Mitchell: Lightbourn should be sanctioned for comments

Wed, Aug 3rd 2016, 11:08 AM

Fox Hill MP and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell believes Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn should be sanctioned for his statements regarding the forced sterilization of certain unwed mothers and that Lightbourn should "not return to Parliament and give another person a chance in that seat".
At last week's Free National Movement (FNM) convention, Lightbourn suggested the state should consider tying the tubes of unwed women who have more than two children.
Lightbourn's comments sparked much criticism and outrage from other parliamentarians, human rights activists and civilians who have argued that his suggestion disparages women's rights in The Bahamas, but Mitchell believes that there is a bigger picture to what Lightbourn had to say.
"Some have drawn this as a matter of women's reproductive rights and the freedom to choose," said Mitchell at an ecumenical service on Emancipation Day in Fox Hill.
"I am sure it is that and I agree, but there is something much larger at stake here.
"The racist element in it cannot be overlooked.
"Even if it were not intentional, closing ones' eyes to the obvious shows the disregard for the humanity of the African people of this country and women of African descent in particular.
"It is so serious that it must not be overlooked."
Mitchell said Lightbourn made his comments without thinking about what he was saying, about who he is and what he represents in the history of the country.
Mitchell also charged that Lightbourn was completely insensitive to the larger meaning of what he was saying and closed his eyes to the obvious issues his comments would cause.
Hours after his suggestion, Lightbourn issued an apology, particularly to Bahamian women, in which he said his remarks "in no way or form reflects the position of the Free National Movement".
Mitchell said no one believes Lightbourn's comments are sincere.
"That here was a white Bahamian, tied to the old United Bahamian Party (UBP) regime, whose doctrine was racial discrimination, saying in effect that black women were having too many babies and it should stop," he said.
"It's what you call a dog whistle.
"My mother used to say, even if you think that, there are some things you just don't say.
"Since then he has apologized, but no one for a minute believes that the apology was anything more than a politically correct patch up job that was uttered because it might adversely affect his political fortunes.
"There ought to be sanctions for that and he ought to consider whether it is advisable for him to stay on as a MP for the Five Pound Lot and for Kemp Road in the circumstances of his statement."
Mitchell said there is a precedent for what political parties should do when representatives cross a certain line.
"There is an example of what to do from the United States," said Mitchell.
"When the former Majority Leader Trent Lott made a statement in which he supported the segregated South in America, the then U.S. President George Bush from his own party disassociated himself from the remark and Mr. Lott not only lost his job as majority leader, but as a senator as well.
"It seems to me that this must follow in The Bahamas.
"The organization to which he belongs must make that clear and fully dissociate themselves from it."
The FNM has also distanced itself from Lightbourn's comments.

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