The agony of abused Bahamian women in The Bahamas and Leslie Miller's domestic violence revelations

My daughter’s lesson on domestic violence

Every morning, on the way to school, my eldest daughter’s job is to read the newspaper’s headlines or top stories to me as I drive.

She always waits for my reaction to the news before moving to the next story. So it was when Leslie Miller made headlines with his offensive, tasteless and very harmful story told as a joke on the floor of Parliament. The first day my reaction was a “suck teet”. She did not react and we moved on to other news stories.

As the matter captured headlines for many days, I noticed that she continued to watch for my reaction. Still, and notwithstanding the anger boiling up in me, I made no comment.

By the time we got to the newspaper headline about the $1,000 check donation Miller presented to and which was refused by the Crisis Centre, I had reached my limit and made my displeasure known with a few choice words. I told her that Leslie Miller was a poor example of a member of Parliament. I told her that his behavior in telling the story about abusing a woman was wrong, demeaning to women and inexcusable.

Then came the million-dollar question: “Mummy why are you so angry if he said sorry?”

I had to determine how I was going to explain to an eight-year-old that when someone does something so bad, such as bragging about committing acts of domestic violence, “sorry” simply doesn’t cut it.

I wondered how best to impart that fact to her. I told her that unfortunately some women somewhere in our country are abused every day by their boyfriends and or husbands. I told her that often their abusers say “sorry” but then abuse them again. Sometimes, I told her abusers come home with flowers and candy or with gifts of jewelry or cloths. Many mouth poetic apologies and give promises to never again commit those disgraceful acts of aggression and hurt. And I told her that sometimes, in those terrible circumstances, sorry is not enough; gifts don’t mean anything and women must learn to protect themselves. I explained to her that in life she would learn that not every apology was genuine and that every apology did not have to be accepted.

As most trusting children do, she accepted what her mother told her and moved on.

I, on the other hand, began to really think about the lesson I was teaching her. As a mother, was I teaching my daughter that domestic violence is a joking matter? Was my original silence on this important issue tacit consent? Was I silently condoning what was most likely one of the more despicable commentaries ever uttered in the House of Assembly, where supposed honorable men and women gather to represent the interests of all Bahamians at the highest level in our society?

At that moment I determined, rightly or wrongly, that I would wait until I spoke in the Senate to express my disappointment in the member of Parliament for Tall Pines and to express my support for the great work being done by the Crisis Centre, and organizations like “Holla Back”, which seek to raise our consciences about the problem of abused women in The Bahamas, helping to create safe spaces for those persons escaping abuse.

I did not want any statement made by me to be interpreted as scoring political points and so I intended to reserve comment for the upper chamber. Unfortunately, the opportunity to discuss this very important matter in the Senate has not presented itself and I feel compelled to make my views on this subject public.

The messages we send

I believe that we have to be very careful about the messages we send to our young people by what we say and what we do in our lives.

We cannot tell them that abuse is a joking matter whether it is abuse of a woman by a man, of a child whether male or female by a woman or a man; indeed, abuse of one man by another man is not acceptable.

We cannot, and must not, tell the next generation that it is acceptable to brag about or to joke about or make light about beating down another human being, much less accept our men telling tales and joking about abusing a woman.

Such acts of abuse cannot go without a strong, strict rebuke.

I did not speak up right away. For that I apologize to my children and to every woman, man or child who has suffered abuse in our Bahamas.

Shamefully, others seated in both chambers of our Parliament also failed to speak up including our prime minister, the leader of our country and the leader of Miller’s political party.

As a young Bahamian woman, I thought it was important that we hear from Prime Minister Perry Christie on this matter. I thought this was especially important since he, when given the opportunity in 2002 to stand up for equality for women, voted first in support of constitutional amendments meant to remove the last forms of official discrimination against women from our constitution, but then came out of the House of Assembly and spearheaded the Vote No campaign to kill the amendment.

After successfully derailing the first opportunity for women to attain equality under our independent constitution in 2002, Christie promised that if elected to office he would bring back the same constitutional referendum concerning equality for women. He won an election in 2002 but that constitutional referendum never came back and Bahamian women continue to be discriminated against in our constitution.

Since returning to office again in 2012, Christie’s government has not found it convenient to bring the constitutional referendum to remove gender discrimination from our constitution.

Recently, Christie’s government made much ado about the 50th anniversary of the Bahamas’ women’s suffrage movement. At that time, he again promised to bring forward a constitutional referendum on women's rights; the same promise he made over 12 years ago.

We continue to wait; while the government finds the time for a referendum on numbers and gambling; while legislation is drafted and redrafted to accommodate stem cell research, always taking care of “da boys” out in front while Bahamian women continue to wait.

While I cry shame on the prime minister on his deafening silence on this critically important issue for women in our country, I express even more surprise that the usually vociferous (I would even dare say pit bull like) women of the PLP appear to have allowed the bite of a self-styled “political potcake” to get the better of them.

Shamefully these PLP women called a press conference to condemn and ridicule the member of Parliament for Long Island, Loretta Butler-Turner, for her stand against the abuse of women and the actions of Miller in trivializing this terrible issue that traumatizes far too many women in our country.

In fact, at that press conference the PLP female spokespersons said that no woman in public life who is a mother should be making those political statements. Well I say that no woman in public life should remain silent while a male MP brags and jokes about domestic violence, others squawk and cackle and others just remain silent.

Standing up for women

I want to teach my daughters a few valuable lessons about respect for the dignity of all human beings.

I call upon the leaders of this nation to help me to teach this lesson, not only to my children but to all the children of our country. Sometimes “sorry” is just not enough. Sometimes a monetary gift cannot erase the damage.

I call on the PM, my own leader, Dr. Hubert Minnis, and all public figures on all sides of the political divide, please stand up for women. Let us demonstrate that we can still be a country with moral and ethical standards.

Prime minister, your government has not been a bastion of hope for women’s issues. So many promises that were especially targeted to win you support of Bahamian women at the polls in 2012 have thus far proven to be little more than electioneering.

I ask that you not fail Bahamian women on this issue of standing up against abuse. Say something. Let us hear from you – loudly and repeatedly. Do something that will encourage the thousands of women – wives, mothers, daughters, sisters and girlfriends – who have either been abused or who have a tender loved one who has or is presently suffering abuse. Assure Bahamian women that you really do care, that you do not condone or excuse abusive behavior – verbal or physical from any person on your team.

Let us all stand up and support human dignity and respect for one another.

The time for this is now.

• Heather Hunt is an attorney and senator.

April 02, 2014

thenassauguardian.com

Domestic Violence is not a joke, Leslie Miller

 Why Domestic Violence Isn’t Funny Mr. Miller 

Author: Danelle Rolle - drolle@purdue.edu
 

As a Bahamian student studying abroad, I try to keep as updated as I can about what’s going on in my country. While having a down moment on Facebook I came across a video of one of my nation’s Members of Parliament (M.P.’s), the Hon. Leslie O. Miller, speaking in the House of Assembly during the mid-year budget debate. (For those of you that are unaware, the Bahamas still operates on the British parliamentary system).

In the video, which can be viewed here, Mr. Miller uses a domestic violence scenario to illustrate a point on “the idea of love”. I’ll admit that I am not aware of what was said prior to or post of this clip. However, as a young Bahamian woman of voting age, what I saw in that 1 minute and 13 seconds left me utterly appalled, ashamed and angry at my country’s representation. Mr. Miller claimed that what he said was just in “jest”, however due to the global extent of domestic violence there are many reasons why it is no laughing matter.

Domestic violence against women, especially by a partner, is a major public health issue and a violation of women’s human rights[1].  Worldwide, 35% of women have reported either “physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence”[1]. With over 3 billion women in the world, a billion of them have had their rights infringed upon specifically by someone they knew. Is it still funny now, Mr. Miller? Additionally, up to 38% of the world’s murders where the victims are women, occur at the hands of an intimate partner[1].  In the Caribbean region alone, 25% of the murders committed are a result of domestic violence/relational disputes[2]. With roughly 1200 cases of domestic violence being reported annually in the Bahamas[2], is it still funny now, Mr. Miller?

Aside from the obvious initial physical trauma, domestic violence can have other negative effects on a woman’s health. For example, women who have suffered intimate partner abuse can experience depression and post-traumatic stress disorder – the two most prevalent mental-health issues that arise post abuse[3]. Knowing that these women experience mental effects that are still present long after the bruises disappear, is it still funny now, Mr. Miller?

There are also economic repercussions to domestic violence against women. According to the World Health Organization, women may be unable to work post abuse, which can result in “ loss of wages, lack of participation in regular activities and limited ability to care for themselves and their children”[1].  As a member of the governing body who is responsible for our economic stability, is it still funny now, Mr. Miller?

I do not want to make it seem as if Mr. Miller was the only one wrong in the situation. Although he initially made the poor joke, every M. P. that found it funny is just as culpable as he is. I was especially disheartened to see the Hon. Cleola Hamilton, another M.P AND woman, laughing at what Mr. Miller said. Many women do not leave abusive relationships because of the shame they feel. By laughing at their situation, these M.P.’s could have possibly deterred many Bahamian women from seeking help. If their own leaders are making a mockery of their situation, why won’t others?  With elections only a few years away, many voters – especially female voters – won’t forget how a major issue that affects us was made “sport of” by our nation’s leaders. With the disrespect and insensitivity shown forever engrained in our memories, is it still funny now, Mr. Miller? 



[1] The World Health Organization (2013). Violence against women. A WHO publication. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs239/en/ (Accessed March 2014).


[2] Maura, M. (2012).  Domestic violence in The Bahamas accounts for 25 percent of regional murders. A TheBahamasWeekly.com publication. http://www.thebahamasweekly.com/publish/bis-news-updates/Domestic_violence_in_The_Bahamas_accounts_for_25_percent_of_regional_murders24123.shtml (Accessed March 2014).


[3] Campbell, J.C. (2002). Health consequences of intimate partner violence. The Lancet. Vol 359, 1331-1336

March 06, 2014

purduepublichealth.weebly.com

Women of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) find Leslie Miller’s girlfriend beating remarks in Parliament extremely offensive and disturbing

Do Our Parliamentarians Condone Abuse Against Women?

Leslie Miller’s recent comments from the floor of Parliament last week speak to an issue that women in this country, and around the world, have faced for decades. The idea that any sort of violence against women has become laughable to the nation’s legislators is unfortunate, unacceptable but sadly unsurprising. Gender based violence in the Bahamas is real. It is a reality with which hundreds of women and girls face every day and everywhere.

Sadly, women who are being abused by their husbands or boyfriends continue to remain silent living in fear of their abusers, many of whom are high profile individuals not unlike Mr. Leslie Miller himself. It is disappointing to know the very people that should advocate for stronger laws to protect the rights of women are the ones making a mockery of women, especially those who are “victims”.

Mr. Leslie Miller has since attempted to back pedal from his comments. At the time, the Tall Pines Member of Parliament was attempting to draw a comparison between the FNM’s self-proclaimed love of the country’s fishermen while likening it to a husband who daily beats his wife as a way of demonstrating his love. Those comments, he says, were made in jest. As a father and a grandfather, I wonder if Mr. Leslie Miller would find the abuse of his own daughters at the hand of someone else equally as amusing.

What is even more shameful is the number of Parliamentarians who laughed along with him and others, while female members of government remained silent. As President of the DNA Women’s Alliance, I find these remarks extremely offensive and disturbing. The fact that Mr. Leslie Miller was not rebuked in that moment also gives me cause for great concern.

We do not elect Members of Parliament to be regaled with stories about their distorted sexual relationships. We do not elect them to be comedians at the expense of Bahamian women. We elect them to defend the rights of ALL BAHAMIANS and with women making up a large section of the voting public, we elect them to defend the rights of ALL WOMEN.

Are these the types of persons whom PM Perry Christie has deemed fit to lead? Does he himself condone the disrespect of Bahamian women, many of whom voted for him during the last general election? We demand that Mr. Christie offer an explanation for his silence on this very serious issue. He too, must answer for his apparent inability to curb the inappropriate behavior of members of his own government.

Just over a month ago, the DNA Women’s Alliance launched a campaign to “Break the cycle of abuse on women and children”. The forum encouraged men and women to break the cycle of abuse by breaking the silence and speaking out against violence and reporting their abusers.

Perhaps Mr. Leslie Miller would do well to attend one such forum. Perhaps then, his hands as he put it would become tired or hurt, not from physically assaulting a woman, but rather from helping to build up the country’s communities. Perhaps Mr. Leslie Miller would prefer that the voting public gave him the ‘break’ which he asked for by having him removed as the representative for Tall Pines.

This is a very serious matter, and we expect our Members of Parliament to be in our corner, and support us on this matter. The women of the Bahamas are owed an apology, immediately. Point, Blank, Period.

Prodesta Moore
DNA Women’s Alliance President

March 06, 2014

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) on Facebook

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) statements on oil drilling in The Bahamas appear to be more equivocal than the Free National Movement (FNM) government... ...Comments from former Cabinet minister Leslie Miller have not added clarity to the opposition’s view on this matter...

The question of oil drilling

thenassauguardian editorial

Whether or not to drill for oil in The Bahamas is a complex and multifaceted issue requiring extensive study and an open and transparent public debate.  As the role of the government will be critical in this process, the major parties have an obligation to clearly outline their full views on the matter in the lead-up to Election Day.

Two weeks ago, Opposition Leader Perry Christie confirmed to The Nassau Guardian that he served as a legal consultant to Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC).

He stated, “I consult on work the firm deems I am qualified by the office I’ve had, with the knowledge that I have in terms of government.”

He further stated: “If there is an issue they need advice on, whether or not they need someone to speak to the issue of environmental impact [studies], the issue of whether or not in my judgment a matter is worthy for the government to approve, whether or not an application is ready, whether or not they should employ and who should go on the board of directors, whatever views they ask of the firm, in the event that firm regards it as necessary, they would consult me on it.  Those are the services I provide.”

One must presume that Christie was paid for this consultancy work.

A week later, we reported that Christie backtracked on his original statement to this newspaper saying that his consultancy with BPC ended some time ago, but he did not provide a date as to when.

Voters must have no doubt as to whether any of the major parties and their leaders will have a conflict of interest on the matter of oil drilling.

We note that Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Deputy Leader Philip Brave Davis, the principal of Davis & Co., serves as a legal consultant to BPC.  He would likely serve as deputy prime minister in a Christie government.

For his part, Christie needs to answer why he backtracked on his original statement.  He must also answer a series of other questions raised by the consultancy relationship with an oil company to which his former government gave exploration licenses, and which a possible future government of his will be asked to provide additional licenses for exploration and drilling to the very same company.

Various characterizations have been made of Christie’s consultancy and his mixed statements on his work on behalf of BPC through Davis & Co.  Christie will need to address a number of these.

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham has noted his party’s position: “I have said before, in the media and in the House of Assembly – a government led by me will not agree to any drilling for oil in The Bahamas until all necessary and appropriate regulations are in place and until we are fully and competently in a position to regulate such activity so as to protect our environment and that of the world’s ocean beyond from harmful and risky activity in our country and in our waters.

“I am not unmindful of what happened in the gulf off the coast of Louisiana just two years ago.  And certainly we do not have the resources, human or financial, nor the billet, to respond as the United States government responded.

“We are not now in a position to so regulate and oversee drilling operations in our waters.”

The PLP’s statements on oil drilling appear to be more equivocal than the government’s.  Comments from former Cabinet minister Leslie Miller have not added clarity to the opposition’s view on this matter.

The general election is less than a week away.  Unexpectedly, the question of oil drilling may play a decisive role in its outcome.  It is a question with many facets such as economic development, environmental protection, and accountability and transparency in government.

Even as the parties address other issues, they will have to speak more to the issue of oil drilling.  This includes safeguarding a transparent governmental process on such a critical issue and crystal clear clarity on any conflict(s) of interest.

May 03, 2012

thenassauguardian editorial

Caribbean Blog International

WikiLeaks: Perry Christie had deep concerns about the Petrocaribe agreement with Venezuela while he was prime minister...and his worries about certain moves then Minister of Trade and Industry Leslie Miller was making, allegedly without Cabinet approval

Christie hit out at Miller

U.S. Cables reveal sharp Cabinet division over Petrocaribe in 2005

BY CANDIA DAMES
NG News Editor
thenassauguardian
candia@nasguard.com



Cables obtained by The Nassau Guardian through the whistleblower WikiLeaks reveal deep concerns Perry Christie had about the Petrocaribe agreement with Venezuela while he was prime minister, and his worries about certain moves then Minister of Trade and Industry Leslie Miller was making, allegedly without Cabinet approval.

In fact, the cables reveal that the Christie Cabinet was “sharply divided” on Petrocaribe, a program under which countries purchase oil from Venezuela on conditions of preferential treatment.

One cable claims Christie made a direct negative comment relative to Miller as a minister.

“Some ministers, the PM continued, were brought into the Cabinet because of their qualifications; others, like Minister Miller, were included in an effort, at times unsuccessful, to keep an eye on what they’re doing,” said the cable, which was classified by then U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas John Rood.

The cable said that at a private meeting Rood had with Christie in July 2005, the then prime minister discussed several energy matters as well as his political future.

“The PM indicated that he has concerns about the Petrocaribe agreement signed on behalf of The Bahamas on June 29 by Trade and Industry Minister Leslie Miller,” the cable said.

“He stated that Minister Miller ‘got way out in front of the Cabinet’ on the issue and suggested that Cabinet’s eventual consideration of the Petrocaribe agreement would not be favorable.

“...The PM recalled that there were no disruptions to local fuel supplies during [the 2004] busy hurricane season.

“He doubted that government, given its poor record running hotels, airlines, and utilities, would be able to do as well as the international oil companies had done. The PM confided that the Trinidadian government had expressed to him its displeasure that Minister Miller signed the Petrocaribe agreement.”

In another cable penned about a month earlier, a U.S. Embassy official wrote that Christie had up to that point remained silent on the issue but “has shown no inclination to embark on the type of sweeping project that Minister Miller envisions”.

“On the other hand, Christie has also shown no inclination to silence a minister whose more outrageous comments regularly make for embarrassing headlines,” the June 2005 cable said.

“Minister Miller is an erratic figure within the Christie Cabinet and his frequent dramatic pronouncements on issues ranging from Petrocaribe, to hurricane relief funding, to liquefied natural gas projects are taken with a large grain of salt.

“His recent comments on high gasoline prices have focused less on Venezuela and more on decreasing the fixed markups that local gasoline importers and retailers are permitted to charge,” the cable said.

The American diplomat observed: “The Bahamas is sufficiently interested in possibly lowering its energy bill to keep sending Minister Miller to Petrocaribe meetings, but it has little in common politically with President [Hugo] Chavez.

“The one possible exception is Cuba, with which The Bahamas shares a pragmatic working relationship based on migrant issues and other people-to-people matters such as tourism and medical training and treatment.”

That same cable reveals that a high level government official had privately expressed concern that a “loose cannon” like Miller would be representing The Bahamas at an upcoming meeting between CARICOM and Chavez.

The Bahamian official suggested to the Americans that rather than request Miller to speak out, “it might be better for both countries (The Bahamas and the United States) if he stayed in the background and made no other substantive comment.”

MILLER’S RESPONSE

According to that cable, Miller called a U.S. Embassy official to discuss his trip.

Responding to the official’s urging that the best long-term solution to the energy situation would be a market-based solution within the context of a stable, democratic political system, Miller said that in petroleum, economics and politics are always mixed, the diplomat recorded.

“He called on the United States to itself construct new oil refineries in the U.S. to relieve supply shortages,” the cable said.

“Miller then went on to describe himself as a ‘nationalist’ saying that he understood why ‘dirt poor people in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina’ were upset with oil companies.

“When [the embassy official] cautioned against concluding an agreement with an unstable government whose president had a penchant for tearing up and re-writing contracts, Miller responded by declaring that paying royalties from extracted natural resources of ‘one percent’ was ‘ridiculous and unfair’.”

The embassy official, according to the cable, told Miller that investment required stability, transparency, and predictability and that all of these were in short supply in Chavez’s Venezuela.

In another cable, the Americans wrote that Miller had returned from Venezuela “waving the Petrocaribe agreement and declaring cheap gas prices in our time.”

Miller was quoted as saying, “What we got from the Venezuelans is a dream come true. This is an extraordinary agreement, one that I have been behind for the past two and a half years.”

But the Americans wrote: “Reducing the price of gas in The Bahamas without reducing either wholesaler or dealer profit margins or the government tax has long been one of Leslie Miller’s signature theme projects.

“His past predictions of cheap gas in our time have gone unfulfilled while he has lurched from political gaffe to political gaffe. The local oil companies have long been suspicious of his maneuverings and have challenged his proposals both publicly and privately.

“His permanent secretary, the senior civil servant in his ministry, has long given up trying to explain to him the economics of the oil business in general and in The Bahamas in particular.”

The diplomat said the lack of consultation with the local oil companies suggested that any real changes to The Bahamas’ energy market “remains a distant dream”.

In the comment section of the cable, the American diplomat wrote: “Local reaction to Petrocaribe has been skeptical ever since its signing.

“Minister Miller’s actions have been criticized in terms of process (not having Cabinet’s authorization) and on substance (creating another inefficient government entity, relying on a single source of supply, and endorsing Venezuela’s political agenda).”

The cable said that while Miller was pushing Petrocaribe, Christie indicated to the ambassador that he intended to walk away from the agreement.

Miller has said he will not ever accept a cabinet appointment again. He has already been ratified by the PLP to run again in Blue Hills, a seat he lost to attorney Sidney Collie in 2007.

The July 2005 cable also revealed that Christie, at the time, was unsure as to whether he would be able to lead the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) into the 2007 general election, as he was still recovering from a mild stroke.

“The PM stated that he has already begun internal discussions on the timing of the next elections, which he must call no later than May 2007,” the cable said.

“He believed he would know by his party’s annual convention in November whether or not he is strong enough to lead the party into elections for another five-year term. If he is fit enough to run, the PM is confident that no one will be able to defeat him.”

Christie was strong enough to lead his party into the election. However, his party was defeated.

When the Free National Movement (FNM) came to office in 2007, it made it clear that The Bahamas government was not interested in the oil alliance with Venezuela.

In a May 2007 cable, a U.S. Embassy official wrote, “We do not expect any warming of relations between Caracas and Nassau.

“Indeed we expect the FNM government to be a stronger partner of the Untied States in addressing Venezuela-related issues.”

Not long after, Minister of State for Public Utilities Phenton Neymour confirmed that Petrocaribe was not, and would not be, a priority for the new Bahamian government.

An embassy official later wrote that Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham called the Petrocaribe accord a “stupid proposal”.

The Americans noted: “The Bahamas has a wholly privatized oil distribution system that is incompatible with Petrocaribe. Further, both FNM and PLP senior leadership are leery about being beholden to Venezuela.”

Jun 07, 2011

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