The Progressive Liberal Party yesterday remained silent regarding a rape claim levied against Minister of Works and Utilities Bradley Roberts, while another political party called for the Cabinet Ministerﾴs resignation and two members of the clergy cautioned Bahamians against leaping to conclusions.
On Tuesday, police questioned Mr. Roberts in relation to the matter, after he voluntarily showed up for the interview.The Cabinet Minister has consistently maintained his innocence and has said the whole debacle is a political ploy hatched by his detractors.
Chairman of the PLP Raynard Rigby promised to release a statement on the matter yesterday. However, it was not forthcoming up to press time.He noted that ﾓdelicateﾒ matters could not be rushed.
Meantime, The Bahamas Democratic Movement has followed the Free National Movementﾴs lead in calling on Mr. Roberts to give up his post.
Omar Smith, deputy leader of the BDM, said he believes Mr. Roberts will now be ﾓconsumedﾒ with keeping himself out of jail and mounting a defense against the rape allegation.
ﾓMr. Roberts should be treated in the same way that any man who has these accusations against him would be treated. No one is above the law. We believe in the rule of the law,ﾒ he told the Bahama Journal.
ﾓBradley Roberts should not go the way of Sidney Stubbs, who refused to step down and Leslie Miller, who refused to step down. All these scandals have gone on and none of them would step down. Mr. Roberts should step down and if he is vindicated he can be reinstated.ﾒ
However, supporters of Mr. Roberts have emerged from other sectors of society.
Former President of The Bahamas Christian Council Bishop Samuel Greene said, ﾓIt is most regrettable that the society in which we live have people so mentally screwed up who are prepared to bypass the law to satisfy their own agenda.
ﾓIn our society anyone can besmirch or seek to besmirch the character of anyone and get away with it. Yet we say that anyone who is accused of a crime in this country is considered to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. That same concept ought to be carried out whether it is Bradley Roberts, me or anyone else.ﾒ
Bishop Greene blasted the action taken by members of the Free National Movement Action Group as ﾓstupid.ﾒ
On Tuesday, the group took to the streets of downtown Nassau toting placards and calling for Mr. Robertﾴs resignation and for the police to speed up its investigation into the matter.
ﾓThey are accusing the police of not investigating fast enough in this matter,ﾒ Bishop Greene said.
ﾓI have never dreamt that The Bahamas would have sunk to such low a depths. If we have no confidence in the capabilities of the police to carry out investigations then we need to find another group who can do it for us.ﾒ
Bishop Greene believes Mr. Robertﾴs situation should not be different from anyone else – notwithstanding his Cabinet post.
ﾓHe is a citizen of this country and entitled to due process. After the police would have done what they need to do they will take the appropriate action, but until then every sensible Bahamian, every Bahamian who has any moral standing at all should allow the process to take place,ﾒ Bishop Greene said.
Meantime, Pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church Rev. Simeon Hall expressed empathy for both sides.
ﾓI am sympathetic to both families – the person and the family against whom this rape allegation is made and the person on whom the crime is supposed to have been perpetrated.I have every faith in the police and I await the conclusion of their investigation,ﾒ he said.
Yesterday, FNM Leader Tommy Turnquest urged the media to ask more ﾓprobingﾒ questions of Mr. Roberts, who has admitted to knowing the alleged victim.
The FNM has called for Mr. Robertﾴs resignation under Prime Minister Perry Christieﾴs Ethics Code that requires all government Members of Parliament to maintain the highest standards in public life.
Tosheena Robinson-Blair, The Bahama Journal
