Bain plans to contest the next general election
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Dozens of people gathered at R M Bailey Park yesterday for a demonstration in support of environmental group Bahamian Evolution and its push to “take back” the country’s natural resources.
The group’s event, which had been given the necessary approvals for a motorcade and a demonstration at the park, took off shortly after 3pm as more and more people trickled into the venue with flags and chairs.
Police had advised that the group would only be allowed to take 20 vehicles on its motorcade, though dozens more were prepared to take the ride.
Additionally, they were initially not allowed to set up loudspeakers or stand on the stage — though they were allowed to do both by the end of the demonstration.
One of the organization’s leaders, political activist and radio personality Lincoln Bain, who had been arrested earlier that morning, said the large showing of support was a warning to the government.
“All of our protests have been orderly,” Bain said.
“Every time we’ve applied to the Cabinet Office and we’ve applied to the police, we did everything in writing.
“We’ve written to the governor general. We haven’t done anything out of order. We [haven’t] ever acted disorderly. We acted in an appropriate way. But it’s time for civil disobedience, in the vein of Martin Luther King Jr and Mahatma Gandhi.
“Today is a warning for the government that they are not going to suppress the Bahamian people anymore and we’re not going to fall for their tricks and that we are coming for change.”
Bain said he was arrested earlier in the day for threats of deaths, assault with a dangerous weapon and damages to property, but labeled them as “trumped-up charges”.
He said the arrest was in relation to an incident involving a man accused of assaulting his family member.
He said the charges stemmed from a confrontation he had with the man at the end of last year.
Bain said the initial charges were changed to assault and a lesser damage charge, and he was given bail.
He is expected to go to court on January 14.
Bain said he made the decision to run as a candidate in the next general election after spending the morning being carted from jail cell to jail cell. He called on other independent candidates to join the movement.
Bain said while no plans have been made yet, the organization intends to bring 39 independents to run in the next general election because “we need real change”.
“We can’t take this anymore as a people and we can’t trust the present politicians to bring the change that we need,” he said.
“Based on that, we are going to push to make a change. We are going to push to have real Bahamians in the House of Assembly who are going to fight for us and not for special interests.”
He added: “At this point, I do plan on running in the next general election. We are going to bring together 39 independents because we need real change.”
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