Bran calls for calm heads in controversy

As of Friday, August 23, 2013

Branville McCartney

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance leader Branville McCartney called for “calm and sensible heads” to prevail in the Cuban detainee abuse controversy.

Mr McCartney, who served as State Minister for Immigration in the previous FNM government, noted that for the most part, Cuban nationals leave their country searching for certain freedoms they do not enjoy at home.

“They are in search of democracy and they seek political asylum,” he said. “Unlike other countries in this region, the Cuban government is very reluctant for their citizens to leave their country.

“We have heard just recently from the president of Haiti that visited our Prime Minister on his birthday that persons leave Haiti in search of employment.

“This seems to be encouraged by the Haitian government, unlike Cuba. When Cubans who are seeking political asylum are sent back to Cuba we do not know what a communist country does to those persons.

“The Democratic National Alliance believes that this is indeed a very sensitive issue and moving forward, we as a country must look at and consider this issue of political asylum in greater detail.”

Mr McCartney said the latest allegations of abuse at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre are “very concerning for our country”.

“It has sparked international attention, particularly in Florida where there has been demonstrations against the Bahamas. There was a video presented depicting the alleged abuse and there have been placards and billboards throughout South Florida attacking our country and our prime minister and asserting that persons boycott the Bahamas. This is not good for our country and a resolution must be had as soon as possible,” he said.

However, Mr McCartney said the DNA does not believe that any government of the Bahamas, past or present, condones abuse or torture of anyone, whether they are here legally or otherwise.

“We have seen where our governments, past and present, have really bent over backwards to accommodate those persons coming to the Bahamas illegally. Having the honour and privilege to serve for 2 1/2 years as the minister responsible for immigration in the Bahamas, although there were allegations of abuse and inhumane treatment, I can say with certainty that I did not see any abuse or inhumane treatment.

“Abuse and inhumane treatment would not have been allowed under the former administration and I am quite certain that it is not allowed under the present administration.

“It is not the Bahamian governments, past and present, mandate to abuse foreign nationals in any form or fashion. They do not set an agenda for that to happen.”

TalRussell 11 years, 4 months ago

And ...in conclusion? You know what Comrade Bran what you just said goes to prove to Bahamalanders, that even with your two balls, you couldn't match the leadership skills of any one nut of hanging from a Pindling, Christie, Ingraham or even a Cecil. You just don't have what it takes to be a leader of the high caliber, that we Bahamalanders have become used to. You gotta one big mouth but no damn guts. That's how i read you ...all sack and no balls ... and I'm stick'in with it.

ThisIsOurs 11 years, 4 months ago

Tal, youre attacking the messenger here... What he said here doesn't have any controversial elements...I agree with him...it would be crazy for me to believe that Perry Christie or Fred Mitchell wanted any abuse to happen

This situation highlights what management personnel know worldwide people are both your greatest assets and your greatest faults. This incidence of abuse was most likely conducted by one or two small men who took out their anger on helpless individuals in their care. On a broader scale, we see it happening time and time again in our society, against women, kids and sometimes other men. (Too many angry young and old men)

I've said it before but this shouldn't just be dismissed just as grumbling of people who dont love the Bahamas...I really hope I don't see a Bahamas covers up torture of political refugees story on Rachel Maddow any time soon

concernedcitizen 11 years, 4 months ago

GOOD OBJECTIVE POST

WinstonSmith 11 years, 4 months ago

Don't you think a Rachel Maddow special might just be the coverage we need to have these problems addressed? What is the solution? Sweep injustice and human right violations under the rug because we need money?

spoitier 11 years, 4 months ago

What Branville said goes beyond politics, this is what I'm looking for in a leader, not someone who would go all in with the country with a 10, 2 unsuited just to get the next government out of power. This is exactly why the Bahamas is loosing it, because if someone says or do the right thing then they don't have the balls.

concernedcitizen 11 years, 4 months ago

floridas gdp is over 700 billion ,they can survive w/ out our spending ,and since Raul Castro removed the "white card" for cubans to travel more of them are shopping there and returning home ,,,for the first time in 50 yrs theres is a direct friegth boat from tampa to cuba ,,our gdp is 11 billion ,our budget yearley is 1..2 billion w/ 700 million going to the civil service ,if we lose 15%of our U/S tourist we can not pay our civil service w/ out borrowing until our dollar is devalued ,,wait until you see crime then ,,we need the U/S 1000 times more then they need our spending in florida ,that is reality ,,

concernedcitizen 11 years, 4 months ago

do you realize 400,000 thousand americans visited cuba last year thru the cultural exchange program ,and our stopover visitors are down ,,,all the cubans that get to the states don,t work and suck off the tax payer ??the congress women is head of the select commitee on foriegn affairs ,,,,,,,,,,,didn,t PING have to let the DEA in ,aren,t we bending and signing FACTA,S ,,,although it feels good to puff up our chest as long as the U/S provides 80% of our revenues they the boss ,,when you were a boy and your daddy paid the bills could you tell him how to run his house ??remember when the women from the embassy got robbed they closed down getting visa for about a week ,didn,t freddy have to sign to send ninety in the middle of the night after they nearly backed up the airport to village road by putting only one customs officer on and all the tourist started complaning ,,,your right this may not piss uncle sam off ,but keep giving the finger to powerful senators and it won,t belong before the bitch slap comes ,,

concernedcitizen 11 years, 4 months ago

Tourism is the major thing holding us togeather, and remember when you say the FMN and PLP are imbecles they came from us Bahamians not mars , surely all of them couldn,t have been that dumb and not know what they were doing ..What are you saying about us ..Sun ,sand and sea is what we got to sell.. Dude there not better ,but we are dependant on them, not them on us shopping there ,,and w/ out them coming we have no money to shop there ,,i am now old enough to be a realist and a pragmatist . i have enough of earned self esteem to accept reality w/ out it being determental to my identity ...You talk in absolutes,however i wish those 400,000 americans that visited Cuba last year would have chosen us as there tropical vacation ...

concernedcitizen 11 years, 4 months ago

cuba did 3 million stopover visitors last year ,we did 1,3 stopover ,and thats w/ out cuba having full access to the U/S ,,you think w/ out tourism you could survive ,,,you better make enough to afford an army b/c if only you have an income you.ll need it ,,what else do we have beside sun ,sand and sea ,and offshore banking that we are signing away in treatys ,,condos ,second homes ?/thats still selling sun sand and sea ,,residency for tax reasons ,,10% of gdp ,,secomd homes 10% tourism 80% ,,what else we got oh wise one ??

concernedcitizen 11 years, 4 months ago

OK if you say so ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

ThisIsOurs 11 years, 4 months ago

If we know their govt murders people why would we be so happy to send those migrants back? ....just saying...

WinstonSmith 11 years, 4 months ago

I'm so sick of seeing every discussion regarding human rights violations boil down to, "We cannot allow this to happen because we need tourist dollars." This is about ethics people, not economy. If you cost/benefit analysis of the situation places monetary interests ahead of human rights, you are the problem.

concernedcitizen 11 years, 4 months ago

Read how many post i said how we as a people use physical force as away of conflict resolution from our child rearing,to our love relationships ,to our policing ,,We are losing respect for the sanctity of human life and physical well being ,,

concernedcitizen 11 years, 4 months ago

3 months for a report Rory ,are our investigators that inept .PGC does not know exactly what Minnis has and if he has cronies,retired judge and clergy, release a 'white washed " version it could blow up in his face ..Come on the PM can,t get a investigation done in three months ,,,its called buying time ..

concernedcitizen 11 years, 3 months ago

Bucket trucks , cameras ,Bengazi,,,,,,,,,,WE are talking about the dentention center ,where the PM said in fridays guardian that people went to the hospital ..Could you maybe fathom that Minis has prove but wants to see how far the denials will go ..Back away from emotion ,and kookoos on U TUBE and reason for a bit ,,,,,,,,,,,

paul_vincent_zecchino 11 years, 3 months ago

Happened to hear Mr. McCartney interviewed on Direct Impact (?) on ZNS-1 while visiting last Thursday morning. He made plenty of sense and seemed logical and reasonable in his presentation.

Mr. McCartney's concerns expressed re illegal immigration and shanty towns echoed those expressed by many Americans for our own country.

Uncannily identical to Americans' concerns was his stated belief that those who could do something about this apparently abstain from taking action as it may benefit them in some unpublicized manner.

A pleasure to read this gentleman's remarks.

alexispeack 10 years, 9 months ago

BSP has already made statements that they are open to supporting Modi. Is not a big jump for them to support NDAhttp://tdgamesonline.com/profile/ponygi…">. That is Orissa seats. That will still put them at 237http://demos.addicted-to-web.com/avarca…">.

I think Congress may not get that many seats, seems like an awful lot, what if they get a Delhi style beating?

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