By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
ACTIVIST and talk show host Louby Georges said yesterday he has sought international assistance for safety fears due to the escalating tension created by the police probe into a recent town meeting hosted for Haitian-Bahamians.
The investigation was ordered by Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell, who last month suggested that comments made at the meeting bordered on “incitement”.
Mr Georges explained that he has repeatedly been targeted and victimised due to his outspoken role as an advocate for the enforcement and protection of basic human rights in this country, with specific focus on the rights of Bahamians of Haitian descent and Haitian migrants.
He expressed concerns that the police probe into the August 8 meeting was announced to the media without any prior investigation or evidence, adding that the statement put organisers at risk of abuse or attacks.
He said the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association (GBHRA) has made the Organization of American States’ Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) aware of the situation.
Mr Georges said: “I would like to emphasise the great extent to which I feel targeted and subject to victimisation. My only intent for holding the town hall meeting was the distribution of information to the Haitian community on relevant and important topics, a feat undertaken for the first time in the Haitian community in the Bahamas and which was deemed a huge success.”
The activist claimed more than 500 people attended the meeting in question.
“We have made the IACHR aware of what is presently occurring with this situation and urged them to take whatever actions or interventions that may be deemed appropriate, as at present, I am in fear for my safety due to the escalating tensions created by this completely unfounded and sinister police probe,” he added.
Hosted by The Connection, a group run by Mr Georges, the meeting showcased presentations from health experts, community leaders, and officials from the American and Haitian embassies.
Mr Georges noted that invitations were also sent out to the Ministries of Immigration and Education but were declined.
In a letter sent to the media yesterday, he explained that he founded The Connection to bring together young Bahamians of Haitian descent who seek to make a positive contribution and impact in the Bahamas through education and voluntary projects.
He added that one of the goals of his bilingual radio show, which airs on Bahamas Sports Radio 103.5FM with cohost Leyvon Miller, was to bridge the gap between the Bahamian and Haitian community.
Mr Georges was part of the Bahamian delegation of activists that travelled to Washington, DC, to highlight alleged human rights violations resulting from the government’s immigration policy that was implemented in November 2014. The group, partly comprised of the GBHRA, was assigned a special monitor to review the treatment of human rights defenders.
“Clearly,” Mr Georges added yesterday, “we feel unfairly targeted, persecuted and have now brought this matter to the attention of our OAS monitor and the rest of the international community.”
Comments
birdiestrachan 8 years, 7 months ago
Georges has not said anything specific that has caused him his fears, The Police probe should give him no reason to fear. he emphasises the great extent he feels targeted.. What about the police and the immigration officers who are pelted by rocks, and stones thrown into the Tax payers police cars. Do they matter?,. and the threats to their lives. what about them Georges?
licks2 8 years, 7 months ago
The OAS will soon be tired of this silly man!! That home boy must understand that no world body will listen to he and Mr Smith's cries of "wolf" every time they walk up to the wolf's cage and push sticks into the cage and poke the wolf contained within!!
Mr. Georges was and never will be about bridging any gap the way he carries on with his rudeness and race baiting like he does!!
Mr. George is a rude and provocative person who deliberately "pulls" the tiger's tail then complain to the "zoo keeper" when the tiger growls back at him!! Then he will go: "see. . .I told you that tiger don't like Haitian people. . .he growled at me because I am Haitian decent"!
He is becoming a damn "bother" to Haitians. . .Bahamians . . .OAS and I dear say. . .GBHRA. . .Lol!!
Human Right groups keep telling him "we watching" and not really telling him how they truly feel!! HE NEED TO WATCH THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. . .OR EUROPEANS NATIONS FOR THAT MATTER!! The whole of this region are now telling "his brother by the another mother-land". . .enough is frigging enough dudes!!! Even their friend Brazil in now saying they much change their laws to prevent an uncontrollable inflow of Haitians into its borders!! The whole region is crying fowl to the UN about the collapse of the Haitian nation. . .while big frigging mouth persons of Haitian decent like Mr. Georges play games with other people countries and his "brothers" lack of knowledge/education!!!
But let him keep up what he is doing. . .he will only succeed in getting shanty towns cleaned up and illegals thrown out. . .and let him watch and see if the world will do anything as long as we stay within the "LAW"!!
He is too ignorant to see that while he tells the rest of the world that the Bahamas violate people of Haitian decent constitutional rights. . .while he himself is of Haitian decent. . .all over the place talking foolishness. . .encouraging "his" people to rise-up and take what's their and not being subdued by the Bahamian Authority. . . YET HE IS OF HAITIAN DECENT!!!
He will not tolerated in Haiti. . .but he is free to make an azz of himself in the Bahamas. . .ALL BECAUSE HE IS A CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED BAHAMIAN-OF HAITIAN DECENT. However obnoxcious. . .PROTECTED BY LAW!!
THAT'S WHAT THE OAS AND OTHER HR ORGANIZATIONS ARE SEEING. THEY TOO CAN SEE THAT HE ACTS LIKE A ANTAGENOUS WHO TALKS ABOUT JUSTICE AND FAIR PLAY BUT STIRS SOCIAL UNREST FOR "HIS" MOTHER-LAND'S ILLEGAL CHILDREN!!
I ASSURE YOU IF HE TALK SUCH FOOL IN HAITI. . .HIS "PEOPLE" WILL SHIPE HIM BACK TO THE BAHAMAS OR KILLED HIM IN SHORT ORDER!! THATS HOW DISRUPPTIVE AND CHAOTIC HIS WORDS ARE!!
HE CAN NEVER BE A "CONNECTOR". . .HE DO NOT HAVE THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND INTELLECTUAL SKILLS TO BE SO!!
banker 8 years, 7 months ago
You should do some spell checking and grammar parsing. Also typing in capitals is not good netiquette.
licks2 8 years, 7 months ago
And that's all you have to say? Now that you have said that. . .make your comment on the content please!!
By the way. . .do you know what is grammar parsing? Teach me oh great sage of learning. . .please!!
Child I know that if you are not a Language Expert . . . you just stepped into a dodo pit with grammar parsing(sic).
Now let everybody see how good you are with grammar parsing! Using your grammar parsing skills, interpret the sentence above?
banker 8 years, 7 months ago
This will help you: http://www.link.cs.cmu.edu/link/submi...">http://www.link.cs.cmu.edu/link/submi...
Hmmm never knew that you were a woman. (Only women say "Child").
I have nothing to say about "Haitians" or "Bahamian Haitians" or any such thing. I think that we are all "folks" just trying to make the best life possible for ourselves and our family. Who knows what I would do if I was desperate and a Haitian. I would prolly try to seek greener pastures. Come to think of it, that is what I am doing by accepting a foreign job. However I have the means to get documented and take an airplane to the promised land, instead of paying my life savings to board a homemade Haitian sloop crammed with desperate humanity with an uncertain future.
I was just saving you embarassment, by hoping that you would parse your sentences for correct grammar, but I guess that it is not regarded as a helpful suggestion.
TruePeople 8 years, 7 months ago
bey what you is be licking, cunny aye
My2cents 8 years, 7 months ago
I hope he made the OAS aware of his irresponsible behaviour including referring to the minister of immigration as the Hitler of Haitians to a large group of "Haitian-Bahamians". Was he or was he not trying to incite some form of action? If so, what? The revolution he previously advocated for on his show? Or something more? Bahamians need be concerned for their safety, if anything.
The likes of Fred Smith encourages this group to never take responsibility for their actions. It's about time someone does...but like the spoiled inrate he is being coached to be, he has to throw a tantrum and express disingenuous concerns for his safety. If the OAS does not see it for the nonsense that it is; I hope they will help in securing him political asylum in the U.S.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Agree. Both Louby and Fred Mitchell incite violence. They're both instigators.
My2cents 8 years, 7 months ago
I am not a proponent of Fred Mitchell, but I disagree that he is an instigator of violence. I actually recall him advising Bahamians to use cooler heads when Anston Ally made his public, terroristic, threat.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
You're not talking about the same Fred Mitchell who called all Bahamians who didn't take the position that the Cuban detainees were abused "traitors". Not the same man who keeps picking fights with Izmiralian. I don't know what's happened to him in the last year, maybe election fever, but he's started throwing out a lot of red meat
My2cents 8 years, 7 months ago
Is that instigating violence? You must have a very short fuse, if you think so.
Also, you must have somehow misunderstood when I said I was not a proponent of Fred Mitchell. Therefore, I do not blindly and ignorantly support everything he says or does.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Yes it is. Fred Mitchell is an EXTREMELY intelligent man, he knows exactly what he's doing when he uses the word "traitor" or says "they're not one of us" or starts singing redemption song. In fact I find it far more dangerous coming from someone like him as opposed to someone like Keod Smith. Because it's calculated, and not for good.
I'm actually pretty patient..the stories on corruption and governmental stupidity constantly test my resolve though.
birdiestrachan 8 years, 7 months ago
Georges seems to be accusing the police of doing something wrong. If Georges has done nothing wrong. Georges has nothing to fear. Now Georges was right by Allies side during a press conference, The announcement by Fred Smith to form a Haitian Party was made on Georges' Show. Georges seems to be a very angry man. who has no love for the Bahamas, He is always reporting him and Fred smith reports the Bahamas to some international agencies , they want the Bahamas to look very bad. and their complaints make no sense. He has to come up with more than he fears for his life, has some one done something to him or said something to him.
newcitizen 8 years, 7 months ago
Maybe he's angry because people like you keep telling him to get out of the country and to shut up and take all your hatred and bigotry laying down.
Instead of listening to his concerns, you just say he should have none because he's not a true Bahamian, even though he was born here and is a Bahamian citizen.
My2cents 8 years, 7 months ago
No one ever said he is not allowed to have concerns, but nonHaitian Bahamians also have concerns. He dismisses it all as unfair, xenophobic, racist or hypocritical.
My biggest issue, is the lack of personal responsibility these self proclaimed activists refuse to levy against the illegals who chose to have multiple children as illegals, and sit for nearly two decades on accumulating the documents necessary for them to apply at 18. They then have the nerve to complain about backlogs and threaten revolts, when they clogged the system not designed to accommodate the numbers stemming from 18+ years in hiding or no concern for their own kids citizenship status.
Listening, and responsibility, goes both ways and this man is too childish, narrow minded and anti-Bahamian to engage in, much less lead, a national discussion or movement to clarify legal status for the undocumented.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
I'm pretty certain that's why he's angry. It's also the reason Fred Mitchell is angry. Both were denied access to something they believe they're entitled to because of a quality they cannot change. It's also the reason I think the Bahamas is sitting on a ticking time bomb. They need to fix the law yesteday. We can't continue to have immigrants claim anchor baby policy. Our country cannot support it, human rights concerns or not, we are on the verge of having our debt go to junk bond status. What's next, devaluation? Further unemployment? How can we continue to support the influx of the illegal immigrant world? Haitians, Jamaicans, Chinese, Mexicans, Filipinos etc etc. we simply can't do it.
TheMadHatter 8 years, 7 months ago
This poor poor man. Hopefully the OAS will see his side of the story and agree with him - and they will provide safe refuge in some other better safer island for Mr. Georges and ALL of his supporters.
Perhaps, back to Haiti - or maybe Costa Rica, or Equador, or some other wonderful country will agree to take them ALL.
Let me know when the Agreement has been signed, and I will gladly chip in 10% of the flight costs, and wish them the very best in their future endeavors.
TheMadHatter
thomas 8 years, 7 months ago
His message to his fellowmen should be to leave their unborn children where they are until they themselves find legal refuge in a country that they think wants them. Problem solved.
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
Look at the bigger picture folks. This man has started to rally up his troops. What's happening in 2017??? Georges could win a seat with flying colors, if he runs in an area that has an abundance of Haitian decedents. The danger of it all is that the Haitian community has already started to ease their way in and are slowly taking over. They have infiltrated the RBPF, RBDF, Bahamas Immigration etc. These are key areas to control the masses. So while authentic Bahamians are sleeping and are worrying about red and gold, these cunning buggars are going full force ahead with their plans. First Haitians sneak in your country through the back door, then they enter your community boldly through the front door. WAKE UP BAHAMIANS!
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
*descendants... if he runs as an independent candidate that is.
Sickened 8 years, 7 months ago
Shanty towns should not be included in any constituency boundaries.
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
Lol. Shouldn't be but they are usually the main target areas of both major parties who make their rounds in these areas lookin for votes. The FNM gave away many citizenships leading up to election. The PLP will do worst. Just watch and see.
licks2 8 years, 7 months ago
Don't worry my good fellow citizen. . .the compendium of laws just enacted made sure that shanty town and illegals have no "right" to anything going forward. . .those laws were based on strict adherence to local and international customary laws. . . both georges and smith know that the carpet was "yuked" from under any "foot in the door" scheme they had up their sleeves!!
They don't have the number of legals to make any effect on our political scene in an election!!
Our number of illegals will be going down as of now. . . the door is shut tight tight ma fellow!
This door was shut so tight that even the "other" folks on the down low are complaining that they will have to go someplace else. . .wap!
Now I pray that our leaders find the guts to slam shut the "Bahamian" door left open in the new laws. . .they still will not place a big find on Bahamians hiring irregulars be they Haitians or otherwise!!
Why you all think that smith and georges are pulling their hair out at the root. . .and can't get the "world" to respond to their rents. . .except to say: "we watching them"!
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