Florida Governor Jeb Bush, brother of the US President, is scheduled to fly into Nassau, Bahamas today to meet with top Bahamian officials over the “Cuban beating crisis.”
Prime Minister Perry Christie, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Cynthia Pratt and Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell have been summoned to meet with Mr. Bush.
Governor Bush and his delegation are expected to fly into Million Air private airport this morning aboard Mr. Bush’s private Learjet.
Bush has called the emergency meeting to discuss the inhumane treatment of Cuban refugees at Nassau’s infamous Carmichael Road Detention Centre.
The Florida Governor’s visit was prompted by the beating of a Miami-based Cuban television reporter by a Defence Force marine at the centre. Film of the brutal beating has been shown repeatedly on South Florida and other US television stations.
The Cuban reporter had to have seven stitches in his face to close the wound inflicted by the blows from the baton of the officer.
President Bush reportedly aked his brother to fly to Nassau after Bahamian authorities “dissed” US Ambassador John Rood by never even contacting him regarding the incident.
Rood went on Bahamian television to politely state that he was under pressure from higher-ups to resolve the issue and was somewhat puzzled that he hadn’t even been contacted by the Bahamas PM or the DPM.
Governor Bush is expected to quiz the Prime Minister on several other issues as well:
– The PLP’s failure to extradite 25 drug dealers who have been charged with crimes by the United States.
– The PLP’s failure to compel the BDF to patrol Bahamian waters off Inagua to cut off illegal Haitians in boats, many of whom are now ending up in Florida.
– The PLP’s policy of aligning The Bahamas with the socialist governments of Cuba and Venezuela, both arch-enemies of the US.
FNM Leader Hubert Ingraham has advised the PM to make dealing with the Cuban beating crisis his number one priority. Ingraham has warned that if it is not properly handled, the ugly incident could lead to a US tourism boycott of The Bahamas.
Source: The Punch
