persons who commit murders and those who are victims of murders, there has to be some systemic influence or elements in the society that breeds these murders and keeps the killings going on. And whilst the former commissioner left the arena crying about prolific offenders being let out on the streets and whilst he on numerous occasions iterated that gangs and drug dealers and major causes of crime, no gang leader has been arrested, charged and put away for being a gang leader and involved in gang activity.
John 6 years, 11 months ago
Corrections: * So there are there not mutually exclusive or collectively exhaustive views on the crime situation. * . Should read: So while these views are not mutually exclusive or collectively exhaustive they each have a different view on the crime situation.
" And when one considers the fact that both persons who commit murders and those who are victims of murders, there has to be some systemic influence or elements in the society that breeds these murders and keeps the killings going on" Should read: "And when one considers the fact that both the persons who commit murders and those who are victims are teenagers or in their early 20's, (Hardly any over the age of 40 or having been adults in the 70's and 80's), there has....
John 6 years, 11 months ago
The incoming commissioner of police seems to have adopted a strategy where gangs and specifically gang leaders will be targeted and gangs dismantled. And the campaign will apparently be broadened by introducing programs and activities in affected communities to prevent gangs from reforming. There will also be efforts made to reach out to school age boys and prevent gangs from recruiting them. This is nothing new as the police have information that close to half the murders stem from gang activity and another good number of murders result from the killings carried out by gangs. So how successful will Anthony Ferguson be in this new crime fighting strategy? Will he find that there are road blocks that he did not previously know about? Will he find out that there are untouchables that he cannot touch? Will he find out that crime , more specifically gangs and their modus operandi is so entrenched in the very fabric of the Bahamian society that he cannot unweave expose or untangle it? Will he get the support of all hands being on deck to carry out his mission successfully?
birdiestrachan 6 years, 11 months ago
Mr. Greenslade seems to be very happy. May the good Lord walk with him all the days of his life. A great burden has been lifted from his shoulders God does all things well..
TigerB 6 years, 11 months ago
Two crazy positions, the C.O.P and The P.M., need plenty balls to sit in those posts!
birdiestrachan 6 years, 11 months ago
Is roc wit doc serious ??he blames crime on the 70 and 80. What has happened for the twenty years the FNM has been the Government.. charismatic speech who could have written that description ??. must be his cousins them
It is more like when you dumb you are dangerous indeed.
OldFort2012 6 years, 11 months ago
Crime is sometimes the product of pure evil. More often than not it is the result of lack of education, opportunity and hope. Grow the GDP. Minnis, you should think of nothing else: grow the GDP and all problems will fix themselves, given time.
TalRussell 6 years, 11 months ago
Comrades! I was struck by how PM Minnis, had tried to start a public spat with Pindling's daughter Monique. Routinely so did his former law partner Papa Hubert, also attempted the same with Monique's mother - Marguerite. Eventually, the red shirts will run out of just blame Pindling steam. It didn't work well for Papa Hubert, and the same will be for the new Papa Doc. Evil must have skipped passed the 15 years the reds ran the country. In fact, Christie, inherited the outgoing policeman's commish, from the red shirts....Crime, and lots other kinds of problems were brought about under the 3 mandates of the reds... and come 2022 the record of this 4th red regime will needs lots explaining to voters.
Sickened 6 years, 11 months ago
Finally Greenslade shows some personality in the picture! He's actually using human expressions.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 11 months ago
Next!!!!!!!!!!! ................. Sir Ellison will be right at home in London!!!!!!!!!
John 6 years, 11 months ago
DRUGS, alcohol and diet does play a role in crime. And according to a herbalist , who was in Nassau recently, while marijuana use by itself has many benefits, where taken with other drugs or alcohol, it can the deadly. When used with the Hennessy or other liquor i rather than having a calming effect, it makes the user irritable, easily agitated and sleepless. As other drugs are used or more alcohol and tobacco products the user becomes violent and may turn on family members of friends. They are at a stage where they are paranoid and have strange ideas that people are out to get them. Another factor in the mix is the food. Many people in New Providence especially live off fast foods. Because most of these foods are processed and precooked, they are high in salts, persertives, and lack nutrition. To make matters worse, many young men are ‘macho’ and believe fruit and vegetables are for ‘sissies . They don’t like fish‘. So they live essentially of meat and fries. There are no alkaline based products entering their bodies to remove toxins and stimulate health. The only plant based substance they have, besides marijuana, is ketchup. This along with drugs and alcohol use also makes them irrational thinking easily agitated and prone to violence. Their bodies age much faster than the average person and they live under the illusion that they are growing old too fast. So a crime fighting strategy must involve getting young people back on a healthy and balanced diet and intense education on drug and alcohol abuse. Conflict resolution will not come if one does not have the capacity to think rationally or the capability to walk away.
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