Dear Editor
The recent opening of two more independent radio stations on Grand Bahama is a further triumph of the constitutional rights of the freedom of expression. Those who now benefit from this privilege must appreciate the fact that such liberty did not easily come about without the personal sacrifices of courageous individuals. Prior to August 19th, 1992, the airwaves of the Bahamas was the most oppressed and government censored news media in the Bahamas. The PLP government of the day maintained a complete monopoly on broadcasting in the Bahamas and along with communist Cuba, the Bahamas held the distinction as the only two countries in the western hemisphere who maintained such an oppressive policy with respect to broadcasting. Even impoverished Haiti with a dictator in power, the government did not have a monopoly on broadcasting, nor did little Turks and Caicos which had ten radio stations. Despite the critical role of radio in society, any request for a license to open an independent radio was denied by the PLP government. This denial extended even to a human rights group, the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association.
Minister of Broadcasting, the Honorable Obie Wilchcombe’s assertion that ”the government is of the view that radio is the most accessible means of communication for a country with a geographic makeup of the Bahamas…….Radio overcomes the barriers of distance and illiteracy better than any other medium and is ideally suited for a country like the Bahamas, which comprise of a number of inhabited islands separated by water!” This is correct, however it represents a new position by Minister Wilchombe who played a fundamental in presenting the ”news” during the days of the old PLP government.
This new and adopted position is consistent as to how the Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas should have functioned according to the father Bahamian broadcasting, ”Rusty” Bethell. That is why as a pioneer, he risked his life traveling the length and breadth of the Bahamas installing radio antennas so that critical and essential information could be relayed from persons in Nassau, such as births, deaths, mailboat schedules, etc. to persons in the Out Islands whose only source of reliable information was the radio. That is why during the times when hurricane warnings were up in the Bahamas, ”Rusty” stayed at his broadcasting post 24/7 providing vital information to protect life and property until the storm had safely passed. Rusty dedication to the development of Bahamas broadcasting certainly makes him one of our national heroes.
”Rusty’s” greatest regret in life, as he had often said was what Radio Bahamas had become. Rather than being the source of reliable information for Bahamians, Radio Bahamas had become a propaganda tool for the PLP government in a post independent Bahamas. Headlines for the day was determined by PLP politicians, not professional journalist. Even if Bay Street burnt down, they were not to report it unless the government had told them to. Reporters who defied or went contrary to the policy were quickly sacrificed on the altar of victimization.
As only the official government views could be presented, the opposition was virtually cut off from Bahamian broadcasting. Even something as simple as advertising a ”Dollar Day Cook- out” for the opposition FNM was denied even though the ad was already paid for. When reviewed later by a PLP politician, a determination was made not to play it. This was the typical type of frustration that the Bahamian public had to tolerate at Radio Bahamas.
For the opposition parties or those offering opposing and contrasting points of view, access to Bahamas broadcasting was extremely limited if available at all. Where the only media available has been shut off, one would be at a terrible disadvantage when it came to public relations to mold the minds of potential voters. The PLP government played this trump card to the hilt. It was so bad that the FN M opposition desperate to get its message out had no choice but to go abroad, either to South Florida or theTurks and Caicos to get its message to the Bahamian people. Remember the Lionel Dorsett story? During the 1987 Election, he had to sneak into the US to broadcast from WVCG -1080 the message of the FNM. On at least one occasion he was detained by officials from the US State Department for broadcasting from the US against a friendly government after the spiteful PLP government had lodged an official complaint against him. After the 1987 Election, the evil PLP government criminalized such broadcasting from abroad by passing the Election Petition Act of 1991. Essentially Bahamians even just simply discussing politics abroad would put themselves at risks for prosecution. This was a most wicked and unconstitutional scheme solely intended to intimidate to demoralize the Opposition. How can anyone be penalized in a democracy for self-expression?
During the 1992 General Election Campaign, Opposition leader Honorable Hubert Ingraham stated that he did not want to broadcast from outside the country but from within. With the August 1992 FNM Victory, Hubert Ingraham’s FNM government, immediately legislated the dismantling of the unconstitutional Broadcasting Act, resulting in the opening of the airwaves and the introduction of totally independent radio stations. When such openness occurred in the Soviet Union, it was referred to as ”glasnost.” In the Bahamas it was called “sunshine.” Suddenly, independent radio stations sprang up all over the place. Bahamians were free to express themselves publicly without any fear or favor. On talk shows, anyone would call in and demand accountability from anyone in government including the Prime Minister. This was unheard of on Radio Bahamas prior to August 19th, 1992. Furthermore, only a desperate or courageous individual would have dared to challenge a PLP government official publicly.
What is so amazing to all this was the fact that some of those responsible for enforcing the oppressive pre-1992 Broadcasting Act were some of the first in line try to get a license to operate a radio station For example former Radio Bahamas Broadcasting Manager and PLP Cabinet Minister, Charles Carter. Under the FNM, he was given a license to operate his own radio station; something that would not have happened under his PLP government. Hopefully the current PLP government who were members of the old PLP government including Prime Minister Christie who did absolutely nothing to correct this violation of Bahamian constitutional rights have learned their lesson. Their deafening silence during those tragic times in Bahamian history could have only meant consent to these oppressive broadcasting policies. Such disgraceful actions by any government of the Bahamas must never ever happen again.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Leatendore Percentie, DDS
Boston, Massachusetts
July 10th, 2004
