The motorcade which left the national stadium. Photos: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune staff
MEMBERS of the labour movement and supporters of the Progressive Liberal Party gathered at the national stadium on Friday morning in an attempt to participate in a Labour Day motorcade despite a notice from police a day earlier that the event had not been sanctioned by authorities.
As the crowd converged at the site on University Drive, some wearing PLP paraphernalia, police stopped many of them from entering. This angered organisers of the event.
“This is a shocking position for the workers and indeed all Bahamians who are minded to ensure that good governance requires the involvement of the people,” Obie Ferguson, president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), told reporters at the stadium, which was the planned starting point of the motorcade.
He said he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on May 4 requesting permission for labour leaders and workers to hold a Labour Day motorcade. He said on Thursday at 4.21pm, he received a call from Dr Minnis’ personal secretary who indicated that senior health officials had recommended the motorcade not go ahead.
“This is very vexing,” Mr Ferguson said. “I’m aware, I think I’ve been practicing law for 27, 28 years, my specialty is employment law. You explain to me how a government or how the police officers can stop me from driving from my house to my office, from my office anywhere, as long as I comply with the law? This is purely disrespect.”
Union leaders said the people will have the final say at the ballot box.
Mr Ferguson urged workers everywhere to register to vote and “vote for those people who have your interest.”
PLP deputy leader Chester Cooper was at the site.
“I am happy to be here to stand with the labour movement today. Solidarity forever,” Mr Cooper said.
He said the PLP was disappointed at the “11th hour” decision by the government not to approve the motorcade. He also criticised the continued state of emergency and the prime minister’s powers.
“We believe it’s been long enough for them to implement laws to get us back to a state of normalcy but clearly the prime minister is enjoying this state of play,” Mr Cooper said. “But nothing will stop our support for the labour movement today and therefore I congratulate Brother Ferguson for standing up for workers.”
The participants were not allowed to travel on their planned route and some were pulled over as they tried to drive to Arawak Cay, which was the planned end point.
Police barricades were also erected at Arawak Cay and the motorcade participants were stopped from driving into the site.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Audley Peters said on Sunday that no one was cited on Friday, but said the crowd was dispersed.
• This story has been altered from its original version. It originally stated that motorcade participants were allowed to drive to Arawak Cay, however they were not allowed to travel on their planned route.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 6 months ago
nothing could POSSIBLY be worse than sitting in a car no A/C, no covering, stuck in traffic, in the Bahamas in June. Whose idea was that???? Please dont give them the reigns to the country.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 6 months ago
re the go cart
truetruebahamian 3 years, 6 months ago
It is still spring - Summer has not yet sprung!
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 6 months ago
true. stuck in traffic in that go cart in August would definitely be worse
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 6 months ago
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ThisIsOurs 3 years, 6 months ago
arrest everybody!! see all the evidence up there. We don't have to wait weeks like we did for Komalafe.
It baffles me why anyone believes this will change anything... but ok... i guess it was fun
stislez 3 years, 6 months ago
Smh @ u..........
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 6 months ago
i was joking about the first part. quite serious about the 2nd. Pompoms and parades and colours will not change our state. Have you listened to the next group of candidates vying for parliamentary seats? These guys dont have a clue. They talk about plans they clearly pulled out of their butts. "we'll need about 500 million to do what we want to do"... they pulled that out of thin air! We might just need that and more, but if they get it and have no clue what they need it for, guess what will happen? Theyll spend it in pompoms and yelllow and red flyers to do what bahamians love to do, "pose in da party". as long as we on fleek, everything nice
these politicians use bahamians every 5 years and quickly forget them once they get in. One colleague told me of a politician who on the day after election seemed to have forgotten what their voice sounded like, "who is this" tgey asked. This was a man who had been constantly calling the individual for advice in the run-up to the election.
we in so much trouble. save yuhself
ohdrap4 3 years, 6 months ago
Not being vaccinated, I would not risk the gathering.
But: this shows the peoples lack of appetite for restrictions, just think what would happen with a lockdown.
Thank you all nelson mandelas for walking the plank in my place.
ohdrap4 3 years, 6 months ago
I have overheard some while commuting.
Talk show lunatics have a platfirm now.
-- promise to bestow 10000 pa retirement to every bahamian
-- promise to give cryptocurrency to all who apply. Crypticurrency is a natural resource
-- imports will be banned as EVERYTHING will be produced by Bahamians. I guess cars, computers, stoves and refrigerators.
-- they will grow rice in Andros. Rice@!! But, since they are at it, they should really produce coffee and chocolate as well. Looks like manure will be no object.
I think I will grow silk worms, it was tried before.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 6 months ago
manure will be no object..
ROTFL
themessenger 3 years, 6 months ago
Unfortunately far too many of our more gullible, uneducated and dumbed down peeps will swallow all that hook, line and sinker. You want to get our peeps out in droves just mention free tings!
BMW 3 years, 6 months ago
something for nothing, Bahamians love it.
Engineer 3 years, 6 months ago
This attitude is why New Providence is showing so many new Covid cases every day. Same people not getting vaccinated. Oh my!!
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 6 months ago
"attitude" is not why COVID cases are rising.
Placing the blame on attitude is why COVID cases are rising. The virus came across the border. We saw that in March 2019, we saw that in July 2020 and we saw it again in March 2021. Our unwillingness to acknowledge that travel, the foundation of our precious tourism industry, is the greatest risk means we dont do things to properly mitigate the risk associated with travel... we whistle past the graveyard that more than anything is the cause of the rise in cases. With the exception of March 2019 just go back to each spike and look at the consistently too late response to the clearly evident signs. March 2021 was been the worst, with Renward Wells, DAguilar, Jeff Lloyd and Minnis literally refusing to acknowledge that anything was happening. and here we are
birdiestrachan 3 years, 6 months ago
A motorcade could have been allowed. people ride around in cars and busses all the time. Many have been vaccinated
But Power is a dangerous thing. in the wrong hands..
truetruebahamian 3 years, 6 months ago
You are so right - that is why the PLP should be considered terribly dangerous.
birdiestrachan 3 years, 6 months ago
The law may say you can not have social gatherings. But there will have to be a new law that says you can not drive on the streets in your car.;
truetruebahamian 3 years, 6 months ago
Backside baby!
TalRussell 3 years, 6 months ago
Hasn't it become harder to work through who be the one might most be trusted with governing over the Realm's Commonwealth's monies, affairs, important things, and hard make right decisions, yes?
John 3 years, 6 months ago
AFTER FINALLY BENDING THE CURVE in this THIRD WAVE and Covid-19 numbers are finally starting to come down, this is no time for silly, careless or selfish behavior. And those who wish to lead should not appear to be willfully breaking the law, especially when their behavior can impact the health and safety of others, even possibly in a life threatening way. And the vaccines offer a FALSE level of comfort! Some people who have taken the vaccine ended up in the hospital after traveling. They contracted Covid-19 and the symptoms were life threatening. President Biden realizes there is a flaw and is now encouraging Americans to continue to wear masks. US Corona cases are DOWN by over 90 percent. Cases in India and Brazil and other countries that have not yet had mass vaccinations also have plummeted. In fact, India is no longer making the news as the ‘poster child’ for the pandemic . Is Corona going away for good this time?
tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago
What a New Providence crab fest! And who says only Andros has large numbers of marching crabs?
Only a most corrupt, incompetent, arrogant, nasty and vindictive Minnis is capable of riling up so many crabs on a blistering hot day Labour Day. Can't wait to see all of the crab marching that will take place on an even hotter Independence Day. lol
Empiricist 3 years, 6 months ago
Unfortunately our Prime Minister has become the punching bag for every person with a gripe. He is Damned if he does and Damned if he doesn’t.
Take this case of an ill timed Labor Day Parade. When the Covid-19 infections start to increase and people get seriously ill and oxygen supplies run out, he will be Damned for not planning ahead. And when it is explained that in order to maintain the current supply as well as the supply of oxygen in the pipeline is the reason why the parade was ill advised at this time people will sing another song. They say he is this and that. And every Obie, Tribanon and Janet will try to pull him down.
Have we not read about or seen what is happening in India? It was precisely because Prime Minister Modi failed to stop mass celebrations at traditional festivals that India finds itself in the sad state it is in. Try as he might, Prime Minister Modi cannot turn back the hands of time.
So those individuals like Mr. Ferguson who is using the opportunity of the Labor Day Parade to generate business for his legal practice should stop and put the health of the public above and beyond his pocketbook.
The Prime Minister has once again shown true leadership. And irrespective of what his usual detractors will prattle. HE DID THE RIGHT THING. Thank you Prime Minister Minnis.
tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago
Minnis certainly needs no help in pulling himself down......he has repeatedly demonstrated he's more than capable of doing that all by himself. And it's his incompetence, arrogance and insatiable lust for power that's pulling down of our country and our people to unfathomably abysmal depths that most of us have every reason to greatly fear.
TigerB 3 years, 6 months ago
My take is this there will be consequences later after it dies down... look at the leader for the DNA. I'm sure the police have photographs of all the leaders, those will be the target of the arrest. They would cause a riot to try and arrest persons on the motorcade... too much pump up PLP people. When it all dies down, then the police will make their more, trust me.
tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago
Clearly you relish the authoritarian 'threatening' police state Minnis is hell bent on creating. But we already knew that. I bet you and others warped like you were out there with your smart phones taking as many close up facial photos as possible. lol
TalRussell 3 years, 6 months ago
Isn't it gettin' more exciting now that the RedParty's tongue lashin', gone all out to make we OutIslanderWorkers' to be the villains?
Sends signal that the general election's $20-$50-$100 bills and colour TV's, and cellular Phones - goin' soon be in wide circulation, yes?
Sickened 3 years, 6 months ago
Yup the PLP desperate - they will be handing out PLENTY stuff to try get another seat or two. Take their tings!!!!
truetruebahamian 3 years, 6 months ago
Looks at all dem fat fat 'poor poor' people wasting gasoline and polluting the air with the car exhaust and their stink breath with no mask gathering. Boy we have some of the dumbest most self feeling entitled and gimme gimme stupid people on earth! No!
BONEFISH 3 years, 6 months ago
The motorcade was prohibited .The organizers should be cited, fined and face prosecution. The law has to be applied in an even-handed way. That is one of the many problems this country faces, the law not being applied even-handed.
Sickened 3 years, 6 months ago
I'm just happy to see these fat people ain't going hungry - their kids may be, but the grownups aren't.
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