A series of voice notes were released and widely circulated on social media last week. At least one of the audio clips was allegedly of a conversation between Head of the Criminal Investigations Department, Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson and purported gang leader, Michael Fox Jr., now deceased. In a statement released on Friday, Commissioner Of Police, Clayton Fernander announced that Johnson had agreed to garden leave.

Parliamentarians discussed the issue in the House Of Assembly on Monday. Minister of National Security, the Hon. Wayne Munroe responded to Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Michael Pintard’s expectation of an address on the matter from the Prime Minister. He said, “the Court Of Appeal set aside a conviction in a horrendous murder case because of something a politician said in this place. One sentence that he said in this place. And so as the Member for Exuma and Ragged Island has said everyone in here takes this seriously no more than persons on this side. I would caution, having been the Counsel who advanced those arguments that it is very easy in seeking to perhaps be well meaning to affect a process.”

Pintard responded by saying the Opposition would have hoped that the Prime Minister or in his absence, the Acting Prime Minister, would have made a communication on the issue.

Acting Prime Minister, the Hon. Chester Cooper advised Pintard to “listen to the press statement made by the Commissioner of Police and thereafter if he chooses to make more comments do so. But for now Madam Speaker, in this forum, it appears the only possible good that could come from what he is saying Mr. Deputy is his idea of potential political brownie points and that’s not what we’re about. We’re about governing. We want to respect institutions. We want to defend the reputation of our country and I ask him as an honourable member to allow the process to take it’s course and leave it there.”

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