The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Like most Bahamians I followed, with concern and increasing anger, the response of the police as led by Commissioner Greenslade, the Attorney General’s office and the Minister of Immigration to the now infamous statements made by Anson Aly during the long overdue demolition of the Joe Farrington Road shanty town. The absence of the Minister of National Security on this deeply troubling matter was noted.

In order to give context to my comments which follow it is important for Aly’s words to be reproduced – as he said them. They follow:

“Where dey want the people dem go? Dey want them homeless? Dey want dem on the streets hey? Ya see what I’m saying’?

People like dem does force people to do F_ing bad tings on the streets ...

Like how I sayin’, how I feelin’ I ready to put the Colombian necktie on these niggers man. Whatever is the [indecipherable] That’s how it go man.

Dey gatta understand. It’s more Haitian-Bahamians in this country than F_ ing Bahamians. Sorry, sorry for my language. You see I sayin’? We ain’ scared. Dey ain’ want start sometin’ what dey ain’ ga can finish, boi, you see?”

In the face of these remarks it was offensive to many citizens to hear the Commissioner say words to the effect that he met with Aly and Aly showed remorse for his words and that, along with the fact that the Attorney General’s office said that he had not committed any offence, led to his release without being charged. How many persons in police custody have felt remorse and yet have been charged? And, for the benefit of those in the Attorney General’s office Aly committed the following offences:

(1) Threats of harm contrary to section 203 of the Penal Code.

(2) Causing public terror contrary to section 204 of the Penal Code.

(3) Obscene language contrary to section 208(2) of the Penal Code.

(4) Sedition contrary to section 396(1)(a) and (b) of the Penal Code.

The “dey” in Aly’s statements could only be those that had signed the eviction notice and they are therefore the virtual complainants. As the virtual complainants are undoubtedly public servants they have a duty to assist the police and prosecution in making the case against Aly.

With respect to the Commissioner indicating that the Attorney General’s office advised him that Aly had not committed an offence, Mr. Commissioner, you have the authority to proffer all of those charges except for the charge of sedition without any consultation with the Attorney General’s office. You should not try to shirk your responsibilities and duties by saying that you took your instructions from them. Do your job and in so doing take responsibility for your decisions, actions and inaction.

As a renown criminal attorney stated during a private chat on this matter the police find any number of charges to put on a drunkard when that person has been abusive or mildly offensive to them – from obscene language to vagrancy. In this matter Aly’s threats and use of obscene language was recorded and blanked out during the evening news broadcast. It is absurd that the police could not even come up with those two charges – which they so readily use against many Bahamian male Over-the-Hill residents – when the evidence is recorded and was broadcast to the nation.

Minister Mitchell, we, the Bahamian people, allowed the authorities to deal with this matter. The authorities have failed us – again. We, the people, have lost confidence in those charged with enforcing the laws of this country and with keeping us safe. Your Government and the current Commissioner have a lot to do with the erosion of our confidence in law enforcement.

The failure to close the illegal number houses after the referendum enriched the legacy of lawlessness which plagues our nation.

Your Government’s administration has taught our citizens that we do not have to abide by the laws of this nation and indeed our lawlessness may even be rewarded by a sympathetic government legalizing our illegal activities.

As Aly left police custody, not surprisingly, he declared that he had not committed a crime when clearly, to all that listened to his words, he had committed several offences.

Yet again the lesson learned by all of us is that there are no repercussions for our illegal actions. The legacy of lawlessness marches on in our Bahama land as the Commissioner of Police and your administration refuse to enforce our laws.

Madam Attorney General you have six months from the commission of the offence to charge Aly with sedition. On that charge the Commissioner cannot move without you. We the people implore you to make it right.

It is important that our people see our laws being enforced. It is important that those who live amongst us by way of our humanitarian spirit (or decades of slackness on the immigration issue) come to the quick understanding that such inciting divisive statements amounting to a call to arms and violence against Bahamians will not be tolerated by the state. Issue the written instruction to charge Aly with sedition and let the court determine his guilt or innocence.

ARTEMISIA

Nassau,

October 27, 2014.