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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com New Providence
While 'Black Friday' is known to most as a huge revenue day in business, or the day to catch great deals at your favourite shops, thousands in Nassau took to the streets today for a Blackout March, under the leadership of Campaign for The Bahamas and Our Carmichael. The campaign is led by organizer and community activist Renard Henfield. Their " mission is to unite Bahamians through positive change and the only way for that change to happen is if we stand together and ensure our collective voices are heard." The procession took place from 1 - 3pm and then the group will occupy Rawson Square until 1am. The campaign was launched on Facebook earlier this month, and says “it’s really, truly a people’s movement” to send a clear message to politicians about the expectations of Bahamians. Foremost on their list of concerns, the organizers of the Blackout have requested the immediate tabling of the revised Freedom of Information Bill. "The passage of a robust Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is essential to empower Bahamians and keep the government honest, and it is one of the Campaign for the Bahamas’ most pressing objectives," said their press statement. "...we exercise our democratic right to take to the streets in protest. For our part we will be standing up for #FOIABahamas to let our political leaders know that this is not something that can be forgotten or ignored." The campaign has a booth set up in Rawson Square where they are hosting a 'Freedom School' explaining what Freedom of Information is, how it works and why it is important to every Bahamian man, woman and child. Marches also took place in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Mayaguana, and Marsh Harbour, Abaco. Although the march is said not to be a political one, Branville McCartney, Leslie Miller, and Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Hubert Minnis, were just some of those in attendance. The Campaign's Facebook page. PM Christie responds to organizers of Black Friday march Mitchell Says Protest Won't Change 'Diddly Squat'
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