Bishop accuses Mitchell of bullying and deception

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

BISHOP Walter Hanchell has accused Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell of “bullying, deceiving, and demeaning” anyone who opposes the constitutional referendum.

Bishop Hanchell, chairman of the group Citizens for Justice, said proponents of the ‘no’ vote have been called ignorant, stupid, unchristian and homophobic just for “having a difference of opinion”.

“Now Fred Mitchell has said that pastors who oppose these wicked bills are frightening and deceiving people as if people do not have a mind of their own to choose,” Bishop Hanchell said in a statement.

However, he accused the YES Bahamas campaign of “deception” and attempting to “brainwash the weak among us” through its frequent television and radio ads.

“Rather than attack the gatekeepers of our nation, Mr Mitchell needs to stop bullying, deceiving and demeaning those who have a right to disagree with these bills placed before the Bahamian voters,” the statement said.

“This is the same Fred Mitchell who in 2002 angrily told Bahamians to vote ‘no’ in the gender equality referendum because Article 15 ensures that men and women are equal and the referendum is unnecessary. If it was true then, it is true now.”

Bishop Hanchell also rejected that claim that women in The Bahamas do not have equal rights and also said that “most women” do not want to be equal to men.

“Nobody can honestly say that women in The Bahamas do not have equal rights as men. To the contrary, our laws favour women in this area. There is absolutely nothing a woman cannot do or have in The Bahamas that is available to men,” he said.

“The playing field has already been levelled. Women are equal with men but function in a different role. While certain countries have promoted general equality, gender neutrality has evolved. Most women do not want to lose their difference and in The Bahamas, most women value the headship of men, not the dominance and do not want to be like a man as clearly communicated by Dame Joan Sawyer.”

Last Wednesday, Mr Mitchell spoke out against religious leaders opposing the four referendum bills, claiming that their “deceptive campaign” against the gender equality vote is “a sin”.

He also insisted that some pastors are using “false stories” to frighten Bahamians into voting against their “own interest”.

The Fox Hill MP implored his constituents to vote “yes” to all four questions on the ballot, asserting that success of the referendum would be in the best interest of all Bahamians.

Comments

birdiestrachan says...

Bishop Women do not have the same rights to pass on their citizen ship to their husbands the same way men do. How is it you overlooked that fact? Many will vote NO. but not because of you Pastors, But because of their own convictions . try to remain humble Pastors play their part and politicians play theirs. Leave the politics out of your attacks. on Mr, Mitchell. as in your reference to 2002.

Posted 6 June 2016, 10:22 p.m. Suggest removal

viewersmatters says...

okay agreed but isnt that the only thing in the Bahamas that a woman can do that a man can not do(pass citizenship onto their spouse) in The Bahamas women has way more right than any man women are the heads of basically everything and us men out of due love, respect and honor for our women we sit comfortably allowing woman to lead and head every day lives, women are outthere working hard to get where they want to be with hard sweat tears and muscle aches i think its an insult to say women are not equal to men in the Bahamas after all that our women has done for us and the far way that women has taking Bahamas in the path of righteousness and honor.

Posted 7 June 2016, 9:41 a.m. Suggest removal

cmiller says...

What the pastor said about Mitchell is the view of many, many Bahamians. Fred is an arrogant bully!!!!

Posted 7 June 2016, 7:16 a.m. Suggest removal

TruePeople says...

For real tho - Let people vote for what them think, bunch a ppl goin on like they can rule people minds on both sides
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt5ZkP5…

Posted 7 June 2016, 8:40 a.m. Suggest removal

viewersmatters says...

women are the lead in our country and if most women feel that they need more right let the result be shown at the poles and let the guys sit and listen to women and show and give the women full support in the referendum bills regardless of how we feel becaue without women us men are weak and we need our women, but as a married couple residing in the Bahaams my wife would isnt supporting bills one and two we both are Bahamian citizens rasing a blessed Family and i am not that crazy to force her to support bill 3 because who would a married man want to have children outside of his marriage in this marriage we are both sharing and maintaining equal right among ourselves and working as a great team to raise our children who we are seeking to be the future leaders of the Bahamas. let our children be the leaders and because we dont want to continue to grow up watching our children work under anyone at all mainly foreigners, let our children have equal right to every office and contracts in the Bahamas give our children a future in the Bahamas and not be driven out of their own country by anyone.

Posted 7 June 2016, 9:49 a.m. Suggest removal

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