Amid allegations of abuse at the Carmichael Road detention centre and a call by United States government officials for an investigation, Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs Hubert Chipman said he may visit the centre today for a “first hand look”.
Although stressing he could not comment on the conditions at the centre as he does not yet know them, the St Anne’s MP said he would like to visit the centre regarding planned renovations by the government, which he says are not provided for in the 2013/2014 budget.
“I would prefer not to comment on the detention centre until I know the conditions. I don’t know the conditions so I cannot speak from a level of authority,” he said.
“I need to go down there – and I may go down there as early as tomorrow (Monday) because I’m hearing a lot of things about the detention centre,” Mr Chipman said.
Mr Chipman added: “I’m going to try to go in tomorrow because I’m hearing the stories of what exists down there. I also heard in the House of Assembly, where the minister was actually talking about there’s going to be some renovations… They are supposed to be upgrading the detention centre, but I don’t see where the expenditure is coming from. I want a first hand look at it.”
Last week a video aired by America Teve, which purported to show Cuban nationals being abused by a Bahamian guard was debunked by Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell. FNM party chairman Darron Cash also dismissed the credibility of the video, as did Mr Chipman, yesterday.
He said: “I spoke to the Minister regarding the video, which we all agree right now was a hoax.”
But, despite the Bahamas government’s denial of the claims, Republican congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart charged last week that harassment and beatings of Cuban detainees in the Bahamas was a long standing human rights issue that has gone “unabated”.
They called on the United Nations to investigate allegations of abuse of Cuban nationals at the detention centre.
By Dana Smith
Tribune Staff Reporter
