After a third prison officer was hauled before the courts and convicted of drug and gun possession, Minister of National Security Marvin Dames told reporters outside of Cabinet yesterday morning that the procedures used to recruit will be a main focus in the government’s attempts to eradicate corruption in government agencies.
As he noted that the probe in to corruption is not limited to the Bahamas Department of Corrections, Mr. Dames said there is much to be done from his end.
“One of the things is, is that we said before coming to office that one of our focus would be focusing on corruption within the public sector. This is just an example of it,” Mr. Dames said.
“It is not only something that is exclusive to the Bahamas Correctional Department. We want to deal with corruption wherever it may exist in the public sector.
“We’re concerned and I continue to say we are and there is a lot of work we have to do on the back end especially in relations to the way we recruit, the type of individuals we recruit, the quality of officers or individuals we bring into these respective departments.”
Mr. Dames further told reporters that recruitment exercises will bring in individuals who want nothing more than to serve, the brightest and the best and that will be the focus.
“We mentioned that as well on the campaign trail. We will focus on recruitment and we will recruit the brightest and the best and those who come in with their hands clean,” Mr. Dames said.
“Not who enter these agencies with a focus of reaping what they can reap for themselves.”
As a result of 25-year-old former prison officer Demetrius Maycock pleading guilty to drugs and gun possession, convicted and ordered to pay a fine of $2,600 or face a year and six months in prison, Mr. Dames said officers of that agency should be commended for their stand against corruption.
“I think what we ought to be looking at is the fact that these persons, who were in fact arrested, they were exposed by their own colleagues who have decided they would stand up now to corruption and corrupt activities by those of their colleagues who are out to tarnish their respective agencies,” Mr. Dames said.
“So, this ought to be commended.”
