• Did The Bahamas Gov.t collude with US authority to have poor hardworking class straw vendors arrested?
• We here at BP want to know why the US merchants who were selling the goods not arrested?
• Is it now illegal to go to a shop or mall to purchase goods in the US?
• What role did the Bay Street Merchants inculding John Bull and the Greek Mafia have to do with the arrest of 9 poor hard working Bahamians?
• And while we are at it, what interests does Brent Symonette have out at Arawak Cay for him to be going out there two to three times a week? Is he now the Minister of Transport or Works? WE HAVE THE PICTURES and will soon do an expose’ on the port deal. WE WILL FOLLOW THE MONEY!
Ministry of Foreign Affairs addresses arrest of straw vendors in New York
NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sought to clarify the circumstances surrounding the arrest and detention of nine Bahamian straw vendors in New York.
In a statement released Wednesday, September 22, 2010, the Ministry, in light of public views, revealed details on the matter.
On September 19, 2010 at 12:43 a.m., a staff member of the Consulate General in New York, received information from a relative regarding the arrest and detention of nine Bahamian female straw vendors and was informed that they were being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre (MCC) in New York City.
Upon entering the office on Sunday, September 19, 2010, the Consul General discovered a fax sent by officials from the Department of Homeland Security on Saturday, September 18, 2010 at approximately 2:10 p.m., advising of the arrest and detention of the above-mentioned Bahamian nationals.
Officials from the Department of Homeland Security are in possession of emergency numbers at which the Consul General can be contacted.
On Sunday, September 19, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. Consul General Carl Smith spoke with Mr. Albert Sypioe of the Department of Homeland Security, who briefed him on the situation. He was informed that 11 straw vendors had been scheduled to return to The Bahamas from JFK Airport via jet Blue flight at 6 a.m. on Saturday, September 18, 2010, nine of whom had been detained, arrested and processed.
The Consul General was also advised that the persons would be arraigned on Monday, September 20, 2010 and that information regarding the subsequent charges would be conveyed to him.
The Consul General visited the Metropolitan Correctional Centre (MCC) on Sunday, September 19, 2010, but was unable to see the Bahamian nationals as the Legal Department, which approves such visits, was closed.
The Consul General made a formal request on September 19, 2010 to conduct a Consular visit.
The nine Bahamians were arraigned on Monday, September 20 at 4:10 p.m. on charges of conspiracy in the trafficking of counterfeit goods and services in violation of Title 18 Section 2320(A) (1) United States Code.
The Bahamian nationals have been assigned lawyers by the US Court and the Ministry has been advised that attorneys have been obtained by family members to monitor the judicial process in the United States.
The Ministry understands that the matter of bail and cash bonds is currently being addressed. The Consul General, who has been following this matter from the time it was brought to the Consulate General’s attention, was present in court for the arraignment of the Bahamians on Monday, September 20, 2010.
The Consulate General will continue to monitor the cases of these Bahamians to ensure that their rights and welfare are protected in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963, to which the United States of America and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas are party.
fnm or plp they all the same what we need in this county, the bahamas, is a socialist movement. basically a third prominent party to challenge the fnm & plp. with a large percentage of bahamains under 25 we need younger politicians not the same old cronies. if the young generation got there shiit together they could rule this land.
This country and it’s people need to kick out FNM on their heads because this whole thing is dumb, if you look at all these people that come in this country and make huge crime and they let them go without a care. i watch the news last night the family members try to contact their loves but they wasn’t allow to and to find out what was the real case, the government is full of bullshit, but they have to remember it’s soon time to vote and all these who want a real change and not grabbing at “all for me who care about the rest” will take FNM out for good!!
These high price stores in Nassau sell knockoffs too, they just get it direct from China or Japan or such places. They take off the tags before they come to the stores and then they quadruple the price, many times over. Check where these stores getting the goods from. Just because they have fancy expensive stores don’t make them legit, they just look legit!
This incudent goes way back when the merchants have been complaining to the authorities asking that the powers that be stop the vendors from selling knock off items,this matter is beyond what the eyes can see. Ask the Deputy P>M what took place. Is he implicated in the sting or did he acted on behalf of the Bay Street merchants. Ask the Dupuch from Dupuch Publication what a scumbag this man is. Think about the downtown development.
When this arrest took place the Minister pretended as though he knew nothing of this matter and acted as though he did not care. Open your eyes people.
I wonder if yinner seeing what we are seeing. Remember when our boys were taken from Nassau LPIA to be tried in the US? Though the matter was of a larger nature, Perry Christie spoke to the issue and at least vowed to investigate the matter. The mongrel name Hubert Ingraham have yet to say a DAMN WORD on those Straw venders who were iCED. WE told yinner LONG TIME, WOMEN ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FNM LIST ON MATTERS and those poor hardworking women would be JAILED before agent #1622 open his mouth.
In fact the government is so WUTLESS, they didn’t even get Lawyers of the women. They got Lawyers and s Speedy trial of $300 for the Barefoot Bandit though.
Ahhhh the words of Derek Walcott, “Justice is an invention of the DEVIL”.
BP
Tribune Article
Three of the five Nassau Flight Services baggage handlers arrested in Ft Lauderdale in December pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of importing 500 grams of cocaine into the United States between November 9 and 10, 2006.
Federal prosecutors, presented Duty Magistrate Judge Andrea Simonton, with a superseding indictment, filed just one day before yesterday’s arraignment, which also charged a fourth man, Giovanni Munroe, who did not appear in court, with importation of cocaine in concert with the NFS baggage handlers.
Count one of the indictment, which could carry a maximum penalty of 40 years exclusive of fines, restitution, parole terms or forfeitures, charged the four men with conspiracy to import cocaine into the US, And count two, which could carry the same penalty as the first, charged the men with the importation of cocaine into the US.
Lester Bain, 29, Delvino Rigby, 26, and Marcus Rolle, 22, all went before Judge Simonton of the US District Court in downtown Miami in courtroom XI, located directly opposite the courtroom in which Samuel “Ninety” Knowles made his second arraignment appearance.
Judge Simonton read the two counts of the indictment to the accused, which stated that the four men “did knowingly and intentionally import into the United States, from a place outside thereof, a controlled substance.
It is further alleged that this violation involved 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine.”
The three men’s attorneys, one after the other, entered pleas of not guilty, waived formal reading of the indictment, asked for a trial by jury and asked that standing discovery orders be filed.
Judge Simonton entered the pleas and agreed to the terms of trial, reading of the indictments and signing of the standing discovery order. She then informed the men that they would make their next appearance before Judge James Cohn at the Broward County Courthouse, Broward County, where the defendants are accused of importing the controlled substance – cocaine – and where the superseding indictment was filed.
The men sat in the prisoners’ dock handcuffed, one to the other, and in leg shackles, as they appeared together before the judge. They wore beige prison uniforms and brown slippers, typical of the Federal Detention Centre where they are being held – the same facility in which Knowles is being held.
The aunt of Marcus Rolle and mother of Delvino Rigby were present for the arraignment. Another woman, who often during the arraignment held her close, accompanied Mr Rigby’s mother.
Ms Rigby told The Tribune inside the courtroom that her son is a “good boy who goes to church.”
Also present were three members of the Bahamas Consulate General, representing the Bahamas government, who said that they try to be present whenever a Bahamian national appears in court.
Bain is the only one of the three men to be represented, by court appointed counsel. Rigby has acquired the private counsel of Mr Abe Anselheart Bailey and Rolle is represented by Mr Roderick Darrell Vereen.
The three men, with two others, were arrested in what some claim was a case of entrapment by US agencies. It is the subject of much debate and scrutiny, putting the PLP government under a microscope for answers.
Prime Minister Perry Christie has vowed to undertake his own investigation into the matter to find out how it was possible that none of his ministers knew anything about the operation.
The five NFS baggage handlers were arrested after being sent to Fort Lauderdale for Transportation Safety Administration training (TSA).
It is still unknown when the two other men, Roney Tony, and John Peters will have their cases heard.
By CHESTER ROBARDS, The Tribune
swift justice is real….unlike wit bad brad and his son in law who was both accused of RAPE, and got off. why does the PLP believes that they could commit a crime and get away with it because they say they are christians? stop the bull shit. yes brad they need to be lectured to now, because when they get out they will continue the same illegal stuff. As for Laura on blue hill rd, someone needs to stuff a bananna in her mouth a real brown 12 inch hard one, give tiger woods that job
The question should be “Why all of a sudden this happens?” This ahs been going on for years, its not lihe they don’t come through customs, their bags are not checked by the US government before leaving the United States. It is interesting that we are making comments concerning the amount of trips and how much money. When in actual fact the story should have been head “Street vendors in New Yorak along with a few Bahamians have been arrested in the supplying and recieving of counterfiet products.” Do we think this is going to stop the import of illegal items in any country. We need to find the source and get rid of it.
“We here at BP want to know why the US merchants who were selling the goods not arrested?”
What makes you think they were not?
They arrest them and close them down all the time in NY City. Just because what happened to the US merchants was not published that does not mean they were not arrested, it was part of a sting, so surely they were or will be as soon as the investigation is complete. In America they actually enforce their laws, unlike here.
poor and they cud afford to goto foreign? Please try again!! do the crime do the time, ignorance of the law is no excuse, and they know the law, unless they just plain dumb??? As to all these racists blaming the white man, you best look in the mirror cause its the black man that did the crime in this case, and its the black man that is in charge of this country, AND THE USA!! HA!
Y’all talking a bunch of crap…Where the ****is the Barefoot Bandit!!! Hubert Ingraham and lousy Brent Symonette gave him to the U.S. Now ask those two traitors if the U.S. is going to give us our straw vendors back.
The Barefoot Bandit illegally entered this country, shot at our police officers, had an illegal gun, stole a boat, broke into a business and John Delaney, Hubert Ingraham, and questionable sexually oriented Brent Symonette sent him back to the U.S.
Lets do the prisoner exchange thing now!! You political whores are full of crap. Free our nine black women now!!! If Hubert Ingraham so big and bad tell him go ask for our people NOW!!!!
Faggot politicians in this country only know how to preach their hypocrisy to black Bahamians!! Go ask white America for our straw vendors!!! Bunch of Uncle Toms and 3/4 white Brent Symonette!!!!
Racist pigs should not have access to the Internet.
As I remember it, the Barefoot Bandit had numerous serious charges against him in the USA. It was on that basis that the USA exercised its right under the relevant extradition agreements to have the Barefoot bandit extradited.
On the other hand, the Bahamian Straw Vendors have no charge against them here, so I dont know on which grounds the Bahamas can request extradition. It is so sad to see foolishness like this from Bahamians on the internet for all to see. No wonder the world thinks we are a third world banana republic living in thatched roof houses and wearing straw skirts!
Tones, Also ask them where is the drunk kid that beat the hell outta three police officers in the back of the straw market. We aint even turn him over to the US but we let him go.
Damn Americans have more right than us in our own country.
He wasnt “let go” just like that. He spent 1 week in jail here and paid a hefty fine. Now ofcourse if a Bahamian, WHITE or BLACK, had done that, they would have got a long sentence .. but anyway ..we all know that without American Tourists we would be living in the bush eating coconuts.
I totally agree.
Selling knock-offs is illegal for good reason, BP. They are stealing intellectual property. The designers have every right to have their designs, labels, logos, names and trademarks protected from counterfiet. That straw market has become a flea market for the sale of knock-offs, and as a Bahamian, it is embarrassing. The real victims are the hard-working straw vendors who try to sell genuine Bahamian craft but are being out-sold by the peddlers of these fake designer products.
Thats what you call swift justice. Boy I wish we had that kinda judicial action in the Bahamas
I read your headline and the introductory to the article, in red font.
The straw vendors should’ve known that the items they sought were illegal.
we’ve had that public discussion too many times here. particularly the presence of the items in the straw market.
I find the tone of the headline very unfortunate, BP, these folks committed an offense.
“Poor, harworking” is not an excuse for wrong doing.
Becareful of the message your’re sending.
I trust, this issue would bring an end to the embarassing and illegal practice in the straw market.
have some scrupples BP, don’t be afraid to call it like it is, if it’s wrong, have the gumption to say it.
I agree with Krossova.
Are you kidding me! Every Dummy should know that importing/exporting and selling those things is against the law = not matter how much one needs the money. You cannot commit a crime and then be a cry baby. You make your own bed – so you sleep in it!
Was the law broken in The USA?
I thought we ran a STARW MARKET
Why are they selling knock offs instead of Straw?
If you owned a franchise and paid franchise fees how would you feel if they were taking business from you?
3 old, useless, selfish, uncaring, barren of ideas, farts.
Who dat?
Come on BP. Poor? I poor! I ain been out of the country for three years. These women can afford four trips a year to New York and pay overweight on jet blue for 30 plus bags. Man you know better than that.
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