The Bahamas Government is concerned about the weekend protest at Watson Island in Miami by members of Cuban exile groups alleging mistreatment of detainees in the capital but says the issues are diplomatic and should be kept below the radar.
Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe told The Freeport News Sunday that all sides are seeking a quick resolve.
“The truth of the matter is these are diplomatic issues that are handled behind closed doors and are being effectively handled by my colleagues and certainly the prime minister,” he said. “Obviously we are very concerned about any negative publicity about The Bahamas.”
The Cuban-American groups targetted cruise ships on Saturday, brandishing signs to passengers bound for The Bahamas demanding fair treatment of all migrants in The Bahamas and the respect of human rights.
The move stems from the detention of two Cuban dentists and last month’s alleged beating of a Miami reporter by a guard outside the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.
Both have attracted much local and international media attention and statements from Prime Minister Perry Christie, U.S. Ambassador John Rood, Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who visited on February 20 and met with Prime Minister Christie, and many others.
A spokesperson for one of the groups, quoted in The Miami Herald, said the demonstration was an attempt to send a message to The Bahamas government that it needs to resolve the issue of all migrants in its detention centre.
Gus Garcia, Democracia’s legal coordinator, told The Miami Herald the protest was only against Bahamian policy on migrants and not the people of the island chain.
“We must accept that because democracy is the way it is and people are entitled to opinions,” Minister Wilchcombe said yesterday, adding that it is important for Bahamians to understand that what is going on now is that the government is involved in a matter that requires the utmost diplomatic care.
“So we have to negotiate and discuss the situation concerning whether it’s the dentists or Cuban nationals in general who are being housed in our country. That is a process that is being handled behind closed doors below the radar,” he stressed.
The minister added that no side, and certainly not The Bahamas, wishes to detain anyone beyond the necessary period that is required.
“So we understand it’s an emotional issue concerning their kin and we certainly have to be concerned about that,” he said. “But the truth of the matter is we are seeking quick resolution so that we can put this all behind us so that we can continue to build our relationships with the Cuban Americans, with Cubans generally and certainly with Americans.”
Minister Wilchcombe was unable to say whether the country’s tourist dollars were affected over the weekend as a result of the protest.
“No, I can’t say. I know that we had a lot of ships here in the harbour. These things sometimes are not immediately impacted, it takes a while,” he noted.
And, he said, because The Bahamas is not responding, it appears as if The Bahamas is violating international convention and has since received a lot of attraction.
“But I think this is an effort by the group to nudge The Bahamas and to speed matters along more quickly,” he said.
Minister Wilchcombe assured that all sides have been working diligently to find a resolution into these matters.
He said the fact of the matter is The Bahamas does not abuse people or keep any migrants beyond the period of time that is required and says in the fullness of time, when it can be explained in full detail, the minister responsible, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell, will.
“But as minister of tourism, certainly I’m always concerned about anything that could work against the nation or could send the wrong signal about our country,” he pointed out.
Having built a strong reputation in the world as a country that celebrates humanity and has fought for the liberation of a people all over the world, the minister says it is a very hard sell to try and paint The Bahamas as a country that violates the international codes of respect for humanity and respect for citizens of other countries.
He said the matter will be handled with the greatest degree of diplomatic sensitivity and, in the fullness of time, we will all be able to look at this as another issue as a part of our growth and development.
By LEDEDRA MARCHE, Senior Freeport News Reporter
