The Tribune

PRIME Minister Perry Christie has allowed the Cuban abuse controversy to go on for far too long, FNM chairman Darron Cash charged yesterday.

He noted that the Miami-based Democracy Movement has increased pressure on the Bahamian government in an attempt to “get a definitive statement” from the Christie administration.

“Their new angles are to apply pressure to airlines and cruise ships that visit the Bahamas and supposedly focus attention on the rights of women housed at the Carmichael Road detention Centre,” Mr Cash said.

“The Free National Movement is very concerned about these proposed actions. We want to make it abundantly clear that the FNM does not support or condone the proposed steps being advocated by the Democracy Movement.

Such actions are likely to be counterproductive and could work against the best economic and social interests of all our communities.

“The FNM urges the activists to reconsider this proposed course of action. Constructive dialogue remains the best solution to this issue.

“The FNM is also obliged to once again register its strong objections to the ineffective — and perhaps even reckless — manner in which the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs continue to manage this international diplomatic incident.”

Mr Cash said the lack of transparency on the part of the Christie administration is what prompted leader of the opposition Dr Hubert Minnis to publicly raise concerns about alleged mistreatment of detainees in the detention centre.

Now, several weeks after the details of the incident that prompted the Miami demonstrations, the activists are still declaring that “we just want the government to take responsibility or make a definitive statement” about the events that happened at the detention centre.

“The government of the Bahamas has gone on record as stating that an investigation will be conducted. Yet even in the face of continuing protests, the government continues to send conflicting signals,” Mr Cash said.

“At one point, the Minister of Foreign Affairs says that an open investigation will be done and the ‘chips will fall where they may’, then the Prime Minister says that while an investigation will be done, he is offering no guarantee that the report will be released. This suggests the opposite of openness and transparency and leads to confusion. The FNM suspects that this confusion may be what is continuing to fuel the Miami protest.”