Minnis: PM’s reaction to threats is ‘overkill’

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter.

jrussell@tribunemedia.net.

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ reaction to recent death threats is “overkill”, noting it’s not uncommon for a Prime Minister to receive such threats.

Dr Minnis made these comments after he was asked about the death threats made against Mr Davis on Friday to his office, which prompted a full-blown investigation.

He told reporters when he was in office he also was threatened on multiple occasions, as he suggested Davis’ response to the incident was an “overkill”.

“I’ve always carried on with my normal life but this Prime Minister is obviously threatened by the people. He brought out the entire police force almost. I mean, what is there to fear? What is there to fear? I do not condone violence; I do not support violence. I feel that prime ministers should be protected, all right. But I thought it was an overkill,” Dr Minnis said.

Dr Minnis argued that every former Prime Minister at some point has been threatened. However, he said he has never seen others take on intense security measures such as Mr Davis.

“When I was in the chair, I was threatened on multiple occasions. And, of course, I didn’t report it to my aides until (the) last minute, after several expressions of wanting to kill me. And they said I needed to take it more serious. And then they subsequently reported to (the) Commissioner of Police.”

He added: “But I’m sure every Prime Minister would have been threatened at some point in time. I’ve never seen any taken security to this extent. Certainly I have not when I’ve been threatened.”

Dr Minnis said if a Prime Minister no longer feels safe then that means it is time to go.

“I am of the view that when a Prime Minister feels that he can no longer, he no longer feels safe among his own people. That’s time to go.”

Meanwhile, when contacted for comment yesterday, Bahamas Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander called the death threats against Mr Davis “unacceptable.”

Bishop Fernander said: “We can disagree, have different opinions and beliefs and party. But we cannot get to the point that we are disagreeable or want to do harm to someone else because they don’t accept our position or might not do things that we want.”

Bishop Fernander stressed there’s a better way of doing things rather than threatening someone, adding death threats against Mr Davis should not be tolerated.

The incident has since raised several questions as from where the threatening calls came.

Additionally, during an emergency press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister on Friday, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said officers could not rule out the possibility that last week’s demonstration led by Coalition of Independents leader Lincoln Bain outside Parliament could be connected to Friday’s incident.

A group of Bahamians, led by Mr Bain, protested outside Parliament on February 1 about the immigration “crisis” in the country.

A video of the protest circulated on social media.

In the video, a man in the crowd is heard threatening to kill Mr Davis.

However, Mr Bain told The Tribune on Sunday he finds it “ridiculous” that people would seek to blame last week’s protest as the catalyst for threats being made to the nation’s leader, insisting the party would never incite people to do such a thing.

“I find it ridiculous that they connect a protest to something that happened days later, and we don’t understand why they would even try to connect them.”

“The commissioner said that he cannot rule it out and that it could be a COI member, but he can’t rule it out that it would be a PLP member or FNM member or a member of any other organisation,” he said.

Comments

M0J0 says...

Life is something that can never be taken for a joke, any threat to it should be taken seriously. COI leader should be condemning the actual video instead of trying to throw the focus elsewhere.

Posted 7 February 2023, 8:55 a.m. Suggest removal

birdiestrachan says...

Doc Minnis falls way short, he lacks good basic common sense , a master full liar and a hypocrite Of the highest order

Posted 7 February 2023, 11:48 a.m. Suggest removal

ted4bz says...

I thought this subject would be pretty much worn out and dead by now. I guess the people favor distraction over fixing things. True, so distract them then.

Posted 7 February 2023, 3:48 p.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Amongst standout legacy of the former premiership of Thee Mr. Minnis governances' failures would be the Reds, disregard of preparations and response to Hurricane Dorian, Freeport economics hardships and its denial of those who **'should've been invited to take the Oath of Citizenship,** ---- By 'not waiving' on 'compassionate grounds' that, ---- resulted in applicants' being 'prevented' from obtaining the proper documentation required of taking the Oath of Citizenship, ---- Tis hard read to get to understand documentation was denied to them, ---- Yes?

Posted 7 February 2023, 3:50 p.m. Suggest removal

Hoda says...

The PLP does not have a strong record either on any of those things.

Posted 7 February 2023, 4:41 p.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

But **'Fog and Mist'** differ by how far the two governing political parties see through them, ---- Yes?

Posted 7 February 2023, 5:22 p.m. Suggest removal

Hoda says...

Threats should be taken seriously. Plp party aupportes have also made threats against people, done dangerous things, including putting pics of ppl homes and online. In short, both sides of the divide have moments of imbecility and childness.

Posted 7 February 2023, 4:43 p.m. Suggest removal

birdiestrachan says...

Doc Minnis is wrong and their is no excuse for his statments , he proves himself to be a real dullard , when he looks in the glass he can truly say ! God made ugly but he does not like it, he should hang his head In shame provided he has that kind sense
i

Posted 7 February 2023, 7:09 p.m. Suggest removal

SP says...

PM Davis is throwing this, death threats, and anything else including the kitchen sink against the wall in a desperate attempt to change the narrative away from the Haitian invasion!

Your feeble efforts cannot work Brave because our country is so inundated with Haitians they are the first people Bahamians run into every day and all damn day!

We see and hear more Haitians than Bahamians in most of our country.

Pindling must have seen this coming prompting him to say **"if Bahamians are not willing to fight for their country, they don't deserve to have it."**

Well, it is now the time to fight!

Posted 8 February 2023, 6:33 a.m. Suggest removal

mandela says...

If Doc had any death threats made against him while he was in power we all would have known and felt it because he would have locked down the entire country for days.

Posted 8 February 2023, 8:36 a.m. Suggest removal

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