The Tribune

By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

ONE day before the anniversary of the Free National Movement's landslide electoral victory, a group of protestors gathered in Rawson Square to demonstrate against the Minnis administration.

Police officers estimated that 50 protestors were in attendance, representing the organisation Operation Sovereign Bahamas.

The protestors had signs which read "Ban Oban," "No to WTO," "Protect our children," and "No more shanty towns!"

"Everything this government is doing is ad hoc," OSB director Adrian Francis said, while promising to stand up for all Bahamians.

Mr Francis, a radio talk show host whose programme was cancelled by government-owned broadcaster ZNS earlier this year, also criticised the planned Oban Energies oil refinery for Grand Bahama and said he is worried about its potential health impacts.

He also criticised the country's economic state as well as the prime minister.

"When (Dr Minnis) talks to the press, he speaks to us like we are crazy, like we're nothing," he said.

"Everything that he claims (Perry) Christie was, he is. Everything the last government said, they're doing."

He claimed the government has not kept its election promises.

Pineridge MP Frederick McAlpine addressed the march outside Parliament yesterday.

"You have a right to protest, once you do so decently and in order," he said.

"You have a right to hold your government accountable and transparent, and we should have no problem.

"The Free National Movement should have no problem with nobody protesting because after all they are people, and it's the people's time."

Mr McAlpine also addressed the Oban Energies controversy, reiterating his previous concerns.

"I think it's very bad for the environment, I think it's messing up our virgin territory of beaches, the air, and sand, and sea, and our vegetation life, in the eastern area, and so my views have not changed," the FNM backbencher said.

"There's been many question marks and even though there have been reports about the industrial area as to not being the cause of, again by way of perception, many people don't believe that to be the case.

"And so my view on Oban is that the environment must be priority before doing any investment, not just that of Oban, but any investment that may be an endangerment to with the people and our land area and sea, wildlife, must have a question mark over it."

Mr McAlpine also spoke to the importance of Grand Bahama experiencing an "economic infusion".

"Grand Bahama has the potential to be touristic, industrial, a tech hub… but at the same time, let's just get it moving.

"Grand Bahama don't need 50 jobs or 100 jobs, Grand Bahama needs an economic infusion, and not at the expense of destroying the lives of people.

"So, we don't need just jobs, we need jobs that's going to get at least 2,000-3,000 people to work in order for Grand Bahama to feel the turn around and the economic impact that it needs to have."