COI chair claims political campaign restrictions “calculated and diabolical” attempt to suppress other parties
Green: Different restrictions for vaccinated vs unvaccinated “unfair, oppressive and unconstitutional”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Coalition of Independents (COI) is pushing back against a series of newly announced restrictions aimed at curbing a sharp rise in coronavirus infections and deaths in the past few weeks.
The restrictions were announced on Friday during a Ministry of Health press conference, and come into effect today.
COI Chairperson Charlotte Green, in a statement, said: “With the recent amendments made to the COVID protocols, we are forced to question the transparency, accountability and competence of the competent authority on managing this crisis.
“We feel the proposed protocols and amendments to the enforced protocols would more efficiently serve our national best interests if our leadership lead as opposed to blindly following foreign directives that may not be in our national best interest.”
She added: “The Coalition of Independents is dismayed with the lack of leadership displayed by the competent authority, who has selectively chosen to include and in some cases exclude specific key scientific facts with regards to this current COVID national challenge.”
The statement took aim at the government’s consistent drive towards vaccinating as much of the population as possible, asserting that the competent authority — Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis — is selective in information he provides the public regarding vaccines.
The Coalition also slammed regulations granting vaccinated citizens and residents more “freedom” than their unvaccinated counterparts, with Green asking: “How is it that the government can qualify any increase in freedoms and allowances for the vaccinated while simultaneously justifying the reduction of the same for the unvaccinated?
“This is an unfair, oppressive and unconstitutional not only to our citizenry but to our country as a whole.”
She added: “We further submit that allowing only vaccinated persons to campaign door-to-door is nonsensical because, as you know, vaccinated persons can still contract, carry and transmit the disease.
“We know that this is a calculated and diabolical effort on your part to prevent other political parties from being able to campaign freely.
“You know that your party is losing. Let me inform you that nothing you do to oppress the Bahamian people will save your party from total annihilation at the polls whenever you call the elections.
“This serves as official notice that since you have closed Parliament until the end of September, any protest or demonstrations necessary to stand up against your government during this period may take place outside of Cabinet or your home.
“This is not the representation that we deserve. We are demanding that our leaders lead. Our people deserve better. Our country deserves better. You have willfully failed us. We will hold you accountable to the integrity of your office.”
The Coalition also outlined several measures the party believes would better manage the COVID crisis, calling on the prime minister to enact them.
Such measures include ending the health travel visa and allowing travelers to prevent COVID test results at respective travel counters, with anti-fraud measures in place; making COVID testing free of charge; mandating that if unvaccinated travelers are required to test then vaccinated travels must be too; testing for COVID antibodies before vaccinating individuals against the virus; educating the public on vaccine side effects and on how to improve their immune systems; and providing information about hospitalizations and deaths allegedly connected to the vaccine as part of the Ministry of Health’s daily COVID dashboard.
