(EDITOR’S NOTE: I keep up-to-date on the excellent job His Excellency Ellison Greenslade, QPM, is doing as The Bahamas’ High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland via twitter and email. On Saturday I sent him the following message: “I just saw this posted o Facebook, and in the event you did not hear about the death of Superintendent Basil Rahming, I thought I would forward it to you, knowing that he was press liaison for the Grand Bahama Police during your tenure as Assistant Commissioner in charge of the Northern Region.” The High Commissioner responded with the following tribute to his departed law-enforcement colleague.)
LONDON, England, January 21, 2019 – It was with a deep sense of sadness that I read this note from you regarding the passing of my dear brother, friend, and former colleague Basil Rahming, Chief Superintendent of Police Retired.
Mr Rahming served as my deputy, and as the second in Command of The Grand Bahama & Northern Bahamas District of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, during my tenure as Assistant Commissioner of Police for the said district (7 years). During my absences, he acted as the Assistant Commissioner of Police for Grand Bahama and the Northern Bahamas. He was a competent, industrious, honourable, and professional man who deported himself with dignity. He lived and breathed law enforcement and he loved the people of The Bahamas and the people of Grand Bahama, Abaco, Bimini, and the Berry Islands. Basil stood shoulder to shoulder with me during three major Hurricanes, the difficult investigation of the serial murders of five young boys in Grand Bahama, and numerous law enforcement challenges which we were able to surmount.
Basil Rahming shared our vision for policing the Northern Bahamas and he spared no effort in leading from the front. He was a part of many positive initiatives, including the commissioning of the new Gerald Bartlett Police Headquarters in Freeport, the new Police Training Academy and housing Complex at Trip Circle, and the recruitment of the very first squads of police officers on Grand Bahama, the automation of police stations and department on Grand Bahama, and numerous other projects. He possessed very good drawing skills and he was always eager to produce basic architectural renditions of potential projects at a moment’s notice. His penmanship was excellent!
In addition to his assignments as the second in command of the Grand Bahama District, Basil also served as the Press Liaison Officer for the District. He performed admirably in this job, which required him to make tremendous sacrifices. These sacrifices kept him away from his family for extended periods but his devoted wife, Sarah, supported him and the Force without complaining. Despite the pressures from his profession, Basil was a faithful Christian and he carved out the time to attend his Church with his family. The way he lived his life, right to the very end, was a testimony of the abiding belief and faith that he had in the Almighty. He lived a good life. He was a good man. He has left a legacy of generosity, hospitality, care, respect, trust, faithfulness and love.
I am eternally grateful to Basil and I will carry him in my heart daily.
My wife, Kimberley, and our children, join me in sending condolences to Mrs. Sarah Rahming, her beloved children, and the entire family, on Basil’s passing. We pray that almighty God will grant them his comfort and peace during this very difficult time.
Ellison Greenslade, QPM
