Bodie: Unprinciple personal attack on the Commissioner of Police

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2010

Letter to the Editor

Orthland Bodie talkshow for More 94FM

Dear Bahamas Press,

The now defunct former Prime Minister and the seat less wonder who formerly represented Marco City apparently sought to lambaste the integrity and character of the outstanding Commissioner of Police. They are both, presumably sensible men and should be well aware that a senior civil servant like Mr. Ellison Greenslade should never be publicly ‘attacked’ and vilified on purely political grounds. They were dead wrong on this point and it is indicative of just why the shell shocked FNM lost the general elections.

The Commissioner is a professional man and as such he recognizes that he cannot and must not get into a public or other debate with the political players no matter the vexations and provocations. Since his elevation, he and his entire team of officers, from the lowest ranks to his Assistant Commissioners have had their collective hands filled with dealing with the criminal elements within our midst and hauling them before the courts where appropriate. Once they get there the job of the police is finished except where they may be involved with the actual prosecution.

The rate of detection by our police is remarkable and second to none in this region. A year or so ago, the now mercifully defunct FNM, led by the ‘one man band’ sought to publicly castigate the police on what it called sloppy investigations. Mind you, it was that same administration, which publicly undermined the force at every opportunity and failed/ refuse to give them adequate resources and to cause timely promotions to come about. We are all able to recall how the defunct FNM brought in a celebrated police chief from the USA in the final weeks of its tenure in office which was, literally, a slap in the collective face of our fine officers and the Commissioner himself.

It has been alleged that the majority of police officers may have supported the gold rush. So what? Many Bahamians were sick and tired of the boyish antics and boorish speeches by the now defunct former Prime Minister. Ingraham fooled many into believing that he was their ‘friend’, inclusive of myself. At the end of the day when we came to realize that he was no ‘friend’ to the masses, he was rejected and consigned to the political dust bin of history. Yet, even now, he still seeks to act as if he is a man of influence and still seeks to humiliate his clueless followers in the shell shocked FNM. May God rest his soul in peace.

Signed,

Ortland H. Bodie, Jr.