By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
THE shanty town resident of Haitian descent whose “inflammatory” comments last week sparked outrage among many Bahamians said yesterday that he went into hiding because he feared death over the perceived threats.
Thirty-year-old Anson Aly, moments after being released from three days in police custody, apologised for the comments saying he did not mean what he said.
Mr Aly turned himself into authorities at the Central Detective Unit on Monday where he gave a statement. The next day he was taken to the Cable Beach Police Station where he was held until yesterday.
“When I said what I said, you know plenty people were upset,” Mr Aly told reporters outside the station.
“You know you got some people who will kill you for them type of talks. So I say, let me lay low. Then when I really think about it, I say let me turn in myself, it isn’t making no sense.
“I want all the Bahamians, everybody ... Haitian or whatever come together as one community. I don’t want the people (to) take it wrong, what I said. I don’t want you to take it to heart because I am a Bahamian citizen. I never been (to) Haiti in my life. I born here. I am certified painter and a certified mechanic.
“I want to apologise to everyone who took it the wrong way. Everybody around the Bahamian islands and everybody else that was upset and thinking, yeah, I mean a war or a threat it wasn’t like what y’all think it was. No one was on my side because I was wrong. So I can take my wrong. I apologise to the public and everyone else.
“I want all of we Bahamians, Haitians (and) Bahamians of Haitian descent, I want all of us to come as one,” he added.
During a demolition of a shanty town off Joe Farrington Road last Friday, Mr Aly who was visibly irate, told a ZNS reporter that clearing down communities like these could lead to reprisal from the Haitian community. He added that Bahamians were outnumbered by Haitian Bahamians and cautioned Bahamians not to start something they could not finish.
At one point he said he felt like putting a “Colombian necktie” on people, which is slang for cutting someone’s throat.
The comments triggered condemnation not only from Bahamian officials, but from the Haitian Embassy in Nassau.
Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade said Mr Aly was released after consultation with the Attorney General’s Office and it was found that he had not committed any offences.
Radio talk show host and Haitian Bahamian activist Louby Georges, who was at the police station to support Mr Aly, said he hoped people would move past the issue since the apology.
He said that while he realised the importance of protecting the Bahamas’ borders, Bahamians must accept people of all backgrounds for who they are.
Comments
dehavmoss 10 years ago
Anson's apology seems very sincere, but I think it is concerning that the commissioner of police said that he was satisfied that no crime was committed.
242 10 years ago
Treason?
ThisIsOurs 10 years ago
He said that while he realised the importance of protecting the Bahamas’ borders, Bahamians must accept people of all backgrounds for who they are.
And people of all backgrounds no matter who they are, a French speaking director at a top financial institution or a creole speaking resident of a shanty town, should show respect to their host country
DonAnthony 10 years ago
I for one forgive him, now let us move on together and address these serious issues afflicting our beloved nation.
SP 10 years ago
Agreed....Let's address the serious issues of the need for a Freedom Of Information Act and getting rid of the PLP and FNM!
duppyVAT 10 years ago
Many "Haitian-Bahamians" are not committed to the Bahamas. They are opportunitists and culturally identify with their Haitian roots, with the view of going on to the USA.
And that was NO apology. It was a forked tongue statement. He will be in another shanty town soon doing what most of those residents do - illegalities.
sansoucireader 10 years ago
He didn't apologize for what he said; he apologized for the public 'taking it the wrong way'. Not the same thing.
Regardless 10 years ago
Has it ever dawned on these people why they don't see boat loads of Bahamians in a massive exodus to Haiti? Do they know the history of their own country, especially Cape Haitien where most of them immigrate from? It is the scourge of Haiti and has been for hundreds of years ever since they assassinated their own liberator from France. Now they are here and this fools's words may well be prophetic!
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years ago
There are many in our country like Anson Aly who fully agree with his original remarks. They are all here thanks to Freddie Boy Mitchell's mission over many years to grant Bahamian citizenship to as many of their Haitian parents as possible in exchange for their loyalty to the PLP come election time. The Haitians and Bahamian-Haitians (whether here legally or illegally) know that they will not need to lie low for too much longer; their time is quickly coming when they will enjoy majority status in our country thanks to the likes of Perry Christie, Sean McWeeney and Freddie Boy who have for many many years now seen no wrong in selling out our country by trading Bahamian citizenship for Haitian-tainted votes at the polls during general elections. Bahamians without the passport of another country are in for a rude awakening when the predisposed pent-up violence of the Haitian community in the Bahamas is unleashed in the not too distant future. The violent crimes we complain so much about now will seem like a joke when Haitian-majority rule comes to pass. Brace yourself....it's only a matter of time!
SP 10 years ago
@ Well_mudda_take_sic.... It never ceases to amaze me how tribal blindness affects even seemingly average intelligent people.
We cannot lay blame solely on "Perry Christie, Sean McWeeney and Freddie Boy" for "selling out our country by trading Bahamian citizenship for Haitian-tainted votes at the polls during general elections" without starting the conversation by including the first Haitian-Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
Both PLP & FNM have obviously conspired to sell out the country to Haitians in exchange for votes.
The only solution for indigenous Bahamians against this PLP & FNM conspiracy to keep control of our country is to cause a referendum on article 7 of the Constitution to limit the willy nilly granting of citizenship by unscrupulous corrupt politicians.
To maintain the present status quo of blind "die hard" party politics with scheming, untrustworthy politicians on either side of the fence that refuse to divulge immigration statistics and other important "national information" is sure recipe to Haitian domination of the Bahamas!
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years ago
Ingraham has already been put out to pasture and nothing can be done to change the devastating role that he too has played in our past when it comes to our Haitian situation. But it's the contemptible corrupt lot now running the country that we need to focus on and worry about in terms of what lies ahead for us.
SP 10 years ago
I agree, Hubert Ingraham "appears" to be a non-threat at the moment. However, the reality is the FNM are in no position to win an election and Ingraham cannot allow Perry Christie to fumble the ball and allow a third political entity to win 2017 because any 3rd party will immediately implement a Freedom Of Information Act which would without doubt land Ingraham and Christie behind bars.
Hubert Ingraham actually has no choice at this point but to re-enter politics to keep the FNM afloat as a PLP alternative to ensure his backside doesn't end up in Fox Hill Prison!
JB357 10 years ago
I hope he and others of Haitian descent have learned a valuable lesson. If you have citizenship here you must pledge your allegiance to the Bahamas! Keep in mind, nothing is wrong with embracing your Haitian heritage. The Bahamas does a lot for Haiti. In fact, it seems like we are the only one in the Caribbean who gives a hoot about Haiti!!! We all must be united! I hope he and the others find legal residence this time. I give him credit for at least giving a public apology.
I don't hate Haitians, but it does concern me that they are growing in large numbers here. I just don't want the culture of The Bahamas to be lost one day. Some of Well _mudda_take_sick's comments are valid and concern me because I pray he is not proven right one day.
DEDDIE 10 years ago
JB357 our culture was lost a long time ago. Our airwaves are dominated by American music. Gangster rap with all of its negativity has invaded every fabric of our society. By the way I don't see the average Haitian man wearing his pants down to his knees showing his underwear. Talk about an invasion of culture, it is from up North and not South. Well Jamaican music is popular. When you lack identity I guess it is easy to be invaded. My COB Lecturer had a British accent that lasted for twenty years even though he lived in England for four years. I am always reminded how weak our dialect is when every athlete that goes to America comes back speaking "American".
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years ago
Our geographical proximity to the U.S. naturally results in American culture being intertwined with our own, even more so today than ever before due to all the significant technological advances in communications and transportation. This in no way means we lack our own culture borne out of the unique experiences our country and people have enjoyed over the last three centuries. Suggest you plant yourself in the real world and accept that you do indeed have both culture and an identity as a Bahamian.
duppyVAT 10 years ago
DEDDIE you have already admitted a while ago that you are a Haitian sympathizer .............. your views are skewed towards your roots.
DEDDIE 10 years ago
So you are assuming that if a Bahamian sympathize, he or she must have Haitian roots. That we don't have the ability to sympathize and still want the Haitian problem resolved.
DEDDIE 10 years ago
There are smaller countries that share borders with larger countries and the cultures are still distinctly different(check Europe). American culture is not intertwined with ours but is dominating. Suggest you take your own advice and realized that we have been Americanized. Try ordering a grouper at one of our restaurants. They give you some fresh water American fish that the average Bahamian can't even pronounce.
luvdoc 10 years ago
Personally, I dont think this clown is sorry for what he said at all. I think he is more afraid of the repercussion of his statement. They were already burning our flags during our Independence celebration. They already don't have no respect for the people of this country or the laws of the land. However, he knows and I will say to the reading public, that this clown has already put the idea into his Haitian brothers and sisters head to riot against the citizens of the Bahamas in the near future. This clown whom later said that he has never been to Haiti and was born here in the Bahamas, should be grateful for us giving him a life rather than encouraging his country men to break the law. Damn, if we let the Haitians do what they want to do with this country, then we should let the Chinese, the Jamaicans and every other nationality who wants to run a muck of this great beautiful Bahamaland. But If people think that clown was joking or regretful of what he said, they tell a lie, and like he said, "there is more of them than there are of us, and we're not scared", which means he know that he have an army of Haitians that is ready to attack us. They break the law, we didnt, and to be honest, some of them live and get more benefits from this country than those whom are raw-bone Bahamians. Some of them squat on people's land and live free, build shacks and run electrical cords, but pay no light build, farm, so they can spend less money in the food stores, by the way, they pay from their own kind. The benefits they get into this country, I cant get and will not get if I go to Haiti. Gad damn, they wouldnt even give me the chance to squart no where. I'm no PLP and I'm not FNM,, but I will say that this problem we having stems from the round table deal that was made between the Haitian President and Hubert Ingram whom helped funded the FNM's election. Then you get the group of corrupt politicians from both sides, selling votes and illegally registering undocumented nationals into this country for votes. All they wanted was to get into office, but they wasnt thinking once they gave these barbarians documents, they wouldnt be able to take it back. Then you have Perry Christie whom doesnt know his ass from his elbow dancing around celebrating the Chinese god Buddha and selling out his share of the country to the Chinese people as they sit back and laugh at us "Silly Bahamians" as they consider us. Bahamians watch out? Bahamians watch out, stand up and speak out? Bahamians, if we take these seemingly simple things as simple things, devastation is going to quietly creep up on us like a thief in the night. Bahamians, this is our land, and we the people, have no where else to go. We wouldnt be able to run to Haiti, Jamaica or even the United States if this land is taken away from us.
CANDACESCOTT 10 years ago
I am not so easily impressed by his edited words, he said that he is apologizing so that Bahamians could "think" he did not mean what he said. Listen to his interview again...everyone get us for fools!
SP 10 years ago
When you find a donkey ride him. The PLP, FNM and Haitians have been riding Bahamians like jackass's for decades & the proof is painfully blatant all around us for all to see.
Time for a REAL CHANGE from the PLP, FNM and Haitians or they will ride us tribal, diehard Bahamian jackass's into nonexistence!
SP 10 years ago
Every other Month or so there is a violent march, jail break, demonstration or whatever in Haiti.
Do we want to allow violent disruptive Haitians into our society in large numbers?
Has the government considered that Haitians will bring this culture of violent rebellion here with them?
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wir…
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/10/27…
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