The Government of The Bahamas should demand an explanation from the Government of Barbados about recent remarks by the Prime Minister of Barbados with regard to the police action against students of the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill Barbados. The remarks of the Prime Minister that he supports the police in their action would seem to be inconsistent with the assurances given to our Minister of Foreign Affairs that the Barbados Government will have a full inquiry into the matter. Further, the remarks would seem to prejudice a fair and impartial trail within Barbados.

The Prime Minister of Barbados Owen Arthur’s statement in part is as follows and was published on Wednesday 28 March in The Nation of Barbados: " In Barbados, blocking the highways, as defined in the Highways Act, is an unlawful act and nobody has a right to block our highways, no matter the grievance they are dealing with. We are not going to open a new chapter of lawlessness in the country. If by agreeing that it is proper to seek redress for grievances by indulging in actions which at the time are unlawful, that will be part of descent into anarchy... The second major point of which there must be critical clarity is that all of us have a duty to obey the instructions of the police when they are carrying out their lawful duties. To accept that there is a discretion in this matter, whether it is a matter at the University of the West Indies, Government headquarters, on the beaches, on the highways and alleys of Barbados; to accept now that we are going to decide whether we are going to follow instructions of the police or not, is again a matter that will force us to take another step into anarchy... We live in a society governed by the rule of law and we will not blow hot and cold about matters pertaining to law and order. We want an orderly society... We want order on the streets for all of us order in Government, order on the beaches. We want our people to live here in good conditions or good order. We want people who visit us to come here and to be part of a well-order peaceful society."

The tone and tenor of these remark give the impression that the Prime Minister of Barbados has tried and convicted the students. One of the students arrested in the protest was a Bahamian, and that Bahamian must stand trial in Barbados on 28 May. Is the Minister of Foreign Affairs satisfied after these remarks that there will be a fair trail in Barbados? And will she seek the appropriate assurances from the Barbados Government with regard to it.

One need only review the remarks of the Leader of the Opposition in Barbados David Thompson who wrote the following in 28 March:

" The right to protest within the law is accepted by all of us. How a government deals with protest is what has to be carefully monitored... The wrong message about conflict resolution was sent [by the police response to the protest]: if that is how you deal with tomorrow’s professionals, how would you deal with us?"

The Minister must also check her facts. In her statement issued last week she assured the Bahamian public that no one was beaten by the police. That is at variance with the facts. Both the lecturer arrested and the Bahamian student were beaten and choked by the police in Barbados.

Finally, we seek again for the Minister to begin regular reports to this country about how she spends our tax money and what she does on our behalf abroad. The Minister met the United States Secretary of Sate Colin Powell with her counterparts from the Caribbean in Washington Monday 26 March. The next meeting is scheduled for The Bahamas. When the Minister reported to the country?

Has she briefed the Leader of the Opposition?