Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supporters are expected to hold a public demonstration to voice their frustrations over what they allege are “injustices” in regards to the arrests of several former PLP Cabinet ministers and members of parliament.
This was revealed by Opposition Senator Fred Mitchell during a PLP meeting in Dundas Town, Abaco over the weekend.
“A lot of people have been asking for us to do some form of public demonstration and I’m thinking that the anniversary of the death of Sir Lynden Pindling comes up on the 26th of August, so we’re thinking of having a mass gathering and march to the mausoleum on the 26th which is a Saturday,” Mr. Mitchell said.
“We should do a candlelight vigil, but make it something where we urge people to remember there ought to be justice and fair play in society, that’s the minimum we’re asking for.”
Former Minister of Labour Shane Gibson was arrested on 39 bribery and extortion related charges earlier this month.
Mr. Gibson was the fourth member of the former Christie administration to be questioned by police since the May 10 general election.
Two others, former PLP Senator Frank Smith and former Minister of the Environment Ken Dorsett, have been arraigned in Magistrate’s Court for separate matters.
Former Deputy Speaker of the House Dion Smith was also questioned by police and held overnight in late May in connection with an alleged theft probe at the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation. However, he was released without charge.
Prominent local clergymen Retired Anglican Archbishop Drexel Gomez and Bishop Neil C Ellis both voiced their concerns over the treatment of the former ministers last week, both essentially calling their handling inhumane and questioned the actions of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
Tensions have been extremely high between the supporters of the two parties over the past several weeks.