The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement chairman Carl Culmer has branded Official Opposition Leader Philip “Brave” Davis’ claims the government is “purging” the police force of Progressive Liberal Party supporters as reckless.

Mr Culmer insisted the PLP is seeking to cast aspersions on the current process to cover-up its own bad practices.

“The last time I checked, there were no PLP policemen, there were no FNM policemen,” Mr Culmer told The Tribune yesterday. “This reckless statement shows that under their administration, they only looked out for PLPs.”

Mr Davis claimed the government, in its decision to send eight senior police officers on pre-retirement leave, was purging the force of PLPs.

He also suggested the move could stall the organisation.

In response yesterday, Mr Culmer said no political party should seek to overrun the policies and systems of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. He further suggested if Mr Davis remained bound to his position, the country should view it as an admission that “only PLPs got promoted under the PLP”.

Mr Culmer explained in this instance, many of the officers in question were promoted under the former Christie administration.

“They promoted who they wanted, regardless of whether or not they qualified or were competent,” the FNM chairman said. “We don’t do that in the Free National Movement. We look at talent and at those persons who can get the job done.

“It’s a shame and a disgrace that they would offer up such a reckless and ridiculous statement. This shows what they did while in power,” he added.

In view of this, Mr Culmer insisted the Minnis administration has set out to do all necessary to set the RBPF “on course.”

He said moving forward, the initiatives and strategies being touted by both Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and National Security Minister Marvin Dames will continue to bear fruit and aid the public.

Dr Minnis, in his second national address of the year, said: “We will be relentless in preventing and fighting crime. We will relentlessly track down those who do us harm.”

The war on crime will be expanded, he said, through the acquisition of 90 new vehicles for the police, adding 130 new recruits to serve in New Providence and Grand Bahama, installing 507 more closed circuit television cameras in the capital and the roll out of a drone programme.

He also noted a contract was awarded in late January for the installation of 100 shotspotters in high crime areas. This technology increases the ability of police to more quickly respond to gun-related crime.

Additionally, he said there are plans to enhance law enforcement’s interception capabilities by decentralising the dispatch of vessels in the southern Bahamas.

Mr Culmer also yesterday slammed his PLP counterpart, Senator Fred Mitchell over claims he recently made related to the Passport Office.

Mr Mitchell had previously suggested that if elected in 2022, he would immediately commence plans to construct a new Ministry of Foreign Affairs building to alleviate the woes of the current Passport Office. Mr Mitchell served as minister of foreign affairs for two non-consecutive terms, most recently from 2012 to 2017, a timeframe when there were also complaints about the Passport Office.

Mr Culmer in response yesterday, said Mr Mitchell should be ashamed of himself, noting that that the former senior Cabinet minister had several opportunities to make this dream a reality, and never elected to carry out such a project.

“He was there for (10) years. Why talk about it now?” Mr Culmer asked.

He added: “Passports were given out to persons who did not qualify. The current minister is doing all he can to ensure that this doesn’t happen again. I know it is a little tedious, but we must do what is right.”

Mr Culmer urged Mr Mitchell to “keep it real” with the Bahamian people, insisting the former Fox Hill MP had nothing left to offer in the political arena.

“He couldn’t get it done while he was young and had strength. He will be almost 70 if he comes back, what can he get done at that age?”

Complaints of long lines and disorganisation have long plagued the Passport Office.

Applicants seeking new travel documents over the last several weeks have described the process as “frustrating” and “backwards”.

In response, current Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield said his ministry had created an internal committee tasked with improving procedures at the office.