Prime Minister Philip 'Brave' Davis and Rodney Moncur.
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis questioned how Rodney Moncur’s appointment as a “violence interrupter” in the Ministry of National Security could be considered a conflict of interest, adding he viewed the talk show host as someone who understood inner-city communities.
In response to critics of the appointment, Mr Davis said he did not expect to please everyone and pointed to the appointment of Omar Archer, a controversial social media personality, as former contractor’s registrar in the Ministry of Works under the previous Minnis administration.
Mr Davis was asked yesterday to respond to criticism that has been levelled against the government over Mr Moncur’s appointment. Concerns have been raised about the role due to the former senator’s views on issues of national concern.
National Security Minister Wayne Munroe also frequented Mr Moncur’s talk show before the 2021 general election.
“I don’t expect to please everyone. Did we hear any chatter when they hired, what’s this chap named again - Omar Archer?” Mr Davis asked yesterday.
“Any of you who would have known Rodney Moncur you know that he is the salt of the earth. He’s from an area Black Village. He understands and he interacts with persons on the streets and we feel that he is a fine person having had that voice out there to be able to assist in deescalating matters on the street with his voice and being amongst them. He lives amongst them and he is with them.”
When asked if the role could be viewed as a direct result of Mr Moncur’s ties to Mr Munroe, Mr Davis said: “What’s the conflict? What’s the conflict of interest? I don’t know that the Minister of National Security was being paid on the show.
“He was one of his sidekicks in the show and he, from his vision where he was sitting, became even better acquainted with Mr Moncur and better acquainted with his talents and what he can do. And having done that he made the decision that he is someone that could help in the fight that we are in against violent crimes.”
Mr Munroe also weighed in on the controversy yesterday, telling reporters Mr Moncur is not appointed as a consultant, but as an independent contractor.
“He is not appointed as a consultant,” Mr Munroe told reporters. “He is appointed as an independent contractor and since nobody has sight of his contract I don’t know how you criticise something that you don’t know the details of.”
He added: “He is an independent contractor with this ministry.”
Some women’s rights activists have spoken out against the appointment due to Mr Moncur’s previous controversial statements about the opposite sex.
For instance, he called for all Bahamians to vote “no” in the June 2016 gender equality referendum in order to “save women” from themselves and to “stop foreign men from having the same rights as Bahamian men.” He called the process “witchcraft”.
Asked about these concerns, Mr Munroe said people should not jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts.
“Again that’s somebody commenting on what he said to do and they don’t know what he said to do and it’s simple as that,” he said.
He added that Mr Moncur’s credentials as a community activist for the past 30 years “speak for themselves”.
Yesterday, advocacy group Equality Bahamas criticised Mr Moncur’s appointment, saying it is “ill suited” and “unjustified.”
“He (Mr Moncur) has, on many occasions, made reckless comments and regularly demonstrates blatant disregard for women,” the group said. “It is dangerous for the government to put him in such a position, not only because he is unqualified and ill-suited, but such an appointment can be perceived as validation of his misogynistic commentary and behaviour.
“He has a following that includes people who pay attention to his ideas and people who think his antics are funny, neither of which bode well for us. The government should be addressing him and the use of his platform to reinforce gender stereotypes and subjugation of women as a barrier to ending gender-based violence, not condoning it.”
Comments
mandela 2 years, 6 months ago
The FNM and their distractors need to move on and find something tangible or pressing to try and complain about. BPL, WSC, and so on.
birdiestrachan 2 years, 6 months ago
Why are FNM:S so much against this man from over the hill? The man lives in a high crime area.
These are the same people who approved of Archer. Ms Kay Forbes Smith and Mrs Larson Thee above mentioned had nothing to bring. only to take.
Mr" Moncur Has a contribution to make. Why is he being treated so badly:?
Mr: Davis has a lot to do and no matter what he does. doc . Cartwright and Pintdard and those who follow them will complain. They do not care about poor people.
Hoda 2 years, 6 months ago
Stop liking your own comments and get a life. You are obsviously amongst unemployed or the jealous Bahamians who have done nothing with their life but spew trash they would never dare say to someone's face. Go clean up your hot house.
themessenger 2 years, 6 months ago
Thee above mentioned had nothing to bring. only to take.
Bird droppings for brains, you mussy never been to a function wid Rodney, he don’t bring nuttin but he is tote plenty. Lmao..
Dawes 2 years, 6 months ago
Plenty people live in a high crime area, can they all get the job too? This seems like a position created for him, rather then having a position and seeing who would best fit it. Its basically giving money to the boys to keep them on side. This is exactly like the hiring of Mr. Archer, does nothing to help the country only the person involved.
Proguing 2 years, 6 months ago
I hope that he got a nice government car, so that he can take his family to the beach on weekends...
M0J0 2 years, 6 months ago
Minnis and his clowns, cant find nothing better to complain or speak on.
Hoda 2 years, 6 months ago
I think all of you who talking about Minnis and FNM are sowing the seeda for the next flip in govt - we really live in bikini bottom. Of course nobody cares what Minnis thinks. Unfortunately, there are some women and men with living brain cells who find it strange that a man who spends his afternoon spewing ignorant, misogynistic, toxic, rape culture ideals, more the notion that a man cannot rape his wife, worst rationalizing how a man could find himself grinding a child in a school uniform is not a criminal deserving extreme punishment has been granted a position advising on the safety and security of Bahamians.
moncurcool 2 years, 6 months ago
Another crap appointment by this so called New Day government. When will we raise above this slush fund job to croonies in this country?
John 2 years, 6 months ago
EXPLAIN THIS: So errybody hot under the collar about the Moncur appointment. So how is it that Sebas (Sir Bats) was appointed by both governments, PLP and FNM as an ambassador? And there wasn’t this big toxic explosion about his appointments. So you ask what is the connection between Sebas ( Sir Bats) and Rodney’s appointments. Well Sebas Bastian owns the radio station that Moncur’s show is on . And yes, the same one that Wayne Munroe appeared on for an extended period. So who is to say that it wasn’t Seba’s (Sir Bat’s) idea to have Wayne Munroe appear on the show with Rodney Moncur, if only to avoid Moncur getting into political or legal mischief. And yes, another difference between Sebas Bastian and Rodney Moncur is Sebas didn’t throw rocks at Doc. And Doc still mad. Rodney help cause Doc to lose a whole, entire election. Almost every seat. Rodney hand straight when it comes to throwing rocks at Doc. And Doc still mad.
Cobalt 2 years, 6 months ago
You are grossly mistaken. The entire Bahamas was very annoyed by the hiring of Sabas Bastian as ambassador. His appointment was a bad joke at best. Simply because he was unqualified and unsuitable for such a post. It was yet another tactical and political ploy to garner financial alliances used to finance campaign initiatives. And both the FNM and PLP were complicit in this practice. Furthermore, before his hire even took place as ambassador, Bahamians were upset with Perry Christy for allowing private citizens such as Sabas, Fox, and Flowers to control much of the gaming industry in the Bahamas. The government was the one who was supposed to establish numbers houses and use the proceeds to built infrastructure such as hospitals, bridges, alternative forms of energy, etc, etc. Instead, their lack of foresight has allowed a few men the fortune of having more money than the government itself, thus allowing numbers bosses jurisdiction them. This will forever be remembered as the biggest debacle in Bahamian history. Had Perry Christie “played his cards right” the Bahamas would have nullified its national debt within approximately 20 years.
SP 2 years, 6 months ago
The country is moving quickly down the slippery slop of unpresidented crime fueled by massive unemployment and you people have allowed Brave to get away with this irrelavent Moncur distraction!
Cobalt 2 years, 6 months ago
That’s because crime isn’t necessarily the government’s fault. Yes, the unemployment rate is inexcusably high. However, one individual turning a gun on another individual is the choice of that individual, not the government. Our parents grew up poor as well, but they never chose to shoot each other due to poverty. Both the government and the citizens of the Bahamas have responsibilities in which they have failed. But the proliferation of crime is a civic issue! We the people need to take responsibility for crime.
Having said that; the only reason that I have criticized the hiring of Rodney Moncur is simply because it’s a waste of time and taxpayer dollars. Rodney Moncur does not possess any tangible insight on crime that is worth a government salary. He is not a criminal psychologist nor is he trained in that field. His new position within national security will offer no effective solution as it relates to crime. The public sector is already grossly inflated with redundant job positions that have been created only to serve as handouts to political allies. Brave Davis that the PLP are simply buying the silence of certain critics such as Clint Watson and Rodney Moncur in an effort to control the narrative. In other words…. If you don’t like what the newspaper is writing about you, simply buy the newspaper company.
yeahyasee 2 years, 6 months ago
Well said.
John 2 years, 6 months ago
@ cobalt: what you have posted is absolute rubbish and total BS. First of all to say the government is not responsible for crime is like saying the moon is made of cheese. The Bahamian government decided to partner with a foreign government (yes just one who has a reputation and their deeds are well documented) and declare war on its Bahamian people, young males in particular. The Bahamian government did not do due diligence and engage in fact finding but jumped in, hook, line and sinker against its own people in the so called ‘war on drugs.’
. . And young men were harassed, falsely arrested tortured even and falsely jailed for small amounts of marijuana. And their lives were never the same after these arrests. The fact you s that for every one person that was legitimately arrested, some five or six or even more innocent people were stopped by the police, searched, sometimes falsely arrested and even beaten so severely as to cause permanent damage to their person. Men of the country were being denied their basic human rights and their constitutional rights.
. And, in ignorance or being complicit, the photos of many of these men were plastered across the pages of newspapers and television screens with headlines like found with dangerous drugs or caught with deadly substance’. And in most cases it was marijuana. And in many cases it was less than a joint. Back then the murder rate was still in single digits and crime was ways below a level that was intolerable.
. But as more and more young men found themselves before the court’s spending years fighting false and/ or trumped up charges and not being able to find unemployment, or travel or even walk the streets of their own country the sun or underground culture grew in The Bahamas. A number of these people turned to selling drugs or some other crime as a means of crime. And as the drug and criminal culture grew, it also became more violent and more deadly. Persons found themselves having to arm with knives, screwdrivers and other tools, hammers even.
. Then guns were introduced. Guns seem to become easily and readily available on the streets of this country. And most of the people who were carrying weapons were not and could not travel outside the country. And still today, many pretend it’s a mystery how the guns are getting into the country. If someone wants you to kill your self or your brother, they will find ways to help you do it. And they now tell you your brother is tge enemy, “kill him before he kills you.’ And so the battle rages on. Bullets continue to fly and bodies continue to fall. . And people like Cobalt who, are racists to the bone and active instigators still pretend. O it’s their decision to pick up a gun and kill someone. But is it? Cobalt knows that in order to fix the problem the government must not only accept responsibility, but start where the problem started. You must restore these young men back to their position in this
Cobalt 2 years, 6 months ago
I’m not following John. Your post are difficult to understand.
But anyway….. yes the government has failed and continues to fail in areas such as inflation and economic prosperity for Bahamians. But that still does not justify one man gunning down another.
John 2 years, 6 months ago
Country and allow them to fulfill the the purpose of their lives. Right now this Bahamian government continues to sleep with the enemy. Indigenous (( Black) Bahamians spent 400 years in the shackles and chains of slavery to become entitled to the benefits of this country. And don’t say it is a racial or slavery originated problem, because it is. Those that brought you here in slavery still want you in chains. In fact they want you DEAD! And those responsible for teaching the young men that it is wrong to kill. And even more wrong to kill your brother for even less than a bowl of porridge. The truth will eventually come to these young men and serious consequences will follow. Rodney Moncur puts a face to the problem. He has an ear and a voice. . And there are other resources available to this government other than interceptor vehicles, cameras, drones and machine guns. A psychologist who is currently in the employment of the government says, ‘when you have to treat someone for a ( mental) problem, giving medication is just a small part of the treatment. You have to find out and remove all the elements bthat are causing the problem.
Cobalt 2 years, 6 months ago
Some of what you are saying makes sense, John. However, you are neglecting one critical element which is “every man is responsible for his own actions”. Anyone who murders an individual is responsible for that crime…. not the government.
John 2 years, 6 months ago
And that will include family issues, unemployment, housing and social problems. One may say well government doesn’t have the time or resources to address all of these. But it does. Do you know if you follow Maslow!s hierarchy of needs and start with basic necessities, the others will fall off? For example if a person s consistently hungry and without food, he will be , more often than not, angry. So if you feed him he will be less angry and less likely to become violent or crime oriented. And if you empower him to feed himself, most likely will he not only find clothing and shelter, but not n a position to help others. Too many people in this country have to swallow spit when they are hungry but can look around and see prosperity all around them. . Some may argue, and many like to , that slavery has nothing to do with it. It ended over 100 years ago and should be forgotten and time to move on. But slavery was an unforgettable experience. And to make matters worse, those who brought you here in chains don’t want you to forget. This crime, this violence and tge murders currently being experienced was imported into The Bahamas. And now it must be deported back to the people who brought it here. Compare the murder rate of any African country to that of The Bahamas or any Caribbean countries. And the victims are almost all mostly young and mostly Black. And even in Biblical times, what is the significance of young males being killed off? Nothing is new under the sun.
Cobalt 2 years, 6 months ago
Yes, John. socioeconomic research has suggested that poverty breeds crime. One cannot argue that. And as the Bahamian government continues to mismanage our affairs and financial resources, poverty levels continue to spike with no end in sight. However, we as individuals are still responsible for our actions. Even if it’s an act of desperation. One cannot justify turning a firearm on another in the name of survival. It’s wrong in the sight of God, and it’s wrong by the standards of mankind.
themessenger 2 years, 6 months ago
@john, you really need to stop eating Tal's edibles, they really mess up your mind which is messed up enough already.........
sheeprunner12 2 years, 6 months ago
Brave can use all of his lawyer excuses to cover for Wayne & Rodney ...... But the people can read that clearly.
The book on Brave is being tallied each day for 2026
carltonr61 2 years, 6 months ago
The Bahamas' ticking talking Moncur made legendary by The Tribune's Athena Damianos because of the 80s PLP that still cut Schools grass forest on Campus and repairing leaking roofs, desks, bathrooms, walls and plumbing deep into the September School Year critic did great toward justices that post the Merchant Class Business UBP black, grassroots Bahamian government ignored. The UBP was the greatest on black Bahamian Education at GHS. Because of Bahamian Schools neglect under the old PLP regime CC Sweeting High School under student leader Denise Dames staged a massive miles long student protest which grew to get government attention.. After Dames grievances got bold, loud,and militant, but after yearly complaints of government's neglect of our schools history came to a close. Under the order of The Vanguard Nationalist And Socialist Party, Doctor and Professor of Political Science with Economics, and humanity head of Department at Purdue University called a secret meeting where this representative met with disgruntled students that faced Educational Structural Neglect deep into the new School year across the nation. In attendance was leader 17 year old Denise Dames, Lisa Thurston, Michael Fountain and Kyle. Dames was advised against using 'Party' but stick to Student National Action Movement, as Party would create political motivation and reprisal. He insisted with SNAP against trained political advise. Progressive intent and was backed by revolutionary Pintard,head COBUS.for Government diligence at their informal on COB campus meeting. The miles long CC Sweeting students march was on.. Police blockades away from Bay Street lead toward accumulating RM Bailey Students. But Police failed that attempt. On Ida Street near RM Bailly student well wishers standing near RBPF SIB, Burky Wright's radio whispered to leadership to break off running..Lead by students the chase headed Westerly with Police nowhere in sight after reaching Sir Harry Oakes Monument. But The Nassau Guardian's, Garth Mitchell, a Photo Journalist caught one shot of the panting, sweat, the yellow shirt with the conch shell, the army boots and students. As the students arrived back at CC Sweeting, .Ttrever Whylly from the PLP Young Liberals promised that schools will be fixed before opening of school year. Moncur's loud mouth was there for student justice and he still is not scared. The graduating students are yet to receive High School Diplomas, They got a leaving certificate 1983.
Sign in to comment
OpenID