The Tribune

By Morgan Adderley

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

THERE is still no timeline for the creation of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), but National Security Minister Marvin Dames yesterday said there will be some developments in the “next few months or so”.

He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the creation of an independent forensic laboratory, telling media outside Cabinet the long-promised facility will be introduced before the end of this term.

Mr Dames said his ministry was working to establish an internal committee to aid this endeavour.

Ahead of the May 2017 general election, the Free National Movement flagged the lab as one of the 20 ways it plans to decrease crime and improve the effectiveness of the police force.

The party also listed “enact legislation to establish the National Intelligence Agency”.

Yesterday Mr Dames confirmed to reporters the government was making headway on its NIA promise.

“Oh it’s coming!” he said, “I hope that you can expect to see that…shortly, hopefully within maybe the next few months or so.

“We have been doing a lot of work behind the scenes, looking at structure, what sort of structure would we like to see, how should it function.”

“Because we understand that this is a very, very important component to the success of our crime fighting measures. And we’re very committed to it.

“And once it’s established you will see exactly what we’re seeking achieve. We’re very excited about it.”

In 2013, then Police Staff Association president Sergeant Dwayne Rolle criticised “successive governments” for continuously promising to build a new forensic laboratory without the project ever coming to fruition.

While Sgt Rolle recognised the 2013/2014 budget allotted $110,000 to purchase equipment for the existing lab, he reiterated, “a proper lab that meets international standards is more than needed”.

Regarding the forensic lab, Mr Dames said: “We’re in the process now of establishing a committee within the ministry itself, who will begin the process of looking at this from an holistic standpoint.”

“We did mention as a government that we intend to establish an independent forensic laboratory and we have started certainly the groundwork in the process of doing that.”

“Once we’re done with that, we will certainly present our findings to Cabinet, as to the way to proceed moving forward.”

“But it is certainly an intention of our government to ensure that certainly before the end of our term that you can expect to see an independent laboratory, separate from the Royal Bahamas Police Force with its own leadership structure and certainly a state of the art facility.”

Mr Dames also acknowledged the importance of forensics in court cases, particularly in criminal matters.

However, he declined to estimate how much the government spends to send forensic samples abroad.