CoP belittles politician’s complaint
David Baines, Cayman Islands Police Commissioner
(CNS): The police commissioner appeared confident Friday that the bumper list of complaints filed against him by opposition MLA Bernie Bush were groundless. David Baines dismissed the more than 20 complaints as nothing more than gossip. Even though the list refers to a number of actual incidents that have caused concern throughout the community, he accused Bush of not fact checking and said any inquiry into the false accusations would be a waste of time and public money.
Baines revealed that the complaint, which was received by the RCIPS yesterday, has gone to the governor, as she is his direct disciplinary authority, and not the deputy governor, who is the head of the civil service. Bush filed the complaint with DG Franz Manderson, Wesley Howell, the acting chief officer of the home affairs ministry, and the FCO diplomat in charge of overseas territories, Peter Hayes, in London.
In a short statement Baines derided the UDP member, one of the 17 Legislative Assembly members that vote on the commissioner’s police budget.
“Mr Bush, once again, demonstrates his ample capacity to repeat rumor, speculation and gossip without checking the facts, thereby speaking with total confidence from a position of total ignorance,” the top police officer stated. “Why let facts get in the way of a ‘grandstanding’ media headline? I will assist any inquiry or action initiated by Her Excellency the Governor. My only regret is the waste of time and public money these misrepresentations and false accusations will cause in having them addressed to the satisfaction of all concerned.”
Bush’s long list of complaints covered a variety of issues, including allegations against Baines for poor management of the RCIPS, as well as a list of problems with evidence, case management, unlawful warrants, allegations of abusive behavior by officers caught on CCTV and several headline-making incidents. He also pointed to Baines’ alleged failure to conduct proper investigations and actions into a number of incidents that have caused public concern, from the break-in at the George Town Police Station evidence locker to the recruitment of an officer charged with and later convicted of murder – an act that would probably have been enough to make him resign had he still be employed as the head of a British police service.
Accusing Baines of incompetence, Bush also suggested he was guilty of misconduct in office and even raised the possibility of corruption regarding a luxury yacht trip the commissioner and visiting UK offices allegedly took after their assistance with a case.
Category: Crime, Government oversight, Police
There should be more use of the word “No” in these Islands. The very fact that when it is used, it brings out a wave of sensitive, juvenile type princess fits that tells me it should be used more often.
Get used to it, sometimes you may not like what you hear or get what you demand!
The Cop response is just perfect for the idiotic comments of Bush, who is borderline illiterate and trying to be significant. Bernie you are insignificant. Shut up!
McKeeva says attack……Bernie goes woof woof.
We all miss the joys of watching Foolio dancing like Mac’s little personal performing monkey.
Can’t wait till the video on the luxury yacht comes out! Seems as if these people like to party on yachts as a yacht is connected to another embarrassing case that Govt is trying to settle(hide) out of court. Good thing there is a lot of beach sand in Cayman. Perfect for covering up or sticking your head in!
It seems that the Commissioner has been sitting in his post very comfy and cozy without any fear that his job may be at stake if he and his troops are not performing. I can’t really blame him cause this seems to be common among high ranking civil servants. No matter what, a slap on the wrist and then on to the next seems the order of the day.
Perhaps time to shake things up and remind everyone else that NOBODY has a guaranteed position?!?!
That said, I can’t believe that he has gotten away with yet having to sort out the mess of the umpty pounds of drugs which went missing and nobody seems to press for answers! What the hell?
Hi I am Alicia from Jamaica , and I am a Jamaican . I am 1 million percent supportive of Mr. Bernie Bush actions he is right this is a man who knows the meanining of the word integrity ….I know this man and I have nothing but respect for this man Bernie Bush . let me tell you all that if a man is wrong he is wrong and many times people are in high positions you all don’t want nobody to talk to you about your dirt . Mr. Bernie Bush say what you have to say because I am one Jamaican who can stand up in and say this is a man of integrity . And for the record Delroy Howell and Bernie Bush are two men who lives in the cayman Islands whom I have very high regards and respect for.
Well said! @ 2:39pm
Wassnt me!
Too many years in Cayman for another sorry excuse for UK policing.
There’s an old saying the Commissioner should heed, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.” This isn’t the first ill-considered outburst we’ve had from him. Sadly, for someone working at the level he is Commissioner Baines sometimes comes over as not exactly being the sharpest knife in the box. Maybe it really is time for him to move on and enjoy his retirement.
If Mr. Bush is acting in his capacity as a duly elected member of the Legislative Assembly I would argue that for the Commissioner of Police to ‘deride’ the allegations is an affront to the people of the Cayman Islands.
NickCayman I couldnt agree with you less in this case. Any member of the LA who wants to establish or maintain any credibility should ensure that issues like this are approached constructively and accurately. Either of the Bushes seem to have the same problem with just establishing any credibility and mixing in a lot of rumour and speculation with a few facts in allegations like these against the RCIPS although aimed at its leader does nothing to add to the credibility of this particular Bush. And so it is understandable when the allegations are greeted with derision by the COP. It seems to me that these allegations are more about distraction than determining the truth.
To be fair, every time Baines dares to discipline any of his officers there is a huge outcry of racism and Imprialist Colonial arrogance.
That is a very telling comment but not in the way you think. It unwittingly suggests that discipline is not meted out to his fellow UK officers but only to the colonials.
Just means that everyone ignores it when UK officers are disciplined but they cry foul when it’s Jamaicans or Caymanians.
I am a Jamaican and I am 1 million percent supportive of Mr. Bernie Bush and let me make it clear to the Cayman Islands Bernie Bush is not a big time hater of any Jamaican can attest to this man character . So all of you with your negative comments about him I don’t buy it ……dirt ! is dirt! And when it is exposed people always get offended ……that is those who stand for nothing .
Mr.Baines should take care to respond to criticism in a calm, collected and most of all professional manner. The public he serves deserves nothing less. I am not at all comfortable with the tone of this response, and this is not the first time, either. His response to the public’s concern over traffic management, for example, was quite shirty, and I recall thinking to myself “This gentleman clearly has had enough and I reckon it’s time for him to move on”. Mr.Baines should look towards doing this before too long. His is a tough job for sure and he is only human after all.
A nasty attack got a nasty response. What’s your problem with that? BB certainly does not speak for all Caymanians.
Give me a break !!!!!!
This is unbelievable. From my little knowledge the GT lockup has an automated gate and is monitored 24hrs a day via CCTV….I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a million and one officers assigned on that particular shift. This is Cayman for God’s sake. How can this act go unnoticed?! I realised, everything that comes to the commissioners way he happily sweeps under the carpet..welll except for the monthly wages. How can he say issues like this are a waste of time time and public funds?!?!? Come people read between the lines.
Thank you …….for crying out load….!!!!!! I am a Jamaican and I support Mr.Bush 1 million percent.
A truly professional CoP would not use the media to politicize. A professional CoP would take each complaint and answer them with factual responses absent of emotions and mud slinging.
I remember a time when Governor’s and heads of services would respond with sensitivity as to how Cayman’s reputation could be damaged by the way they made public statements. As a result, they spoke with discretion, professionalism, and courtesy. Now all that seems to be gone with the wind. We seem to have forgotten that these islands were built on reputation for harmony.
Of course, governors and heads of services like Baines need not worry as they are here only for a time, scouping up way more income they found in their own country.
It is enough to make people very angry.
And a professional politician doesn’t count? Why pick on the COP? Suits a racist agenda maybe?
Any fool can become a politician. For the high responsibilty of policing one would expect pure professionalism. Where you get ‘racism’ from the above, I have no clue.
The oppressors are now crying of oppression? Only in a fools paradise.
Fear often masks itself as bravado.
You need to go find something constructive to do.
The tone of the CoP’s response matches perfectly the sloppy, rumor-based, McKeeva Bush ghost-written complaint that Bernie filed. Why do you demand a “professional tone” from the commissioner of police that you apparently don’t expect from our elected representatives??? Once again the Imperial Colonial power is supposed to show itself to be “above” the very people we’ve voted for? And when they aren’t we’re angry? “How dare they treat McKeeva and kin with derision!” Seriously, folks, this is the Bushes we’re talking about. Is it so surprising? Bernie didn’t even know where to file the “complaint” – it’s supposed to go to the her highness the Governor!
Put simply, two wrongs do not make a right and we have the power to remove politicians through the democratic process, but not so for the CoP.
Read in the Compass today that Costal real estate was on fire. The broker went on to say that “trickle down” economics is alive and well in Cayman but it is now of questionable standing in large developed nations. The article finished by saying that inland land prices have not been going anywhere due to foreclosures.
(nearly all middle and poor people live inland_ Just more proof that trickle down theory that the politicians preach is a myth. I remember years ago politicians told Caymanians to build apartments to rent to work permit holders not surprising I don’t hear that advice anymore in what turned out to be a bad investment for many. The work permit holders were on two spectrums one were entirely unsuitable being paid nearly nothing and hard to extract rent from and the other, they by in large would rather ditch out large sums of money to live in developments that were sophisticated and “new and exciting”.
I call the so called trickle down theory in Cayman the pass through theory in that the money just passes through the hands on the poor and middle class and right back to the rich monopoly men. Until the politicians start to speak of regulation and laws passed to protect consumers from exploitive packages we can plug our ears.
Best advice I have ever got was to stop giving the rich people your money. So each month, instead of thinking that tomorrow will be better and to invest and spend I just clinch my fist and say boy …you will be wise to put this money in the bank and wire it out every six months to save on the wire transfer fees.
The government should regulate the destruction of the environment by refusing to allow the current system where people just build new houses instead of fixing up what already exists in the market for inland lots. That way, perhaps the middle/poor class areas of Cayman can be subject to new investment and modernisation and allow for a mixing of people instead of the current segregation that current exists. Just one more reason to support AG proposal to removal planning board…
Whether the allegations of Mr. Bush are true or not is no reason for the COP to be so rude. Are we now unable to question anything concerning the COP.
When one despises his job and the people he works for, it is normal for a person to mouth rude remarks to co- workers with similar sentiments or to family. When an employee of a High level firm, company department etc, takes to the press in the manner that Top Cop has it’s not rude, it’s not disrespectful but simply arrogant and as we say round here must be smelling his pee, he is rank to say the least. If MLA Bush is ill prepared and/or without facts on all items, there is certainly is merit to a number of the items which have been highly publicized for which no attempt has been made to provide a truthful explanation to the people of this country.
We call on HE the Governor to expedite a review of this complaint and for it to be open and transparent with Caymanians involved in reviewing the facts, not just some clerk or officer from the FCO alone. These are a number of serious charges involved in the complaint some of which have been in the public domain for some time now.
Please note that while Caymanians are very slow to express themselves
there is a substantial amount of discontent with the overall performance of the Commissioner which must now be addressed. All elected members need to stand together on this. This is our country, this is our security for which we pay handsomely, therefore Top Performance is required or there ishould be a replacement appointed who not only meets the required standards and experience and ability, but is also able to demonstrate a high quotient of cultural adaptability and respect for all of the people of this country.
Baines is seriously deluded. Anyway, time is longer than rope. What he has down, he will surely reap.
Well we all know nothing is going to happen. If it had stayed with Mr. Manderson there would be a good possibly something would have happened. But an English Governor and an English Cop, he does no wrong. Example: BREAK IN AT POLICE STATION CONTAINER!!! Who is protecting whom there??????
Baines have you found the corrupt cops and drugs that were taken out of the ‘secure’ lock up at GT Central police station?
“Go ahead make my day”
and don’t forget the security company guarding the container in the back of the police station
I remember back in 2009 Baines claimed that an investigation into Operation Tempura would be a waste of resources – he’s sure changed his tune on that hasn’t he? It may be Baines’ lips we see moving but the words seem to come directly from his bosses in the UK.
LOL 3:44 Why didn’t you just call him the Governor’s ‘pet poodle’?
Mr Bush , can you come up with hard core facts abut all the all the complaints for the public .
The COP is out of order as usual and he continues to insult our spineless politicians because none of them has the balls to demand his departure. He is one if not the worst COP we have ever had. May be he will remain in cayman and join the political arena where he best specialize in. I can’t wait to say good riddance
Bernie Bush? As irrelevant today as the day he first miraculously, was elected to represent his district. I hear his family even, just shakes their head when we strolls by…
Sounds like he just doesn’t want to answer them to me.
OK Commissioner Baines try responding to these –
1. Why, after over six years of claiming that everything was squeaky clean, have you suddenly decided to start a criminal investigation into the conduct of Operation Tempura?
2. How is it that this decision was conveniently timed so it obstructed the work of the ICO and in particular the release of the Aina report?
3. Could the answers to 1. and 2. above be anything to do with the fact that both your post and your contract come under the control of the Governor’s Office and the FCO not CIG?
None of this is important , we Must take care of Miss Caymans problems for god sake ,