The Tribune

ON Monday, we reported the shocking claims of three people about the brutality they suffered at the hands of police.

Bound and beaten, fish-bagged, waterboarded – hot sauce poured into eyes, the list of allegations was as shocking as the lack of police response to the formal complaints filed about them.

In this column, we railed against the lack of seriousness with which the police seemed to be taking the complaints – and that seems to continue to be the case.

Two of those who filed complaints were called to attend a police disciplinary tribunal hearing regarding the matter on Monday – courtesy of a summons sent to them dated February 18 this year. On Monday, the date of the tribunal, they show up only to be told by a “prosecutor” in attendance that too much time had passed for their case to be dealt with.

This was the first they had heard since their complaint – the first chance for them to see a serious response from police, and what do they get? A brush-off of “oh well, too late”.

Is this how the police deals with complaints? Delay the hearing until it’s too late? It’s not even clear which law the so-called prosecutor is referring to – it’s certainly not in police disciplinary regulations.

Let’s be clear about this – these are innocent people who come to the police force to say how they were beaten and tortured in custody, yet the police force cannot give their claims a fair hearing?

These people did things the right way – they filed a complaint, they asked the police to investigate and respond. They were not responsible for any delay and they deserve nothing less than complete clarity from the force in this matter.

The handling of this case only brings more questions. Who is responsible for the delay? What law is it that this “prosecutor” refers to? If there is no such law, why are these citizens being misled? Why was a report of innocent citizens being tortured by the police not expedited for investigation? Have the officers at the centre of this complaint been involved in any other cases and have they been the subject of further investigations?

The police force cannot restore its reputation by hiding from these allegations – instead they must be forthright and honest with the Bahamian public. The Royal Bahamas Police Force’s motto is courage, integrity, loyalty – it’s time they show some of the former two in dealing with complaints of this fashion, and remember they owe the latter to the public, not those in their midst who would treat citizens in an inhumane way.

And so they’re back

The PLP are done with their political stunt of walking out of Parliament and the Senate and are marching back to do their jobs again.

Nothing has been achieved, the action they called for against ministers Sands and Dames has not happened, and their only success can be measured in newspaper column inches and radio soundbites.

We hope the public feels they got value for money from the lack of representation in the House during the Opposition’s absence.

A suggestion, perhaps, if Opposition leader Phillip ‘Brave’ Davis wants to truly hold the FNM’s feet to the fire.

Get on with your role as chairman of the Parliamentary Accounts Committee and show us where the government is being wasteful – and make up for the public money wasted during your walkout.