Mitchell: WSC board member should be fired for “abusive” remarks

Mitchell: WSC board member should be fired for “abusive” remarks
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Senator Fred Mitchell.

In voice notes, Bennett Minnis called PLPs “tiefin’… homosexual, African monkeys”.

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell said yesterday that under a PLP government Water and Sewerage (WSC) board member Bennett Minnis would have been fired for making “abusive and inappropriate” remarks as a public official.

In a series of voice notes, which have been widely circulated on social media, Minnis made numerous disparaging remarks of the PLP and disapproved of its leadership visiting Long Island.

In one voicenote, the board member said, “The PLP is one corrupt, tiefin’, no good, bastard, homosexual, African monkeys.”

A delegation of PLPs visited the island recently to honor one of the founding fathers of the PLP, the late Sir Henry Milton Taylor.

Minnis said the PLP ought to have stayed out of Long Island and the next time the party attempts to visit Clarence Town, he will block the road. He insisted authorities would not dare stop him.

When asked about the controversial remarks last week, Minister of Public Works Desmond Bannister said it was an issue for the Cabinet.

Yesterday, Mitchell said, “People seem to be in a bit — not confused — but to be concerned that… the Progressive Liberal Party is responding to this because they believe Mr. Minnis is deiminase; in other words, that he is of such small importance that we should not make [it] more than it is, but here is the thing; it’s fine if you’re in a barroom and you want to vent your spline, and say whatever you want to say, although the language is abusive and inappropriate.

“But you are public official. You serve on the Water and Sewerage Board.

“Those words should not be coming out of your mouth, particularly in a public forum.

“It is for that reason it is imperative; we think it is the proper thing — in fact I said, had this been Sir Lynden Pindling’s government he would have been gone the next morning.

“I really don’t know what the Cabinet had to deliberate on because it is so obvious on the face of it.”

On Monday, PLP Leader Philip Brave Davis filed a complaint with the Royal Bahamas Police Force on the matter.

About Royston Jones Jr.

Royston Jones Jr. is a senior digital reporter and occasional TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. Since joining Eyewitness News as a digital reporter in 2018, he has done both digital and broadcast reporting, notably providing the electoral analysis for Eyewitness News’ inaugural election night coverage, “Decision Now 2021”.