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Solidarity242 responds to Minister Nottage's statement on the Marco Alert System
By Kishlane Knowles
Jul 26, 2016 - 9:12:26 PM

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Nassau, Bahamas - (Statement) On June 22nd the activist group Solidarity242 made Bahamian history by launching a Viral Protest on Facebook to pressure government into activating the MARCO Alert system and Sex Offenders Registry promised under Marco’s Law. Bahamians both locally and internationally responded to the protest by changing profile pictures and posting videos under the hashtags #justiceforMarco, #MarcosLaw, #protectourchildren and #Solidarity242. Facebook messages, emails and wall posts were also sent to Ministers the Hon. Dr. Bernard Nottage (Minister of National Security), the Hon. Melanie Griffin (Minster of Social Services & Community Development) and Dr. Daniel Johnson (Minister of Youth, Sports & Development).

During a press conference on July 22nd, Minister Nottage stated to media that the MARCO Alert system had been put into effect with the by-passing of the 24-hour requirement to file a missing person’s report. The Minister also announced that media would be expected to broadcast reports of missing children and that the government was in discussions with a multi-media company to see how best to reach the broader community.

“While we are pleased that it appears that our viral protest brought forth awareness as evident by the immediate response by the government to address this long overdue issue, we are not entirely convinced that the response wasn’t a rushed reaction to disgruntled Bahamians,” said Solidarity242 Co-Founder, Kishlane Knowles. Knowles went on to say that after 5 years of waiting, Bahamians deserved full insight on how the MARCO Alert system worked. “Whether all media outlets have agreed to partner with the government and why is there only an expectation of cooperation and not a mandated broadcast order that states how many times per day a radio station should issue the alert? Were there drills executed to ensure the system runs smoothly and where are the reports of such? What social media channels should Bahamians follow to get alerts and why are we only at the discussion phase with a multi-media company? We are not knit-picking but after waiting five long years we expect government to present a fully tested and regulated MARCO Alert. It’s our children who pay with their lives if this system is inefficient.”

Knowles further referenced an Oct. 6, 2011 newspaper article in which Mr. Nottage agitated on behalf of the family of Marco Archer and Bahamians for a National Sex Offenders Registry. The Minister was quoted as saying, “The rights of sex offenders should not come before the rights of innocent children.”However, in his statements on July 22nd, Nottage attributed the delay of the registry to ‘issues surrounding privacy’. Said Knowles, “It begs the question, are the rights of our nation’s children no longer a priority over the privacy of sexual offenders? Why, after nearly five years, do we not have access to this Sex Offenders Registry?”

Activists and advocates like Independent Candidate for Elizabeth Estates, Terneille Burrows has been consistently calling for the enactment of Marco's Law since it was passed in the House of Assembly in 2013. Burrows, who supported the Solidarity242 Viral Protest noted, “While I remain hopeful, this is not the first time that the general public has been told that the Marco's Alert was in full effect. We cannot stop applying pressure to ensure that the system is launched in a timely manner and maintained as effectively as possible.”

An advocate for the rights of women and children, Ms. Burrows voiced her concerns over the proposed Sex Offenders Registry. “The government has been working on regulations surrounding the proposed convicted Sex Offender Registry for a few years, and in 2014, Hon. Minister Dr. Bernard Nottage suggested that the registry would not be retroactive. Comprehensive information surrounding the proposed structure should be presented to civil society organizations such as the Bahamas Crisis Centre and National Child Protection Council for consultation before finalization into law.”

Referring to the recently published news article on the Barbadian newsite Caribbean360, Ms. Burrows applauded the efforts of Solidarity242, “We have never had regional attention on this issue, nor have I ever seen government respond to a protest so quickly. I want Bahamians to pay close attention to how government reacts to organized displays of unity.”

Ms. Knowles thanked Bahamians and Solidarity242 members for their support and participation in the Marco’s LawViral Protest. “I encourage Bahamians to continue to put aside political and personal differences as we stand together for the greater good of the country. We have seen that government does respond when we unify as a people,” Knowles remarked.

Background Information:

Solidarity242 was formed in May 2016 and is a non-profit activist group with no political affiliations. The group focuses on issues affecting The Bahamas and intends to address Crime, Theft in Government Agencies, and Economic Diversity in the near future. The co-founders are Kishlane Knowles, Lisa Davis & Shenique Fisher. The goal of Solidarity242 is to empower Bahamians as it advocates for transparency and accountability within government.

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