Richard Lightbourn
Reader poll
Do you think Richard Lightbourn should resign over his sterilisation comments?
- Yes, he should resign.
- No, he should not resign.
207 total votes.
By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
TWO local advocacy groups have condemned Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn’s proposal for the state-sponsored sterilisation of women as “archaic, barbaric and dangerous”, charging that the suggestion is “frighteningly reminiscent” of sterilisation policies used against black people internationally in the 1960s.
Citizens for Constitutional Equality (CCE), in a statement, said Mr Lightbourn’s proposal to “target young, black, poor women” in order to reduce the number of children being born is akin to “policies used against black South Africans under apartheid and African-Americans in Mississippi and Alabama” at the height of racial tensions in the 1960s.
The group also said Mr Lightbourn’s proposed policy is “state enforced violence against women,” which the group said is a “perverse violation of human rights” that demonstrates Mr Lightbourn’s “utter lack of understanding and awareness of what gender equality, women’s empowerment, agency and human rights really means”.
Meanwhile, non-profit organisation Bahamas Women’s Watch (BWW) said Mr Lightbourn’s proposed policy “highlights an absolute disrespect and contempt for women’s rights” and serves “to explain the lack of advancement on core women’s empowerment issues” in the country.
The group said instead of “scapegoating poor women as the reason for the social ills in the Bahamas,” Mr Lightbourn should “consider the unequal power relations and the exploitation of women in the inner city” as well as the fact that “many women are left to raise children and care for children on their own.”
CCE also said Mr Lightbourn’s proposal “suggests that he absolves men of any burden in this” and said it is “obscene to blame the most vulnerable of our society for its problems.”
The strongly-worded statements by the two groups came days after Mr Lightbourn proposed at the Free National Movement’s convention that the country adopt legislation that mandates unwed mothers with more than two children have their “tubes tied” in an effort to curtail the country’s social ills.
Mr Lightbourn indicated that children born in unstable family situations often grow up to participate in criminal activities. To offset that occurrence, the shadow attorney general posited that it was necessary to consider “adopting the lead of several countries in the world,” the result of which he said would be less children, essentially reducing the burden of the state in terms of social care, education and employment.
“Implicit in Mr Lightbourn’s proposal is a policy to target young, black, poor woman in order to reduce the number of children being born; reduce the number of children in the schools and reduce the number of people seeking unemployment,” CCE said. “This policy proposal of sterilisation is frighteningly reminiscent of the policies used against black South Africans in Mississippi and Alabama, as recently as the 1960s. This is not who we are as a people.”
CCE added: “To execute such a policy requires a coercive and discriminatory approach against a certain set of women in our society by the state. This compounds the reality that many women in the Bahamas become pregnant because of coercion, rape, inclusive of marital rape, incest and other forms of violations of their human rights, such as poverty.
“Mr Lightbourn’s proposal displays an utter lack of understanding and awareness of what gender equality, women’s empowerment, agency and human rights really means.”
BWW, meanwhile, said Mr Lightbourn’s proposal “must be strongly condemned and outrightly rejected by everyone.” The group said as a political leader, Mr Lightbourn should be informed and aware of the “critical need for the state to play a significant role in public education and socialization around issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights.”
BWW added: “Instead of scapegoating poor women as the reason for the social ills in the Bahamas, he should consider the unequal power relations and the exploitation of women in the inner city and the fact that many women are left to raise children and care for children on their own. It suggests that he absolves men of any burden in this and it is obscene to blame the most vulnerable of our society for its problems.”
Mr Lightbourn’s controversial comments were made on the second night of the convention at the Melia resort, and have since gone viral on social media with many vilifying the parliamentarian. His comments, as well as the subsequent criticisms, have made headlines in regional media outlets, such as the Jamaica Observer.
Mr Lightbourn offered a public apology for his statements the following day, stating that making them was “an extremely poor decision on my part.”
“It was never my intention to offend anyone but to speak to the need for effective parenting and the support for a strong family structure which will go a long way toward solving many of our country’s social ills,” he said in his written apology.
“It is a woman’s right to decide what to do with her body.”
Comments
Sickened 7 years, 8 months ago
I hope that the members of these advocacy groups have all adopted unwanted children and are helping to care for these kids who have useless mothers.
And I'm sure that some of these members have tried to convince a expectant mother to either keep or abort her child (most likely to keep) EVEN THOUGH they shout "It's a woman's right to decide".
Alex_Charles 7 years, 8 months ago
So what of the men that father these children and absolutely refuse to take responsibility? Of but obvious it must solely be the woman's fault, in a country where more than 60% of families are fatherless. Also abortion is illegal, which it shouldn't be, but we are a "christian nation," whatever that means.
killemwitdakno 7 years, 8 months ago
Someone had to have tampered with that speech.
Publius 7 years, 8 months ago
Did someone tamper with Lightbourn's brain, central nervous system and mouth to make him read it too? Please.
killemwitdakno 7 years, 8 months ago
Punch-drunk when writing and reading perhaps. Note he also forgot the time and didn't hear the loud music either.
KML. Lort Lighbourne ya done it this time.
proudloudandfnm 7 years, 8 months ago
He must live in a nazi bubble to make such a stupid proposal.
I know one thing. If I was leader the party would have to live without his seat until next election. I would have ejected him from the party by now. At some point Minnis will own this stupid speech just as he now owns the LOI scandal...
themessenger 7 years, 8 months ago
"non-profit organisation Bahamas Women’s Watch (BWW) said Mr Lightbourn’s proposed policy “highlights an absolute disrespect and contempt for women’s rights” and serves “to explain the lack of advancement on core women’s empowerment issues” in the country."
Didn't these same sanctimonious women Highlight their disrespect and contempt for themselves by refusing to vote a SECOND TIME for their own self empowerment and advancement in the recent referendum???? I mussy missing something here...................
TalRussell 7 years, 8 months ago
Comrades! I was asked, if I believed Montagu's Richard to be a racist? Personally, I don't think so at all. But with that said, I wouldn't push back against others that feel strongly that what he uttered from a "prepared" convention speech could only be construed as something that could have only been said by a prejudiced or closed-minded person. You just can't say such things and not expect to be called all kinds bad names by the people who you yourself gave good reason to believe you to be a bigot - or more.
Do I still believe Richard to be a better human being than the few words he spoke from the speaker’s podium at convention? Yes, I do.
Regardless, there can no front-line political tomorrow going forward for the member to honourably continue in the job of representing the good and decent people of the Montagu constituency!
birdiestrachan 7 years, 8 months ago
I am not a fan of this man,, I disagree with the Government sterilizing any one. the schools and the churches should speak to young women about the serious responsibility of children. and bringing them up in the right way especially in these serious times.. I am shocked when women say I am a single woman with seven children. so he Mr: Lightbourne is not all wrong he has a point** Every thing is expensive I often wonder how persons with so many children manage. But it is their choice. They will have to live with their choice. Many single women bring their children up very well. But the world is changing.
Bahamianpride 7 years, 8 months ago
Advocacy idiots. How about advocating for moral decency and responsibility. Producing kids u cannot afford is creating life to suffer, that's Child abuse. People like to inject explosive issues like race into the conversation to distract us from the reality that in this small island nation we must get this loose irresponsible breeding under control. Too many kids being born into abject poverty or in situations of poor supervision. Too many unplanned pregnancy, teenage pregnancy, pregnancy from affairs, fathers with Kids all over the place even married men. Lightbourn presented the issue wrong but he was heading in the right direction. If we don't get this under control the population will explode & crime & polution will force all of the productive people to immigrate elsewhere. This is not a women's rights issue, it's an accountability issue. 24 he free voluntary sterilization I support for men & women, I would even support cash for sterilization it's a lot cheaper than dealing with the societal problems brought on by reckless breeding.
BaronInvest 7 years, 8 months ago
How about creating jobs instead, fixing the economy and giving your people a proper chance in life by working on education and health-care ?
SP 7 years, 8 months ago
... Bahamianpride Is Another White Bahamian Ignoring Problems THEY engineered ...
White Bahamians never got over losing political power. They decided to punish black Bahamians by repopulating the Bahamas with slavish Haitians who "knew their place".
All this nonsense and stupidity from Richard Lightbourn is widely supported by white Bahamians.
None of these white Bahamians acknowledge or ever mentioned the problem of the Haitian infestation overburdening the country resources causing the need of increased taxation.
PMH maternity ward is full of Haitians, NOT BAHAMIANS!
No white Bahamian is on record anywhere complaining about the ever growing Haitian infestation because it was THEIR PLAN after majority rule to bring subservient Haitians to replace forward thinking black Bahamians!
The white Bahamians plan clearly backfired as Haitians also brought their culture of violence, crime, over breeding and corruption with them, which are now major problems, placing pressure on government to increase taxes for health care, education, social programs and policing.
White Bahamians will not be allowed to get away with blaming black Bahamians for these many problems they caused by populating our country with Haitians because of their need to have a submissive class of people to lord over!
themessenger 7 years, 8 months ago
SP, you need to get ya head out ya ass. Black people bin large an in charge here for the last 45 years so when did all these white folks smuggle all these hyshins into the country under the nose of our good police an defense force? These negros we got runnin things now could give whitey lessons on how to keep black people down. If you could find a more submissive set a people than Bahamians anywhere in the world please lt me know.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago
Lightbourn should be made to resign for what he said, but we've all heard many of our fellow black Bahamians say over the last two decades that no white Bahamian would ever treat a black Bahamian as bad as another black Bahamian. Sadly this appears to hold true, especially in the case of our young children and the more elderly in our society. Take for instance the fact that my wife was absolutely horrified at the general condition of the H. O. Nash school when she went to vote there in the last national referendum. She literally cried at the fact that not a single water fountain in the school was functional and that the school's restrooms were in a deplorable disgusting state. Meanwhile the political elites, their families and their business cronies (like Sir Snake) are living like kings and queens among us. Simply unbelievable, but truly very sad!
Bahamianpride 7 years, 8 months ago
B.S. SP, I'm a black Bahamian. My issues is personal, every time a relative produces an unplanned birth it gets personal when family have to chip in constantly or the state pays. It cost me thousands to pay for this derelict behavior because I refuse to watch kids suffer. Now the hatian issue only gets me more upset, no society can exist with boats of illegals showing up and breeding like crazy putting futher strain on an already overburdened system. What I'm not going to do is play this blame whitey game for every problem as if we are wild animals and have no control of our behavior.
SP 7 years, 8 months ago
... Growl, Yell, Hide & Point Fingers, Still No condemnation Of The Haitian Invasion ...
Haitian extract Stephen Dillet entering Parliament in 1833 is clearly indicative of Haitians influence under UBP rule.
Which idiots decided it was a brilliant idea to incentivize Haitians by rewarding them $200.00 if caught? This is the equivalent to a years income in Haiti for breaching Bahamas immigration laws? How many Haitians are sitting in Parliament today?
Pindling, Ingraham and Christie are all Haitians!
Its no wonder Bahamians are losing ground while Haitians have progressed faster in 4 decades than any ethnic grouping in the Bahamas.
Bahamians will never get ahead until "real indigenous Bahamians" are finally elected to Parliament and post of Prime Minister!
SP 7 years, 8 months ago
You obviously have pubic hairs for brains. Too much inbreeding perhaps?
themessenger 7 years, 8 months ago
And how bout you brudda SP, who you for and where dey from? My bet is Africa by way of Haiti, bey ya'll is hate ya black bredren more than you is hate whitey dem. SP fa we nex one an only indigenous PM an asshole of the year award, ya got my vote.
truetruebahamian 7 years, 8 months ago
I think that the availability of voluntary sterilisation free of charge is what the end of the story was supposed to read, but the road twisted itself up on the man making the delivery.
truetruebahamian 7 years, 8 months ago
SP, when the Eleutherian Adventurers (from whom I am descended) arrived in the Bahamas from England via Bermuda, the Bahama islands were devoid of human beings. The Spanish had effectively seen to that. Other peoples and races passing through our archipelago settled here, were freed here, or in the case of those arriving from the usa 130 or so years later brought their entire family and staff (by far the largest influx percentage wise in comparison to those already settled here). So when you say 'Indigenous Bahamian' to whom are you actually referring?
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