The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIANS should be “outraged” that the press have been denied permission to cover the Cuban detainee abuse hearings, FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner said yesterday.

According to a response from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, The Tribune’s request to have a reporter cover the hearings was denied “due to the sensitive nature of the case”.

Mrs Butler-Turner said that by denying the press access to the hearings, the public is being denied the right to know what happens.

The trial is not a military trial therefore it is unlawful to ban the press, she said.

“The press is a part of the democratic process,” she said. “It’s only fitting that the press be allowed. But with them being denied, are we the public being denied the right to know what is happening? I think there has been enough hiding and denial. Let the chips fall where they may and don’t deny the press access.”

“The mere fact that they are using defence attorneys makes it a trial for public record and the records must reflect this. The press should seek legal action. We should be absolutely outraged that it is being done without being open to the public, at least to the press who could lend a fair and balanced analysis of what’s happening. If this was a military trial and confined to the disciplinary bodies in the military, then I could understand, but they have persons who are observing, they have defence attorneys and others we may or may not know so this should be open to the public.”

Wayne Munroe, counsel for the marines accused of causing harm to Cuban detainees at the Detention Centre, reiterated Mrs Butler-Turner’s sentiments, saying: “A reasonable person would be concerned that the press is being excluded and three persons have been chosen to do the work of the press.”

He was referring to the fact that three “independent observers” were selected by the government to observe the conduct of the proceedings.

“Either the trial is open or closed,” said Mr Munroe. “If you are going to let in three people to ensure the integrity of the process, how is the public supposed to know what they are doing? This is just something that is not to be trusted. You say it’s going to be transparent so if it is there is no justification why this isn’t open to the press.”

“The Bahamian press has experience following instructions on sensitive matters since it reports on court cases all the time so the Ministry of National Security must explain what’s so special about these three people selected as observers that make them qualified to do the job of the press.”

Mr Munroe said he will seek judicial review concerning the arrangement of the trial.

As for the current nature of the case, he said he is still seeking to be provided with the medical report on the Cuban detainees. “We are still waiting on materials, among them the medical report which I thought would be in the possession of the Defence Force,” he said. “I don’t understand why it’s taking so long for them to give us the reports.”

Meanwhile, Democracy Movement leader Ramon Saul Sanchez said his confidence in the democratic process of the Bahamas has been shaken by the news that the press has been denied permission to cover the trial.

“The government,” he said, “should allow The Tribune or any other media to attend these proceedings not only because of the rights of people to be informed, but also for the transparency of the process itself so that if tomorrow or anytime the process reveals an innocent was accused, there would be no questions. One of the very good things I previously thought about the Bahamas was the freedom of press, how this story was able to be published in a very unbiased way. But I’m afraid the Bahamian government is getting too close to the Cuban government and suppressing the right of the press to report on something so important, that caught the attention of people nationally and internationally. They should not be employing methods that are not proper of a democratic nation. They are behaving more like a dictatorship.”

“I fear that a fair trial will not take place and we are worried questioning the integrity of the process because of the secrecy of it.”