The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THERE have been more than 200 COVID-19 cases collectively in the Royal Bahamas Police Force and Royal Bahamas Defence Force, National Security Minister Marvin Dames said yesterday.

He said of the 102 confirmed cases in the police force, six of those are still currently active.

As it relates to the RBDF, Mr Dames said there have been some 103 cases recorded within that agency to date.

He added: "Defence force total cases are around 103. That includes the recruits and that's 103 to date. So, those numbers when you look at it from an overall perspective, they're not bad and given the work that these officers do.

"As I said, the commissioner told me yesterday that they have six active cases. They had a total of 102 and the defence force had a total of 103 since COVID has started, since the beginning of the COVID period to now and most of those COVID cases are asymptomatic which are a little bit more difficult to manage."

This comes after RBDF officials revealed on the weekend that the agency had discontinued new entry training due to the "quick spread of COVID-19" among its latest intake of recruits.

"Steps have been taken to sanitise the training facility, lodging, classrooms and other common spaces occupied or utilised by the recruits and training staff," the RBDF said in a statement on Saturday.

In an effort to minimise COVID-19 exposure among law enforcement agencies, Mr Dames said officials are continuously looking at preventive measures to deal with the COVID-19 threat.

"The plan that these agencies have in place has been working and what we have been doing from day one is trying our utmost best to avoid a massive outbreak and I think we have been successful to date," he said.

"…I mean this is a very dynamic thing and these agencies are constantly looking at how they can improve upon their preventive measures."

Mr Dames also spoke about recent cases involving law enforcement officers being brought to court on charges.

He said everyone should be treated equally under the law, no matter who they are.

"We police at the consent of the Bahamian people and if the Bahamian people see that the police, the defence force and the prison, immigration and customs, our law enforcement agencies are operating and are being treated differently then how do you think that would look?

"So, this is a clear testament that the agencies are doing what they are supposed to be doing so whether you are in uniform or whether you sit in some high office somewhere else, you are subject to the same laws as the man on the streets."