The Honourable Marvin Dames, and The Deceitful Progressive Liberal Party - PLP

The Hon. Marvin Dames, and The Prudent Drone Contract Honoured by The Ruling Philip 'Brave' Davis Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Administration

Marvin Dames' Righteous Vision for A Secured Bahamian Nation - The Bahamas

Recent claims about the drone contract under former Minister Marvin Dames are misleading.  For over three decades, he has served with integrity and distinction in global law enforcement, yet political narratives now attempt to tarnish his reputation.

Misleading statements and outright lies have become a common tactic of the Progressive Liberal Party.  For more than three decades, Marvin Dames has served at the highest levels of law enforcement, both in our country and internationally.  He has built a reputation that has earned him the utmost respect from the global law enforcement community, a reputation that continues to be upheld today.

However, his political adversaries, in their attempts to tarnish his character, resort to using surrogates to spread a lie.  Unlike many of his critics, Mr. Dames has a reputation that precedes him.  He has established relationships based on professionalism, honor, respect, and integrity.

Let’s unpack the falsehoods propagated by the PLP through their surrogates:

1.⁠ ⁠No Corruption.  No Scandal.

The official audit of the drone contract (2021–2022), a public document by the Auditor General, found no wrongdoing.

•⁠ ⁠No suspicious payments

•⁠ ⁠No side deals

•⁠ ⁠No missing money

The audit speaks for itself.

2. More Than Drones: A Vision for National Security

This was never just about purchasing drones.  The plan included establishing a Centre of Excellence and a training academy to build skills and capacity in drone technology.

The purpose of the academy is to train the next generation of drone pilots in The Bahamas and across the Caribbean region.  Key areas of focus include law enforcement, with partnerships involving the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Immigration, Lands and Surveys, the Disaster Risk Management Authority, and others.  Training opportunities have also been extended internationally.

The former Minister and the FNM were forward-thinking in this regard.

It is also important to highlight that Marvin Dames built an impeccable reputation in global law enforcement circles over three decades.  He has led some of the most critical divisions of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, including the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), the Central Detective Unit (CDU), and the Central Intelligence Unit (CIU).

He earned respect worldwide for his knowledge, experience, spotless character, and integrity, qualities often missing in political life today.  Why would anyone attempt to discredit a man whose leadership helped dismantle international criminal networks and whose reputation still stands firm today?

 3. Who Chose the Vendor?  Not the Minister.

A committee of senior government officials; NOT the Minister, handled the bidding process.  Multiple local and international firms submitted proposals.

The committee carefully reviewed all bids and recommended the company that was most suitable, realistic, and cost-effective at the time.  The winning bid was not only capable and aligned with government policy but also well under budget, compared to competing bids exceeding $30 million.

For clarity:

•⁠ ⁠The Minister did not choose the company.

•⁠ ⁠Payments were processed strictly through the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury.

 4. COVID Changed the Timeline, But the Plan Continued.

When the pandemic struck, budgets shifted.  Out of the $17 million contract, only a small portion was paid by the FNM government before the 2021 election.  The vast majority of payments were left to be honored by the present administration.

Importantly, the vendor adjusted with no penalties, and the program continued under the PLP.

So why insist on playing political games, using surrogates to tarnish the good name of one of our most respected citizens, when the very same company is still being engaged by the current administration?

Even the former Commodore, in his farewell speech at the inauguration of Commodore Floyd Moxey, commended the Drone Academy for its work.

If the accusations are real, then let those making them come forward and show their faces.  Stop hiding behind surrogates.  The Bahamian people deserve honesty and accountability, not shadows and whispers.

 5. Results You Can See.

The drone program was part of a broader modernization strategy championed by Marvin Dames, which also introduced:

•⁠ ⁠ShotSpotter technology to detect gunfire

•⁠ ⁠Body cameras for officers

•⁠ ⁠A Real Time Crime Center (RTCC)

•⁠ ⁠Revitalized national CCTV coverage, which was nonfunctional before he took office

The PLP often claims that the FNM had no crime plan.  But the truth is, their own crime plan was simply to continue the very initiatives launched by the FNM and Marvin Dames. Instead of acknowledging this, they go to great lengths to discredit him.

 6. The Real Question: Why Hide the Success?

Why downplay a program that continues to protect our borders and support law enforcement operations daily?

They use surrogates to spread falsehoods about an alleged $17 million “misappropriation,” knowing full well that the FNM government disbursed only a fraction of that amount.  The majority of the $17 million remains under the present administration’s responsibility as the contract continues to be fulfilled.

If this was a corrupt deal, why is the current government still paying the same vendor and operating the same program?

 7. The Facts Are Clear.

To clarify:

•⁠ ⁠The Ministry of Finance alone is responsible for disbursing payments to vendors.

•⁠ ⁠The Minister did not choose the company awarded the bid. A committee of senior government officials, spanning RBPF, RBDF, Corrections, Finance, and others, led the process. The Minister had no interactions with the company or its executives.

•⁠ ⁠The Minister did not benefit from the bid.

•⁠ ⁠Less than $1 million was disbursed under the FNM administration.

•⁠ ⁠This was a Cabinet-backed policy decision, validated by an independent audit and implemented by independent officials.

Source / Comment

The Bahamas Police Chief Passes the Buck on Alleged Rape Against Bahamian Cabinet Minister- Bradley Roberts, MP

Bahamas Police Chief "Passes Buck"

 

 

 

 

 

By Candia Dames

Nassau, The Bahamas

candiadames@hotmail.com

6th January, 2005

 

 

 

Commissioner of Police Paul Farquharson was called upon three times during a press conference on Wednesday to explain why police took three weeks to question Minister of Works and Utilities Bradley Roberts in connection with the rape claim made against him.

 

Mr. Farquharson said police did not want to act prematurely and in some instances have waited up to six months to question persons accused in similar matters.  The Minister said in a recent statement that he went to the police "voluntarily".

 

The police commissioner also declined to answer another pressing question as members of the media pressed him on whether there was enough evidence to charge the Cabinet Minister with a crime.

 

Mr. Farquharson instead suggested that reporters contact the AG's Office for an answer to that question, which was perhaps the most pressing one of the day.

 

During the press conference at police headquarters on East Street, he also insisted that the police did not move too slowly in the matter despite the perception that some members of the public may have.

 

"Remember that once a complaint is laid against any citizen of The Bahamas by another citizen, the police must conduct lines of inquiries in order to prove that allegation", he said.  'It is only at certain stages of the investigation will you pick up or invite or arrest a suspect in order to put the questions of that inquiry to that particular suspect'.

 

The police commissioner also praised his detectives for concluding the investigation in "record time", noting that the woman reported the allegation on December 5.

 

"There are several other cases that are similar that have come before the police that have taken a longer time" ,he said.  "There are some that may have taken a shorter time, but this one took four weeks".

 

But his statements were not enough to convince Wallace Rolle, the alleged victim's attorney, that police handled the matter efficiently.

 

Mr. Rolle asked Mr. Farquharson to explain why Minister Roberts was not questioned sooner.  But the police commissioner indicated that it was inappropriate for him to ask the question in that setting and declined to give an answer.

 

Following the press conference, Mr. Rolle said the event was 'a complete waste of time'.

 

"The commissioner passed the buck", he charged.  "I don't think he answered any question. I don't think we're any closer today than we were yesterday.  He doesn't want to make a decision.  He wants somebody else to make the decision.  A month later, this lady who made a complaint to the police is no closer to getting before the court and I think that is unfortunate".

 

During the press conference, Mr. Farquharson assured that there was no political interference in the investigation and he said no one is above the law.

 

"This allegation, like every other serious allegation, placed the onerous task on the police of conducting an objective, transparent and a thorough investigation into the matter reported", he said.

 

Mr. Farquharson was asked whether he was concerned about the perception that some people may have that the Minister's case is receiving special treatment.  He assured that it was not and explained why he felt it necessary to call a press conference in relation to this rape claim as opposed to any other rape claim.

 

"I think it's very clear to everyone that this matter has drawn great public debate and because of the individual who is involved, who occupies a very high profile office, the public interest certainly goes above everything else and I thought from where I sit, I owe [it to] the citizens of this country to explain how that investigation took place", he said.

 

"This particular incident of the allegation that is laid before us is one that created great public concern and I felt as commissioner that I had a responsibility to forward the results of this investigation to the AG's Office.

 

"We have forwarded many matters to the AG's Office before.  This is not the first rape incident that has been forwarded to the AG's Office for further considerations or direction.  This is only one of many so there is nothing unusual about this particular case".

 

Director of Public Prosecutions Bernard Turner, who spoke to the Bahama Journal from his office on Wednesday, also pointed out that it is not unusual for the police to send a file of this nature to the AG's office.

 

When asked how long it will take for authorities there to make a determination on the matter, he said, "We want to consider it properly.  I expect that we will make a determination in due course".

 

Like the commissioner of police, he declined to say whether the police have made a recommendation on whether there is sufficient evidence for the Minister to be charged.

 

At the press conference on Wednesday, Chief Superintendent of Police Marvin Dames told reporters that police find themselves in a "very, very unique situation".

 

"Because we have to appreciate and respect due process and the rights of individuals, we cannot just carelessly reveal aspects of the investigation to the press and members of the public as we receive it", Mr. Dames said.

 

"We only release what we feel is fair to release and we have never done an investigation in the press and that is critical.  We have not done so because we respect the rights of both parties".

 

His statement was an obvious reference to a question asked by a reporter regarding whether Minister Roberts has admitted to having sexual relations with the woman who made the claim against him.

 

In a recent interview with the Bahama Journal, the Minister said only that he knows the woman in question.