The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL and LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporters

ELECTED officials passed a resolution in the House of Assembly yesterday to establish a Human Rights Committee to monitor and protect the enforcement of human rights in The Bahamas.

Legislators highlighted numerous issues relevant to the committee, from marital rape and gender-based violence to police-involved killings and the treatment of people in custody or prison.

The committee will comprise five members of the House of Assembly and three members of the Senate.

The resolution said: “(The committee would) assess and evaluate all matters related to the protection and enforcement of human rights in The Bahamas; determine the level at which such rights are in compliance with regional and global obligations; report to Parliament every six months on human rights matters; make recommendations to guide the legislative process to improve human rights in the Bahamas; investigate alleged human rights violations through parliamentary inquiries, holding public hearings on human rights related issues, with power to send for persons and papers, with leave to sit from place to place, and with leave to sit during recess.”

 Long Island MP Adrian Gibson identified police conduct as a problematic area.

 He highlighted numerous incidents when police officers allegedly misused their power.

 “Many policemen and women are upstanding Bahamians who love their countrymen (and) love their country and strive to abide within the realm of the law. However, we’ve all heard the violations of human rights by certain officers who’ve been accused of near systemic patterns of police brutality, verbal abuse, and outright misconduct clearly in violation of citizen’s rights,” he said.

 Mr Gibson said there have been many allegations of police brutality. He said some officers had been accused of displaying “vile” and “sadistic” behaviour.

 “Some Bahamian officers have gained the reputation for bludgeoning citizens and using excessive force, carrying out false arrests, psychological intimidation, and expletive-filled verbal assaults,” he said.

 “Certain groups of rogue officers have demonstrated, or seem intent on demonstrating, their power by conducting themselves like rude brutes and often being unpleasant in their quest for a person’s subjugation and or control. That cannot be accepted in a modern day.”

 Mr Gibson said allegations of cruel interrogation tactics used to obtain involuntary confessions had also been concerning.

 He said he had heard of the mistreatment of suspects at the Central Detective Unit.

 “(There have been) allegations of waterboarding, supposedly or allegedly hitting women on their breasts, to battering persons with phone books or their fists or feet and allegedly placing guns to the forehead or a revolver in the mouth of suspects,” he said.

 National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, who led the debate on the resolution yesterday, said the committee would not undermine the judiciary’s powers.

 “From the wording of the resolution, there is no attempt to evade the jurisdiction of the judiciary via this legislation,” he said. “They will still be left as the guardians of our laws and the guardians of our rights.”

 The committee will report to Parliament every six months.

 State Minister for Public Service Pia Glover-Rolle discussed marital rape while underscoring the need for such a committee.

 “There is no need to wait until we figure every last aspect of every sub-issue out to begin taking action to protect women. Sometimes action must be taken in stages,” she said.

“We can take the first critical steps and figure out the other policies along the way. When an issue is urgent enough, that is often necessary. So there is not only a need to be quick and comprehensive, there is a need to be decisive and practical.”