Two months ago, Dexter Johnson, founder and leader of the newly-formed Bahamian National Party (BNP), accused the government of being more aligned with communist ideologies rather than democratic principles.
Charging that the party, throughout its history always had a strong anti-free speech, information-suppressing element, Mr Johnson told The Guardian yesterday that the PLP was very skilful in promoting that kind of old-world, tyrannical control over Bahamians.
He said the government has yet to release the findings of a report into the deadly Jan. 17 prison break. Superintendent of Her Majesty’s Prison Dr Elliston Rahming, after being probed, admitted that undue force had been used against the recaptured inmates.
The public has also not heard the results of the investigation into the Feb. 7 alleged beating of Univision journalist Mario Vallejo. Mr Vallejo was reportedly attacked and beaten by Defence Force officers while shooting footage of Cubans inside the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Mark Wilson, said yesterday that the report was sent to the Attorney General’s Office for review and would be released at a later date. He added, “The government proposes to keep its word on that and the way it proposes to do it is that a minister will be making a communication in Parliament.”
However, in response to the Permanent Secretary, Mr Johnson said, “There are things going on that need to be investigated by some impartial entity like an ombudsman. Too many reports are promised and they never come forward, and when they do come forward, it’s in a watered down version.
“If you ask me to do a report on myself, naturally it’s going to take a long time until you forget about it and if I do produce it, I’ll water it down. An ombudsman would be an institution that would investigate such incidents totally and impartially and produce a report in a timely fashion because you don’t have entities investigating themselves,” he added.
Mr Johnson recalled similar information-suppressing tactics of the former Progressive Liberal Party government, saying during that party’s 25-year rule, ending in 1992, it failed to grant licences to private radio stations, fearing the airing of alternative views.
Prior to 1992, The Bahamas was the only nation in the Western Hemisphere, other than Cuba, that had no private radio or television stations.
“That was perfect for them, having absolute control and we see that creeping up again today. They like that, they don’t want to democratise the process,” he said. “I see too much of the PLP reflected in what I saw in Grenada, a socialist system where they controlled every aspect of your thought.”
But PLP Chairman Raynard Rigby hit back at Johnson’s charges, saying, “I have no time for Dexter Johnson and his foolishness. He is entitled to his opinion. His opinion in my opinion differs significantly from the PLP and that’s all I’m prepared to say.”
Mr Rigby continued, “I don’t intend to answer anything Dexter Johnson has to say. He has his view, we have ours in the PLP and if our views are different, so be it.”
By: MINDELL SMALL, The Nassau Guardian
