Hall: nothing wrong with reasonable force

As of Tuesday, September 3, 2013

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

AN INFLUENTIAL religious leader says he sees nothing wrong with using “reasonable force” to subdue unruly detainees at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

Stressing that those in authority should not abuse any nationality in custody, Simeon Hall, former senior pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church said yesterday it was important for officers to protect themselves and the country.

He spoke to The Tribune amid public concern that the investigation into abuse of Cuban detainees could face some delay as the cleric, who had been slated to assist with the probe, declined because of other obligations. Questions have also surfaced over whether a cleric might be able to contribute substantially to an investigation of such magnitude.

“We certainly don’t want public officials abusing detainees,” Bishop Hall said, “ but I think that reasonable force should be used to protect the country and for the officers to protect themselves when detainees get unruly and are posing a threat.

“Now when there is abuse that’s where the problem comes in.

“They come here illegally, then they want to fight their way out of the Detention Centre and that stems from the fact that Cubans tend to come here with a rather condescending attitude towards Bahamians.”

The alarm was first sounded concerning the abuse of Cuban detainees in the Bahamas by the Democracy Movement – a Miami based Cuban exile group. Since then, the group has made numerous scathing allegations against the government and officers stationed at the Centre.

Apart from the beatings of detainees, the Movement has said that there has been sexual abuse of women at the Centre. But Mr Hall criticised the group for orchestrating their efforts, which included a hunger strike and picketing in Miami, Florida. He added that the FNM was premature with the position they took against the government over the claims.

They have called for Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell’s resignation over his handling of the situation.

“The whole issue of nationalism has been lost and we must work hard to regain it. But I am curious to know how is it that they can come together by the hundreds in Miami, but cannot do the same in their own country.

“And joining in with them is the opposition which I believe was premature,” Bishop Hall said.

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

Bishop Hall ,thats a good audition for the part of the cleric in the investigation , contact Mr Mitchell to go over your application for the post ..

nationbuilder 10 years, 7 months ago

that's all this human garbage is doing, auditioning for that spot. u are so right

ThisIsOurs 10 years, 7 months ago

Is this man sane?!?! The defence force officer's statement said that the detainees were being hit while providing no provocation, unlike Hall, the officer actually witnessed the episode. Did he look at the marks on that man's back? Who in their right mind would consider the first slash "reasonable" force? Gambling referendum sellout all over again.

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

More will come out and audition for the role of esteemed cleric . Seems there defences is going to be its was 2 hours of hand to hand combat to subdue the detainees although the RBDF out numbered them and had access to firearms .Next we will be told we did the humane thing by not opening fire while our guards were in grave danger ..lol

herecomestheboom 10 years, 7 months ago

Yes the defense force has guns, are you saying they should have used them?

O wait nevermind, this is the typical political BS people post here.

nationbuilder 10 years, 7 months ago

I blame the Tribune too for this, because the Tribune did not balance this so-called preacher's comments about use of force with what the Defence Force officers themselves said, which was that the detainees they tortured put up no struggle or fight at all and that the detainees posed no threat to them either. WUTLESS MEDIA

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

the Tribune posted the reports about what the officers said ,even putting them next to a timeline of Mitchells statements , However your point is well taken many of the articles are badly written and the reporters don,t ask the pertinent questions.

lazybor 10 years, 7 months ago

Very curious concept of "reasonable"http://tinyurl.com/c7l9ck6" width="1" />

banker 10 years, 7 months ago

Very curious concept of religion. This man is not religious or even a Christian. I am going to box the number 4,2 and 7 from Isaiah 42:7

starting at 42: 6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Jesus came to set the captives free, except for those frickin Cubans, and oh yeah... the Haitians too! Hall should be defrocked. I hope that there is a special fire in Hell for him, although I do not think that he is a believer.

ThisIsOurs 10 years, 7 months ago

Agreed

nationbuilder 10 years, 7 months ago

Agreed

TalRussell 10 years, 7 months ago

At least it's good news that the good Comrade Bishop seems to have either voluntarily or been pushed from his lofty position of acting as the "archangel" for the numbers man's? Each time the Bishop opens his mouth to the media, I think he unknowingly teaches his fellow preacherman's colleagues, that no matter how high you say you sit next to God, ya's is still far from unassailable? Could this be a hint of just another preacherman's lobbing for appointments by the government or by the most wealthy amongst us?

concernedcitizen 10 years, 7 months ago

Tals are you suggesting the Comrade preacherman may be singing for his supper ??

nationbuilder 10 years, 7 months ago

this "man" is a piece of garbage

banker 10 years, 7 months ago

About 10 years ago, this man started calling himself Bishop. The ironic thing was that the particular sect, church, whatever that he belonged to, didn't have the title of Bishop. I totally concur with your assessment.

nationbuilder 10 years, 7 months ago

interesting

JohnDoe 10 years, 7 months ago

This story and Rev. Hall's comments are nonsensical in two respects. The first is that the story lacks context. Rev. Hall mentions Cuban detainees and talks about how nothing is wrong with reasonable force. However, to my knowledge no government official has admitted to the use of any force, reasonable or unreasonable, against the Cuban detainees. So either Rev. Hall is speaking hypothetically and therefore not talking about this Cuban detainee issue or alternatively if he is talking about this specific Cuban detainee issue his statement about the use of force contradicts the government's position to date. The reporter should have put that into context particularly as he later states that the Opposition's position is premature. Additionally, the reporter should have asked Rev. Hall a standard follow-up question like "what is the difference between reasonable force and abuse", the answer to which would have made this story more relevant and forced Rev. Hall to be more specific or make a further fool of himself..

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