Amnesty wants Detention Centre investigated

Read storyDespite a quick assurance from the Department of Immigration (DoI) that inmates at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre are not abused, Amnesty International wants an independent investigation.

Hours after a Tribune story detailed abuse claims (links at the end of this post) the Immigration Department released a statement saying it did not know of a planned hunger strike and that "at no time were detainees mistreated or beaten".

But Amnesty International said the claims were similar to reports it has gotten over the years including: "miniscule" amounts of food for inmates, inadequate medical and bathing facilities and limited access to the outside world.

The Immigration Department's statement said inmates are given quality food three times a day and that menu choices consider the different nationalities at the facility.

The statement said that angry detainees sometimes try to tarnish the names of workers at the facility.

Click here to read an interesting take on the DoI's statement by Tribune Editor Paco Nunez.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

The Nassau Guardian

Child abuse up 24%

Read story

Reports of child abuse rose by 24% in 2008, according to statistics from the National Child Protection Council (NCPC).

The NCPC released the findings at a press conference Tuesday.

NCPC chairman Gil Maycock said abuse falls into six categories:

1. Abandonement
   
2. Neglect
   
3. Incest
   
4. Emotional abuse
   
5. Sexual abuse
   
6. Physical abuse
   

Maycock said neglect is by far the largest category, and includes children left alone at night, not fed properly and living in unsanitary conditions.

He said the NCPC expect abuse cases to increase this year, along with the bad economy.

This is especially true of neglect she said, as people work several jobs to make ends meet.

Judge concerned that evidence not consistent

Read storyOfficers who chased Lincoln Forbes until he was shot and killed by a fellow policeman gave their versions of the night's events.

But Magistrate William Campbell pointed to a number of inconsistencies that have clouded details of Forbes's 2004 death.

Detective Sergeant Rubin Stuart told the court that he and two other officers had stopped Forbes and his friend Trevon Stevens after chasing their car.

Stuart said Forbes ran out of the car and the other two officers chased him. Soon after, he told the court, the suspect came running from between some houses and fell on his face, shot.

Officer DC Martin, one of the officers who chased Forbes, testified that the third officer, named Ranger, shot Forbes when he turned and pointed his weapon at them.

A firearms expert testified earlier in the case that Forbes's weapon was actually a toy gun.

Magistrate Campbell asked why the officers had said that Forbes fell face down when crime scene photos showed him face up.

Stuart said that emergency medical workers had moved him but Campbell said the photos should have been taken that way.

The Magistrate also said it was unfortunate that Stuart's Uzi Submachine gun was not tested by police to see if it was fired on the night of the shooting.

Stevens testified that Stuart shattered their car's windshield with the Uzi during the chase. But Stuart said he had not fired the gun "at all".

The case resumes in April.

See other CBN stories about this subject here

Full Story in The Tribune here

Former officer said police would not come to help

Read storyFormer police officer Rupert Moxey said despite calling police three times, no-one came to help him stop a man who was throwing rocks at his home and threatening his life.

Moxey, 58, said at around 11 o'clock Friday night, he saw a young man fighting outside his home. The man turned on him after he told him to put down a rock.

The attacker came to his yard and said "I'll kill you, I'll **** you up."

Moxey called the police emergency number. When no one came he called back and was told to call the Carmichael Road Station. They told him there was no-one available.

Meanwhile, the man was throwing rock after rock at Moxey's house, damaging his friend's car and breaking his front gate.

After a sleepless night, he called back the next day and the following Monday but no one has gone to see him.

"I really just want the police to come so I don't have to deal with this on my own.

He threatened to kill me when he threw the first stone and I was really afraid."

Assistant Superintendent of Police Walter Evans said he would look into the incident.

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

Ross University means $10m for Grand Bahama

Read storyGRAND BAHAMA: Ross University is expected to bring $10 million to the Grand Bahama economy over the next year.

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham was recently at the Freeport Campus for the school's launch.

The university is expected to pump $10 million as staff and students pay for housing, food, transportation and living expenses.

The Bahamas campus will serve as the clinical site of Ross University's medical programme in Dominica. Two hundred students have enrolled at the Freeport Campus for this year's courses.

Man ordered to give $5,000 to AIDS group

Read storyMagistrate Renae McKay ordered Travis Crossgill to pay $5,000 to the AIDS Foundation after he pled guilty to possession of 13 bullets for a 9mm handgun.

The guilty plea meant police dropped charges against the five people arrested with Crossgill, 20.

The Nassau Guardian

Man on bail charged with second murder

Read storyA man on bail for murder was charged with another murder in court Tuesday.

Dior Johnson is accused of shooting Ignacio Smith to death in front of his home on January 28.

Johnson was on bail for the October 2006 murder of Jason Rolle, who was stabbed to death.

The Nassau Guardian

Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

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