FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DR. DUANE SANDS, CHARIMAN : THE DAVIS ADMINISTRATION’S WAR ON MEDIA MUST END NOW
The Free National Movement is calling out the government’s blatant disregard for the freedom of the press and its disturbing conflicts of interest that undermine the very foundation of democracy in The Bahamas.
The facts are plain: Clint Watson must immediately resign as General Manager of ZNS. His continued employment, while actively seeking to become the PLP’s candidate for Southern Shores, is an egregious violation of ethics. The national broadcast station, funded by the Bahamian taxpayer, cannot be allowed to double as a political launching pad for the governing party. The Prime Minister’s confirmation of Mr. Watson’s political ambitions only makes matters worse. It is impossible to maintain even the appearance of fairness when the head of the national news is simultaneously preparing to run on a PLP ticket.
But Clint Watson is not the only one. We also call for the immediate resignation of Latrae Rahming, Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister. Mr. Rahming continues to openly campaign for his party while drawing a taxpayer-funded salary in a government post. This is another clear conflict of interest and a dangerous double standard that erodes public trust.
Even worse, this administration’s hostility toward a free press goes far beyond individuals. The PLP has pursued a deliberate agenda to weaken and silence independent voices in the media. Jamaal Rolle, whose powerful satirical cartoons published daily in The Tribune offered biting political commentary, was conveniently removed from the media landscape after being given a cultural ambassadorship. Juan McCartney, host of one of the sharpest and most influential political talk shows on radio, saw his program abruptly ended after he was engaged by the government’s communications regulator. And commentators known for their withering critiques of government policy were suddenly offered lucrative public service contracts and diplomatic posts abroad, a convenient way to quiet their voices at home.
The PLP has used the public purse to gut the media, and the price of these actions goes far beyond the financial burden of their appointments. It is a direct attack on free speech, accountability, and the Bahamian people’s right to hear the truth.
Contrast this with the FNM’s record. In 1992, when the FNM won its historic victory, we opened the airwaves and broke the government’s stranglehold on information. We expanded access to free expression and allowed the press to flourish. Today, under the PLP, the clock is being turned back 60 years.
Bahamians must ask themselves: what kind of democracy allows the state broadcaster to become a party mouthpiece, while independent critics are paid to disappear?
This is a shameful chapter for our nation. The FNM will not stand by silently while the Davis administration dismantles the institutions of free speech and fair reporting. We demand the resignations of Clint Watson and Latrae Rahming immediately. The Bahamian people deserve better, and our democracy cannot function without a free and independent press.