Omar Anderson, Gleaner Writer
THE MINISTRY of National Security has denied knowledge that slain St. Mary school principal Manning Marsh had refused to go on the Government's Witness Protection Programme (WPP).
At the same time, the ministry said yesterday that there was hardly anything it could have done to force him to participate.
"The ministry can do nothing," Permanent Secretary Gilbert Scott told The Gleaner on Tuesday. "If you make the person aware of certain facts, and they choose not to participate, there's nothing to force them to act against their will."
About 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Mr. Marsh, principal of Boscobel Primary School, was found with his throat slashed on the school compound. He also had what appeared to be a stab wound to the neck. Mr. Marsh was reportedly a crown witness in a murder case.
But Mr. Scott said he was not aware of that. "I have not heard of any such information," he stated.
Meanwhile, he said the ministry was continuing its recent public education on the WPP, to have more citizens participate especially when they have sensitive information to share about crime.
He said there were some 300 persons and their relatives being protected under the programme. The permanent secretary added that most of these persons were referred by the police who conducted prior risk assessment.
PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM
But Mr. Scott said the public education system also aimed to prompt prospective persons with information to participate even without police referral.
"We are doing this campaign to say to persons that if you believe you have information that can be valuable, come in and talk to us and we will have the risk assessment done," he said.
While not divulging figures, Mr. Scott said the cost of the education campaign was minimal.
"No matter what the cost is, it's well worth it," he said. "Every life saved is important and every testimony that brings a criminal to justice is worth it."
The permanent secretary admitted there were times when persons on the programme tried to compromise its integrity.
"We had a couple people who violated the terms and conditions of their participation, but we very quickly read them the riot act," he said.
Persons can be fined $3 million to $5 million for compromising the integrity of the WPP. These include participants and outsiders.
