EDITOR, The Tribune.
Women United commends the recent conviction of Peter Nygard by the Canadian Court system. The verdict stands as a pivotal moment, shedding light on the unfortunate reality faced by many women who have suffered due to the reprehensible actions of individuals like Nygard. His conviction serves as a stark wake-up call, exposing the complacency of those who allowed his continued operations here in our country.
We cannot ignore the uncomfortable fact that there are allegations that politicians and the police turned a blind eye to the unsavory practices that were occurring. This laissez-faire attitude towards the mistreatment of women in our country must change. It perpetuates a culture where women are seen as second-class citizens and where they continue to be abused as their abusers feel that they will not be called upon to answer for their crimes.
It’s time for a profound shift in our mindset — one that prioritises the care and protection of women, rejecting any form of abuse or degradation. It is alleged that many women found themselves unwittingly lured into attending events at Nygard Cay, only to become victims of trafficking facilitated by our own compatriots. The tragedy lies in how some sought opportunities, unaware that these situations would turn out to be non-consensual.
This grave situation demands introspection about our culture and societal norms. We must question why individuals like Nygard felt empowered to perpetrate such atrocities behind closed doors, assured that he wouldn’t face scrutiny or arrest. It’s an alarming reflection on our collective values that allowed such exploitation to thrive unchecked and to this day remains unchecked. The majority of his crimes allegedly happened here in The Bahamas and yet no charges have been laid against him here and we have therefore made no extradition request to try him here to make him defend the allegations that have been made against him.
Women United firmly believes that change begins with acknowledging these unsettling truths and actively working towards a culture that respects and safeguards the rights of all individuals, especially women. We call upon all members of society to join us in this crucial conversation and take decisive actions to prevent such heinous acts from ever occurring again.
WOMEN UNITED
Nassau,
November 26, 2023
Comments
Porcupine 5 months, 3 weeks ago
This travesty seems to speak to the overall lack of justice, fairness and the value of human dignity in our nation, as a whole. The number of rapes, murders, physical assaults seem to be normalized in this Christian nation. Yes? We use the bible as an axe to threaten those who would speak up. As we do to point at the victims of rape and of marital assault to suggest that the victim is at fault. Here too, we are likely to see Women United dressed down for bringing light to this sordid Nygard affair, in shaming our country. There are virtually no consequences for bad behaviour here, if you are politically connected. Unfortunately, the idea of "politically connected" is so often tainted in illegal and unsavory behaviour to begin with. You can even read the daily papers rather poorly to come to this conclusion. Our editors seem unfazed. Our citizenry now accept it as normal. Our justice system seems to have no eyes at all. The fact that there will likely be so few comments to this article goes a long way in illustrating how this normalization of disgusting behaviour has taken hold of this once proud island nation. Now, it seems, justice is merely a game, as is politics. Worse, those at the top appear to have no shame whatsoever. It is merely a game to them. Is there any difference in the political parties, at all? Let's see if Nygard gets his due in The Bahamas. After all, Nygard's son publicly stated that most his crimes occurred in The Bahamas. Justice indeed. Don't hold your breath.
stillwaters 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Let's be totally honest here. He is a horrid, nasty, creepy predator that we gave power to, here in the Bahamas. We need to take responsibility as Bahamians when we welcome people like him into our midst with wide smiles, open arms, and especially greedy hands out. I remember how a lot of Bahamian women would give their right hands to be invited to one of his parties. People like him can only get away with what people like us allow.
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