The ankle bracelet monitoring system is not worth the money the government has invested in it, according to National Security Minister Dr. Bernard Nottage, who said too many crimes have been committed by suspects who are a part of the program.
“We are finding now that crimes are being committed by people with the bracelet on.
“If that’s going to happen then it’s not worth the investment that we’ve made in it,” Nottage said.
He said there is a possibility that the government may have to pump more money into the program to enhance its effectiveness.
“All I know is if the reason for having the bracelet is for you to be able to trace the people and to monitor them so that you know where they are.
“… If they are able to commit crimes and there is no report from the monitors that these things are happening then it’s not working or it’s not working well.
Asked whether he thinks the company contracted to monitor the system is at fault, the minister shied away from directly blaming I.C.S. Security Concepts.
“The problem is that people in those circumstances have committed crimes, heinous crimes, including murder, and that’s a matter of tremendous concern for me.
“So without critiquing the company, all I know is the system isn’t working as intended and we have to deal with that,” he said.
This is not the first time that Nottage has criticized the monitoring system.
Earlier this month, he told The Nassau Guardian he made an informal request to Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade, asking the police force to take over the management of the program.
Nottage said police officers would be able to make better use of the intelligence gathered on defendants in the program.
I.C.S. Security Concepts CEO and President Stephen Greenslade recently defended his company.
Greenslade said the government opted for a private company to manage and operate the program, a decision he called a “wise choice by all accounts.”
By Krystel Rolle
Guardian Staff Reporter