For the first time since news broke of his former employee’s major drug trafficking arrest in the United States, former Bahamas National Security Minister and Free National Movement (FNM) candidate Marvin Dames has publicly addressed the controversy, forcefully denying any connection to the smuggling scheme and pushing back against what he calls politically motivated smear efforts.
The case at the center of the controversy dates to February 11, when Malcolm Goodman, a boat captain employed by Dames and his wife, was taken into custody by U.S. law enforcement. Authorities reported finding approximately $4 million worth of cocaine aboard a vessel registered to Dames and his spouse that Goodman was operating near the coast of Florida. While Goodman has entered a not guilty plea to the drug trafficking charges to date, his legal counsel has indicated he is expected to change his plea in the coming weeks. U.S. investigators also confirmed that Goodman has admitted he acted alone in smuggling the narcotics, clearing Dames of direct involvement in the confession.
Despite the former employee’s statement clearing him, Dames has faced growing insinuation of wrongdoing from political opponents, prompting his first public remarks on the case Tuesday, shortly after filing his nomination papers for upcoming elections. Dames told reporters that he and his wife hired Goodman as an employee, not a business partner, after extending a helping hand to give the young man a chance to lift himself out of difficult circumstances. He compared the situation to lending a personal vehicle to an employee, only for that person to be caught transporting contraband without the owner’s knowledge.
“Why should I be punished for another person’s bad choices?” Dames questioned reporters. “My wife and I gave this young man an opportunity to build a better life. He chose to take the wrong path. Does that mean we are guilty by association?”
Dames confirmed he has not been contacted by any law enforcement agency for questioning in connection to the case, and has maintained his innocence consistently since the arrest became public. He noted he is currently working with authorities to recover the seized boat, which he and his wife still owe a substantial loan on. Despite the intensity of the public controversy, Dames said the scandal has not damaged his existing business relationships.
The former national security minister, who previously served as Deputy Commissioner of Police under earlier administrations, blasted what he described as paid political surrogates from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), the current governing party, for spreading false narratives about his involvement to sway voter opinion ahead of the upcoming election. Dames challenged his accusers to present any concrete evidence of wrongdoing, noting he is prepared to produce full documentation to prove his innocence.
“I have never been the subject of any criminal investigation in my entire career,” Dames emphasized. “I have spent my career taking bad guys off the streets, not working with them. I can travel freely anywhere in the world, a privilege that some sitting politicians in this country cannot claim today.”
Dames also called out local media for focusing on his tangential connection to the case, rather than highlighting what he argues are more pressing public safety issues: known drug traffickers and convicted criminals who currently hold active police-issued concealed carry permits in the country and walk free in public. He said these are the stories that journalists should be prioritizing, instead of amplifying unfounded political smears.
Despite acknowledging that the entire ordeal has been a difficult learning experience for him and his wife, Dames said the controversy will not stop him and his spouse from continuing to help young Bahamians access opportunities to improve their lives. He added he remained silent on the issue for weeks because he refused to engage with what he calls “garbage” misinformation spread for political gain.