By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Grand Bahama Port Authority only began removing unauthorised campaign signs after the Free National Movement erected its own billboards in response to what chairman Dr Duane Sands said was the authority’s failure to address complaints about the Progressive Liberal Party’s signage.

Dr Sands said the opposition moved to install its own signage after the governing party put up billboards in apparent breach of GBPA rules, warning the FNM would “match the PLP whatever they do”.

“Freeport,” Dr Sands said, “has various ordinances, right? They have a fairly structured approach to a city, and it has resulted in Freeport having pretty high standards. The Grand Bahama Port Authority, the rules say that political paraphernalia should go up after a writ of election is called. They should be in particular places, be particular sizes and go down at a particular time.”

“The Progressive Liberal Party decided, ‘well, hey, we in charge, we can do whatever we want.’ As you know, they are a lawless organisation. They don't care anything about the law, whether it has to do with procurement or whatever it doesn't matter, they're gonna do what they're gonna do, so they put up their paraphernalia.”

Dr Sands said the FNM complained that the signage breached the rules, but no action was taken.

“We then complained that this was in contravention of the rules,” he said. “They refused to take it down. So we said, if y’all don't make them take it down, we're gonna do likewise, so we put ours up. At that point, they then decided that they would act, and so they started taking the PLP paraphernalia down. We took ours down.”

Under the Freeport (Control of Advertisements) bylaws, signage in the Port Area requires prior approval, with limited exceptions for election-related advertisements only after a writ of election is issued.

Last Friday, signs from Progressive Liberal Party candidates were placed along East Sunrise Highway and Pioneer’s Way, where both PLP and FNM signage had appeared.

The GBPA said it had engaged political parties and independent candidates ahead of the election period to outline the requirements and encourage compliance.

The authority said it removed signs it deemed unauthorised from locations across Freeport, arguing the displays violated its bylaws. The signs are being held at its Cedar Street compound for collection, it said, defending the move as lawful enforcement after some complaints that the removals amounted to theft.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said on Tuesday that he would address the issue, arguing that political campaign posters should not be removed, as they constitute free speech that should not be interfered with.