Friday, April 25, 2025
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe has hit back at his predecessor Marvin Dames over criticisms of the government’s decision to deploy police officers as temporary ambulance drivers on the Family Islands, branding his remarks “petty, bitter, and dripping with resentment”.
In a strongly worded statement, Mr Munroe defended the measure, arguing that police officers are already trained first responders capable of acting under pressure and that the move was both logical and necessary.
He said the deployment is a short-term solution while a new group of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) completes training through the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) Academy.
Backing the policy, Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles said last week that many of the reserve officers already reside on the islands they will serve and are ready to respond when lives are at stake.
Mr Dames, who served as Minister of National Security under the Minnis administration, had criticised the plan as “short-sighted”, raising concerns about its sustainability and suggesting it could further strain police resources in under-staffed areas.
But Mr Munroe dismissed the criticism, accusing Mr Dames of harbouring personal resentment over not being appointed Commissioner of Police.
“Marvin Dames should stop speaking like a man who was wrongfully denied a throne,” he said. “He was never Commissioner of Police, and the more he talks, the more obvious it becomes why.”
“His latest attack on the current commissioner’s decision to use police officers in the Family Islands to operate ambulances isn’t just uninformed — it’s petty, bitter, and dripping with resentment.”
Mr Munroe said if Mr Dames “had an ounce of respect” for the Office of the Commissioner, he would have called Commissioner Knowles to learn that the opposition had already been briefed on the policy.
He further accused the former minister of putting personal grievances ahead of national safety and labelled his approach “vindictive” and “self-absorbed” — qualities he said explain why Mr Dames was never promoted to the role he allegedly coveted.
Mr Munroe also criticised Mr Dames and the Minnis administration for neglecting Family Islands’ healthcare needs during their tenure, including the shortage of ambulances, EMTs, and police recruits. He claimed that under Mr Dames, Royal Bahamas Police Force recruitment suffered, leaving critical gaps in manpower.
By contrast, he praised the Davis administration’s response, saying it prioritised public safety from the outset by increasing police recruitment, acquiring ambulances, and investing in EMT training.
“So when Mr Dames attacks a policy that puts ambulances on the road and officers in a position to save lives, what exactly is he criticising?” Mr Munroe asked. “That the commissioner is doing the job? That police officers are stepping up where the FNM stepped away? It’s almost laughable.”
“That Mr Dames cannot grasp this speaks volumes,” he added. “His failure to understand the basic duty of police to protect life isn’t just disappointing — it is disqualifying. It confirms, beyond question, that the decision not to elevate him to Commissioner wasn’t political. It was practical. It was necessary. He should stop looking backward. The rest of us are too busy trying to save lives.”
Mr Dames maintained that the initiative could compromise essential law enforcement duties on already strained islands, especially during emergencies like shootings or traffic accidents where police are often required to secure scenes.
PHA managing director Aubynette Rolle also supported the move, noting last week that officers are well suited for ambulance driving due to their defensive and offensive driving training.
Under the plan, trained officers will handle ambulance transport, allowing medical personnel to focus on patient care. Dr Rolle said the next phase, starting April 22, will involve certifying a new batch of EMTs.
The first group of officers includes Eleuthera, Andros, Cat Island, and Abaco personnel. Officials hope to expand the training to other islands, including New Providence, as more ambulances are deployed.
Comments
moncurcool says...
Police should be policing, and not driving ambulances, I'm sorry, something it seriously wrong with that picture.
Posted 25 April 2025, 1:35 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
Mr munroe I understood what you said the out islands are different it is all right if the police drives the ambulance excuse Mr Dames he just does not understand
Posted 25 April 2025, 2:05 p.m. Suggest removal
DontAssume says...
We all understand the realities of the out islands may require different immediate responses, but even so, we cannot lose sight of principle: Police Officers are not EMS drivers. Their primary duty is public safety and criminal intervention, especially critical with the levels of crime we face today. Although I know that for you, every idiotic decision these fools make is somehow excusable, the truth is that patchwork solutions do nothing to address the systemic failures we continue to suffer.
Posted 26 April 2025, 5:03 p.m. Suggest removal
Porcupine says...
Imagine if we had real leaders in this country.
Instead, we have a bunch of immature children who spend their time fighting amongst themselves.
The entire country suffers from a lack of intelligent, mature, honest leadership. Period.
Not a one of them a real leader. So sad.
Posted 25 April 2025, 5:33 p.m. Suggest removal
SP says...
**National Security Minister Wayne Munroe's team unquestionably wins this one hands down!**
Surprisingly, the PLP have provided an immediate sensible solution to a serious problem.
Marvin Dames has offered no alternative solution and is wasting Parliaments time throwing an obvious unjustifiable hissy fit just to "oppose".
Any idiot can oppose everything. Politicians need to understand how damn stupid they prove they are when they oppose something without simultaneously bringing an alternative solution to the table.
This is the kind of immature stupidity that we the people have to pay for and endure when one party stops progress simply to "oppose" !
Normally, both parties are absolutely useless. However, in this particular instance the PLP has come up with the only immediate sensible solution to a serious national problem.
Both parties need to realize that "we the people" are not ignorant.
We do not approve of the vast majority of bull-skating and time wasted debating non-important stupidity in the peoples House while the people continue to suffer REAL issues daily !
**One point for the PLP on this one.**
Posted 25 April 2025, 9:48 p.m. Suggest removal
DontAssume says...
While it’s refreshing to see or hear about something other than negligent and reprehensible spending, let’s be clear: police officers are not emergency medical drivers. With violent crime terrorizing our communities daily, the last thing we need is law enforcement pulled away from criminal intervention to patch holes in an already broken system, whether in the city or on the family island.
True leadership isn't about scrambling for quick, flashy fixes. It's about identifying glaring deficiencies and implementing permanent, sustainable solutions. Anything less is political showboating. Every administration owes it to the people to prioritize real, lasting reforms over asinine, knee-jerk policies that create more problems down the road. We are not fooled.
It is disrespectful enough to have Politicians running them over and not being held accountable; now, you want them to do something that they were not trained or engaged to undertake.
Posted 26 April 2025, 4:55 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
"*police officers are not emergency medical drivers*"
I agree with you. I'm not certain why Wayne Munroe has had such an emotional response to what Marvin Dames said. Dames raised a legitimate concern, and if Wayne Munroe didnt hear a similar concern from the Commissioner she has failed her officers. The only response from Wayne Munroe should have been along the lines, yes we considered that, but here's why we thought this was the best option. There's something personal in the violent response.
My other concern was the ability of the police to remain impartial. I dont believe I've ever heard a case of emergency workers denying care, but I have heard read accounts here of police denying emergency workers access to injured persons. We dont need that. The reason why branches of armed forces arent allowed to participate in certain areas of civilian enforcement is mindset, what theyve been trained to do, and I'm not certain "our" police have a mindset to offer blind emergency assistance.
One thing is sure, once the govt puts forward a proposal you can bet Mickey and Donald duck, they are going to do whatever they want, even if they have to launch a series of fake consultations and surveys to appear like they're listening. So police ambulance drivers but no cameras for red lights and penalties for violators by govt house.
I wonder if the commissioner is aware she's being set up for replacement. At least that how it seems because nothing's changed and Rolle was removed so things could change, or so they say.
Posted 27 April 2025, 4:29 a.m. Suggest removal
hrysippus says...
So Hey, Fred, FillUp, and Monrow; how you'll feel about bringing back Columbus Day, like the president of our neighbor to the north wanna do...??
Posted 27 April 2025, 7:39 p.m. Suggest removal
truetruebahamian says...
Yes, bring it back, and the statue repaired and placed back on the steps of Government House.
Posted 28 April 2025, 10:10 a.m. Suggest removal
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