National Security Minister, Wayne Munroe says The Bahamas government is unified in wanting to send the clearest possible message to adults who would have sexual relationships with children

The Bahamas National Security Minister, Wayne Munroe: Our government is unified in wanting to send the clearest possible message to adults who would have sexual relationships with children under 16: your behavior will land you in jail, no matter the child’s behavior  

“I have spoken several times on the matter of a plea agreement and I deeply regret that my answers have caused concern.  I gave several interviews and I hope that pulling the salient points together in one place can be helpful to understanding my position:

#1 Anyone who has sexual intercourse with a child under 16 is disordered.

#2 Anyone who does so will go to prison.  The only question is the length of their sentence.

#3 Sentence lengths for the offence in question are established by the Bahamas Court of Appeal.  For a first-time offender, the sentence is 7 years if the young woman does not consent, and 4 years if the young woman does consent.  The word “consent” is in the text of the relevant statute – “with or without consent”.

#4 Plea agreements avoid court cases and thus help clear the backlog of cases in our justice system.  Additionally, plea bargaining spares the victim from having to give evidence thereby being forced to relive the trauma of the crime.

#Our government is unified in wanting to send the clearest possible message to adults who would have sexual relationships with children under 16: your behavior will land you in jail, no matter the child’s behavior.

#When I provide my analysis of a legal matter, as I have done in recent interviews, I do draw upon my decades of experience practicing law.  But I want Bahamians to be clear, it is this experience that allows me a clear view of the path to successful law enforcement and prosecution.  The goal in cases like these is to punish predatory behavior and to deter others from engaging in such behavior.”

#EARLIER STORY:

#By EARYEL BOWLEG

#Tribune Staff Reporter

#ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

#NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe suggested yesterday that a 40-year-old man convicted of having unlawful sex with a 14-year-old girl received a sentence that was too severe, saying had he defended the case he would have argued it was not rape and that the girl consented.

#His remarks prompted swift backlash from Free National Movement Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright and others.  Some activists have called on him to be fired.

#Mr Munroe said he did not have all facts of the case, but told reporters he did not understand the controversy surrounding the sentence and anger about subsequent comments made by a prosecutor about the case.

#“If I was advising the accused and somebody gets seven years for raping somebody I wouldn’t have been advising my client to agree to four years for unlawful intercourse because I would say that if we go to court you would say to the judge ‘he didn’t rape her - she consented’.  The fact is in law her consent is neither here nor there.  If I was the defence counsel I wouldn’t have accepted a plea deal with that high a level of penalty and we would have gone to court,” he told reporters.

#Earlier in the interview, Mr Munroe said sentencing guidelines for rape differ depending whether the victim is a “virgin” or a “prostitute”.

#“If you were to rape a virgin, if you raped a prostitute, both are rape, you’re likely to be awarded a higher sentence for raping a nun than raping a prostitute,” the former defence attorney said.  “That’s just what the case law says because you consider the impact of the offence and considering the impact of the offence you consider victim impact.  So that’s a part of sentencing.”

#His comments came when he was asked by reporters about Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Franklyn Williams’ statements about a plea deal the convict received, which resulted in him getting four years in prison and three years’ probation upon release.

#When contacted about the case, Mr Williams told a reporter on Wednesday: “We have a generation of highly sexualised young people, whether through media or association, and who because of parental inattention, lack of parental oversight and in some cases, tacit encouragement and acquiescence, engage in risky behaviours.  The facts of this case dictated the course taken.”

#He later said he was not victim blaming, however.

#Mr Munroe said he was trying to understand “controversy” about the case.

#When told the offence was unlawful sexual intercourse, he said: “Which means that it’s not rape.  Which means you are punished because as a big man you shouldn’t be having sex with anybody under 16.  If the person under 16, if you force them, they would still charge you with sex with somebody under 16 but the sentencing court would say that you forced this person, they didn’t initiate it, so you will get a higher sentence than somebody who initiates it with you.  The general sentence for rape where the person isn’t consenting is seven years.”

#Some observers accused Mr Williams of “victim blaming” and called for his resignation.

#Asked to respond, Mr Munroe disagreed with that interpretation, saying “How is that victim blaming?”

#He also said: “Yes she can give consent.  You can consent from seven years old.  It’s just that law says if you are under 16, if you read the offence having sexual intercourse with somebody under 16 with or without their consent which tells you that the person can consent.  Just that in law, we say it doesn’t matter.  If it doesn’t matter having sex with (a) 16-year-old whether she consents or she doesn’t consent that being the case since that offence has those two possibilities, the victim consent or the victim doesn’t consent.  Who would believe that the sentence should be the same whether the victim consents it should be same when the victim doesn’t consent.  One would hope that you would get a higher sentence when the victim doesn’t consent.”

#According to published reports about the case, the girl and the man met on Facebook and met up to have sex multiple time over the course of several months.  Police found the girl at the man’s home after an anonymous tip in early 2020 and met her putting on her school uniform.  The child was examined at the hospital and where it was discovered she was pregnant.

#In a statement issued yesterday, the FNM’s deputy leader said Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis needs to rein Mr Munroe in.

“I join with all right-thinking Bahamians in condemning the utterances of Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe with regard to how the law should be interpreted with regard to adults who prey on underage girls,” Mr Cartwright said.

#“His opinions on consent are repugnant and have no place in a civilised country.  What the minister should be doing as a lawmaker is advocating for stronger laws to protect children, and a no tolerance approach as the minister of national security, as opposed to alerting child predators as to how they can beat the system.

#“If he cannot advocate on behalf of protecting children and law-abiding citizens, then he should reconsider his current career choice.”

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Shanendon Cartwright, Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition - Free National Movement - FNM, Condemns National Security Minister Wayne Munroe public utterances on how the law should be interpreted with regard to adults who prey on underage girls

FNM DEPUTY URGES PM TO "REIGN IN" NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTER

I join with all right-thinking Bahamians in condemning the utterances of Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe with regard to how the law should be interpreted with regard to adults who prey on underage girls.

His opinions on consent are repugnant and have no place in a civilized country.

What the minister should be doing as a lawmaker is advocating for stronger laws to protect children, and a no tolerance approach as the minister of national security, as opposed to alerting child predators as to how they can beat the system.

If he cannot advocate on behalf of protecting children and law abiding citizens, then he should reconsider his current career choice.

The prime minister must urgently reign his national security minister in.

Shanendon Cartwright, M.P.

Deputy Leader

The Free National Movement

1,000 students have been fully absent from Public schools in The Bahamas for two years

The Bahamas Education Minister said close to 1,000 students have not returned to school!

Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin said yesterday that an initial search has revealed that nearly 1,000 students have been fully absent from school for nearly two years prompting “major concerns” over potentially widespread learning loss phenomenon.

During her contribution to the mid-year budget debate in Parliament, Hanna-Martin said “thousands of children of all ages “fell off the radar” in a completely virtual learning environment in the last two years.

“We now know from global research that the effect of this is significant learning loss which unless arrested will have a severe impact on the individual lives of the thousands of children concerned and to the qualitative progress of our nation as a whole,” she said.

“It is a serious matter to find these “missing” children the Ministry took a squarely pragmatic approach.”

The education minister explained that a national multi-agency committee was formed with governmental and non governmental participants. The committee was tasked with mapping out a strategy for finding and bringing these children back into the safety net of education.

“In the first task, administrators, teachers, clerical, security and janitorial staff, and managers and union leaders and representatives and various NGO’s and I might add, even myself hit the streets door to door in communities nationwide, simultaneously, in search of these young people,” Hanna-Martin said.

“The exercise yielded the location and identification of almost 1,000 children who had been fully absent from school for two years. In our inaugural walkabout and launch of this initiative on January, 11th, in Freetown alone, almost 60 children were identified. Within days of that walkabout Uriah McPhee Primary School saw an appreciable increase in student attendance.”

She continued: “I reiterate the commitment that relying upon our database and upon any other information received we will seek out every child. We ask parents and guardians to work with us as there is no acceptable barrier that should separate children from a firm education. It is a human right and it is their hope of a happy and decent existence.”

The Official Opposition - Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright calls on The Bahamas Government to act with urgency in the crime fight

FNM Deputy Leader, Shanendon Cartwright calls for urgency in crime fight

Following a spate of killings in recent days, Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright called on the government to act with urgency in the crime fight.

“Our hearts are with the families of the recent murder victims on the islands of Grand Bahama and New Providence,” he said in a statement.

“News of these three killings all within 24 hours is alarming.

“Amidst the global pandemic and ensuing economic hardship, we have experienced our share of challenges which we can ill afford to have compounded with a spike in murder cases. An increase in crime in our society threatens the safety and security of the Bahamian people and ultimately does not bode well in our overall standing as a country.

“The urgency of this moment calls for a comprehensive plan in the fight against crime from the government. The time calls for it now. The official opposition remains with a mindset of working with the government of the day in these matters with a view to returning to seeing a downturn in the number of murders as in recent times under the Free National Movement administration.

“We must intensify our efforts at every level so as to protect the Bahamian people and ensure a peaceful Bahamian society. We dare not turn a blind eye to this issue.”

Police reported that two murders happened on Saturday, two on Sunday and one on Monday.

GLOBALISATION IS DEAD; THE RISE OF REGIONAL GARRISON STATES IS HERE!

By Gilbert Morris

It maybe that the proxy conflict in Ukraine will truncate the march and spread of social media; as we know it.

Likely, that the US/Europe, South America and Caribbean would continue with US based internet so, social media.

However, the structural decoupling of Russia from the global system portends the initiation of a new social media paradigm in Central Asia; akin to China’s system with its own unique coordinates.

Autocracy and the demonstration of NATO’s impotence may yet lead to the same social media rollout in the Middle East. And so, as one has argued for a time, the world becomes a series of “digital bantustans”, which access is permission by interoperability protocols or hacking.

A Huxleyian world in the West and an Orwellian world in the East; the West propagating an Orientalist conception of the East. The East exasperated by a late imperialism in the West!

To be sure it would be a Hobbesian world both in the sense of its rivalist culture and in government as Digital Leviathans!

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Get Lost Hubert Minnis!

Hubert Minnis was prepared to sell his poor political soul to the United Bahamian Party, UBP - at the Free National Movement, FNM Convention - 2022

The smoke has cleared over the FNM convention - 2022, and my lame-duck MP, Dr. Hubert Minnis did his best to claim the spotlight under wicked pretext – without success. He announced publicly that he was really more concerned about the governance of the country, and that voting at the convention was essentially a going through the motions kind of thing for him.

I was under the impression that every MP, and aspiring politician are naturally concerned about the governance of the country at all times. So, why is Minnis so extra focused on the governance of the country after his no-good ruling FNM administration was soundly, and devastatingly defeated at the general election polls in September of 2021?

It’s because he is seeking the limelight, but no one is still not on his run. He should have resigned his seat gracefully at the same time he removed himself as leader of the Free National Movement- FNM – following the FNM humiliating general election defeat under his inept leadership– in my opinion. He’s not a graceful and humble man. Rather, he is a mean spirited, vindictive and petty victimizer who hates democracy, and people who oppose him!

Take it from yours truly- who is one of his prime victimized victims - over the years. He also despises other people in the FNM whom he deems to be a threat to his distorted and freaky leadership ambitions.

Yes, Hubert Minnis really detests people like my beloved nephew, the Honorable Shanendon Eugene Cartwright - MP for the great constituency of St. Barnabas; simply because he sees him as a major threat to his kinky political leadership plans. We know who Minnis supported at the convention for Deputy leader of the Free National Movement- FNM. The one who is no threat to him, of course.

Minnis was prepared to sell his poor political soul to the UBP - at the FNM convention, for selfish political gain! That awkward maneuver was wisely defeated by wise and revolutionary FNM delegates - who saw the play coming in to the convention.

One can see the evil and unforgiving spirit all over Minnis these days. He’s becoming uglier with bad political intentions- as time passes by. He is a pestering nuisance in the modern day Bahamian political arena - in my humble view.

The electorate cannot stand the man, yet – that doesn’t stop him from rambling on at every opportunity. Lame-duck Minnis obviously feels that he is some kind of comeback kid who sees Mr. Pintard, the present FNM leader – as a seat warmer. How much more arrogantly delusional can a lame-duck MP be?

Barack Obama Condemns Russia's Actions In Ukraine

By Barack Obama

People of conscience around the world need to loudly and clearly condemn Russia’s actions and offer support for the Ukrainian people

Last night, Russia launched a brazen attack on the people of Ukraine, in violation of international law and basic principles of human decency. Russia did so not because Ukraine posed a threat to Russia, but because the people of Ukraine chose a path of sovereignty, self-determination, and democracy. For exercising rights that should be available to all people and nations, Ukrainians now face a brutal onslaught that is killing innocents and displacing untold numbers of men, women, and children.

The consequences of Russia’s reckless actions extend beyond Ukraine’s borders. This illegal invasion in the heart of Europe also threatens the foundation of the international order and security. For some time now, we have seen the forces of division and authoritarianism make headway around the world, mounting an assault on the ideals of democracy, rule of law, equality, individual liberty, freedom of expression and worship, and self-determination. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shows where these dangerous trends can lead – and why they cannot be left unchallenged.

People of conscience around the world need to loudly and clearly condemn Russia’s actions and offer support for the Ukrainian people. And every American, regardless of party, should support President Biden’s efforts, in coordination with our closest allies, to impose hard-hitting sanctions on Russia – sanctions that impose a real price on Russia’s autocratic elites.

There may be some economic consequences to such sanctions, given Russia’s significant role in world energy markets. But that’s a price we should be willing to pay to take a stand on the side of freedom. For over the long term, we all face a choice, between a world in which might makes right and autocrats are free to impose their will through force, or a world in which free people everywhere have the power to determine their own future.

Michelle and I will be praying for the courageous people of Ukraine, for Russian citizens who have bravely declared their opposition to these attacks, and for all those who will bear the cost of a senseless war.

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