By Syann Thompson

Tribune Staff Reporter

sthompson@tribunemedia.net

ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander did not report to the Ministry of Health yesterday, but is actively handling its security matters since being briefed by the minister of health, according to his attorney.

Attorney Wayne Munroe told The Tribune that the physical presence of ACP Fernander is not needed at the Ministry of Health and that the senior officer is addressing security concerns relating to the ministry. “He is not at the Ministry of Health; he does not have any police resources at the Ministry of Health. When he said he will carry out his duties, people must have thought that he will follow instructions blindly, but that’s not the case,” said Mr Munroe, QC.

After returning from forced vacation leave last week, ACP Fernander was given a letter informing him to report for a “special assignment” to the Ministry of Health which officially began yesterday. However, in accordance with his position, Mr Munroe said that ACP Fernander compiled all the security matters of the Ministry of Health that need attention and will give instructions to be carried out.

“His assessment is the issues he was briefed on relate to matters where you make complaints to different police agencies and they will investigate the matter. But insofar as crimes, he is the correct person to address those. And anything the minister told him, he said of course he will address them and insofar as security assessments, that is something he (ACP Fernander) can direct someone to do,” said Mr Munroe.

He added, “Without going into detail, he told me that there are matters that they haven’t reported that if they want to report, he as ACP of crime (investigations) can direct the relevant agencies to them and if they want general assessment of their security, of course he can direct someone from the internal security division to go and vet their security to see if it is satisfactory. What they are talking about does not require his presence. There is no real need for his presence at the ministry,” said Mr Munroe.

ACP Fernander was among eight senior officers forced on vacation leave early last year as part of the Minnis administration’s changes at the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Last month, upon his return from forced vacation leave, ACP Kendal Strachan was assigned to the Ministry of Social Services, with responsibility for juvenile detention facilities. ACP Strachan has fought the transfer and filed a lawsuit against the government. 

Mr Munroe is expected to issue a letter to Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson responding to the security concerns at the Ministry of Health. “We will write to the commissioner of police and aspects of letters require clarification as in the previous case. Because his letter refers to the minister of health and because ACP Fernander went to meet with him unlike ACP Kenneth Strachan, who wasn’t asked to meet with the minister to talk about the problem  — it was just transfer to a static post. I anticipate copying my response to the Ministry of Health as well,” said Mr Munroe.

He continued, “I’ve received instructions and I will be responding to the commissioner of police with a revision letter and no doubt because ACP Fernander, so he has gotten information as a police he knows how to address. He will do his job and giving his position to the commissioner on these issues. That’s what senior commanders do.”