By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement (FNM) deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright has blasted the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (BCB) for what he called an “undemocratic and offensive” decision to cut short a live interview with the party’s candidate for West Grand Bahama and Bimini Omar Isaacs.

In a statement, Mr Cartwright said the decision “was an affront to democratic principles and free speech”, adding: “Censorship will not be accepted by the Bahamian people and has no place in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”

He said the Broadcasting Corporation has a duty to promote diverse opinions and protect free speech, not restrict it. He said the BCB owes the Bahamian people and Mr Isaacs an apology.

Mr Cartwright’s statement follows Mr Isaacs’ accusation that state broadcaster ZNS engaged in political interference when his live interview on Power 104.5FM’s Man to Man talk show was abruptly cut short on Wednesday.

Mr Isaacs said the appearance was approved by station officials a week earlier following his official ratification as the FNM candidate. According to him, the programme was interrupted less than ten minutes in when one of the hosts was called out of the studio and the show went to commercial.

When the programme resumed, Mr Isaacs said the hosts told him they had been instructed to avoid political discussions, even though no political topics had been raised. He agreed to speak instead on community issues, including poor road conditions, delays in opening a middle school, and a shortage of pharmaceuticals at the West Grand Bahama clinic.

Moments later, the interview was cut off again. “The door opened again, and a man did the neck and hand signal and said cut it,” Mr Isaacs recalled, adding that he believed the person was an engineer. “I think it was politically motivated. The host and co-host mentioned to me that they got a call from Nassau.”

The programme, which normally runs for 90 minutes, was pulled after about 35 to 40 minutes. Mr Isaacs said the hosts were “visibly upset” and apologised, describing the incident as “a disgrace.”

“They felt bad and embarrassed because they followed all the proper protocols, and they pulled the plug on them just because of me,” he said.

Mr Isaacs also criticised ZNS for insisting that he could only appear after ratification. “I don’t think a publicly owned radio station and platform should operate in such a manner,” he said.

Attempts to reach Allison Smith, assistant director at ZNS 3 in Freeport, have been unsuccessful.