Response to Front Page Article in the Nassau Guardian of 28^th December 2005 – British Police to Probe 02 Accident 

December 29, 2005

The Ministry of National Security issues the following statement in response to an article appearing in The Nassau Guardian, on Wednesday, 28 December 28, 2005, under the heading ‘British Police to Probe 02 accident’:  

The story published by the Nassau Guardian reports that two police officers from Britain are to “reopen” the investigation into the death of Paul Gallagher who died in a boating accident at Paradise Island in 2002.  British police have no jurisdiction to reopen any investigation in The Bahamas into any matter. 

As a result of inquiries into this matter on behalf of the family of the deceased by the British Government, the Attorney General of The Bahamas communicated to the British Government that The Bahamas Government would welcome British Police to review the files on the case along with the Bahamian police. No new investigation is to begin. The matter was intensely investigated by the Bahamian Police. There was a Coroner’s Inquest concluded as well. Not withstanding that, the Government in the interest of comity agreed to a review of files. Any observations made by the British Police would be duly considered in light of the existing findings of the Bahamian police. The Attorney General has agreed that any new findings would be further considered by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

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Ministry of National Security
December 28, 2005