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Roban calls for answers on December 2

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Progressive Labour Party deputy leader Walter Roban (Photograph by Akil Simmons)

Walter Roban has reiterated calls for answers regarding the decision by police to pepper spray protesters.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, the deputy Opposition leader said that as of this weekend 100 days had passed since the December 2 incident, but serious questions remained unanswered.

“Although 100 days have passed since the event, we have not forgotten,” he said. “The people who were pepper sprayed have not been forgotten. Bermuda has not forgotten.

“We have been persistent in our calls for a full investigation and for the release of the findings of that investigation. We have become disturbed at the responses of the Premier and his government, the Governor and the Minister, each of whom are in a position to fully disclose critical information to the public, but have both displayed seemingly unwillingness to do so.”

He said that while the Blue Ribbon Panel was able to produce a report on the airport redevelopment project in “little more than three weeks”, the full facts of the use of pepper spray had not been released.

“The handling of the incident appears to some like nothing short of a white wash that the Government is happily watching unfold,” he said.

“There is still no commitment from the Government or the OBA to release the investigative findings to the general public. The Governor hasn’t provided a commitment that the finding of the peer review will be disclosed. This is not in keeping with best practice. Indeed, do we even know if the peer review has been done?”

He questioned if an when anyone would be held account for the incident, saying that while the public wants to put it behind them they cannot do so until there is full disclosure about what happened.

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