Prime Minister says compensation will reach victim shot by cop

Steven Buckley was shot in the head by a Police Inspector on April twenty-eight, 2010, more than three years ago. The shooting was unjustified and Buckley was in the hospital clinging to life for more than a month. Today Buckley is a far different man than he was back then. Because of his injury he is unable to work and has been forced to beg to feed himself and his family. The Police have promised compensation but none has been forthcoming. And now, more than three years after it happened, both the Minister of Police John Saldivar and Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie still seem to be investigating the incident. There has been no good news for Buckley from the Police but there is some tonight from Prime Minister Dean Barrow. He gave his personal guarantee that he will deal with the matter himself, and the question won’t be whether Buckley should get compensation, but rather how much he will get.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“I only know what I’ve heard. That matter hasn’t come up in cabinet. I know people were very upset because the K.H.M.H. was seeking to collect fees for treatment and I gather the K.H.M.H. has backed off of that. I don’t know about the details of the incident in which this man was horribly wounded and incapacitated and disfigured. From what I hear, Mister Buckley appears to be eminently entitled to significant compensation. But again I don’t know. I imagine the police department is conducting a proper investigation. I imagine that if they don’t agree to settle and the solicitor general will be in on that and then Mister Buckley will sue. And if what I hear is accurate, Mister Buckley will succeed. But again I am going perhaps too further than I should have because I don’t know the details. All I know is everybody says it was unjustified, it was horrendous, but I have not seen a report. I have not spoken to the minister of national security about this because I’ve heard him on the radio saying that a full inquiry is taking place. And that once certain facts are verified, Mister Buckley would be compensated.”

Reporter

Dean Barrow

“But sir, these things can take years, in the meantime Mister Buckley…[it happened two years ago…]

Dean Barrow

“Dah two years ago? Well I am sorry, I am left speechless. I thought this was something…”

Mike Rudon

“P.M., I think that is the frustration of the people. At what point—and I have to put this to you as the Prime Minister—at what point do you step in because the police, as far as I know, have accepted blame? I believe the guy who did it, the inspector, was charged and there has been no compensation. The Minister says they will investigate, the police say they will investigate…”

Dean Barrow

“Well then Mike, I will tell you now that you have, the media has put that to me—if that is the position—then I will step in because you are perfectly correct. Lord man, if this happened two years ago can we can’t come to terms with compensating this man for the wanton destruction almost for his life, then something is wrong. That dah noh justice; that is not fair play. So I guarantee you that I will now look into this. Especially if the police man has been charged, it should only be a matter of agreeing on the level of compensation.”