This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NASSAU 001397 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2014 
TAGS: CASC PREL PGOV BF
SUBJECT: SOME BAHAMIANS DON'T ACCEPT ALL COLORS OF THE 
RAINBOW 
 
REF: A. NASSAU 1342 
 
     ¶B. NASSAU 1382 
 
Classified By: CHARGE ROBERT M. WITAJEWSKI FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
SUMMARY 
- - - - 
 
¶1.  (SBU) An estimated 150 protesters gathered early July 16 
in downtown Nassau to denounce the government's willingness 
to allow the "Norwegian Dawn" cruise ship, which on this 
particular cruise had a large contingent of U.S. citizen-gay 
families on a trip organized in part by U.S. celebrity Rosie 
O'Donnell.  Embassy Political and Consular officers along 
with RSO monitored the ship's arrival and the demonstrations 
that lasted from slightly before 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. when 
protesters disbanded as scheduled by police. Prominent 
Bahamian pastors in the "Save The Bahamas" Campaign gave 
fiery speeches denouncing homosexuality as well as against 
specific members of the Perry Christie Government that they 
believe to be homosexual than they had earlier.  Minister of 
Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell and Minister of Tourism Obie 
Wilchombe were cited as examples of the Progressive Liberal 
Party (PLP) Government's ignoring of what protest organizers 
claimed were the Bahamian peoples' concerns about 
homosexuality.  Local media and an HBO documentary film crew 
from the U.S. were present for the protest in its entirety. 
The "Norwegian Dawn" departed Nassau at mid-afternoon. 
End Summary. 
 
 
RELIGIOUS LEADERS MEET CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS 
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¶2.  (SBU) Consular Officer and Political Officer arrived at 
Rawson Square in the heart of downtown Nassau where cruise 
ship passengers exit the port facility shortly before 8:00 
am.  Approximately 100 protesters had already gathered and 
were listening to the impassioned speeches of various 
Bahamian Protestant ministers decrying homosexual lifestyles. 
 The speeches themselves reiterated past themes as the 
religious leaders told their followers that gay lifestyles do 
not follow Christian values. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Quoting from the Bahamian Constitution's reference 
to The Bahamas being a Christian nation, Apostle Christopher 
Russell bashed the current Administration for "promoting 
gays" in The Bahamas.  Citing Minister of Foreign Affairs and 
Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchombe, both widely rumored to be 
homosexuals, by name, the religious figures dared Prime 
Minister Perry G. Christie "to stand up as a man, if he is 
one" and state where the Progressive Liberal Party stands on 
the issue of homosexuality. 
 
 
RAINBOW ALLIANCE HAS SMALL PRESENCE 
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¶4.  (SBU) Perhaps a dozen members of Rainbow Alliance, a 
local gay rights activist organization, were also present 
during the rally.  For the most part however, they stayed 
away from the platform and remained directly outside the gate 
where the passengers entered the Square to welcome the cruise 
ship visitors before they faced the protesters.  Embassy 
officers observed a few one-on-one debates between Alliance 
members and protesters during the course of the morning, but 
all of these were peaceful and relatively calm. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Members of Rainbow Alliance supporting the gay 
contingent of the cruise ship passengers, as well as 
protesters who were opposing their presence in The Bahamas, 
gave several interviews to local media as well as to the HBO 
documentary film crew who were onboard the cruise ship to 
document the first cruise ship cruise catering to gay 
families.  One camera crew from HBO followed one gay couple 
with their children during their morning of shopping on Bay 
Street, Nassau's main tourist shopping strip. 
 
 
SECURITY ISSUES AT PROTEST 
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¶6.  (C) Embassy had been in contact with the Royal Bahamas 
Police Force (RBPF) in advance of the planned protest to 
discuss security concerns as they might impact on the 
overwhelmingly U.S. passengers on the ship.  As agreed upon, 
the RBPF stationed a few dozen uniformed police force and 
Defence Force officials, with others under-cover, in the area 
of the protest/counter-protest. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) What appeared to be the first male gay couple 
disembarked the ship at approximately 8:30am and the couple 
walked, with their four children, from Prince George's Wharf 
into downtown Nassau relatively undisturbed except for the 
accompanying HBO film crews.  Although the majority of 
passengers apparently chose to stay on the ship, those who 
did chose to disembark did so 9 a.m.  Many went straight from 
the ship to waiting buses to be taken on standard tours of 
the island or to the zoo. 
 
¶8.  (C) Central Detective Unit Superintendent, Marvin Dames, 
contacted the RSO shortly after 10 a.m. to inform him that a 
few Bahamian protesters had been arrested for following and 
harassing some of the cruise ship passengers walking around 
downtown.  After the arrests, the protesters appear to have 
disbanded.  RSO commended the Royal Bahamas Police Force for 
their vigilance in maintaining law and order. 
 
 
EMBASSY LETTER APPEARS IN PAPER 
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¶9.  (C)  On July 14 the Deputy Director General at the 
Ministry of Tourism, Ms. Vernice Walkine, requested a letter 
from the Embassy -- supposedly for internal Government use 
only -- detailing the Embassy's concerns with the welfare and 
protection of U.S. citizens in event of any protests or 
incidents during the cruise ship's stopover in Nassau.  The 
text of the letter was immediately leaked to the local media.. 
 
¶10.  (U)  Excerpts from the letter appeared on the front page 
of the country's two principal newspapers, "The Tribune" and 
"The Nassau Guardian" on July 16. After referring to 
widespread media reporting of the controversy generated among 
Bahamians by the cruise ship visit and the need to balance 
the free expression of opinion with safety and security, and 
noting the Embassy's special interest in the protection and 
welfare of U.S. citizens, the letter requested that the 
Embassy "be kept apprised of any developments that might 
impact the safety of U.S. citizens." 
 
 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
 
¶11.  (C) Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchombe seems to have 
been seeking the cover of the  U.S. Embassy by disclosing our 
letter to the media as the justification for providing an 
increased police presence during the ship's visit. 
 
¶12.  (U) As of 2:00 p.m., there have been no indications that 
U.S. citizens have been significantly inconvenienced by the 
protests.  The "Norwegian Dawn" has departed Nassau and three 
other cruise ships have subsequently arrived and docked at 
Prince George's Wharf and disembarked their passengers. 
WITAJEWSKI