Thompson triggered over Trump’s comments about Bahamians

Thompson triggered over Trump’s comments about Bahamians

NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson this week expressed his frustration over the way the Trump administration handled some Bahamians traveling to the United States in the wake of Hurricane Dorian.

Thompson told reporters at his family’s charity golf tournament this weekend that he was disheartened by the rhetoric surrounding Trump’s speech addressing evacuations to Florida earlier this month.

US President Donald Trump warned his country must be very careful not to let “very bad” people from The Bahamas through its borders. Trump’s comments followed public outcry over the handling of storm victims attempting to evacuate Grand Bahama on the Baleria Caribbean Ferry.

On September 8, Ferry employees demanded that passengers without a US visa disembark the vessel, prompting the exodus of more than 100 people from the vessel.

“I didn’t appreciate the language that he used with Bahamians,” Thompson said at the Thompson Family Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament in Newport Beach, California.

“They’re gang members and criminals? I’ve known Bahamians my whole life. Yes, there are criminals in Nassau.

“But there are criminals all over the world” he continued.

“When you lose everything, your home, your loved ones and thousands are dead, and then you generalize a whole population. I thought it was very, very ill-advised and bad timing. That language really (ticked) me off.”

On Saturday, Thompson said that all of the proceeds from the second edition of the annual charity golf tournament would be donated to various Hurricane Dorian relief efforts. Thompson also donated an additional $100,000 towards relief efforts earlier this month.

 

 

 

About Randy Smith

Randy Smith is the producer of the widely-watched local television show “Beyond The Headlines” and the web content manager of Eyewitness News. He joined Eyewitness News as a sportscaster in 2018, a role he still performs, and has previously covered a slew of international sporting events, including the 2015 Pan American Games, the Nike EYBL Showcase, several IAAF World Relays, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, the Commonwealth Youth Games, the Bahamas Bowl and multiple CARIFTA Swimming and Track & Field Championships. Randy has been recognized by the Bahamas Press Club with awards for “Best Sports Broadcast” as a sportscaster and “Best TV Talk Show” as a producer.

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