'This incident will do more harm than good to the country'

Thursday, July 16, 2020

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party blamed Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday after three tourists accused of violating his COVID-19 emergency orders were discharged.

Ikrame Kanane, 25, Rana Kenawy, and Mariam Mohamed Hassen, 18, made headlines when photos showing them scaling a locked fence at Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island last Friday spread on social media. Yesterday in court they claimed an officer gave them permission to go on a local beach on Independence Day.

People across social media were shocked at the discharge. Some said Bahamians would not have been let off so easily. PLP chairman Fred Mitchell said in a statement: “Needless to say, this trial will attract international attention. Tourists who visited the Bahamas because of its advertised sun, sand and sea tourism product were hauled before the courts for enjoying sun, sand and sea all because of a bad decision by a singular competent authority. This incident will do more harm than good to the country’s tourism product and brand, not to mention our international reputation.

“The PLP again calls on the competent authority to allow expert medical and scientific evidence to drive all of his decisions if he is to expect continued cooperation from an increasingly exasperated and frustrated public.”

Mr Mitchell said the discharge of tourists was an embarrassment for the government and that the matter was a waste of time and resources for police and the courts.

“So nonsensical are some of these emergency orders by the so-called competent authority that the government is challenged and hard pressed to get the law enforcement officers to enforce some of them or to understand what they are,” he said. “We note the decision of the police to place handcuffs on the persons charged. We have made the point before that the use of these and other restraints when there appears to be no violence or record of flight seems over the top and may be unconstitutional. In any event it is a terrible image for tourism in the Bahamas. The tourism ministry must be having a fit.”

Yesterday, Free National Movement Chairman Carl Culmer hit out at the PLP for trying to “gain political points” from a judge’s decision.

“It’s disappointing to see the PLP would try to gain political points on a magistrate making a decision,” Mr Culmer told this newspaper. “The government’s job is to be the legislator. Unlike the PLP, the government can’t control the courts. We allow the courts to work without interference. If the PLP was looking around different countries, they would see that many countries are closing their beaches so we can’t bury our heads in the sand and work in a vacuum and don’t expect consequences. All of the prime minister’s decisions are in the best interest of the Bahamian people.”

Comments

themessenger says...

If Fred Mitchell is half the lawyer he thinks he is in his own mind then he should know that the Courts decision has nothing to do with either the Prime Minister or the government.
When the PM or the government can overrule the decisions of the Court indiscriminately or without appeal then we have a bigger problem than covid.

Posted 16 July 2020, 6:02 p.m. Suggest removal

My2Cents says...

He didn’t attribute the damage to the courts and their decision. He blamed the PM for making decisions without scientific or medical data and justification for doing so, which is exactly what he did with the holiday weekend beach closure. Read the article again.

Posted 16 July 2020, 6:38 p.m. Suggest removal

Hoda says...

Well before we even arrive at that discussion there was a locked gate, a sign that said the beach is closed and a video recording of them indicating that they could read and understood that the beach was closed. Let little only black me go to boston hoping locked gates on camera.

Posted 16 July 2020, 7:16 p.m. Suggest removal

Topdude says...

Quite to the contrary, this incident will redound to the advantage of the Bahamas and further enhance its image, especially with respect to being extra cautious about preventing the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Just look at what is happening in Florida, California, Louisiana, Texas and North Carolina right now where the officials were not proactive in enforcing the closure of beaches and maintaining the anti-COVID-19 safety protocols.

Mr. Mitchell, aka the Bahamian Butterflap cum Buttigeig , should shut his mouth on this one and reserve his comments for a more worthy cause.

Often times when a Government has to be proactive on a decision that will save lives it is faced with an unpopular decision with those who cannot see life beyond yesterday.

I am certain if Mr. Mitchell can familiarize himself with the latest casualties and fatalities in countries with beaches he will recognize he is making a mountain out of a mole hill on this one.

As I keep reminding everyone being a leader requires foresight, determination and integrity, qualities being clearly demonstrated by our Honorable Prime Minister.

Posted 16 July 2020, 6:04 p.m. Suggest removal

birdiestrachan says...

It is my hope that Culmer and the post on this sight are not serious. They make no sense
To open your borders to The USA with so many COVID 19 Cases. Allow people to come
on airplanes with no social distancing. and then close the beach. It is dumb , plain DUMB

Then to have those small young women handcuff with a huge woman holding on to them
is a national disgrace. A black mark on the Bahamas.

It is safer to go to the beach. the clean fresh air, That is what the reports say.

The competent Authority does not know what he is doing.

Posted 16 July 2020, 6:22 p.m. Suggest removal

CatIslandBoy says...

I am sure the PM is responsible for this scenario.........

Posted 16 July 2020, 6:28 p.m. Suggest removal

I agree with Mr. Mitchell 100%. The decision by the competent authority to close the beaches simply because he thought the Bahamian people would misbehave lead to this embarrassing incident. This statement has nothing to do with politics. Mitchell or Alfred Sears would definitely give Minnis a run for his money were they elected PLP party leader prior to the election.

Posted 16 July 2020, 6:42 p.m. Suggest removal

moncurcool says...

Only in the Bahamas we have idiots like Mitchell who will try to make a political issue out of this.

Posted 16 July 2020, 6:47 p.m. Suggest removal

SP says...

**STFU Fred**.....Closing the beaches was unfortunate and disappointing for everybody, however, given the situation it was the right thing to do.

The courts had absolutely no problem charging unemployed, poor, struggling Bahamians ridiculous fines for breaking COVID guidelines just trying to survive, but discharged foreigners for breaking the rules?

How is this fair? Why do Bahamians always get shafted-over and foreigners always get away scot-free?

Posted 16 July 2020, 7:17 p.m. Suggest removal

While Culmer and those who defend utter foolish . Look back and remember the members
of the house of assembly right now. who stood at this same site while this fence was broken
down. what happened to that?

It is foolish to open your borders and close the beach. It is plain madness.

it is also wrong to make up different laws . different days when ever the competent feels
like making a law.

Posted 16 July 2020, 8:31 p.m. Suggest removal

proudloudandfnm says...

Good then maybe the morons who want to go on vacation during a pandemic will find somewhere else to go... Death rate steadily climbing in the US again.

Posted 17 July 2020, 10:24 a.m. Suggest removal