socialmedia

Former Prime Minister Hubert Minnis has found a second life on TikTok and it could be changing how some Bahamians view him as the country heads to a general election.

Minnis was known as a stiff public political figure with a leadership style many described as stubborn or distant. Minnis is now on social media showing himself differently. On TikTok, he is joking, participating in trends, and directly replying to people who once criticized him.

His tone is lighter and some people may be buying into it. “I think I changed my mind about Minnis,” one user wrote. Another said, “If I knew you were this down to earth, I wouldn’t have been mad at you.”

Watch here one of Minnis’ reels

Minnis’ time as prime minister from 2017 to 2021 was defined almost entirely by Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic which his shaped public life and policies. His leadership style during those times left many voters frustrated.

The early election he called in 2021, resulted in low voter turnout and a loss. His leadership of the Free National Movement was heavily criticized, and many called for his resignation.

After losing the FNM leadership race to current leader Michael Pintard and not receiving a nomination to run under the party’s banner, Minnis decided to run as an independent candidate.

Without the party banner, TikTok and Facebook, have become his main pathway to voters.

He presents him as approachable, humorous, and relatable, sharp contrasts to the politician many remember from the House of Assembly.

As Minnis enters this election season outside party lines, his campaign is about whether voters are willing to accept this new version of him.

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 death of the 8-year-old boy in a suspected suicide became a cautionary tale, warning parents of the dangers of social media when his mother revealed she had denied him watching YouTube the moments before he was found.

“These devices are addicting,” one social media user Carline Mcfarlane said. “I had to take away the tablet from my daughter. That’s all she wants to stay on. We as parents need to realize when these things become addicting and find ways to ease them from being on them too long.”

Bianca Simpson advised other parents, “Get your children outside and break the addiction they have for electronics.”

Mariano Chery, the third grader was watching television with his mother and siblings on Thursday when his mother suggested that they watch another movie. Mariano though, opted for YouTube instead. When his mother denied him, Mariano then retorted, “Y’all never let me watch what I want to watch’ and sulked to his room. He was found, ten minutes later unresponsive.

Crystal Taylor said her son reacts similarly when he is without his phone.

Monalisa Rolle reminisced that in times past, children’s playtime included activities like reading books and playing on the outside. Now, times have changed. Digital devices and social media have taken over daily life.

Mariano enjoyed watching TikTok, YouTube, and playing Roblox, according to his mother.  Since his unfortunate death, she wants to limit her other children’s time spent on devices and encourage other activities.

Most social media apps require users to be 13 years or older, but many children under that age, still use the apps, and without an adult monitoring what they are consuming.

Some parents argue that some social media apps expose their children to various ills and could fuel suicide.

“I sat and watched Roblox one day. I was mortified. The theme was about suicide. The messages are repetitive almost to indoctrinate the children,” Ana Azariah said.

Now, her children are only permitted to watch TV on a big screen where she can monitor what they consume, and she has limited their tablet and cell phone use.

“We need to protect our children’s eye and ear gates.”

Pediatricians recommend children only spend up to two hours a day on social media with more time spent engaged in physical activities and face-to-face interactions.

A ten thousand dollar reward for a missing parrot sent social media in frenzy.

Users widely circulated the poster of the lost bird named ‘Alpha’ which promised a hefty reward to anyone who found it.

Alpha went missing on Saturday around the Western Road area. The owner said the poster was “a cry for help for our  family member.”

Though the bird was later found on Sunday afternoon, it made for a humorous social media post.

Jamal Smith said, “Ten thousand dollars? I will dye one seagull.”

Philip Darville said, “[I’m] about to dress this pigeon up right now.”

Waynette Sherman said, “Ten thousand dollars. Let me get my bearings together and look for Alpha. These children better eat McDonald’s or Kentucky today.”

Laverne Herman responds, “…never knew that bird watching was going to be one of the hobbies that I picked up during the pandemic, but a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do.”

The owner later captured the bird and thanked social media users for helping to search for it.

Leader of the Progressive Liberal Party Philip Davis is tangling with advertisements on Facebook which he claims are disseminating false information about his party.

As election season heats up, Davis said in a press conference today that the Free National Movement is responsible for using social media advertisements to spread propaganda.

Why it matters

Political candidates suspect that Prime Minister Hubert Minnis will call an early election. In recent weeks, the political campaigns have intensified as both the FNM and the PLP have ratified candidates in preparation for when an election is called.

The big picture

Both political parties use social media to reach targeted audiences. In fact, it is believed that the platforms played a significant role in the 2017 General election where the political parties disseminated party rhetoric.

What Davis says

“Their strategy is to buy and lie their way through a campaign. Anyone with a phone or internet connection knows what I’m talking about.

“People are complaining to me about the toxic, deceptive ads every day that seem to be unavoidable.

“…The FNM is running a garbage juice campaign, filled with garbage juice lies,” Davis said.

Davis claims that his party has identified 11 fake Facebook groups running paid active anti-PLP campaigns from their pages.

“They are not real. They have no staff. They cannot be contacted. They do not produce, or post or advertise content except for anti-PLP and occasionally some pro-FNM content,” he claimed.”

He said these ads are “filled with disgusting lies,” which he says are about him and the newly ratified candidates.

Davis says his party will soon announce the measures it will take in regards to Facebook and its allowance to run “fake sites.”

Pineridge Member of Parliament Frederick McAlpine gloried that his popularity on social media trumps those of other members of parliament.

In a shouting match with National Security Minister Marvin Dames in the House of Assembly, McAlpine contested, “Every speech I put up gat 10,000 views, 10,000 views, 10,000 views. I’m waiting to see your page. I’m going to your page.”

What happened that caused the outburst

McAlpine jumped on an issued raised by Englerston Member of Parliament Gleny Hanna-Martin, claiming that police reservists were not paid the overtime for their work in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Dames refuted that claim, stating that officers were paid overtime based on his conversation with Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle.

Dames Response to McAlpine

Dames said, “Whenever I stand, and I speak to something, I have factual documentation to prove it. We’re taking advantage of this honorable house to mislead the Bahamian people, constantly, some of us. We have to move beyond that. We talk about we speak on behalf of the people. What people?”

Dames then asked McAlpine to bring his facts to the house instead of making baseless claims.

“That he’s speaking on behalf of the people. I have yet to see the people he’s speaking on behalf. Time will tell which people on whose behalf you speaking, because I don’t see [anyone] following you.”