Prime Minister Perry Christie
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday suggested in the House of Assembly that he had received violent threats, which led the Royal Bahamas Police Force to increase his security detail.
While he did not go into detail about the circumstances that led to his increased security, he called the situation a matter of national security.
The Tribune understands that the threats were made against the prime minister on Facebook.
The content of those threats or when they were posted are unclear, as they have since been removed, The Tribune was told.
“We have to be careful as leaders,” Mr Christie said, “when we create public opinion that is interpreted by our supporters who might not be as discerning and as disciplined as us. That interpretation could manifest itself in violence being inflicted.
“I wish I could speak about something going on personally in my life as prime minister (but) I don’t want to say (anything) about it now because it is a matter of national security and why you see more police around me.”
Following the morning session of the House, Mr Christie was asked explain his comments, however, he declined to comment. He directed the media to speak with the police.
When contacted yesterday, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade said he would not speak specifically to Mr Christie’s comments.
Mr Christie raised the issue in the House as he stood on a point of order to respond to Free National Movement members of parliament over the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) controversy.
Works Minister Philip Davis revealed yesterday that BAMSI’s male dormitory, which was destroyed by fire on January 15, was never covered by an insurance policy.
This came two weeks after he initially told the House of Assembly the contractor was negligent because he had allowed the dorm’s insurance policy to lapse at the time of the fire. The building should have been covered by the contractor’s all-risk insurance because it had not been turned over to the government.
This led opposition leader Dr Hubert Minnis and Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant to suggest fraudulent acts had taken place during the period of the dorm’s construction.
“Mr Speaker if they feel there are discrepancies (and) inaccuracies even fraudulent manifestations they have the power to send for persons and papers and they have the majority of the committee,” Mr Christie said, referring to the Public Accounts Committee.
“It is that committee we used to expose one of the grandest displays of uncontrolled expenditure on the part of the opposition when they were the government. We used it effectively when someone who called (himself) deputy prime minister in their government was connected by shareholding to the company that got the contract and they around here talking about cronyism,” Mr Christie said.
Comments
asiseeit 9 years, 1 month ago
Funny how this government is the first one where Ministers are armed and the P.M. is in fear for his life. As far as I know the former P.M. had free reign of the country and even went without protection on occasion. Shady people always seem to be the most paranoid.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 1 month ago
Excuse me but how much extra protection can you get?? Didn't they ramp up protection after Brave Davis' house was broken into?
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 1 month ago
Now we see a grand effort by Perry "Vomit" Christie to stamp out freedom of expression and speech just because his hide is no longer thick enough to withstand the much warranted and well deserved criticism about his many grave failings and failures as PM. No doubt other public figures highly criticized for their incompetence like Bernard Nottage and Allyson Gibson-Maynard are also busy trying to build a "terrorism-styled" case against at least one high profile soul they have targeted for the sole purpose of silencing what they perceive to be offensive and threatening views and opinions posted somewhere on the internet........views and opinions like those posted by many commenters and bloggers to The Tribune's web site. Knowing two of the idiot politicians mentioned here, a Bahamian white male is likely to be wrongfully targeted as someone to be made an example of as they seem to like seeing such individuals in handcuffs on the front pages of our newspapers. Meanwhile these despicable politicians will get to enjoy additional police protection at the our expense while the poor Bahamian taxpayers and others living in the Bahamas today must simply remain vulnerable to the ever escalating violent crime. And the pervasiveness of the violent crime in our country today is directly attributable to the failed policies of the incompetent bungling and dysfunctional politicians who are leading our country down the proverbial ......... yup, you guessed it!
TalRussell 9 years, 1 month ago
Comrades threats against the PM while they must be taken seriously and investigated and addressed by the policeman's when necessary, there's growing signals where members of this PLP government have an obsession responding to how they deal with perceived threats. The policeman's are trained to know how to distinguish between credible threats and hot air frustrations. They seemed to have shared this viewpoint when they decided that no charges were to be made against an individual's making comments to incite violence. I know it's Bahamaland but still highly unlikely killers go around announcing their intentions in advance. Then again, the PLP politicians all seems always know best-est, than the people. Too bad the PM didn't call as quickly, for the policeman's investigation to have continued, after they quickly arrested the unpaid BAMSI worker for alleged act arson?
SP 9 years, 1 month ago
“We have to be careful as leaders,” Mr Christie said, “when we create public opinion that is interpreted by our supporters who might not be as discerning and as disciplined as us. That interpretation could manifest itself in violence being inflicted"
............................................................ TRANSLATION ........................................................
If we throw enough poop at the people, it is likely at least some of it will get on us too.
Reality_Check 9 years, 1 month ago
Another translation: "Ruling elite politicians like us must be careful what rhetoric and hog wash we feed our lowly D minus educated and undisciplined supporters lest they become frustrated and aggravated to the point of inflicting violence on someone."
realfreethinker 9 years, 1 month ago
What kind of F..K is this.How convenient for this shit to come up while they are in the hot seat for the bamsi scandal. Absolute distraction.When are we going to be rid of these pirates of the bahamas. Edward Teach would be proud of this crew. He would probably envy because they plunder much more than he ever did.
HarryWyckoff 9 years, 1 month ago
Pirates had a strict code of honour.
Honour is something this pack no nothing about.
themessenger 9 years, 1 month ago
What you mean Harry? You never heard about honour among thieves?LoL.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 1 month ago
Exactly.
realfreethinker 9 years, 1 month ago
Can we find one of those MH370 plane and put him and his cabinet onboard.
John 9 years, 1 month ago
Wasn't this the same government that criticized Loretta Butler Turner for remaining quiet when threats were made against her? In this day and time nothing is to be taken lightly. There are many disgruntled persons in society and many who have fallen on very hard times. A lot of persons are under the influence of drugs, alcohol and other mind altering substances and are not thinking clearly. Even in the US there have been some very close calls for the president of the United States and his wife is no longer as much in the public as she use to be. She too had some close calls. Many younger persons in the US and other countries have shut down their Facebook accounts because many of these accounts are being monitored for persons who may have contacts with terrorists groups or plans to join ISIS.
John 9 years, 1 month ago
At least four of the murders this year proves that persons no longer wants their victim dead. They want to torture them and make them suffer while carrying out the act then still want to destroy and dishonor the body after it is dead.
duppyVAT 9 years, 1 month ago
When a PM leads a Cabinet as corrupt and incompetent as what Perry is doing right now he should be careful of the backlash that is inevitable ................... but Perry is really trying to spin this to place the blame of personal threats against him as the fault of FNM supporters who are "dumb" enough to listen to HAM who is exposing Perry's incompetent Cabinet ............................ reversed psychology 1.0
ObserverOfChaos 9 years, 1 month ago
If these fools were in any other country, they'd already would have been shot, stoned or run out of town....
IslandTransPlant 9 years, 1 month ago
It does not matter how much extra protection he gets if some is willing to trade there life for his he is done.
duppyVAT 9 years, 1 month ago
The idea of entertaining an assassination of a sitting Bahamian PM is very dangerous ........................ we cannot go down that road. But Perry cannot be insinuating that the FNM is actually fermenting the idea either. That is not the correct political position for a PM to take ......... OR is he trying to pin something that he (Perry) fears on the FNM??????????
Reality_Check 9 years, 1 month ago
Perry Christie has much more to worry about than his life here on earth....one's afterlife if it must be spent you know where can be the most terrible of all things in perpetuity!
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 1 month ago
Wait for it....Mr Speaker I move that we postpone all discussion on BAMSI in the House on the grounds of national security. The debate has gotten too hostile and members lives including my own are at risk
I wouldn't be surprised
themessenger 9 years, 1 month ago
DPM Davis mussy in fear for he life too cuz MOW gat all kinda electronic locks an 'ting on their doors now what was never there couple weeks ago. Ya gat to stand in front of the door an get naked to get in. Don't let ya park in front of da building no more neither, to close ta Brave parkin' spot.
realfreethinker 9 years, 1 month ago
His father should have used the protection,then we wouldn't be in this mess we are in today
thomas 9 years, 1 month ago
lol
bahamama 9 years, 1 month ago
“I wish I could speak about something going on personally in my life as prime minister (but) I don’t want to say (anything) about it now because it is a matter of national security and why you see more police around me.”
All I can say to this is, I hope that when the life of an "average" citizen is threatened, it's taken this seriously.
Also, someone please correct me if I am wrong. Doesn't "national security" refer to the well-being of the nation? Not just one individual? Don't get me wrong, threats against anyone should be taken seriously in this day and age, but they're hardly a matter of national security...
Does this also mean there are less police available to help combat the actual murders and other crimes going on in our country?
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