"Across the Bahamas, civil society organizations, legal experts and prominent individuals warn that in its current form, the Bahamas proposed Interception of Communications Bill, 2017 may violate every citizen's constitutionally protected right to privacy and strike a mortal blow to civil liberties in general.
"While accepting that effective law enforcement requires modern surveillance capacities, in its current form, the Bill is extreme, draconian and may lead to a situation in which nobody's intimate life will be free from scrutiny anymore.
"A potentially dangerous component of the proposed ICB is the inclusion of the word 'subversion' as a reason that information of private citizens can be accessed. Subversion is a general term and could be used to describe what is nothing more than dissent. In the broadest definition this could be used to victimize those who speak out against government (present and future) policy spending and decision making. This Bill must be reviewed by independent legal experts, civil society and the public to ensure that it cannot be used to quiet the voice of the Bahamian public.
