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Bahamas Customs confirms attempt to smear Sandals bosses originated in Jamaica
BY TANEKA THOMPSON Tribune Staff Reporter [email protected]
Sunday, February 14, 2010
A tip from "Jamaican authorities" led Customs officers in Exuma on a fruitless search of a private plane with several Sandals resort officials on board.
According to international reports, and the head of the Customs department in Nassau, the tip, which led to the search, is believed to be part of a rival plot to taint the reputation of Sandals executives.
The Jamaica Observer reported that last week Monday, a Sandals jet was searched prior to its departure from Montego Bay, Jamaica by a police dog, as is now required by Sandals' security protocol. The plane was found clean and left for Puerto Rico, the Observer said, but stopped in Exuma to pick up a Sandals resort executive.
While the jet was on the Exuma runway, local Customs officers, acting on a tip from Jamaica, searched the plane for drugs or other illegal contraband. They found nothing.
Comptroller of Customs Glenn Miller told the Tribune that the search was not out of the ordinary but was initiated based on information received "from Jamaican authorities". He would not confirm Jamaican reports that the tip came from Kingston's police narcotics division.
"There was a call about, they thought or they were told that there might have been something suspicious on the airplane and we searched it just to satisfy them but there was nothing suspicious (on board)," said Mr Miller. "The call came from Jamaican authorities, they suspected that there might have been something on the plane... that proved not to be the case."
He corroborated Jamaican reports that the tip may have been an attempt to sully the names of Sandals bosses. He also said it was not his department's policy to get involved in personal issues.
"I've heard that there is some rift going on between some Jamaican business people back and forth... we got some other information that people there might be passing out misinformation to suit their own personal interests. That may be part of it. While we act on things we have to be careful not to get caught up in a tit-for-tat," said Mr Miller.
Meantime Royal Bahamas Police Force Assistant Commissioner Hulan Hanna said the incident is being probed by Bahamian police.
"Our people in Exuma made us aware of what had happened and so based on that information we took note of that and started to do our own inquiries, but we got no formal complaint," said ACP Hanna.
Jamaican police are also said to be investigating if the information originated from one of their own.
According to the Observer, the plane left Jamaica on February 1 with Sandals officials and journalists en route to Puerto Rico to co-ordinate relief efforts into earthquake ravaged Haiti, before stopping in Exuma where the resort chain recently acquired the Emerald Bay hotel.
Attempts to secure a comment from Sandals officials were unsuccessful yesterday.
However, head of Sandals' security Captain Michael Benjamin reportedly told the Observer that Sandals uses police dogs and other measures for inspections of its planes to avoid a possible set-up.
-- Reprinted from the Nassau Tribune of Monday, February 8, 2010
BY TANEKA THOMPSON Tribune Staff Reporter [email protected]
Sunday, February 14, 2010
A tip from "Jamaican authorities" led Customs officers in Exuma on a fruitless search of a private plane with several Sandals resort officials on board.
According to international reports, and the head of the Customs department in Nassau, the tip, which led to the search, is believed to be part of a rival plot to taint the reputation of Sandals executives.
The Jamaica Observer reported that last week Monday, a Sandals jet was searched prior to its departure from Montego Bay, Jamaica by a police dog, as is now required by Sandals' security protocol. The plane was found clean and left for Puerto Rico, the Observer said, but stopped in Exuma to pick up a Sandals resort executive.
While the jet was on the Exuma runway, local Customs officers, acting on a tip from Jamaica, searched the plane for drugs or other illegal contraband. They found nothing.
Comptroller of Customs Glenn Miller told the Tribune that the search was not out of the ordinary but was initiated based on information received "from Jamaican authorities". He would not confirm Jamaican reports that the tip came from Kingston's police narcotics division.
"There was a call about, they thought or they were told that there might have been something suspicious on the airplane and we searched it just to satisfy them but there was nothing suspicious (on board)," said Mr Miller. "The call came from Jamaican authorities, they suspected that there might have been something on the plane... that proved not to be the case."
He corroborated Jamaican reports that the tip may have been an attempt to sully the names of Sandals bosses. He also said it was not his department's policy to get involved in personal issues.
"I've heard that there is some rift going on between some Jamaican business people back and forth... we got some other information that people there might be passing out misinformation to suit their own personal interests. That may be part of it. While we act on things we have to be careful not to get caught up in a tit-for-tat," said Mr Miller.
Meantime Royal Bahamas Police Force Assistant Commissioner Hulan Hanna said the incident is being probed by Bahamian police.
"Our people in Exuma made us aware of what had happened and so based on that information we took note of that and started to do our own inquiries, but we got no formal complaint," said ACP Hanna.
Jamaican police are also said to be investigating if the information originated from one of their own.
According to the Observer, the plane left Jamaica on February 1 with Sandals officials and journalists en route to Puerto Rico to co-ordinate relief efforts into earthquake ravaged Haiti, before stopping in Exuma where the resort chain recently acquired the Emerald Bay hotel.
Attempts to secure a comment from Sandals officials were unsuccessful yesterday.
However, head of Sandals' security Captain Michael Benjamin reportedly told the Observer that Sandals uses police dogs and other measures for inspections of its planes to avoid a possible set-up.
-- Reprinted from the Nassau Tribune of Monday, February 8, 2010