By EARYEL BOWLEG

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A FAREWELL ceremony is scheduled for next Monday in honour of outgoing Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson, according to Minister of National Security Marvin Dames.

The announcement came days after Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis confirmed Commissioner Ferguson’s impending resignation from the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

This also comes after a local daily reported in February that the police chief was expected to be replaced by Deputy Commissioner Paul Rolle at the end of this month.

“On Monday, we will have a very small ceremony,” Mr Dames said, while a guest on ZNS radio talk show Darold Miller Live.

He said about 10 people will attend the ceremony to adhere to social distancing restrictions set out by the government amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the event would be broadcast live “so that The Bahamas will have an opportunity to see the ceremony and will have an opportunity to hear from our leader... and our outgoing commissioner as well as our incoming commissioner.”

He added: “Paul Rolle - he’s the commissioner designated.”

Commissioner Ferguson took over the reigns of the RBPF in 2017. He joined the police force in 1980.

While Mr Dames spoke briefly about the incoming police chief, he did not give much detail about the future leadership of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

RBDF Commodore Tellis Bethel was sent on leave on October 15 last year and it is unclear when he will return to work. Currently, the RBDF is under the leadership of Raymond King, acting commander.

When asked on the talk show yesterday if there will be a “firm” commodore coming soon, the minister responded: “Well, we’re hoping. We don’t want to find ourselves in a position where we have acting (officials) at the top for a very long time.”