EDITOR, The Tribune.

Like many Bahamians, I watched several clips circulated on social media on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. As I watched, I was very disturbed to see what was transpiring and now find it not only necessary to put pen to paper, but important to do so.

I watched some clips over and over again to grasp the reality of what was taking place and I now need to have some answers.

Is a permit required to be on a public beach? Does an exercise group, a prayer group, association or club gathering on the beach need permission to do so? I am not talking about hosting a cook-out, for which there are requirements, I am talking about just gathering to fellowship or “hang out”. When did it become illegal for Bahamians to gather at the beach? I am not looking at this with political eyes because right now the only colours I am seeing is Aquamarine Gold and Black. Bahamians, wake up. Eighteen persons arrested and hauled away like animals from a public beach. They were not on private property, they were told to go to the beach and then herded like cattle.

I watched in dismay as the lady was manhandled to the ground by officers and then forced into a bus on the very day that CARICOM chose to present Dame Janet Bostwick with an award for her long-time and ongoing struggle for women’s rights and I shed a tear. Tears for the hypocrisy of an administration that would utter such directives to our law enforcement officers to arrest and deprive its citizens of their constitutional rights of freedom of speech and freedom of movement. Who were they disturbing on the beach? Who could have even heard their protests on the beach if they were so doing? We must be careful what message we give to the world.

When the leaders of a country, under normal conditions, try to restrict the movements, speech and rights of its citizenry, it is a blatant breach of their fundamental and constitutional rights. There is no state of emergency and no need for restriction of movement. There is no threat to the security of delegates from or by the Bahamian people and our armed forces have measures in place to provide more than adequate protection. So why mistreat Bahamians at a time when Caricom is trying to find a resolve to the pending issues of sister countries.

Bahamians, we are a passive people but there comes a time when we must stand up, stand together and speak up for our rights and the rights of Bahamians yet unborn.

While we are celebrating our 50th anniversary of Independence, and it is a milestone, the Bahamas is still struggling and trying to recover from a worldwide pandemic that had great economic downfall in the region and the world. We are trying to recover and need assistance in certain areas like some other countries in this region, yet we find it necessary to pull money out of thin air to resurface and touch up roads that the Caricom delegates would travel. We forget the daily cries and pleas of the Joe-blow citizens for potholes to be fixed and roads resurfaced in areas that are travelled every day, every week, every month by Bahamians. We throw caution to the wind and spend what we don’t have to entertain and impress by hosting a meeting that was scheduled for Suriname. We give the false impression that we have it all together when so many of our people are hurting and in need. Bahamian people … not PLPs, FNMs, DNAs, COIs, Bahamians.

Let the Region see that we have potholes and uneven surfaces. Let them see that we have people living on the streets. Let them see that we have food banks and charities feeding the hungry and less fortunate. Let them see that while we may be a little better off, we are not as rich as we pretend to be. Let them see that we too, need a little help.

Yesterday was indeed a wake-up call for us and I do hope that some serious thought and consideration is given by this administration for the way people are treated in a Democratic Society while trying to have their voices heard.

This land is your land, this land is my land … this is our Bahamaland. May freedom always reign and may God bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

Vanessa A Scott, JP

Nassau,

February 16, 2023