Monday, November 23, 2015
By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
OPPOSITION Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday called for the immediate resignation of Minister of National Security Keith Bell for his “personal assault” on Commissioner of Police Ellison Greensalde and the “entire membership of the Royal Bahamas Police Force”.
Dr Minnis said Mr Bell’s comments were disrespectful and disturbing, especially at a time when “residents are living in fear” and the blood of Bahamians “stain our streets”.
Last week, Mr Bell suggested that Mr Greenslade is failing to carry out the government’s crime fighting initiatives and indicated that it may be time for new leadership in the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
Dr Minnis reassured Commissioner Greenslade and all of “his officers” that they have a friend in him and the Free National Movement (FNM).
“I wish to remind Commissioner Greenslade and all of his fine officers that they have a friend in me, the present leader of the opposition, who supports the great sacrifice that the Royal Bahamas Police Force continues to make to keep our Bahamas safe,” Dr Minnis said in a statement. “Comments attributed to State Minister for National Security Keith Bell published on the front page of a local daily on November 20, represent a striking disconnect between the government and its law enforcement agencies.
“The State Minister’s comments also serve as disrespectful and an offensive characterisation of the hard and dedicated work being carried out by the leadership and entire membership of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Bell suggested in the article that Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade is failing to carry out all of the government’s crime-fighting initiatives, and went as far as indicating perhaps the leadership of the police force needs to be changed.
“This is a personal assault on Commissioner Greenslade’s career and the Christie government has also grossly insulted the relentless efforts of the committed men and women of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Unfortunately, but not surprising, Christie and his government refuse to take any level of responsibility for the troubling state of our country.”
Dr Minnis called on Prime Minister Perry Christie to reveal whether he agrees with Mr Bells’ statements. He said if Mr Bell “acted on behalf on himself and not the government” then he should resign immediately.
“Sadly, Prime Minister Christie is acting like a man in dreamland hoping to wake up and to find that all of our problems would have disappeared. Bell in his capacity as State Minister speaks for the government of The Bahamas. If the State Minister’s damning comments do in fact represent Christie’s position, the Prime Minister has taken a cowardly approach to attack Commissioner Greenslade and his team,” Dr Minnis said.
“If Bell has acted like a government unto himself, he should do the honourable thing and resign or Nottage should wake Christie up, remind him that the people of The Bahamas elected him to lead and that there is cause for Bell to be fired. Should there be a question to the failing government as to who is really in charge, then the entire government should resign and an election should be called.”
Dr Minnis said the people of the Bahamas can rest assured that this “Christie nightmare leadership will soon come to an end” and a Minnis-led FNM government will partner more effectively with the police and all stakeholders to help combat violent crime.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic says...
Keith Bell is well known for being the incompetent doofus who willingly brown noses his political superiors in an effort to stay politically relevant and keep his job. What's much more important though is that most Bahamians do not seem to know Minnis for who he truly is.....a racist tyrant with an uncontrollable temperament! Beware my friends, the devil comes in many unexpected forms!!
Posted 23 November 2015, 1:55 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
Keith Bell may be a bad guy now. But if he becomes a member of the FNM like Wells and Rollins. He will become God's gift to Dr;Minnis and the FNM. That is how it works for the Doctor.
Posted 23 November 2015, 2:08 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
Dr: Minnis is campaigning hard. now he loves the police and the Commissioner , now remember Minnis voted for the right to fire the commissioner.
Posted 23 November 2015, 2:14 p.m. Suggest removal
Voltaire says...
Truly spoken birdie - Bell and Minnis both need to go! Would you agree?
Posted 23 November 2015, 2:29 p.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Keith Bell is just an insecure man who was placed in a position where he could lord over his former police bosses and who was frustrated because he had to play second fiddle to BJ (a person who he found hard to respect as a Minister of National Security) ...... stuck between a rock and a hard place ............ I do not envy him one bit
Posted 23 November 2015, 2:43 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Comrades the former red regime have too much skin behind the reasons crime is where it is today.
Some might see this as being little late for Minnis to voice his opinions now - when he said nothing while he sat around the red regime's cabinet table?
Some might see this as, since we never did have solutions to deal with crime, we will just embrace what we see and hear.
If I was the Commish of Policeman's, I'd proceed with much carefulness, unless he doesn't object being tainted all red to become the red party's 2017 General - "Police Commish Poster Child."
Posted 23 November 2015, 2:47 p.m. Suggest removal
TruePeople says...
Policing is way to highly politicized!
Greenslade came out hard these past few days, and to me he look like the only Man round here putting a dent in serious crime. I do not doubt that that man there have to deal with enough political shenanigans always dancing in-between him and his ability to get a firm handle on this generation of OutLaws
Posted 23 November 2015, 3:27 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Comrade TruePeople, we have proven policing by the number of policeman's on the taxpayers payroll ainit working.
I think we the people need to have in-depth conversations where we want our policeman's force to be during the next 2017 governing mandate?
Do we need less but better paid and educated, not just more policeman's warm bodies?
Will we spend even millions more on guns, bullets and heavy armory protection equipment?
Is the Commish right that a more visible force is the answer to tackling crime matters?
Should we more arm or disarm our policeman's?
Does the force truly represent the the people who make up our communities - colours ya skins included?
How many white or lick-da-brush constables, corporals, Sargent's, inspectors or assistant Commish's have you seen on duty?
Should be retire, transfer to other government departs, or outright send home 50% of the 2000 active duty policeman's?
Or will we just elect another do noting government in 2017 and have the same discussions come the 2022 General?
Will we read the 2017 - 2022 headlines - oh too bad another soul murdered?
Posted 23 November 2015, 3:54 p.m. Suggest removal
newcitizen says...
Why is it that all of our so called leaders think that criticism is an unforgivable act? Are they so thin skinned that they have to go home and cry every time someone disagrees or insults them. Each and everyone of them is as childish as possible when confronted in any way.
Posted 23 November 2015, 6:43 p.m. Suggest removal
CatIslandBoy says...
Keith Bell was only saying what Perry Christie and other cabinet members, including Nottage, think. Police Officers are trained to respect hierarchy, and would never think of undermining their superiors. If this matter was never discussed at cabinet level, and Bell had no inkling of Perry Christie's and B J Nottage's thinking, he would never had said anything untoward of the police commissioner.
Posted 23 November 2015, 9:35 p.m. Suggest removal
realfreethinker says...
Bell should not resign because he trash the COP He should resign for incompetence,plain and simple
Posted 24 November 2015, 2:25 p.m. Suggest removal
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