The national security minister has called for restrictions on the electronic monitoring system after several offenders out on bail have gone on to commit additional crimes, some even turning up dead.

Contributing to debate on the mid-year budget in the House of Assembly yesterday, Dr. Bernard Nottage yesterday lamented the fact that the system has not given the government the benefits for which it thought it was paying.

ICS Security Concepts, the company contracted to supply the tracking device came under heavy fire last year after 32-year-old Anthony Fox Rolle turned up dead through a tract road near the South Beach canals last July.

At the time, the murder victim was wearing an ankle monitoring bracelet.

His every move was expected to be tracked.

Soon after, another man outfitted with an ICS ankle bracelet was found in Canada. It was later revealed that he had permission to travel.

However, Minister Nottage said just last week another young man on bail was caught in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“My problem is that it’s not good enough to just put someone on electronic monitor,” he said. “You have to put certain restrictions on them.

“Firstly, I don’t believe that people charged with murder should get bail. But here’s the problem – you’re innocent until found guilty – so if you take too long to try them, the judge is always going to give them bail and perhaps rightly so. And so, we’re seeking to improve the times they can get bail through the justice system.”

It is for this very reason that the government approved plans to build four new courts, appoint four new public defenders, new judges and prosecutors.

In the meantime, the minister called on judges to place restrictions on suspects wearing the monitoring bracelets.

But despite the challenges, Dr. Nottage acknowledged that the tracking system is a good one.

At last count, 460 people were on bail wearing the device

In fact, police on Wednesday arrested another two suspects out on bail for very serious offenses.

Acting on intelligence, officers headed to the Fox Hill area shortly after 12:00p.m. on Wednesday where they arrested two males in connection with a number of housebreakings in eastern New Providence over the past two days.

According to police, both men were wearing a court issued electronic monitoring device and were on bail for armed robbery and murder.