National Security Minister Marvin Dames said the newly formed anti-corruption unit is only a short-term fix to address allegations of corruption in public office and assured that the unit will go after the big fish with the same vigor that it pursues the small man.
"We are resolute and as these matters do come to our attention, we will certainly see that they are properly investigated and, at the end of the day, where it is found that persons, no matter who they are or where they sat, if it is found that they are culpable, then they will face the full brunt of the law," Dames told reporters on Thursday.
"That's how it has to be."
Dames said the anti-corruption unit was only established to fill the void until the government brings its promised anti-corruption legislation.
On Monday, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade said the unit was investigating 11 files from various government
departments and public corporations.
"This is certainly short-term," Dames said.
"We as a government intend to bring legislation to Parliament that will establish an autonomous unit.
"That will certainly be the anti-corruption unit, which will look at public sector corruption throughout the country and through all sectors."
He noted it will take some time to draft and push the legislation through Parliament.
"While that is taking place there are still matters coming in," he noted.
"So we don't want to get caught in a situation where these matters are not being addressed.
"So the police force is kind of necessary to establish an anti-corruption unit. That's in the short-term. That's not the unit that will be supported by the legislation, which will be the autonomous unit, which will have a separate structure and will look at these matters over the long-term.
"But I'm happy to say that the police are working very hard to address those issues that come before them.
"We have a number of concerns that will certainly have to be addressed.
"...There has to be a level of accounting. We cannot have mountains of allegations and they just lay there without any attention."
During his contribution to the budget debate last month, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis said he instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to seek assistance from the governments of the United Kingdom and Singapore for the drafting of anti-corruption legislation that would result in the asset seizure of corrupt public officials.

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