Phillippa ‘Lady’ Russell showing her opposition to the constitutional referendum during the launch of the ‘Yes’ campaign at the College of The Bahamas. She is pictured with her personal assistant, Sylvia Lynden.
By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
ZNS Radio talk show host Phillippa “Lady” Russell has accused the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) of victimisation after her show was suspended by the Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas (BCB) last month.
Ms Russell claimed she was “warned” to stop campaigning against the constitutional referendum on her show by management at the BCB as the government is backing the YES Bahamas campaign. After she refused to do so, Ms Russell said she was sent a letter telling her the show had been “suspended until further notice”.
Ms Russell told The Tribune she was told the reason for the suspension was “lack of sponsorship” but she claims she has had “the same number of sponsors” since 2013.
“I got two letters from BCB,” she said. “In the first letter on April 28 it said effective April 26, the show will be suspended until Friday May 6 or until further notice. It also noted that I would be paid the normal rate of pay. On Monday May 9, when I went in, I was given another letter that said the show was further suspended until June 14, which just so happens to be after the constitutional referendum.
“They said the show had not been sponsored properly but it is the same set of sponsors I had over the last three years. William Thompson, the chairman of the BCB, called me into a meeting in early April and said all of the people on the talk shows have to toe the government’s line of conversation and I said ‘no’. I am going to continue to advocate against the four bills because I do not believe in what they are trying to change.”
Ms Russell said she does not support the changes to the Constitution because they go against the country’s “Christian and moral values”.
“Our values need to be preserved more than some social experiment,” she added. “I have an issue will all of the bills, particularly the fourth one, but they all challenge our Christian values. Bill three speaks to having a child out of wedlock, bill two challenges the roles of husband and wife and what the Bible said a husband should be. I mean if a woman marries a foreign man then he should take her out the country and if he wants to stay, citizenship should not even be on the table,” Ms Russell said.
“We are not in the business of giving away our citizenship. I kept acknowledging on the show that any country that has inserted the equality clause in their constitution ended up having to acknowledge homosexual marriage and transgender rights and I am not for that.”
Ms Russell also alleged that she was “banned” from the launch of the YES Bahamas campaign at the Harry C Moore Library by Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin and Attorney General Alyson Maynard-Gibson because she had a ‘no’ sign. She added that she was told she had to hold a ‘yes’ sign if she wanted to remain at the event.
Ms Russell told The Tribune she has always been an “avid supporter” of the PLP and is “taken aback” by what is happening. She also said she believes her show will be cancelled “when the referendum fails”.
Calls to management of the BCB were not returned up to press time.
The referendum is set for June 7. The first three referendum bills will deal with issues of citizenship, while the fourth seeks to end discrimination in the Constitution based on sex, which has been defined as being male or female.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 5 months ago
LOLOLOLOL!!!
themessenger 8 years, 5 months ago
Stupid thinks what stupid says..............................
licks2 8 years, 5 months ago
That's the dang problem with these "undemocratic" YES voters. . .they are oppressing people to get their WAY! I WISH I HAD 1,000,000 VOTES. . .I would X everyone of them NO!! Now I will actively advise my social circle to "MARK NO" for the undemocratic ways of the YES people. . .THIS IS SOCIAL WAR. . .AND ITS MORE OF US THAN OF THEM!! I would have never support Lady Russell in her views over there at ZNS. . .BUT TAKING HER OFF THE RADIO JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE HER MESSAGE IS AN ACT OF SOCIAL CENSORSHIP. . .the second time this bunch of NAZI Yes Voters has "cut off" national decent!! I will now start my own campaign to encourage "NO" for all four bills. THEY CAN NEVER BEAT US. . .WE HAVE THE POWER. . .AND THEY BETTER REMEMBER THAT WE ALSO HAVE EYES. . .VIVA LA NO!!!
jackbnimble 8 years, 5 months ago
You do know this is not going to stop anything, right? More than likely, this referendum WILL fail. To borrow a line ... "Not on my watch!"
licks2 8 years, 5 months ago
Just talked to another "professional" friend and yes. . .the NAZI attitudes of the yes vote campaigners was the topic. . . WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THOSE NOT TOO SMART PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED. . .EVEN TO OUR SOCIAL CONSCIENCE! WE BOTH AGREED. . .WE ARE TWO MORE NOs . . . WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURSGE OTHERS TO "LONG-OUT YA TONGUE" AT THOSE YES VOTES WORKERS WHO ARE ON THEM HIGH-HOURSES AND THINK THE MASSES ARE DUMB AND BRICKS. LOI!
licks2 8 years, 5 months ago
Yes it would. . .I just came from lunch and. . .yes the topic was the referendum! I voiced my displeasure with the tactics of the yes voters' campaign . One persons said that "if you say you will vote no they will cut-ya-off they make the whole thing look fishy". . .that's when I decleared to all present that we must not allow them yes voters "smell themselves" and talk fool around us. . .A VOTE OF NO IS HAS BECOME A MATTER OF NATIONAL PRIDE! MOST THERE AGREED WITH ME. . .WE ARE INSULTED!!
jackbnimble 8 years, 5 months ago
LOL. We wear our "VOTE NO" like a badge of honour. Hilarious but true
sheeprunner12 8 years, 5 months ago
Now ........ if Lady Russell can see the light ......... why can't the other 80,000 PLP supporters???????? ............ PLP elitists will throw their Ma under the bus
All4One 8 years, 5 months ago
What a time....they're all turning against each other...
realfreethinker 8 years, 5 months ago
Check this out the top pastors in the country cant agree,the top lawyers cant agree,the top judges cant agree,the top educators cant agree,the MPs cant agree, but theyt expect the lay person to understand and agree. When you are not sure "vote no" until they get it right.
licks2 8 years, 5 months ago
Good Sir/Mam I did not see that before now. . .and them calling us dumb when we just say: " what about. . ."! Then they say : " any body who is intelligent can see what we are saying. . ."! All we are left with is to say among ourselves: " he/she dumb aye?"
I agree. . .lets follow Drexell Gomez 2002 advice. . ."when you are not sure. . .vote no until they get it right"!
realfreethinker 8 years, 5 months ago
I aint sorry for her she has been swilling the plp koolaid since 2012,so don't come crying now that they kick you in your ass. That's how the plp roll,only know when they need you.
jackbnimble 8 years, 5 months ago
She is not the first person this has happened to. Man you working for the GOVERNMENT station. You just don't go against the Government unless you gat ya own private station like Steve McKinney dem.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 5 months ago
How much was Lady Russell being paid to be a PLP mouth-piece since 2012??? ....... How much did they pay her off to leave ZNS???? ........... or did they not pay her enough
ZNS is an absolute dirt box when it comes to be used as a political tool by the PLP ...... they have nothing much to brag about after 80 years (especially when the PLP was in power)
Just look at who is running ZNS now ........ BJ and General Thompson
birdiestrachan 8 years, 5 months ago
No need to get upset Ms: Rusell. I did not know you were not well. But the No vote will win
realfreethinker 8 years, 5 months ago
Birdie you are voting against your plp masters? SAY IT AIN"T SO
sheeprunner12 8 years, 5 months ago
The Silent Protest ........... Bahamians will protest the failure of this PLP government by either Voting NO or not voting at all ........ that Silent Protest will be at least 80% of the 180,000 registered voters on June 7th ............. and it is important to vote No, No, No, NO !!!!!!!!
OMG 8 years, 5 months ago
Hate to say this but only a devout PLP supporter with her lack of talent could get a job on radio. No to say that this is a clear case of the usual victimization but never heard such a monatone boring radio show host in my life. She is also guilty of using her radio slot to preach at every opportunity leave that to the church and qualified pastors
Emac 8 years, 5 months ago
Doesn't matter who she supports or how lack luster her show is perceived to be. Victimization is dead wrong and it should not be a part of the Bahamas' landscape in 2016!
sheeprunner12 8 years, 5 months ago
Well ................ you better give up your birthright because victimization is here to stay .......... as long as there is a PLP alive
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