The Tribune

By Riel major

HUNDREDS of Bahamians stormed Bay Street yesterday to protest against the Minnis administration, high unemployment and rising electricity bills.

Tensions ran high during the protest, dubbed the “Enough is Enough” march, yesterday morning and shortly after 10am more than a dozen officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force tried to divert protesters by dragging barricades across Rawson Square.

However, Frederick McAlpine, Pineridge MP, approached the barricades and exchanged words with an officer. That officer then created a small opening between the barricades while another officer tried and failed to prevent Mr McAlpine and scores of protesters from forcing themselves onto Rawson Square. Mr McAlpine ultimately pushed through the barricades and others followed him.

Police said three people were arrested at the protest for “disruptive” behaviour and alleged assault of police officers. Many protesters held signs that read “FNM torch burn out”, “BPL robbing us, no weapon, no mask” and “Light bill too high” - all chanting “Minnis got to go” in solidarity. The House of Assembly was in session at the time.

Mr McAlpine, a Free National Movement backbench MP who at one point marched with the protesters, told reporters: “This is the people’s Parliament and this is about the people and I want to be here with the people.

“My political future doesn’t matter, the Bahamian people matter. If I have to take a choice between party and people, I’ll always choose the people. I did burst through the barricades...I’m a parliamentarian and I have the right to come through.

“Those who (came) behind me...this is their House and they have a right also. We never did this...this was not done, we marched and my leader was a part of that march and this didn’t happen,” he said referring to previous protests when barricades were not blocking Rawson Square.

“We didn’t have all those barricades so you can’t talk about it being ‘the people’s time’ and when it’s your time for the people to talk to you...you don’t want to listen to them...you don’t want to hear them. It’s the people’s time and the people will speak.”

Mr McAlpine said after two nearly years of the Minnis administration, this is the first time he has seen that level of anger and frustration from the people. He highlighted frequent industrial action or labour issues in government agencies and concluded that something is drastically wrong.

“That is bad, I often see this couple years into election and it hasn’t been two full years and this where we are at, this is deplorable and I’m afraid as to what could happen and what might be happening,” Mr McAlpine said. “People are hurting in this country unfortunately many upstairs don’t understand that hurt. The people are going to be here I will be with the people.”

Protestors greeted and cheered for some politicians as Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip Davis, PLP Exuma and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper, Justice of the Peace Rodney Moncur, Democratic National Alliance Deputy Leader Arinthia Komolafe, and former PLP MP V Alfred Gray.

Mr Davis told reporters the march was impressive and it spoke to the frustrations and anger of the people.

“With all the taxes and just the uncaring nature of their approach to governance as they feel it today - I hope they listen to the people, these people are crying, they want to be heard they want to be listened to, they want action to bring relief to the things they are complaining about today,” Mr Davis said.

Maria Daxon, a protester and part organiser, said she wants the government to immediately end the controversial Oban deal, plans to join the World Trade Organisation and to create a national resort plan for the Bahamian people.

She said: “We are tired, we want them to create a land (registry), too much (stealing) going on by the land by these white knights. We need to stop this mess.”

One protestor, who referred to herself as “Queen Bee” told reporters yesterday citizens are demanding truth, respect, and honesty from the Free National Movement.

“I’m not here to baby those people in the House of Assembly...they my slaves, they working for me,” she said. “I paying them and I’m not here to baby them. Who do they think they are?

“When you have a whole country that is hurting and that is angry, what more do we expect for them to sit home and wait for the high electricity bill to reach…for them to sit home and wait for their children to starve…what do we expect? This is not a game this is reality.”

The protest’s organisers said they are giving the government 10 days to address their demands or they will march again, this time demanding the entire Cabinet resign.

“If they don’t do that we will be back again but not here, we will be to the GG (governor general)…that is their boss and if she don’t do nothing then all I can say is God help us. I can’t say anything after that.”

Yesterday, activist group Rights Bahamas weighed in on the protest and criticised the presence of the barricades in Rawson Square, accusing the government of trying to suppress free speech.

“It saddens me today to see the state of our country and how the powerful continue to attempt to oppress our people,” RB President Stephanie St Fleur said in a statement. “In all my years of demonstrating as a labour organiser, I have never, ever seen permits granted that limited protestors to the sidewalk. Apparently, under the Minnis administration, the streets no longer belong to the people.

“Thankfully, the police did not enforce this dictatorial stipulation; nevertheless, the public deserves an explanation of how it came to be in the first place, and Rights Bahamas demands an answer. While the ‘Enough’ marchers were permitted to walk in the streets, today was also the first time in my life that I have seen police squad cars escorting a march so closely, directing and restricting its movement and the course it followed.

“It was also extremely disappointing to witness the authorities’ shameful attempt to barricade Rawson Square in order to keep the marchers out.”