Mrs. Pratt also scoffed at a call from the leader of the Bahamas Democratic Movement Cassius Stuart for her resignation, countering that she is focused on her job of ensuring the security of every Bahamian.
“When you do, you’re criticized,” she said in Parliament during debate on the Anti-Terrorism Bill. “When you don’t do, you’re criticized, and so you sit and ponder, what it is you should do.”
“But I have a job to do, and I will remain focused and do the job that is required of me to do….But we must mature to a level where we all carry the blame…We are all in this thing together and when we look at it, we must look at the bigger picture,” she said.
Speaking to the Bahama Journal prior to addressing Parliament, Minister Pratt said she believes the government is doing all it can to deal with the issue and that Bahamians genuinely appreciate its efforts.
Mr. Stuart claimed that the disappearance of the first boy, Jake Grant, should have been sufficient to warrant a serious investigation and mandatory curfew until the “culprits” were caught.
Four more boys; Mackinson Colas, Deangelo Mckenzie, Junior Reme and most recently Desmond Rolle, have vanished over the last five months.
Members of Parliament demonstrated their faith and hope that the boys would be safely found by wearing blue and purple ribbons in the House of Assembly on Wednesday.
Using what has been labelled as a “national tragedy” as a springboard to her contribution on the Anti-Terrorism Bill, Mrs. Pratt said the proposed legislation is one, which deserves full bi-partisan support.
The Bill outlaws terrorism and makes financing it a criminal offence. It would bring the Bahamas in line with United Nations conventions.
Mrs. Pratt said the proposed piece of legislation is necessary if The Bahamas wishes to send a global message that it takes its international treaties seriously, and that the country is fully committed to fighting the scourge of terrorism.
“It sends a message to the terrorist community that, small though we are, we will not allow you to bring violence and terror to our people and the millions of visitors who visit our shores yearly,” she told parliamentarians.
According to the Minister, the terrorism threat is heightened by the fact that The Bahamas has been dubbed, “a soft target.” She acknowledged that while the cost of upgrading the country’s airport and seaport facilities to the best international standards is “considerable,” The Bahamas has no other choice.
But despite such assurances, Independent MP, Pierre Dupuch picked apart the bill, noting that unless it is amended, he will vote against it. He was not the first parliamentarian to criticize what has been termed the bill’s broad definition of terrorist and its broad parameters.
He said it struck at the “very foundation of the country’s democracy and freedom of speech.”
“What is a terrorist, according to this law?” he asked rhetorically. “What I’ve gathered from around here is that everyone is a terrorist, even the Minister of Youth, Sports & Culture because he didn’t do something,” he said.
“They’ve made light of the subject and it’s the most fundamental that we will probably hope to pass in this Parliament. We’re breaking down everything we consider sacred in this country or this hemisphere….Is this what we want..,” Mr. Dupuch added.
According to the provisions of the bill, a person who causes bodily harm to another person intending to advance a political, ideological or religious cause, would be guilty of committing an act of terrorism.
But the terrorist definition also includes anyone who creates serious risk to the health or safety of the public in an attempt to compel the government to action or refrain from acting.
An act of terrorism also involves use of firearms or explosives or releasing into the environment dangerous, hazardous, radioactive or harmful substances.
Mr. Dupuch suggested the government include the definition of a terrorist act as one involving an “illegal act designed to do things like creating a bomb.” The St. Margaret MP said it is time that someone (from government) “seriously stand up and describe what are the parameters of the Act. Having done this, he said, the next question would be, should it be changed.
“I say that we should,” he said. “I think that we should look at this Act again realistically. We should tighten it up. We should make as sure as possible that innocent people will not get hurt either knowingly or unknowingly. We should make provisions for anyone who possibly gets caught up in this (not knowing what they’re doing or not being guilty) has a speedy trial. All of these things should be put into this Act before we pass it as law,” he said.
Cat Island MP Philip Davis also called it a travesty that some Members of the House had trivialized the debate by claiming that some individuals, media entities and contractual obligations were allegedly tied to terrorism.
By Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal
