The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

OPERATION Sovereign Bahamas held a march through the streets of New Providence on Independence Day over a myriad of issues.

The march, organised by a team including former radio talk show host Adrian Francis and attorney Maria Daxon, called for “no more lies” and a “change to the system”.

Paul Rolle, the man who was arrested last week for protesting in front of the Queen Victoria and Christopher Columbus statues, was also an organiser of the march. His attorney, Ms Daxon, feels that he was deliberately arrested on “bogus charges” to prevent him from attending the march.

“My client is still in custody and he is now charged with threats of violence,” Ms Daxon said. “He was to be charged with trespassing (initially). They changed the charge. He is going to court tomorrow (Monday). This is yet another bogus charge. My team of lawyers are laughing at this as we want to know who these threats of violence are against. Who, Christopher Columbus’ statue?

“My client was to be involved with the march we had on Independence Day. He was a part of our team. They arrested him because they didn’t want him to be on the march,” she claimed. “They knew he was a part of our team. They know he is very strong-willed. They don’t trust us. We are the problem as far as they are concerned. . .”

Her client, who has been detained since last Wednesday, remains in custody at the Wulff Road Police Station. Ms Daxon thinks police intentionally detained him, knowing a holiday weekend was coming up and the next sitting of court would be Monday.

Meanwhile, the small group of protestors is demanding, among other things, the resignation of the entire Cabinet for its “blatant deceit of the Bahamian people and the return to governing by the Constitution”; immigration reform; an investigation into Hurricane Dorian victims and the complete disclosure of all related expenditures in Abaco and Grand Bahama; and an investigation into the oil spill in East Grand Bahama. The group is also protesting ill treatment of ordinary Bahamians by the judiciary and police.

“The things that really have us concerned is that the things really belong to us but no one is telling us that truth,” Mr Francis said. “No one is transparent and candid enough about what is ours. So the people are tired of being lied to. We believe that there is a new order and a new day coming in the country. That new day starts now. The march represents a revolution. A period where people have decided that from 1967 until now we’ve gone backwards.

“So we are going to take back our economy, take back our people, take back our direction. The future (of) our country is right now at stake so we march to save the future of the country. So it’s about people deciding that because of all that they have gone through – that’s enough! Enough is enough! No more lies!”