latraerahming

As the political campaign season intensifies, questions are emerging about how political speech is policed and whether the standards are applied evenly.

Latrae Rahming, Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister, cautioned social media users against using personal attacks online. Rahming emphasized that while healthy debate is important to democracy, freedom of expression does not give one license to target an individual’s character.

“I offer this strong recommendation, suggestion that, do not allow political actors to use you, to pay you to spread misinformation, whether it’s from the PLP, the FNM or the COI. Because when the day of judgment comes and you have to answer for your actions and consequences, those political parties won’t be there.

“Do not use social media to tear down others. The laws of the Bahamas are clear, and you could find yourself on the wrong side of it.” Rahming said.

His comments followed the arrest of a social media personality, bringing attention to the boundaries between political criticism, personal attacks, and criminal conduct.

Some have questioned whether the rules governing political expressions are evenly enforced.

“Hold on, wait. Doesn’t this administration have social media trolls that tear people down? Sherry More asked.

One poster Keesha said, “Practice what you preach,” highlighting the perceived double standards.

Rhonda Wilson added, “Lead by example.”

“Like I say, the Bahamas is becoming a communist country.” Scotty Daxon added.

Maria Russell joined the conversation. “I find it hypocritical to caution against personal attacks when the PLP itself has been known to employ so-called social media influencers, political contributors and paid trolls who relentlessly target individuals’ character.”

And Munroe Serena quipped, “Imagine the pioneers of this behavior now condemning it, wild times.”

Member of Parliament for St Anne’s Adrian White demanded, “Stop threatening people. Preach that at a PLP meeting, not from the perch of the Office of the Prime Minister…Had your administration been good, people would speak good. As this is not the case, listen, don’t threaten.”

And another poster Channy Burrows rebuked Rahming, “You never know what to say and never know what to speak on. You need to remember that not only are you employed with the office of the Prime Minister, you boldly support and campaign for the government. You should feel very silly making this statement when the loudest person on the internet is a bully for the party you support.”

As the general election draws closer, voters are likely to scrutinize online users’ political commentary and watch for political trolls who are most visible during this season.

The discussion of Christopher Columbus’ has been reignited in the daily discourse following the destruction of the statue at Government House on Mt Fritzwilliam on Saturday.

The actions of the suspect who seems deranged, have stirred angry emotions toward Columbus and have garnered social media support.

Since 1492, Columbus was hailed as the discoverer of the Bahamas and the new world. He has been hailed a hero and still plays an integral part in the Social Studies program in our educational system.

More than 500 years later, some people have shifted focus to the atrocities Columbus inflicted on the native Bahamians, identified as the Lucayans who were eventually decimated from our islands.

Bahamians like Father Sebastian Campbell have led the way to abolish the memory of Columbus from our national holidays and remove any replicas from our public sphere.

Anger toward colonialists like Columbus increased after the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in the United States when the issue of racism arose, as statues that symbolized slavery and racism were torn down in some countries around the world, while some were removed by governments.

Though some people signed petitions for the Bahamas government to remove Columbus from Mt Fritzwilliam, there was never any lawless act to attempt to destroy it, until the man who identified himself as Michael the Arch Angel, drew a sledgehammer and extricated the arm and foot of the Columbus statue.

Some social media posters erupted in applause.

Fringe groups like the third party Coalition of Independents looking to be included in the national discourse said it will provide bail and a lawyer for the suspect accused of damage to government property.

It remains to be seen if the government will remove statues of colonialism like Christopher Columbus.  Last year, a strong supporter of the PLP Latrae Rahming who now works in the office of the Press Secretary said his party always advocated for the statue’s removal and the quest for removal was supported by Party Chairman Fred Mitchell.

However, newly appointed Prime Minister Philip Davis told the Nassau Guardian on Tuesday that his government will determine whether the statue will be repaired or replaced, while emphasizing that he is “concerned when I see acts of disobedience that result in the destruction of public property.”

If we begin with Columbus, where do we end? Our country has a colonial past. Our history is colonialism and slavery. How far do we go?

We should use them as reminders as to how far we have come and place them in the proper context of the period in which they lived.

Historian Gail Saunders agrees that it is a complex issue saying only that Columbus’ statue should be in place to remember the Lucayans who were here before his arrival.

Police arrested a man on Saturday afternoon after he destroyed the statue of Christopher Columbus on Government House at Mt Fritz Williams.

The unidentified man is seen in videos, breaking down the statue with a sledgehammer. The man was also in possession of a bulletproof vest.

He was arrested for damage to government property and unlawful possession.

In the video, he is heard yelling, “I’m bringing him down. Let’s go Bahamas…You destroyed this land…You’ll want to see more…Let’s go, baby. Let’s go Bahamas.”

He then climbs atop the monument, poses in front of the statue and stares up at Columbus, as passersby take pictures.

After he was arrested by police, he squirms on the ground and quotes biblical scriptures, telling the police that he destroyed the statue for “my country.”

In recent times, Columbus became a contentious figure, accused of destroying the indigenous people and helping to colonize the Bahamas.

Last year, with the heightened issue of racism in the United States with the killing of George Floyd, PLP supporters called for the removal of Columbus from Mt Fritz Williams.

Rev Sabastian Campbell and Latrae Rahming, who was recently appointed to the Office of the Press Secretary, said Bahamians were too docile, needed to be “more radical” and demand the removal of Columbus.

Over the weekend, the Ministry of Education issued a statement refuting claims posted on social media that its recent purchase of tablets for online learning is incompatible with the Zoom platform.

The Ministry of Education called attention to the post and labelled it “fake news” stating that it “has not purchased any devices that were not compatible with its platform.”

Their press statement goes on to say all of its devices, including the donated devices, are being used “in the management of school operations in the collection of data in the field and on our Office 365 Platform for the creation and sharing of documents.”

What are the claims by the social media user and did the Ministry of Education address the concerns?

The post tweeted by Latrae Rahming, a former press secretary in the Christie administration, claimed that the Ministry of Education  spent millions of dollars on computer tablets for virtual learning, finding out later that “the tablets were incompatible with the Zoom platform.”

Rahming claimed that because of this, the tablets “could not be used.”

When the Ministry fought back, it did not mention the tablets’ compatibility for the Zoom platform which shot to fame during the coronavirus lockdowns, becoming a leading platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars.

However, the Ministry of Education stated that the tablets were compatible for its Office 365 platform.

What are the claims by teachers?

A few teachers in response to the post, have agreed with Rahming, claiming that tablets are not compatible with Zoom.

One claiming to be an educator said, “It’s definitely not fake news.”

Another said, “…attempted to access all mentioned in this document with no success.”

President of Bahamas Union of Teachers Belinda Wilson in a spat with the Education Minister Jeffrey Lloyd, told the Tribune that Lloyd “needs to make sure that schools throughout the Bahamas have reliable internet access, teachers have laptops and not tablets that are incompatible with Zoom platform.”

How many tablets were distributed?

Jeff Lloyd, in a report to the country last month, said his Ministry distributed 9,000 tablets to students in grades K–3 and seeks to assist more students in the lower primary level.

He said digital devices such as tablets, laptops, and projectors were distributed to
pre-school and lower primary schools on New Providence, Eleuthera, Exuma, Long Island, Cat Island, South Andros, Acklins, San Salvador, Mayaguana and East Grand Bahama.

Lloyd added that approximately 500 school administrators have received devices in the
form of tablets, due to the Ministry’s partnership with BTC. Additionally, all teachers have access to a device along with high-speed internet connectivity on their school’s campus.

Since then, private partners have donated tablets to the Ministry.