Randy Rolle, Consul General to Atlanta.
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
THE FNM has accused Prime Minister Perry Christie of using his position allegedly to intervene on behalf of a Bahamian diplomat who was arrested, and then released, in Bimini over the holiday weekend.
These accusations have been denied with Atlanta consul general Randy Rolle denying that the Prime Minister was ever contacted over an incident in which he was involved in Bimini.
According to a statement by FNM Chairman Michael Pintard the Bahamas’ consul general to Atlanta was arrested on the island on the weekend after an “altercation” with police. It was claimed that the argument started when police officers denied him entry into a cordoned off area in Bimini.
However, when contacted about the claims yesterday, Mr Rolle told The Tribune that at no time did he contact the prime minister to ask that he be freed from police custody.
He admitted that an incident had taken place as he was hosting foreigners who were interested in investing in Bimini.
Mr Rolle said he made a call to Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade, but he refused to specify when that call was placed. He added that the incident was now under investigation.
Attempts were made to contact Commissioner Greenslade, but they were not successful up to press time.
Yesterday evening, a statement was released by the government on behalf of Mr Rolle insisting that he was never charged while in Bimini.
“I have seen a press release issued by the FNM on my detention at Bimini on Friday last,” the statement said. “At no time did I ever call or speak to the prime minister during the time of the events. The matter was resolved without recourse to any politician. I was released without charge and there the matter ended.”
However in his statement, Mr Pintard insisted that the prime minister is “duty bound to explain” the circumstances surrounding Mr Rolle’s arrest and subsequent release.
The statement went on to allege that eyewitnesses recounted an altercation between Mr Rolle and law enforcement officers in Bimini. It said Mr Rolle was travelling in a golf cart with a man and two American women. It said he tried to enter an area that was blocked off by police.
As a result of the police’s refusal to permit him to enter the area on his golf cart, the FNM’s statement claimed that Mr Rolle used obscenities while challenging the officer. At one point, the statement claimed, Mr Rolle asked the officer if he knew with whom he was dealing.
“Mr Rolle did not relent even after the sergeant intervened in the matter,” the FNM statement claimed. “As a result of his behaviour and language he was arrested, handcuffed and placed into the police vehicle,” the statement alleged.
“At least one of the female companions repeatedly beat on the vehicle while Mr Rolle was being taken away. While in custody he was permitted to make a call, which was (allegedly) made to Prime Minister Christie.
“A short time thereafter apparently the commissioner of police called the head of the Bimini Police Station. As a result of that conversation Mr Rolle was unconditionally released,” the FNM’s statement alleged.
Mr Pintard questioned the sequence of events and the reasons for the arrest and Mr Rolle’s subsequent release. He said on the surface this matter appears to resemble the controversy surrounding MICAL MP V Alfred Gray.
“Abuse of power appears to be systemic in the Progressive Liberal Party. Residents of Bimini, hardworking police officers and the FNM wish to know the facts and ask that the report sent to the commissioner of police is made public,” the statement said.
This is the second time in less than a month that allegations of judicial interference have been launched against the Christie administration.
In March, the FNM raised concerns that Mr Gray was alleged to have used his position to have a man in his constituency freed, following conviction and sentencing. It is claimed that Mr Grey contacted island administrator Zephaniah Newbold, the sentencing magistrate, to offer “legal advice.”
Police investigations are continuing as to whether the legal advice could be interpreted as having influenced the magistrate.
Comments
Hogfish 9 years, 7 months ago
move along, nuttin to see here.
just another crooked plp negro, een nuttin new.
GrassRoot 9 years, 7 months ago
agreed. Mr. Minnis, how about some meat on the bone? like back door payments to DPM on Renew Bahamas? I am sure there is stuff around, keep digging.
GrassRoot 9 years, 7 months ago
a Consul is not a Diplomat, unless he has a Diplomatic passport, which he obviously was not able to produce, else the Police Officer would not have arrested him. A Consul is subject to all the rules that you and I are subject to. If he parks his car in Atlanta in the no parking zone, he gets a ticket and needs to pay it.
Publius 9 years, 7 months ago
He is a diplomat. Our Ambassadors and Consuls General enjoy such a status.
GrassRoot 9 years, 7 months ago
ok. didn't know.
sansoucireader 9 years, 7 months ago
Curious, what qualifications does a person need to become a diplomat, ambassador or consul? And if he's in Bimini over the weekend, who's in charge in Atlanta?
ohdrap4 9 years, 7 months ago
you have to be a diehard plp cronie is the main qualification.
diehard fnm , when they are in power, but the fnm dip-lomats are a bit more repectable , and have higher iq.
Publius 9 years, 7 months ago
No particular qualifications sadly; just a person a Prime Minister picks, usually for patronage purposes or to get a troublesome yet influential Party person out of his hair via physical distance.
TalRussell 9 years, 7 months ago
Comrades what is alleged to have happen here, makes V. Alfred look like a Sunday school affair. Where is the resignation? As far as - is Randy arrestable even if he had diplomatic status, which he does not have even when abroad. On Bahamaland soil, yes the rule of arrest law applies. The rules of diplomatic immunity are clearly spelled out in the Vienna Convention. Basically, Bahamaland agrees not to prosecute another country diplomats while they're present in Bahamaland. There is nothing in the treaty that would have prevented the policeman's, from detaining Randy over his alleged behavior towards a policeman's. Yes, we can prosecute all our fully accredited diplomats" or agents, while they're still on Bahamaland's soil.
GrassRoot 9 years, 7 months ago
he is not a diplomat he is a consul. as you say, status is determined by international treaties. now, if he produced a document showing he was a diplomat, officer would have not been able to arrest him. seems he did not produce a diplomatic passport, hence he was arrested. simple.
TalRussell 9 years, 7 months ago
Comrade there is no such thing as diplomatic protection from arrest of our own diplomats, if they are on Bahamian soil. Secondly, Randy is NOT an accredited diploma, and yes, he is subject to arrest on, or off, Bahamaland's soil. Him like you and I, or any other native....arrestable.
newcitizen 9 years, 7 months ago
Diplomatic immunity only applies when you are in a country other than your own. He has no diplomatic immunity here. He must follow the law just like everyone else.
birdiestrachan 9 years, 7 months ago
The FNM Fellows should find something constructive to do and stop nit picking, all the time, They will become like the boy who called "wolf" to many times, The Doctor said he has another scandel to release; I trust Dr. Major will not allow him to intrupt the business of the house to do so. I awaite his newest scandal.
GrassRoot 9 years, 7 months ago
agreed, such Freddy Extraordinaire not being able to give a Bahamian applicant for a passport a passport in reasonable time (applying Bahamian time standard here)? I think and I agree that would be the way bigger scandal.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 7 months ago
These politicians really need to assess themselves. They are servants. They are nobody special. Certainly if you look at their qualifications you would realize they are nothing special, like a can of corn-beef with a big star sticker on it.
FNM continues to box themselves in, they allowed this man to claim that HE did not cal the PM and he probably didn't. He called SOMEONE ELSE, who then may have called the PM. An order was issued which eventually reaches Bimini to let that man go.
Cobalt 9 years, 7 months ago
Why is the Tribune reporting this as news???
We have too many serious issues going on within our nation to be side-tracked by petty nonsense! Randy Rolle is a person of no consequence and is hardly worth reporting.
TalRussell 9 years, 7 months ago
UN ambassador from St. Vincent and the Grenadines briefly arrested in New York. He said he walked to the elevator and the officer ran into the building, "grabbed me by my neck and shoulders, spun me around and said, `Didn't you see me talking to you."'
Gonsalves, the son of St. Vincent's Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, said he replied: "You couldn't have been talking to me."
He said the officer then demanded identification. "I said,
Why? Am I under arrest?' He said,Well you are now."'http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/03/28…
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2015…
abe 9 years, 7 months ago
True.
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Romrok 9 years, 7 months ago
It is nitpicking, but this is serious in and of itself, and this is the bottom of it, the whole damn system is like that. Right up to the PM seat. Dont start the whote westminister system crap, same deal in the UK and a minister would stand down. THE BAHAMAS makes this that corrupt. I aint gonna punish my cousin, brother, 15th removed sister. Give uhm a job on the backs of the rest that didnt think it was a good idea to leave school and go into the civil service. i would think under the laws of the UK westminister system, nearly all of our mps would be removed and arrested. Stop blaming the white man, chase the people that are bound by these rules that the normal bahamian doesnt know.
TheMadHatter 9 years, 7 months ago
Too bad the article doesn't delve into why the area was cordoned off "by police" in the first place - and what would interest Mr. Rolle in going into that particular area.
I'm not saying he didn't have an interest. But what area was it? Behind the casino? The gate where the garbage dumpsters are kept? Were police looking for a body back there?
Could I pass a journalism school final exam with both hands tied behind my back?
Apparently, these days, perhaps.
TheMadHatter
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