...on the John Travolta Matter

At a time when elements of the press, both local and foreign, seek to impugn the image of our Party in the wider world, it is important to address all PLPs through all avenues with regard to what is unfolding re the PLP and the recent developments with one of our members in the courts.

PLPs should settle down.

The PLP’s strength is the relevance of its ideas and its principles and its unmatched commitment to the well being of the Bahamian people.  The Party has always been bigger than any one member or group of members and the foundations of the PLP remain strong.

Whatever the facts and whatever the Court may decide, no party can be responsible for the individual behaviour of any member.

I know it is embarrassing for some.  It is uncomfortable as the FNMs taunt, but the Party is not on trial.

At the same time, we must be careful not to rush to judgment on all fronts.  There is certain to be in retrospect a lot of ill-informed commentary about who said what and who did what.  The Bahamian media is in such an anti PLP frenzy, anxious as they are to sell newspapers and gossip, that they print almost any nonsense.  One small example is the report on Wednesday 29th January that there was an emergency meeting called by the PLP to deal with “the scandal”.  The fact is there was no such emergency meeting.  The meeting was a routine meeting of the party’s Political Committee to discuss the legislative agenda for next week in the House of Assembly. But the creed of the Bahamian press is never let the facts interfere with a good story.

REJECT TRIAL BY NEWSPAPER
The Bahamian government has much to answer for creating this atmosphere in which trial by newspaper is occurring.  The President of the Bar Wayne Munroe has commented on it and stated emphatically that the courts should make the decision, not the press.  We do not have trial by newspaper in this country.  A question that must be asked is, can the defendants in this matter get a fair trial in these circumstances?

The police spokesman seemed to go overboard in the public commentary.  We also have the quote in the newspaper that the decision for the police to comment on the case was a deliberate decision and instruction from the government, confirmed by the Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest.  Perhaps they ought to be reminded of Section 441 of the Penal Code, which prohibits commentary of this nature on pain of criminal sanctions.

THE QUESTION OF FORUM SHOPPING
All of the evidence of this case seems to be centred in Grand Bahama.  The defendants live there.  The principle alleged acts took place there.  The question we must ask is, why is the case being heard in Nassau?  Is the Crown forum shopping?  This is a term that lawyers use most often in civil litigation when they are able to pick a forum that is perceived to be favourable to them.  Should there not be an amendment now to the law, which prohibits the Crown from cherry picking a magistrate or judge, where there is an open rational, fair system of choosing the judge before whom one appears?  Was the Chief Magistrate, who should be the one to distribute cases, bypassed by the Crown in this matter?  Some jurisdictions have a lottery system to avoid any forum shopping.  This also raises the question of the possibility of prejudicial actions by the police in choosing the forum, parading one defendant in chains and describing him as dangerous and having to be approached with caution.  There was no evidence to suggest that any of that was true.

Pleasant Bridgewater, a former Senator and Counsel and Attorney-at-Law, was made by the Court to wait an entire day before bail was granted when it was clear that she was not a flight risk or a danger to the community.

Is it a coincidence that the two police officers who were perceived to be PLP were removed from the Force in Freeport, just at the time this matter broke so that it was not dealt with by them?  Is it a coincidence that a team was flown in from Nassau, one of the investigators having a tie with the now Prime Minister?  None of this has anything to do with guilt or innocence, but with fairness and due process.  Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.

NO EXTORTION IS CONDONED
The actions of anyone to take advantage of someone grieving on the death of their son are reprehensible.  That much must be made clear.  But what is equally clear is that we do not know all of the facts. If there were any errors of judgment then the consequences for those errors must follow.

PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE
There was an article written by someone calling himself “Simon” on Tuesday 27th January in the Nassau Guardian.  In it, this anonymous person whose comments are tied to a site run by Larry Smith, The Tribune columnist, claimed that there is a “culture of corruption” in the PLP.  Writing this prejudicial nonsense under a false name is an unforgivable act of cowardice.

There is no more a culture of corruption in the PLP than in a governing FNM that allows a Deputy Prime Minister to sit on a committee to decide the fate of a port in which he has a money interest, or a Deputy Prime Minister who was forced to resign as Chairman of the Airport Authority for giving a contract to a company in which he had a money interest.  Every and any example that this individual can give; there is an equal example in the FNM.  In each case, an individual must account for his or her own behaviour.  The FNM rejects that they themselves are mired in corruption.  But of course, in the world of anti PLP prejudice, different rules operate.

IT’S A DISTRACTION
This is a distraction from the problems of the FNM and the fact that they simply cannot fix the economy.  Two hundred people were laid off at Our Lucaya last week after the Prime Minister said it would not happen.  What are they doing about that?  Instead, they are making stupid statements about the country’s reputation being ruined by this case.

THE COUNTRY’S REPUTATION
Instead of crying crocodile tears about the country’s reputation being in ruins because of this, the Government should be dealing with the real problems in the country.  Is the reputation of the United States ruined because of a Governor in Illinois who allegedly wanted to sell a senate seat?  Is the reputation of the United States ruined because Bernie Madoff ripped off his investors for 50 billion dollars?  The sun is still shining in The Bahamas.  The place is still a pleasant place to come to.  Just keep your eyes on the prize, which is victory in 2012.

THE FUTURE
The fundamentals of the Progressive Liberal Party are sound.  There is still, however, a need for change in the PLP.  That much remains constant.  The party cannot face the future without some fundamental reform.  That is going to come.  We cannot be like the warm frog sitting in the water, saying everything is fine, while the heat is turned up and slowly we are scalded.

Young PLPs must stay focused and not be distracted by the sensationalism of possible individual failings.  There is a presumption of innocence in this country and each person must have their full day in court without prejudicial commentary.

You know what my views are about where we ought to be going and how to reorganize ourselves.  Let’s stick to that agenda which I repeat:

AGENDA FOR CHANGE
I would like to set the goal for The Bahamas to be a developed country by the year 2020.  This will mean clear markers:
*An increase in national income or GDP per capita,
*A more refined literacy,
*A lower birth rate and a lower death rate;
*A national health insurance programme;
*Unemployment benefits;
*Better access to capital through small business loans, micro loans,
*Improved infrastructure by land, sea and by air,
*An improved tourism product,
*National food security through an investment in agriculture and fisheries,
*The rebuilding of our capital city and
*Increased environmental protection.
 
One major and immediate goal must be to make the price of land and housing affordable for young Bahamians.
 
At each step of the way, the decisions on these issues should be infused with the overall themes of social justice and economic empowerment.