Address by Hon. AG at 2024-2025 CBC Graduation

Good evening All,

Please allow me to adapt the protocol that is so already ably established.

However, permit me to again recognise the Hon. Deputy Governor Mr. Franz Manderson, Hon. Minister Mr. Dwayne Seymour, Director of Public Prosecutions Mr. Simon Davis, Director of Customs and Border Control Mr. Bruce Smith and Commissioner of Police Mr. Kurt Walton.  Apologies from Her Excellency the Governor Ms. Jane Owen.

To our Graduands/Graduates:

We are here this afternoon to witness and share in this significant milestone with you as you transitioned from one phase of your life’s journey and professional development to another very important phase. Needless to say, we are all proud of you and your willingness to commit, to persevere, and to have arrived at this juncture, the ultimate culmination.  It takes a lot of sacrifice, not just on your part but on the part of your respective families.

We all take enormous pride in knowing that you are about to embark on your duty which includes protecting our borders and our community with pride and professionalism. As you transition into this next phase of your professional development, please always bear in mind that being a law enforcement officer is a challenging and demanding career that requires dedication, bravery and a strong sense of duty.

And, in carrying out your role – challenging though it will be – I implore you to do so with integrity and character, and always strive to do what is right – even in the face of adversity. Always remember, that as law enforcement officers, your tenure is not going to be remembered and recognised by days or length of service- it is going to be marked by events and in some instances, one single event.  You will be judged by how you respond to challenges!  So take pride in performing your duty – take delight in donning your badge and wear it as a symbol of honour and dedication. 

A look at the legislation that enables you to claim and assert your authority as a Customs and Border Control Officer and which vests you with wide plenary powers will show, instructively, that the Act stipulates, inter alia, in Section 8, that in pursuance of your role, you are at all times expected to act within the law, it expressly provides that you shall carry out and conform to the “lawful commands” of the Director and perform the sundry duties assigned… under this Act and do other “lawful things” as may be necessary for enforcement of those duties”.

 I mentioned earlier about plenary powers – and they are indeed wide powers – all necessary to allow you the wide berth you require to be able to do some of the following:

• to arrest with or without warrant, any person breaching certain provisions of the CBC Act; 
• to seize and detain any vessel or goods which you reasonably believe to be liable to forfeiture; 
• to with or without warrant – detain, board and enter any vessel – and search the persons on board, and even break open anything you see on board if you think contraband is concealed therein; 
• And this would be all in furtherance, of your duty to prevent the evasion of any provisions of the CBC Act, including evasion of custom duties.

I take the time to highlight these powers, not to tell you anything new, but rather to demonstrate the enormity of what lies ahead for you and to remind you that the more challenging the situation becomes for you, the more important it is for you to act with composure, clarity and a sense of duty. 

You will be expected and required at all times to be guided by the law because whatever actions you take, especially in the use of force, it must be necessary, it must only be proportionate and it must only be reasonable, in all the circumstances. If your actions fall within these parameters then you would have been acting as contemplated by section 8 of the CBC Act.  And that is all that is required of you.  That is why you went through a period of training.  To be taught all these things.

Indeed, it is no coincidence why your approximately one year of practical and classroom training exposed you to issues relating to:

• Passport control – Airport and Seaport; the granting and extensions of visas; baggage control and cargo inspection; migration matters, among others.

 Additionally, you would have had the benefit and advantage, if you will, of training facilitators from the Office of the DPP, AMLU, RCIPS, Regiment, and of course WORC, among others. They would have all, in their engagements with you over the 12 months or so, foreshadowed the direction of travels you can expect, including some of the challenges, issues, etc. that are in waiting.

And the DPP in particular, as well as your RCIPS and WORC colleagues would have reminded you that the law is your authority, and most importantly, it will be your shield, as long as you operate within its four corners. But don’t forget that you can be firm, very firm but charming – “charmingly firm” if you like.  That is, a beautiful smile, but say no bly, no favours! (no compromise – Per: Director)!

And so, as our newly minted CBC Officers, we salute you, we are proud of you, we encourage and support you.  You have committed yourself to a life of public service – which is quite noble and admirable.

Continue to be excellent law enforcement ambassadors and champions for law and order.  Indeed, you have some excellent role models right here in the service – your Director, Deputies, Assistant Directors, - all wonderful role models who have gone about their tasks with character, dignity and professionalism. Emulate them and you would have all done us, and yourself, proud.

Good luck on a successful career! 

Hon. Samuel Bulgin KC, JP

Attorney General