The Tribune

“They came first for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. And then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up.”

These were the words of the Rev Martin Niemoeller, a Protestant minister who spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in a German concentration camp.

Today in our democratic Bahamas there are many frightened Bahamians — Bahamians who fear losing their jobs, not because of their lack of expertise, but because of their politics. Many, are quietly cowering in their homes, hoping that the knock of doom will not stop at their door.

In the North Abaco bye-election former prime minister Ingraham said that “even now they (the PLP) are intimidating voters … even now they are promising to victimize those who don’t support them … they are telling people that if they don’t vote PLP, they will abandon North Abaco.”

We are amazed at the number of Bahamians – mainly young Bahamians – who have stopped us, or friends of ours, to express concern for their country. Never before — even in the worst days of the Pindling regime — have we had Bahamians apologise for voting the wrong way. “We believed them,” many told us, “but they lied to us.”

“You hear me? We in a mess and it’s scary!” another remarked.

One young man told one of our reporters that he was hopeful of getting a job in one of the corporations. Asked if he had applied, he cheerfully remarked that he was getting in through the back door. “You see,” he said cheerfully, “I was told if I voted PLP, I would get the job. I voted PLP.” Apparently qualifications were not a consideration. So far he does not have the job.

We heard so many voices of discontent and whispers of fear coming out of North Eleuthera that we sent a reporter in to move among the people. Many talked, but not for attribution.

They claim that their new administrator has arrived with a mandate. It is said he has already suspended one civil servant “without proper authorisation.” Apparently he has told them that he is there to “clean up”, but they fear that he is overstepping his authority.

Although our reporter recorded many complaints against Mr Jolton Johnson, Local Government Minister V Alfred Gray claims he has heard none of them. However, Mr Gray confirmed that “if he (Mr Johnson) makes a decision in the interest of the government, we will support him.” There was no suggestion that the interest of Bahamians would be considered or that Bahamians would be treated equally. Of course, Prime Minister Perry Christie has made that delicate point very clear — the PLP are on the inside and have his ear; the FNM are on the outside, and will have to petition him for their just due. May 7 cleaved our society in two — the haves and the have nots – the PLP vs the FNM.

This really is the core difference between the PLP and the FNM — something that voters will have to remember when they go to the polls on Monday in the North Abaco bye-election.

“As I have said over and again,” said Mr Ingraham, “we are different, distinctly different. In office, we did for every Family Island and community regardless of how they voted. We did for all Bahamians, because we are the party that believes in Bahamians. The other side only believes in PLPs.” As one deceased Cabinet minister bluntly expressed it during the Pindling administration: “We only looking out for PLPs.”

According to Mr Gray as local administrator, Mr Johnson is a representative of the central government. Translated this must mean that Mr Johnson is carrying out the wishes of central government.

However, according to former House Speaker Alvin Smith who for years was the MP for North Eleuthera, Mr Johnson has no authority to remove civil servants without permission from Nassau. Mr Smith said that he too had heard that Mr Johnson had threatened “all these persons who campaigned for the FNM.”

“He is only the administrator, but he acts as though he is the minister for the whole island,” said Mr Smith.

However, what concerns the residents the most is Mr Johnson’s habit of carrying his gun on his person. Although a gun comes with his office, apparently other administrators have kept it locked in the office safe. Not so Mr Johnson. Apparently wherever he goes in public, so goes the gun.

We find it difficult to believe — if even half the reports brought back by our reporter are true — that this is the same Jolton Johnson, who seemed to be such an accommodating gentleman when he did research in New Providence’s Archives department several years ago.

In his recent address in Abaco, Mr Ingraham listed several civil servants who were being victimised – Cephas Cooper, former Family Island Administrator in Marsh Harbour, and his wife, a teacher; Maxine Duncombe, former Family Island Administrator in Mangrove Cay, Andros; Ejnar Cornish, the Domestic Investment Manager of BAIC based in Abaco, and Benjamin Pinder, Family Island Administrator in Sandy Point.

A caller yesterday reminded us: “Mr Ingraham must have forgotten Angela Pratt Rolle, administrator of Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama, who was brought to Nassau and is still twiddling her thumbs on administrative leave without any explanation.”

And so goes our nation — repeating one of the ugliest periods of Bahamian history.