A letter to the Editor – The Defence Force Officer acted inappropriately to detainees and in the process undermined the sovereignty of their nation – HEADS MUST ROLL!!!
The Defence Force cannot continue as a rogue organization subverting the sovereignty of the Bahamas! This is criminal!
Dear Editor,
The leaked detainee report indicated that the RBDF Officers admitted to abusing the Cuban detainees. The report then went on to say that the officers supplied both the video camera and the Defence Force uniforms to facilitate the production of the “staged” video alleging abuse.
So the same officers who beat the Cuban detainees got together with them to produce a video account of the alleged abuse and helped them smuggle the video out of the detention center so it could be shown in the international media to condemn and defame The Bahamas? This scenario in of itself and at face value is incredible.
When the video surfaced on foreign television and an investigation was launched, the same officers who colluded with the Cuban detainees on the staged video then told a story to the investigators that corroborated the video account. Well if they sold the Cubans a video recording device and uniforms to make the video, it stands to reason that they could sell a story to the investigators that backed up the staged video. These officers do not appear credible and appear to be on the take. There is doubt about their integrity and sincerity.
Now to the detainees. Cuban immigration laws were amended to allow for unrestricted travel if one qualifies for a visa. Obviously these detainees did not because of some criminality in their background or whatever so they turned to illegal human smuggling that landed them in the Carmichael Road detention center. These are obviously desperate criminals hell bent on doing anything to get to America.
The detainees alleging abuse later showed up with the mouths wired shut. Well if they could “abuse,” “mutilate” and “torture” themselves in this manner, what will stop them from beating up each other or torture themselves to create the appearance of abuse at the hands of Bahamian officials. There is doubt that Bahamian officials abused them.
In light of the foregoing, no reasonable government could accept that “leaked” report at face value. None of the characters in this saga is credible; they are all law-breakers and incredibly dishonest. At what point can you accept anything they have said? The veracity of the leaked report cannot be determined
Dr. Minnis and the FNM obviously and unwittingly accepted this report at face value and believed the story of the questionable and compromised characters only because he believed it was politically convenient and advantageous to do so. If his convenience meant siding with foreign elements against The Bahamas to the country’s detriment, then tough luck for The Bahamas.
But when the reputation of a country and the rule of law are at stake, people like Dr. Minnis who are driven by selfish and narrow interests can put an entire country out of business very very quickly and easily. Certainly we cannot afford to have men of his ilk and questionable judgment any where near the steering wheel of the ship of state. The risk is simply too great.
Signed,
