Christie's PLP has Returned to its Undemocratic Past

by Sir Arthur Foulkes

On Jeff Lloyd’s radio talk show last week Monday, PLP Chairman Raynard Rigby said that he was not there to talk about the FNM’s “foolish propaganda” but to deal with issues. Mr. Lloyd had asked him about FNM complaints over the availability of parks for public meetings.

It may come as a surprise to Mr. Rigby that while there are many burning issues facing the Bahamian electorate in this election, none is more important than confronting his party’s threats to our democracy.

Opposition complaints about the undemocratic practices of the PLP Government are not foolish propaganda; they are a central, fundamental issue. Democracy is indispensable to the orderly progress and development of the country and the freedom and security of its citizens.

To undermine the independence of the judiciary is to attack our democracy; to intimidate citizens in the exercise of their rights and freedoms is to attack our democracy; to victimize citizens, especially the most vulnerable, is to attack our democracy; and to engage in unfair election practices is to attack our democracy.

The PLP Government is guilty of all these things and the whole sorry mess is presided over by a Prime Minister who talks a lot about democracy, fair play and decency but apparently sees no contradiction between what he says and what his Government does.

There was a genuine hope in 2002 that the so-called new PLP led by Perry Christie would put behind it the bad old days and further advance the democratic culture established during the FNM’s term in office. At least, it was hoped, they would not try to reverse the progress made during the previous 10 years.

From the 1970s PLP politicians reacted to the challenge of a new political movement as if they had some entitlement to special privileges and considerations, as if those Bahamians who exercised their democratic rights were committing acts of treason.

In fact, one PLP Member of Parliament was allowed to go on ZNS Radio to accuse the dissidents of exactly that – treason. That was before the historic convention of 1970. After the convention some of the dissidents were beaten up in Lewis Yard in broad daylight to stop them from making their case to the public.

That was a criminal act that could have resulted in serious injury or even death, and the circumstances clearly indicated that it was sanctioned from high up.

The attackers bloodied the head of Sir Cecil Wallace Whitfield. But, as bad as that was, the damage done to democracy was far worse. It signalled to the nation that there was a price to pay for daring to oppose those who governed, and that was a serious blow to Bahamian democracy.

During the next two decades many Bahamians were persecuted and families were smashed because they dared to exercise what they thought was their democratic right to freedom of association and freedom of conscience.

The further development of our democracy was put on hold, even reversed. The PLP Government kept a tight rein on the airwaves and routinely denied the opposition regular access to radio and television.

The conventions of both parties were broadcast, as were radio speeches mandated by law during election campaigns. But, as incredible as it may sound today, opposition politicians had to submit their speeches to the management of ZNS 48 hours in advance.

The speeches were, of course, vetted by the PLP leadership and opposition politicians were forced to accept changes if they wanted to get on the air.

On one occasion, then Senator J. Henry Bostwick was so incensed at the idea of Calsey Johnson’s editing speeches at the direction of the political masters that he tore up his written and approved convention speech in front of the microphone and proceeded to speak extemporaneously. He caught the hatchet men at ZNS off guard and was able to finish his speech – the one he wanted to deliver.

In and out of the political season the PLP played their dirty tricks with the allocation of public places where the FNM wanted to hold meetings both in New Providence and the Family Islands.

On more than one occasion the opposition had to set up their microphones in private yards in New Providence or meet under a tree in a Family Island schoolyard because the teacher was nowhere to be found with the key to the school house.

All of this came to an end after the 1992 election when the FNM Government put an end to the practice of political victimization, played fair with the allocation of public venues for meetings, opened up access to national radio and television and, indeed, opened up the airwaves to unfettered private broadcasting.

Having become accustomed to this new culture of deepened democracy and genuine freedom of association, the Bahamian people had every reason to believe that no governing party would dare go back to the dirty tactics of the 1970s and 1980s.

When Perry Christie, the new PLP Leader, took over the reins of his party after the 1997 general election and the resignation of Sir Lynden Pindling, he told the nation from the floor of the House of Assembly that it was his decision “to recommend to Sir Lynden that he move sooner rather than later to his retirement”.

And why? Because he felt, said the new Leader of the Opposition, “that it would clear the way for the kind of leadership that I would wish to exercise in the Progressive Liberal Party.” Those were promising words and Bahamians were encouraged to look forward to the further development of democracy and civilized politics in their country.

More such promises of democracy and decency and fair play were made in the PLP’s platform for 2002 and in countless speeches by Mr. Christie. But Mr. Christie indicated clearly what kind of campaign the PLP was going to wage when he appointed Bradley Roberts campaign manager.

The Leader of the now defunct Coalition for Democratic Reform was also fond of making similarly sweet sounds about democracy. At the very inauguration of his party, Bernard Nottage declared: “We believe democracy is best served when people are informed and educated to exercise their rights.”

Dr. Nottage was the beneficiary of the sacrifices of those who had advanced and defended democracy before him, and who had paid the price. So while he had to endure a nasty whispering campaign of smear, he had no fear of being attacked or having his head bloodied for daring to leave one party to start another.

Although after the 1997 election Dr. Nottage’s party had no representation in parliament, he and his colleagues had access to the airwaves in the new political culture, and they contributed significantly to the national debate.

Now that Dr. Nottage has gone back to the PLP he seems to have forgotten all about the high-sounding words he spoke about democracy and the right of the public to be informed.

As Minister of Public Information, Dr. Nottage presides over the abuse of public broadcasting for partisan political advantage. He was either insincere in his previous pronouncements about democracy, has suffered a relapse of the old PLP disease or simply lacks the courage to do better.

ZNS Radio and Television sounds and looks like a partisan tool in some banana republic or third world dictatorship as it continues to propagandize and manipulate the news on a daily basis.

But its failure to cover Opposition Leader Hubert Ingraham on television on nomination day was enough to make even die-hard PLPs blush with shame.

Comments

[Interested]

Dr. Paul O'Reilly noted international columnist recently had a broadcast about the PLP's use of Racism in the election.

see and hear it here

http://odeo.com/show/11212923/view

How is the bahamas ever going to get international credibility when people of thois stature internationally broadcast these things about our govt.

[EB Christen]

I think the 'Interested' commentator is putting the cart before the horse there. Credibility will only come from the truth; we are better served by someone telling the ugly truth than by someone painting a shiny fake facade - even internationally. At least investors and tourists will know that the country has its issues but debates them in the open - that is a sign of true democracy... rather than the alternative.

[ENOA W.C.DARLING, II]

CONTRARY TO POLITICIANS' THINKING, IF NOT PRODUCTIVE AND FAIR DURING YOUR TENURESHIP, YOU WIL BE VOTED OUT. IT THE PEOPLE'S DECISION.