The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THIRTEEN Cuban nationals were taken to Her Majesty’s Prison after they became disorderly and attempted to burn down a dormitory at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell confirmed yesterday,

However, the attempts by the Cubans – who were part of a group of 24 being held at the centre – were thwarted by officials in the compound before any serious damage could be done, Fire Service Chief Walter Evans told The Big T. He said as a result, the fire department did not report to the scene.

Mr Mitchell explained that there was some disturbance by a group of Cubans on Thursday night and police had to be called to assist Royal Bahamas Defence Force marines who were stationed at the Detention Centre.

Mr Mitchell said while he was unsure of what sparked the incident, he could say that “this is a pattern which we have seen when there are large groups of Cuban migrants being held at the Detention Centre”.

“I can tell you that there was some agitation by a group of Cubans and the police were called to assist the Defence Force,” he said. “Thirteen of them were removed and taken to the prison and 11 others remain at the Centre.

“This is a pattern and it should not be happening because we had put in place protocols to avoid that. So an internal investigation is underway to find out what and why the incident happened.”

An official report from authorities said: “Police were called to the Detention Centre to investigate reports that a group of Cuban nationals had become disorderly and attempted to destroy the premises.

“According to reports, sometime around 9.30pm on Thursday, a group of 13 became disorderly and attempted to burn down the dormitory. Police responded to the scene at the detention centre and subdued the group without incident.”

Problems with Cuban nationals at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre are nothing new, with a previous incident bringing the Bahamas international scrutiny.

In May 2013, a group of Cuban detainees at the detention centre attempted to escape. That incident sparked allegations that the detainees had been beaten by the RBDF marines. Later on May 31, the Christie administration said during a storm, there was an attempt to escape the centre.

There was no more from the government on the issues until June, when a video turned up on a Spanish TV channel in Miami purporting to show that Cubans were being abused by Bahamian marines.

Govenrnment officials branded the video as a falsehood. It was the beginning of a firestorm of criticisms launched at the government, not only from the Free National Movement but on the international stage, with human rights groups and a Cuban exile group lambasting the Christie administration.

That group, the Democracy Movement, later staged a series of protests outside the Bahamas Consulate office in Miami and at the airport where tourists were travelling to the Bahamas.

A copy of the RBDF report into the matter was also leaked to The Tribune. It confirmed that Cuban detainees were severely beaten following an attempt to escape.

Five marines were as a result charged and are being tried in a disciplinary hearing that has not yet concluded.