By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis questioned why Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis did not defend the Bahamian judiciary after another Caribbean leader slammed Bahamian judges.
During a CARICOM symposium on Tuesday in Trinidad and Tobago on crime and violence, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves lambasted Caribbean judges for granting bail to people charged with murder.
He said: “I saw in the numbers from The Bahamas. Where (do) those judges live? On Mars?”
Addressing the matter in the House of Assembly yesterday, Dr Minnis said: “Just at CARICOM, one of the prime ministers at the CARICOM meeting talked about the bail in The Bahamas and the crime and that particular individual stated that … the judges in The Bahamas issuing such bail (are) contributing to the crime.
“Yet the prime minister did not defend the judiciary here in our Bahamas. Regardless to how they feel, regardless to how I may feel, if he did (address it), it was not publicised. It was not publicised and I’m certain when (Mr Davis) speaks, (he) will address that for us.”
Yesterday, local attorney Bjorn Ferguson criticised Mr Gonsalves’ comments and said people should be more prudent when discussing the judiciary.
“For someone holding high office as Prime Minister, his comments are unacceptable and should be condemned,” he said. “They should not be supported, encouraged, or endorsed. The Bahamian judiciary and its judges deserve every protection from unwarranted criticism. Especially from foreign politicians who display a total disregard for our system.”
Mr Ferguson noted Mr Gonsalves was accused of raping a policewoman in 2008, a charge he was ultimately cleared of.
“The very same constitutional presumption of innocence that he relied on, that’s what these subjects of serious allegations rely on,” he said. “Also, he should have a look at the judges and what they did as it relates to a judicial review application when they refused to institute charges against him.”
“Look at what his high judge did. So you just can’t allow them to criticize our judiciary (slackly). Our judges work extremely hard in very tough situations to hold our society together. I respect our judges and I think someone needs to be there to defend them and what they do. Unwarranted criticism, we should not accept that.”
Mr Ferguson stressed that each situation in which a person is granted bail is unique.
Comments
SP 1 year, 7 months ago
Mr. Bjorn Ferguson can criticize Mr. Gonsalves all he wants to, but the FACT is, it is downright stupid to grant bail to someone convicted of murder!
We are all acutely aware of the numerous instances where people out on bail for murder recommitted murder and in some instances more than one murder. So unquestionably, the judges in The Bahamas issuing such bail are indeed contributing to the crime!
The FNM government made bail for murder possible to spring a wealthy Lyford Cay Bahamian from prison for committing murder. Obviously, some people high up in government got heavily greased to make this happen.
We do not live in a vacuum. When corrupt politicians do these types of things the world looks at all of us as "living on Mars" because it is totally nonsensical.
FORMER Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis is simply acting for the shallow-minded followers that do not know how the totally asinine law of bail for murder came about in our country. He knows damn well that PM Davis had no chance in hell of defending the indefensible, and the best response to Mr. Gonsalves’ was no response.
This bail-for-murder stupidity is but one instance where corrupt "leaders" have caused havoc in our country.
BahamasForBahamians 1 year, 7 months ago
Stupid would be subjective..it is a representation of how you, Gonsalves and many others feel. while you all may well be right.. or wrong.. there is no room for feelings in the rule of law.. our constitution, which is the supreme law of our land gives room for your feelings, unfortunately. So until we get a majority to change that constitutional provision. We respect it.
SP 1 year, 7 months ago
The FACT that many individuals on bail for murder recommitted murders is not subjective. Mr. Gonsalves is unquestionably correct. It is unquestionably ludicrous to grant bail to murderers. Sticking our heads in the sand and pretending otherwise to appease corrupt politicians does not change the fact that bail for murder is nonsensical to anyone other than those that "profited"!
birdiestrachan 1 year, 7 months ago
Dr Minnis went all over the world calling the Bahamas corrupt so what is he talking about
Baha10 1 year, 7 months ago
Why should Brave defend our “shoddy” Judiciary … Judges are not above the Law they were appointed to uphold … and if their Decisions were so “just”, they would not need defending in the first place … persons charged with murder should not receive bail … end of story.
mandela 1 year, 7 months ago
Any Judge or judicial system that gives or allows bail to a six-time murder accused has to be living on Mars (Bigtime).
The_Oracle 1 year, 7 months ago
The rule of law has been subjugated to political will the world over, by the same political operatives that have allowed the rule of law to become optional. The effort to "reclaim" or restore the rule of law requires an extraordinary effort, with the inherent danger of overstepping by the very politics that corrupted it. Public faith in the rule of law is essential but absent in the Bahamas, along with any trust that it could be restored.
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