Loud shouts could be heard in Parliament – “Minnis GATS TO GO!”
Nassau – Several hundreds marched on Parliament on Wednesday demanding that the Minnis Administration change its austerity policies now affecting the Bahamians people or get out of office.
The protesters gathered just nearby the National Insurance Complex on Baillou Hill Road under strict demands by the police to walk on sidewalks along the route. But from that outset that demand was not observed as the marchers swelled into hundreds from that location into Bay Street.
The marchers were denied the right to having any music, or rally speakers, which made things worse. Tons of swearing could be heard along the parade route where protestors after protestor sounded their grievances loudly against the Minnis Regime. Music would have hushed much of that.
One man turned his anger on the pastors of the country asking, “Where are the pastors? Why are they not on this parade? The people are here but they are absent! Who are they serving? Why are they not here joining us fighting against these many injustices we are faced with? Why are they all quiet?!”
As the crowd could be heard entering into Bay Street, now in its hundreds entered Rawson Square, police attempted to block entry, however, as Member of Parliament Fredrick McAlpine were allowed to burst through the barricades the floodgates were opened and Rawson Square became occupied.
One by one on loud speakers the chants from protestors echoed inside the House of Assembly with a visible Prime Minister looking down at his phone in amazement. One reporter in the gallery told BP, “They could not smile. Some Government Ministers appeared shaking particularly when the suspension was about to take place.”
When Prime Minister Minnis exited the doors of Parliament the crowd booed the PM as he quickly left the area.
In just a little over 18 months Bahamians are calling for the government to get its act together or be gone.
One observer told BP, “I have not seen anything like this in my entire life of following politics. These people are not happy. They are angry. They, in just over a year, have come to Bay Street with demands. That is unheard of. Almost every union in the country is protesting or threatening to protest over issues in their sector. This could only get worse.”
Meanwhile a controversial bill was presented and debated in Parliament, which allows government to remove funds off bank accounts which have been dormant for two months.
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