EDITOR, The Tribune.
I am a Bahamian of Haitian descent currently residing in New Providence. I am the founder of a group called The Connection, which is a voluntary group comprised of young Bahamians of Haitian descent who seek to make a positive contribution and impact in The Bahamas through education and voluntary projects.
I am a talk show host at ZSR Station 103.5 co-hosting a bilingual show with Leyvon Miller on topical issues in and around The Bahamas and seek to bridge the gap between the Bahamian and Haitian community. I am also a human rights activist advocating for the enforcement and protection of basic human rights in The Bahamas, especially those of Haitian migrants.
I was a part of the Bahamian delegation that travelled to Washington from March 20-22 to highlight human rights violations we felt were being committed in the Bahamas as a result of the implementation of an immigration policy enforced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration.
At the Inter-American Human Rights Commission (IACHR), we met with one of the Commissioners regarding the safety and security of human rights activists in The Bahamas. We were assigned a special monitor to oversee the treatment of all human rights defenders in the country and report back to the IACHR. I have been targeted on several occasions and this was discussed at that time.
Some examples are as follows:
• My name was called in the House of Assembly by a sitting parliamentarian over discussions that took place on my radio station regarding the new immigration policy implemented in The Bahamas.
• My talk show at Guardian Radio was pulled off air in March, 2015, after being reported to URCA by that same parliamentarian, in what I considered to be an act of suppression of free speech.
• My group hosted an informational town hall meeting on August 8 regarding health topics and other information that was deemed important for disbursement to the Haitian community. Once again, the same minister has asked for a police probe into the meeting – which is presently being carried out – as he alleged that some things were said at the meeting that bordered on incitement, and more so because non-nationals had held this meeting and that was concerning for him and warranted an investigation.
This was announced via the media without any prior investigation having been conducted and no proof brought forward. What is most concerning is that the average citizen who supports these leaders may take such comments seriously and this may itself pose a risk of incitement, possibly leading to abuse or attacks by citizens on innocent people and human rights defenders.
Clearly, we feel unfairly targeted, persecuted and have now brought this matter to the attention of our Organisation of American States monitor and the rest of the international community.
The town hall meeting in question was publicly broadcast on social media as well as on ZSR 103.5 and letters of invitation were delivered by hand to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration as well as the Ministry of Education, but both declined to be in attendance and no representatives were sent.
Representatives of the US Embassy as well as the Haitian Embassy were also invited and accepted the invitation to be in attendance, as did other community members to whom invitations were extended. Again, 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 as we had an attendance amounting to over 500.
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.
LOUBY GEORGES
Nassau
September 6, 2015
Comments
TheMadHatter 8 years, 7 months ago
You don't need to create a group, and go to D.C., and make all kind of noise to make a POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION.
All you need to do is kindly ask your supporters to STOP overbreeding Bahamians in their own country - and trying to make us extinct.
Come here and live peacefully and sensibly. This is not Haiti. We don't have room here for yall to pop out 12 million puppies like you did back home and fill up everything. Where ya go then when you screw this country up?
Try to live different, please, try to live better. If you don't want to live better- then go back home.
TheMadHatter
thomas 8 years, 7 months ago
You call this persecution. Get a job and you and those of your ilk either obey the laws of this country or return to your own.
shortpants 8 years, 7 months ago
They should never let you have a voice on the airways . You people we owe you'll nothing .When you went to Washington to make your voice heard ,you thought you could by-pass our people so now you're reaping what you sow. You want to make it right for your people than go where your people come from .You are not a Bahamian you people never give up country status . Go into any money gram right now and everyone is a Haitian sending all that they make here back home ,they have no interest in our country so carry you'll hip back .Don't want to pay for all the basic needs just won't to live in the bush.
mangogirl01 8 years, 7 months ago
Minister Mitchell, your government gave this trouble maker citizenship in 2012 after he campaigned for ya party so you have the power to revoke same!!
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
As I said in another post, Bahamians need to really see the bigger picture. This man has started to rally up his troops. What's happening in 2017??? Georges could easily win a seat without any hassle, if he runs as an independent candidate in an area that has a high volume of Haitian descendants. 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!
Sickened 8 years, 7 months ago
You ungrateful SOB! Your parents sneak into the country, breed you, we educate you and give you a voice and you use that voice to call us sinister! STFU! Go back to Haiti and fight for Haitian rights there, you lousy piece of !
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
For the record, I don't have any problems with foreigners trying to be a part of the wider community. The problem is, Louby is very loud, biggity and demanding. He always bigs up Haitians and is very condescending to Bahamians. Sorry but this type of attitude does not bode well with a people who have been patient with all the ill that the Haitian population has bought to the Bahamas, including the mass reproduction practiced by Haitian women and the downgrading of certain area with the building of these nasty make-shift communities..
newcitizen 8 years, 7 months ago
The xenophobia in these comments is amazing.
Sickened 8 years, 7 months ago
If you were Bahamian then you would understand!
newcitizen 8 years, 7 months ago
I would understand how to be a bigot?
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
No. You would understand the frustrations that we feel daily with the stampede of Haitians who come uninvited to our shores and destroy our country by bringing their backward culture and non caring attitude. Is that clear enough for ya?
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Oh boy...
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Is this what passes for persecution now?????? ............ a Holocaust Jew or Chinese Christian would be offended
CatIslandBoy 8 years, 7 months ago
"Puppies", "those of your ilk". What condescending remarks! Fellow Bahamians, we can do better than this. The conversation, despite it's merits does not have to descend into the gutter.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Agree. Louby is a trouble maker. "To me" he appears a younger version of Fred Mitchell, and isn't that ironic. He will grow up into a bitter man who is mad at the whole world because he can't get what he wants...acceptance. he's seeking it, but the way he goes about getting it guarantees failure. Hence the looming bitterness.
thomas 8 years, 7 months ago
Just what is condescending about the term "those of your ilk"?
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
The problem is the fact that those of Haitian decent do not view themselves as Bahamian, they view themselves as Haitian first. They are proud to be Haitian. The question is why are the proud to be from a country they had to flee from? Who would be proud to be from a country such as that? Is it a false pride? I would think so. I am a Bahamian and the way my country is going makes it very hard to be proud. If I am forced to flee the Bahamas, I will spit upon the name forever more!
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Did Stephen Dillet (who was the first black MP in Parliament) view himself as a Bahamian????
Come on Louby ............ you either a Bahamian or a Haitian ..... no flying Haitian flags in this country except its at an embassy ............. we are ONE Bahamas
concernedcitizen 8 years, 7 months ago
We have been selling this country since Independence ,every politician and campaign general always had 10 to 20 work permits for their personal indentured servants ,,Any company owners w/ connections got all the permits they wanted ,Frank Hanna built a great business w/ hatian labor , He even had them cleaning the old airport T Wells does it w/ the Cubans ,,Give me 10 grand and in two weeks I will have 2 work permits for Hatians,they come b/c we sell our country ..PLAIN AND SIMPLE
CatIslandBoy 8 years, 7 months ago
Thomas, according to the urban dictionary, "ilk" has a "connotation of the typed group being of bad or questionable character".
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID