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THEY SAY A CHEER WENT UP in the courtroom when the jury came back on Friday 2nd August with the unanimous conviction of Kofhe Goodman as the murderer of Marco Archer who was 11 years old in 2011 when he disappeared and died. This case was more emotive than the death of those little boys in Grand Bahama, perhaps because it was in Nassau. The fact is we should all take time out now to rededicate ourselves to taking care of our children, making The Bahamas a safe place for all but especially for the children. Now we shall see whether this fits the bill as the “worst of the worst” which can get the public ready for an execution according to the standard for executions set by the Privy Council, our highest court of appeal. The photo of the week is that of Kofhe Goodman as he left the court following his conviction on Friday 2nd August. It appeared originally in The Tribune.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
THESE BLOODY CUBANS
On Friday 3rd August, the Mayor of MiamiTomás Regalado visited the site of the protest against The Bahamas to speak with the man who is on hunger strike. It appears that the man, the hunger striker, has to pay 15 dollars per day for the permit to conduct the hunger strike on public lands. The Mayor said that he would use his personal resources to support the hunger striker and the protest against The Bahamas. He said that The Bahamas should listen to the protestors.
This is a new twist now to things. It appears that his protest against The Bahamas now has the official sanction of the Miami government. This now is a city Miami that was built with the help of Bahamians. This now in a city where millions of dollars from The Bahamas find their way into the coffers of Miami merchants, health care institutions, educational establishments and restaurants. Yet the Mayor of Miami has now decided to go on record to attack The Bahamas.
Fred Mitchell, the Foreign Minister, released the answers to questions put to him by the Miami Herald with regard to the protests and then added this.
I wish to add that Bahamians are shocked and fed up with these protests. Bahamian nationals spend one billion dollars in Florida’s economy annually. Many merchants in Florida owe their profits to Bahamian customers. It is reprehensible that The Bahamas is being attacked in this way, apparently with official sanction. It is simply outrageous. The protestors are in the United States, if they want these detainees in the United States they should use their influence to have them returned to the United States. Should the United States authorities approve, the detainees can be released to the authorities as early as tomorrow.
The protests by the Cuban Americans in Miami to secure the release of three detainees who formerly had permanent residence in the United States and were caught smuggling people in to the U.S. in Bahamian waters is tiresome and they need to give it a rest. As far as we are concerned, they can protest until the cows come home, the rule of law is going to be followed in The Bahamas. They are trying to bully The Bahamas, but we wish to tell them that their influence is no farther than Broward Country in Florida. They simply need to go get a life.
As for the Mayor of Miami, he ought to think again before he starts threatening The Bahamas. This is not a friendly act and is ill advised. That is all that needs to be said for now.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 3rd August 2013 up to midnight:129,715
Number of hits for the month of July up to Wednesday 31st July 2013 up to midnight;611,209
Number of hits for the year 2013 up to Saturday 31st July 2013 up to midnight:4,298,837
Thirteen years after they just missed getting the bronze medal in the Sydney, Australia Olympics, the Bahamian team of four men were given the bronze medal at a ceremony in Nassau on 29th July at the British Colonial Hilton. The team who ran the 4 by 100 metre relay in Sydney for The Bahamas were: Chris Brown, Carl Oliver, Troy McIntosh, Avard Moncur and Tim Munnings.
Of the group, Chris Brown remains in active competition. The others have moved on including Avard Moncur who appears on the verge of retiring this year and looking to do other things. The following statement was issued by the Bahamas Information Services. Congratulations to our team. Better late than never.
NASSAU, The Bahamas – Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie said, on July 29, 2013, that when one is looking at the development of sports in a country, one must have sporting heroes for others to look up to as athletic role models, encouraging younger citizens to strive to succeed, no matter their circumstances in life.
“It is for me to say to each of you, as you accept this award, that you really made it possible for younger ones to believe that they could do better and that they could compete at the level of the Olympics and the level of the world,” Prime Minister Christie said to the Bahamian Olympic Men’s 4 x 400-metre relay team receiving their bronze medals from the Sydney Olympic Games of 2000, during a ceremony at the British Colonial Hilton.
“It was a defining kind of performance — a defining moment in sports — and I thank you for it,” he added.
The team of Chris Brown, Carl Oliver, Troy McIntosh, Avard Moncur and Tim Munnings received the bronze medal from the Sydney Olympic Games, after the USA team, the original bronze medal winner, was disqualified after the event.
Also present was the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr. the Hon. Danny Johnson, Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) President Wellington Miller, BOC members and Bahamian sport stakeholders.
Prime Minister Christie encouraged team members to travel through The Bahamas and meet young children in the schools and give them a chance to dream about being as good as, or even better, than they are in athletics.
“I want each of you to reflect on your contribution to athletics in The Bahamas and to see, as professionals, what you are doing now, and to hope that, in some way, you are able to give something back,” he said.
To the audience, Prime Minister Christie said that athletes must be encouraged in all of the Family Islands of The Bahamas and not just New Providence and Grand Bahama. To this end, he said that the Government would create sporting complexes throughout the islands.
“I am hoping that tomorrow my Government signs off on the first one in Abaco,” he announced.
Prime Minister Christie said that it is a huge undertaking; but, as his Government does it, what would be created are opportunities for talented children. For example, he said, in Abaco – in addition to a centrally located sporting complex — there would be fields constructed in various major settlements for the athletes to practice. “I have always believed that there are gold medalists out there waiting to have an opportunity,” he added.
Prime Minister Christie aid that he encouraged Bahamian athletes teaching or living abroad to come back and help the younger ones, even working for the Department of Sports and coaching them.
He re-iterated his congratulation of “a job well done” by the team and said that although it took 13 years, “God is good”.
“Justice is done, justice was truly done,” he said.
YOUNGEST LAWYER AT THE ENGLISH BAR EVER
Well the Bahamians had posted all over the web a photo of an engaging teenager named Gabrielle Turnquest. The British press reported that she was an American but her parents are form The Bahamas and she wants tobe called to the Bahamas Bar. She was 18 when she was called to the Bar in London and was said to bethe youngest ever. Her parents were not named.
The Minister of Edcaution announced the winner of the National Merit Scholarship for The Bahamas on 1st August. This story was written by Macushla Pinder of the Bahama Journal:
Shannon Butler is both Queen’s College and Alpha Phi Alpha’s 2013 valedictorian.
He achieved the best overall performance in last year’s BGCSE examinations in grade 11 with nine A’s and one B. He has a 3.95 grade point average (GPA), is a peer tutor, a member of Junior Achievement (JA) and a volunteer at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). And this is just an abbreviated list of his accomplishments.
Still, the 17-year-old said he never imagined that one day he would be the proud recipient of a four year $140K All Bahamas Merit Scholar Award. “It is extremely humbling…” he said during the official announcement at the Ministry of Education yesterday. “…It comes as a very pleasant surprise; one that will help me tremendously in the pursuit of my dreams at university. It is also an extraordinary honour to be chosen to receive this award among so many other equally intelligent and well-rounded applicants.”
The ABM, a joint venture between the government and the Lyford Cay Foundation, is awarded is awarded annually. The scholarship is given for four years tenable at accredited universities or colleges in the Caribbean, United States, United Kingdom or Canada.
The award includes tuition fees, room and board, one round trip ticket, clothing and a personal and book allowance. The recipient must maintain a 3.25 GPA for the first year and a minimum GPA of 3.50 for subsequent years.
Shannon said he intends to use the award to not improve and advance his own life, but to eventually improve others. “After I have accomplished my educational goals, I intend to return to The Bahamas to expand the field of cardiothoracic surgery,” he said.
“I aspire to exercise my benevolence by performing charitable operations and to also establish the first regional cardiopulmonary transplant service and organ donor register in the English speaking Caribbean. These may seem like very lofty goals for a teenage, but with the help of God, I will do everything in my power to turn my dream and passion into reality…I pledge to represent The Bahamas with the highest esteem, dignity and pride.”
The future cardiothoracic surgeon acknowledged that he did not get where he is today alone, as there are many people who have contributed to his success and development over the years. “I would firstly like to thank God, who has guided my life and allowed me to achieve all of my goals,” he said.
“I also thank my parents, who laid the foundation for my success and made education a priority in my life. I would like to thank my grandparents and my other family members for grooming me into the young man I am today and for all their support, encouragement and love. I would also like to thank my friends…my church family…and I cannot neglect to mention my former teachers at Xavier’s Lower School, who laid a firm academic foundation and created a wonderful stepping stone for high school. Last but not lease, I would like to thank my Queen’s College family, my teachers and administrators for pushing me to be the best I can and for giving me an outstanding education and the tools that I need to enter the next stage of my life confidently.”
Shannon’s mother, Wendy said her son has exceeded all expectations. “We’re extremely elated about Shannon’s accomplishments to date,” she said. “This year in particular has been a stellar year for Shannon in terms of the number of achievements and today it culminates with him being named the recipient of the All Bahamas Merit Scholarship.”
While he could not say with certainty what the formula is for rearing good children, Shannon’s father, Peter is convinced that relationships play a big role. “Having a good relationship with God, with family and with the community was instilled in me and I instilled it in Shannon,” he said.
Shannon will pursue a Bachelor of Science in medicine at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Upon completing St. Andrews, he will specialize in cardiothoracic, which will take an additional 10 years of schooling and residency.
Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald expressed hope that more graduates will embrace the opportunity to return home to assist other students in some beneficial way.
Meantime, Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald has indicated that the much awaited Government National Scholarship Programme (Merit, Academic, Technical and Grants) along with the National Award & Bursary Programme’s successful award recipients will be announced within the next two weeks.
MUGABE AND STEALING ELECTIONS AGAIN?
The people of Zimbabwe have been cheated again. Their 89 year old President Robert Mugabe ran for yet another six year term after being President for 33 years. He promised a free and fair election and said that if he lost he would step down. Not a chance. It appears that the books were cooked against the Opposition again. His opponent Morgan Tsvangirai has been in an uneasy alliance with Mr. Mugabe after the last general election broke out into violence and disorder. His supporters now say that this may have been the death knell of the party’s success. It appears that he got the worst of it without the benefit ofelectoral success. He also was mired in a difficult separation from his wife and a split in his party. Bottom line though is when the election was held on Wednesday 31st July, it became clear that they were going to lose and lose badly. It was only then that he decided to abandon the electoral process and called the election a farce: too late. When Mr. Mugabefinishes his term this time he will be 95 years old. For completeness, the former Nigerian General Oluṣẹgun Mathew Okikiọla Arẹmu Ọbasanjọ who heads the African Union’s electoral observer team pronounced the elections “free, fair and credible”. The official result is Mr. Mugabe a winner with 61 per cent of the vote.
OPPOSITION SUPPORTER SPEAKS OUT IN ZIMBABWE
(Editor’s Note: Following the general election in Zimbabwe on 31st July, the results of which are almost certain to be that Robert Mugabe is in for another six year term at the age of 89, an opposition supporter and friend of this column wrote this analysis below:)
It's a replay of 2008, but this time it's worse! As expected the old man has trounced the opposition. It was obviously an uneven playing
field from the get-go and I think there was a certain amount of
naivety at play to expect anything different. ZANU PF had too much to
lose, and everything to gain. All they needed to do was present a
picture that resembled legitimacy - but most of the evidence was
apparent long before yesterday - unavailability of a voter’s roll,
duplicate listings, massive numbers of dead or over 85 voters etc. All
that was known to the opposition long before the elections. They knew
that Nikuv & the Chinese had been brought in to advise on effective
rigging strategies. We heard about the pens with disappearing ink!! At
anyone of those points Morgan could & SHOULD have cried foul & pulledout! But he went along with the farce and, as before cried foul afterthe fact.
It was flawed from the get-go, he put his signature to the whole ridiculous occurrence! I think he's effectively rung the death
knell of his party. SADC& the AU will of course endorse the results,
why shouldn't they Morgan effectively did that himself. The West have
withdrawn virtually all smart sanctions and have no reason to
reintroduce them. Plus they're unlikely to want to interfere and end
up giving their competition, the Chinese a stronger foothold here. We
never stood a chance - ZANU PF has perfected the art of election rigging,they're machinations have been in overdrive preparing for this since2008. Now they're back in charge with no pesky opposition to get inthe way; the opposition has cleaned up their prior mess (thanks
Biti!!), plus given them a scapegoat to blame for any lingering
mishaps (thanks again Biti!), Muggers can schedule tea & crumpets with
Lizzie, a beer with Cameron, they can all go back to shopping at
Harrods and sending their kids to those fabulous schools overseas.
Perfect scenario for them - there way better off than they were post
2008!
Morgan never stood a chance and should NEVER have rubber-stamped
this joke!
God help Zimbabwe!
FRED SMITH HALF APOLOGISES TO THE AG
Last week, we carried a story on this site of the demand for an apology by the Attorney General Allyson Maynard Gibson from Fred Smith QC for his over the top remarks made about her and the role that he alleged that she played in his prosecution for a causing harm offence. That is always the problem with Fred Smith. After all these years, he still does not know when to restrain himself from excessive rhetoric. Mrs. Gibson demanded the apology and well she sort of got one from him last week but knowing this fellow Fred Smith it’s probably better to just move on. And our own view is that Fred Smith should just apologise and then shut up. Here is what The Tribune said that he said as an apology:
“I accept that the Attorney General is telling the truth when she says she was not personally consulted, and in the circumstances I proffer my full apologies to her if my public utterances conveyed the impression that she was personally victimising me. Of course, I did not mean that!
“The fact remains, however, that the Office of the Attorney General remains constitutionally responsible for this malicious criminal prosecution of me.
“I was merely investigating evidence of wrong doing in a high profile case mounted against the Government which she has the Constitutional Responsibility to advise, as she likewise has for all criminal prosecutions including the one mounted against me!”
“The fact that I mistakenly assumed the Attorney General must have been consulted before the charges were allowed to proceed against me is a reflection of just how unbelievable and iniquitous the proceedings are.”
BTC UNION AND THEIR BOSSES FIGHT IN PUBLIC
Bernard Evans is the President of the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU). This once powerful union is now a shadow of itself, reduced to a fraction of its size by privatization and made irrelevant it appears by the Hubert Ingraham’s decision to sell 51 per cent of the Bahamas major telephone company tothis lousy company called Cableand Wireless. Mr. Evans is engaged in negotiations with the company and he made the claim that there will be layoffs in the company. The government is foot dragging on taking back the major sharesof the company and so obviously the local head man for this lousy company feels strong enough to put tough words in public. Here is what the bossof the company Geoffrey Houston said in response to Mr. Evans: “Unfortunately, we are finding ourselves having to take time to address ludicrous and downright false assertions being made by Mr. Evans, who we are sure knows better. BTC Management and staff have been working hard on the transformation of the company – addressing the network issues and seeking to improve customer care. And while we are hard at work trying to deliver better service to our customers, we have leadership of our non-management union engaged in what can best be described as mischievous efforts to undermine team morale and to distract from the very important tasks of making things better for our BTC customers and our BTC team members,” Mr. Houston said.
So that’s how these people can come into The Bahamas and talk to Bahamians. Wonders never cease. Let us say it for Mr. Evans. Cable and Wireless is alousy company fullof incompetent leadership that have no idea whattheyare doing and who have single handedly wrecked the reputation for telecommunications excellence in this country. The governmentshouldact forthwith to demand the 51 per cent or take it back by public law forthwith.
BAHAMIANS URGED TO BE CAREFUL IN MIAMI
The following statement was issued on 31st July by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Bahamas with regard to shopping in Miami:
For immediate release
Bahamians Advised On Robberies
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to advise all Bahamians traveling to Miami and the immediate counties including Orlando to be careful about their possessions while in motor vehicles and in transit. This is the traditional season for Bahamians to shop before back to school and while shopping may not be paying particular attention to their documents and possessions.
We are asking them to take particular care because of reports of opportunistic theft of Bahamian passports and travel documents through break ins in cars in the parking lots of shopping malls. We are advising all Bahamians traveling in the Miami area to be aware of their surroundings. Be sure that you are not followed.
Do not come out of cars if you are bumped at traffic lights. Placing passports and other important documents in glove compartments and the trunks of your cars are strongly discouraged. If you do lose your documents you should contact the Bahamas consulate in Miami at 25 SE 2nd Avenue - suite 600. Telephone number is (305)-455-1170
If for some reason, the Bahamian traveler has to return their rented vehicle later than contracted, please notify the rental car agency ahead of time, otherwise under US laws you may liable of grand theft auto.
ANOTHER U S STAFFER ROBBED AGAIN
The following statements were issued by the United States Embassy and the Foreign Ministry of The Bahamas on 2ndAugust:
From The United States Embassy
An Embassy employee and his family were visiting a beach located in western Nassau on Saturday, July 27th, when they were robbed by two unidentified males. No weapons were utilized and the family was unharmed. The police are investigating the robbery. We continue to encourage US Embassy personnel and all American Citizens resident or visiting The Bahamas to be consistently cognizant of their surroundings at all times to avoid being a victim of crime.
STATEMENT BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
2nd August 2013
The Foreign Ministry learned yesterday that there was yet another robbery of a United States Embassy official. We have responded with expressions of regret and will follow up with a formal note. The matter is being investigated by the police. We again recommit ourselves to fighting the scourge of crime. This kind of action does great harm to our country and we decry it in the strongest terms.
EMANCIPATION DAY FESTIVITIES IN FOX HILL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRED MITCHELL MP FOR FOX HILL ON EMANCIPATION
1ST AUGUST 2013
This morning as the representative for Fox Hill, one of the last remaining free African villages in The Bahamas, I wishto extend to all people the congratulations and best wishes of the people of Fox Hill on this the 179th anniversary ofthe freeing of all slaves in the then British Empire of which The Bahamas was then a part. We in Fox Hill havecontinuously celebrated the day from that day to this. In doing so we are reminded that the struggle for freedom neverstops and that we cannot stop until all people are free. Modern day slavery to personal debt and to trafficking in persons continuesin this country and throughout the world. We are in a struggle here for economic empowerment. We are fighting people to stop them from using our country to traffic in persons. The struggle continues.
Today begins the formal observances of Emancipation in Fox Hill with a two week long festival. There will be Junkanoo on Monday morning 5 Augustin Fox Hill. There will be an ecumenical service on the Fox Hill Park by the community elders of Fox Hill in the presence of the Governor GeneralSir Arthur Foulkes.
Then there will be two signature events this year in the festival. There is a lecture by me on Wednesday 7th Augustat the Mt Carey Baptist Church beginning at 8 p.m. This lecture is specially commissioned by Prime Minister Perry Christie on the history of Fox Hill.
On Thursday 8th August, the street Springfield Gardens Road, where the former MP for Fox Hill lives will be renamed the Frank Edgecombe Street at 6:30 p.m. bythe Prime Minister
The celebrations climax with Fox Hill Day and the climbing of the greasy pole on Tuesday 13th August.
All are invited to join us in Fox Hill.
INDEPENDENCE IN NEW YORK
Forrester Carroll, the Consul General in New York spoke to the Bahamian community in that city for the celebrations to mark the 10th July 1973 and forty years of independence from that day to now. He told the Bahamian community that there was much the country could be proud of since we achieved independence. There was a flag raising and church service and reception on Sunday 20thJuly. The Consul General was joined at the ceremonies by Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald, Ambassador to the OAS Elliston Rahming and Ambassador Eugene Newry to the United Nations. The service was conducted by Monsignor Preston Moss. Enjoy the photos of the occasion.
Consul General The Honourable Lennox O. Price (Barbados Consulate) ; Deputy Consul General Ms. Omyma David (Antigua & Barbuda Consulate); Dr. Valencia Carroll (wife of Consul General, Bahamas); Consul General The Honourable Forrester Jopseph Carroll (Bahamas Consulate) and Vice Consul Mrs. Sandra N. McLaughlin (Bahamas Consulate).
Mrs. Carolyn L. Young-Miller, Administrative/Personal Assistant to the Consul General.The Honourable Jerome Fitzgerald, Minister of Education, Science and Technology cut the independence cake at the independence in New York on 20th July 2013.
BAHAMIANS IN ZURICH CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE
The Bahamas' Ambassador to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Her Excellency, Rhoda M. Jackson travelled to Zurich on Saturday, 27 July, 2013 to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Independence with Bahamians residing in that city. The informal reception was held at the Belvoir Park in Zurich and was attended by nationals in the immediate area. In her brief remarks, Ambassador Jackson reminded the group of the political struggle to bring about the change which led to The Bahamas's independence and encouraged the nationals to share the story with their children so that they would not forget their heritage.
Ambassador Jackson and a group of Bahamians living in Zurich.
Ambassador meets the old and the new
Ambassador Jackson expresses appreciation to Mrs. Katherine Kemp Kleinguti, (middle) the former Honorary Consul for The Bahamas in Zurich and Ms. Michelle Degoumois, (right) current Honorary Consul in Zurich.
IN PASSING
Fr. Buc Loses His Fight With Cancer
The story is taken from the Bahama Journal
Nassau, Bahamas — The Anglican Diocese is in mourning following the loss of one of its priests.Fr. Mervyn Sydney “Buck” Johnson died early Sunday morning at Doctor’s Hospital following an almost two year battle with brain cancer.
He was 62-years-old.Fr. Buck began his career as a customs officer. He went on to become a manager and the Vice-President of Operations at McDonalds Restaurants Ltd., before entering Codrington College to test his vocation to the sacred priesthood.He was ordained priest in June, 2000. Fr. Buck served at Christ the King, N. P., St. Patrick’s, Central Eleuthera, and St. Agnes and Holy Trinity, N. P. He became rector of All Saints Parish in 2011 and had to retire, for health reasons, in November, 2012.
“Mervyn Johnson was a committed family man. Anyone associated with him knew from word and action that his wife, his mother when she was alive, his children and his siblings were highest priority. His witness spoke volumes,” Anglican Bishop Laish Boyd said in a statement yesterday.
“Fr. Mervin Johnson was a quiet, strong person with a disposition that endeared him to all. He was a caring priest who had a passion for youth and for evangelism. He always built community, drawing others in and making them feel as if they were a part of the Body. In any situation he was always a calm, delightful part of the solution to the dilemma at hand. He was a team player. The Anglican family is deeply saddened by this loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, their children, siblings, their families and all the bereaved.”
Fr. Buck’s funeral is set for Thursday, August 8 at 10:30 am at Christ Church Cathedral, George St.
Mitchell In Long Island
Fred Mitchell MP has made his annual visit to Long Island to meet with the community leaders in Long Island. It has become a tradition after the visit to Exuma every year to fly over to Long Island to meet with community leaders. The visit this year took place on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd August."
Picewell Forbes’ Birthday
Happy 52nd birthday to Picewell Forbes, the Ambassador to Caricom for The Bahamas and the MP for South Andros. He was born on 1st August 1961: Emancipation Day. A free man indeed.
Marco Archer’s Murderer Convicted
KOFHE Goodman, the 37-years-old was convicted of the murder of young 11 year old Marco Archer, of Brougham Street. The young boy was murdered between September 23 and September 28 of 2011. The conviction was unanimous and came on 2nd August.
The Pope On Homosexuality
The Pope Francis spoke to reporters in the plane as he was winging his way back to Rome from a successful promotion in Brazil and he said the following: “If a person is gay, seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” Amen Papa!
Our Condolences To Ann and Philip Davis (DPM)
The following appeared on the Facebook page on Saturday 3rd August Early this morning Eugenia 'L' Austin mother of my wife Ann Marie Davis passed quietly away. She was 92 years old and a wonderful person in so many ways. We will sorely miss her. Rest in Peace dear Eugenia.
The Crawfish Season Starts
The season to begin fishing for crawfish in The Bahamas began on Thursday 1st August. The season will close again on 31st March, 2014.
Jack Warner Tramples The Trinidad PM
She is no O for 2 since she has been Prime Minister: Kamla Persad-Bissessar. She lost badly in legislative council elections in Tobago: 12 to 0. Her stock must be pretty low now after last week’s debacle. Jack Warner who was her National Security Minister and who she had to fire because of corruption issues, resigned from her party and ran in the bye-election on 31st July and won almost two to one over her candidate in a bruising Trinidad style campaign. Take no prisoners on both sides. Here is what an observer in Trinidad makes of the situation:
With this victory, Warner has changed the dynamic in so many ways. He is the first to have crossed the racial and party lines. I believe in one of our chats I described Warner as collecting a treasure chest of political IOU's. He opened up that treasure chest in this election and it paid big dividends.
The race was always a tough one for MsAmeen (The PM’s candidate) who did not have the profile of Warner, in fact I think that that was the first misstep by the UNC,in that they did not realise that they needed a candidate with national appeal like Warner. Like me they felt that in a part of the UNC heartland that they could run almost any candidate and the vote would stay loyal.
A couple notables out of the election. The PNM traditional number of 10% of the electorate (total electorate is 27,000) was down significantly. This to me shows that the one prediction that I did get right was that the PNM vote would be best served to vote strategically for Warner to secure his victory and not to waste it on their candidate.
This is another bad night for the PM who has now invested a lot of her personal political capital into two significant elections (Tobago and now here) and has lost massively. She clearly is not the Trojan horse that her "Cabal" Ministers rode into power with. Should she lose badly in the Local Government elections due in three months, I expect that she will face a viable challenge for the leadership of the party in Political Leader elections due early next year.
Going forward Warner poses a threat to both the UNC and the PNM. Tonight he showed that as an Afro in a traditionally indo constituency, he could face down the might of his indo former political allies and win. Ominously for the Government and for Persad - Bissessar particularly. Immediately in the Parliament, Warner is expected to be joined by Volney the maverick former Justice Minister. The Government will also be watching closely the moves of Gypsy and Clifton De Coteau who have been suspected as Warner sympathisers. The PM will be hard pressed to remove them from the Cabinet because she would lose her ethnic window dressing but I am sure the rest of Cabinet caucus will be wondering if they have spies in the camp. Warner has the momentum and the bandwagon effect is expected to accelarate leading into the local elections with him having an odds on chance to pull off an upset in the Chaguanas Borough and in a few PNM areas.
Warner's folk hero Robin Hood character is a problem for Rowley as well. It is appealing to much of the PNM's poor urban base who may very well believe that Warner can, even out of Government, be able to work magic to get them jobs where they currently have none.
It promises to be nothing if not interesting. Get your pop corn and settle in its going to be a bumpy ride to 2015 if it lasts that long!
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FOX HILL IS THE CENTRE OF AFRICAN CULTURE IN THE BAHAMAS: that was the assertion of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell and MP for Fox Hill as he delivered the lecture on the history of Fox Hill at the Mt. Carey Union Baptist Church on Fox Hill Road on Wednesday 7th August. The Prime Minister Perry Christie joined the congregation and people of Fox Hill for the evening’s occasion. Mr. Mitchell spoke for just over an hour in a presentation that seemed to enjoy the interest of the group gathered. The video is shown below. You may click here for the full text of the address. Our photo of the week then is that of the scene at the lecture on Wednesday evening 7th August by Fred Mitchell MP at Mt. Carey Union Baptist Church. The photo is by Peter Ramsay of the Bahamas Information Services.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
THE FNM TAKES LEAVE OF ITS SENSES
The photo shows the lone FNM Edison Key sitting in the House abandoned by his colleagues.
The Free National Movement is down on its luck with the public. It has adiscredited past leadership. Its present leader is weak ineffectual and a hackler of the English language. It is embarrassing really. At least subject and verb should agree.
On Wednesday 7th August, he manufactured a crisis which in our view was calculated from one thing. He is busy trying to shore up his base within the rabid unthinking section of the FNM, and outflank Hubert Ingraham, his predecessor and his now Deputy Loretta Butler Turner with the base. He suspects that Hubert Ingraham is waiting in the wings trying to become leader again. He suspects that Loretta Butler Turner with her loud mouth is going to outflank him with the base. So what isa man to do in thesedesperatesituations? He has to manufacturesomething to make him look, like he’s standing up for something.
So the PLP and the Speaker presented him with the perfect context for rallying the troops. He took the decision, an easy one really, to tell the Speaker bug off and set up a confrontation which would make good headlines, steal the PLP’s thunder and rally the troops. All of it worked like a charm as far as it goes. The calculation also is that by making this seem to be what it is not, with the help of his media allies, the people of the country would join him in his false fight fordemocracy. There are only a couple of chinks in the arguments.
When the PLP got put out of the House, threw the mace out of the window in 1965, it had support in the country. When Arthur Hanna and Milo Butler were put out by policemen, they had a cause It was over a principle: the right to speak and in the case of the mace over the boundaries . Even when Glenys Hanna Martin was named by that bad Speaker the FNM had called Alvin Smith, she had people supporting her and there was a principle at stake, a child had been molested. Not so this time with Mr. Minnis. There is no support out in the country at large about this. The only support he has is the same rabid, unthinking supporters that make up the FNM and its convention base.
The newspapers showed a woman from the Fox Hill constituency who was there as she is when every FNM nail knocks. Unthinking and uncritically FNM. So the action of Mr. Minnis did nothing to enlarge the base. In that it was a failure.
When Pindlingleft the House in 1965, he went downstairs to thousands of people. When Mr. Minnis went downstairs, he was supported by thepress and over the barriers on the north side of Bay Street were six lonely people with posters.
The other point to make is that he could not even deliverhis ownMembers. Edison Key made it quite plain that he did not consider what Mr. Minnis was doing as appropriate and he voted with the government to name him and voted in support of the stem cell bill.
Mr. Minnis is in overreach territory. He had a rally that night of his expulsion. They say they had 400 people at the rally. He stood on the platform and said the campaign for 2017 for the FNM began that night. The four hundred people he brought out that night were excelled by the four hundred people that came out to hear Fred Mitchell in Fox Hill. Perry Christie brought out four hundred people to name the street after Frank Edgecombe in Fox Hill. How do 400 people convert into a campaign when there was not a single soul that was new there?
Yes! Yes! It makes for pretty pictures in the press. Good headlines and false statements to boot: policementhrottlingdemocracy. But all we could think of as the scene unfolded and Richard Lightbourne, the son of the UBP in the House and the old Bay Street merchant elite, resisted and then appeared to assault one of the police officers that this was something that came naturally to him and something he would like to do to all those on the PLP side, put them in their places and make them concede that the black experiment has failed. We remember how one of his political progenitors who made a racial slur at a policeman back in the 1960s, who then slapped the man for the racial slur and who was then fired from the Force for doing his job. Things never change for some people.
No Dr. Minnis, no one is fooled by this. You are the head of the FNM today because Hubert Ingraham is taking a rest. You are the only one willing to spend your money to keep the FNM going while Mr. Ingraham takes a rest. No matter what you do, if and when he decides he is coming back, if and when he decides you are expendable, you are gone. There is nothing you can do. And the use of double superlatives the “mosthappiest day” (talk about mangling the English language) as you said will turn into the “most saddest day” of your life.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 10th August 2013 up o midnight:106,025
Number of hits for the month of August up to Saturday 10th August 2013 up to midnight:147,868
Number of hits for the year 2013 up to Saturday 10th August 2013 up to midnight:4,404,862
Nassau, Bahamas - The following is a statement by Bradley B. Roberts, National Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party:
I repeat an earlier assertion that try as he may for martyrdom, Dr. Minnis simply tried in typical FNM fashion to cowardly hide behind the cover of House privilege to smear and slander the Honourable Member for Centerville without the provision of proof, even after the Speaker gave him more than ample time to produce proof of his claim. Having failed to do so, the Speaker of the House in accordance with House rules correctly named and removed Dr. Minnis from the House.
Dr. Minnis is confused about the difference between democracy and anarchy as his unseemly behavior promotes and sows seeds of discord, lawlessness, dishonor, disorder and is a poor example to junior members of the House. He was not standing up for democracy – he was merely standing up for his right to slander a member and get away with it by feinting ignorance or plain naivety. His message to young people is to defy authority and stand up to law and order. It was the Speaker who upheld the principles of democracy by restoring law and order, decorum and discipline while Dr. Minnis sought to abuse our greatest and most important symbol of democracy, the Parliament by disrespecting the rules that govern its proceedings and conventions.
It is disgraceful, that as a medical doctor, the opposition leader appears diametrically opposed to the advancement of medical science in The Bahamas and lacks faith in the competence of Bahamian professionals, even though he claims to believe in Bahamians.
Equally disgraceful was this: Here you an FNM leader in the twenty first century trotting out those same old tired, worn out, discredited and washed up political lines of the FNM of forty years ago. He claims that the FNM supports stem cell research and therapy – just NOT NOW. Dr. Minnis’ party is legendary for opposing independence in 1973 and practically every other piece of legislation and public institution that collectively built the modern Bahamas. This is a dubious legacy that Dr. Minnis is determined to build on and continue.
It is also interesting to note the irony in the medical fraternity as not one medical doctor has aligned himself or herself with the views of Dr. Minnis on this issue. That speaks volumes for how out of touch and ideologically isolated Dr. Minnis is from the Bahamian mainstream and his colleagues on the developmental needs of our country.
Dr. Minnis will do well to listen to the sage in his party – the Honourable member for South Abaco who not only agreed with the ruling of the speaker, but supports the Stem Cell initiative as good and positive for the future growth and development of The Bahamas
The PLP is happy with and supportive of this newest piece of legislation and regulation designed to further modernize the medical profession, diversify our tourism product offerings and advance the interests of our country.
FRANK EDGECOMBE STREET
Frank Edgecombe, former Fox Hill MP, stands next to his wife Clementina (standing at the right of the sign) as he was honoured with a street named after him, Thursday, August 8, 2013. Also pictured is Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and Member of Parliament for Fox Hill the Hon. Fred Mitchell; Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Philip Davis; Dame Marguerite Pindling; Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie and far right the Hon. Janet Bostwick. (BIS photo/Peter Ramsay).
NASSAU, Bahamas -- Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie said he saluted Dr. Frank Edgecombe not just as someone who successfully represented Fox Hill in politics, but also as someone who has given yeoman's service to the teaching profession and his church, thus helping to shape the lives of hundreds of young children who have become productive citizens of the country.
The Prime Minister was speaking at the Street Renaming Ceremony from Springfield Road to Frank Edgecombe Street, Thursday, August 8, 2013.
Dr. Edgecombe was among the first group of 30 teachers, who were pioneers of The Bahamas Teachers' College. He taught for 26 years and was a founding member of the Primary Principals' Association. He was honoured by that body in 1990 in recognition of “long and outstanding service” in the field of Education in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
He also served as a Member of Parliament and the Mt. Carey Union Baptist Church as Sunday School Superintendent and Financial Secretary.
Prime Minister Christie said, “The meaning of Frank Edgecombe's life today is that he has done enough things in his life for us to lift it up as an example of a man who was not born with a silver spoon, but who willed his way through life, improving his circumstances of life, educating himself and always giving back in return for what God has given him.”
He told Dr. Edgecombe, “I salute you for what you have done for the membership of Mt. Carey for the young ones who came in letting them know the old fashion religious way that if you are good you are going to heaven and if you are bad, you are going to hell and what that means in terms of the principles of good citizenship, behaviour and conduct, respect for elders, respect for neighbours.”
The Prime Minister said one of Dr. Edgecombe's grandsons recently reminded him of what the educator has done for the country. As a result, Prime Minister Christie said he was inspired to honour Dr. Edgecombe for his extraordinary service and for being a source of inspiration for the younger generation.
“For you to be alive to hear us is the important issue for me today. To be able to express a sense of gratitude to you, and I do so today on behalf of the people of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
“God has graced you with a life that has been long and fruitful and that which most certainly serves as an example not just to your community but to the people of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”
Prime Minister Christie also noted that the young men and women elected to Parliament do not know who their predecessors were and it is up to the older generation to educate them.
“It is therefore a real privilege to remember the times we shared in Parliament, to remember the service you gave to the people of The Bahamas and to say to you, may God grant you peace and serenity in the years ahead.”
He also praised the wife of Dr. Edgecombe, Clementina, saying she has “matched Dr. Edgecombe step for step”.
The Prime Minister told Dr. Edgecombe, “The strength of your life has been the partnership you have had with a lady who has served you magnificently and stood by your side throughout all of these accomplishments you have had post your marriage. So I thank and salute her and I know she shares this occasion with you.”
Dr. Edgecombe and his wife have nine children, a number of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and several great great grandchildren.
Celebrating the honour with Dr. Edgecombe were Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Philip Davis; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and Member of Parliament for Fox Hill the Hon. Fred Mitchell; Minister of Labour and National Insurance the Hon. Shane Gibson; Dame Marguerite Pindling, the first female Member of Parliament the Hon. Janet Bostwick and many of the people of the Fox Hill and surrounding areas.
BAHAMAS HAS DIP RELATIONS WITH QATAR
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Bahamas formally established diplomatic relations with Qatar during a signing ceremony held at the Embassy of Qatar in Washington, D.C. on August 1, 2013.
Ambassador Dr. Elliston Rahming, Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), was designated by the Government to sign the agreement on behalf of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
Diplomatic relations between The Bahamas and Qatar, a sovereign Arab state, had been sought since 2003 and the agreement was finalized by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, the Hon. Fred Mitchell, during a visit to Qatar earlier this year.
Citing the significance and importance of a nation such as Qatar having diplomatic ties with The Bahamas, Ambassador Rahming conveyed gratitude to His Excellency Mohamed Bin Abdulla Al-Rumaihi, the Ambassador of Qatar to the United States.
The Qatari Ambassador noted that his country can learn about the tourism industry and there can be valuable opportunities for trade expansion, transfer of technology and knowledge in the energy sector.
Ambassador Rahming extended an invitation on behalf of the Government for the Qatari Ambassador to visit The Bahamas and he said will seek to do so in mid-September 2013, including a visit to Grand Bahama to examine collaborative opportunities. In turn, the Qatari Ambassador extended an invitation for Ambassador Rahming to visit Qatar during this year.
It is anticipated that a Technical Cooperation Agreement will be negotiated for signature in short order now that the Bilateral Diplomatic Relations have been established.
Located in Western Asia, on the northeasterly coast of the Arabian Peninsula, Qatar’s sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. A strait in the Persian Gulf separates Qatar from the nearby island state of Bahrain.
A former British protectorate, Qatar gained independence in 1971 and since then, as a result of its extensive reserves of oil and natural gas, it has become one of the region's wealthiest states.
SHANE GIBSON ACCUSES THE FNM OF HYPOCRISY
Shane Gibson, the Minister of the Public Service, delivered a scorching attack on the Free National Movement after they left the House of Assembly, following the expulsion of the Leader of the FNM Hubert Minnis and the walk out with him by his colleagues. He accused Loretta Butler Turner of going to the home of Peter Nygard, which she denied despite the pictures. He accused them of allowing a litany of criminals into the country on a fast track and despite formal warnings about the criminal past of the investors.
The following statement was issued by the Free National Movement on Wednesday 7th August following the expulsion of Dr. Hubert Minnis from the House of Assembly:
Nassau, Bahamas - The Speaker of the House requested that I withdraw certain remarks made by me in the House of Assembly on 17th July during the debate of a Bill for an Act to regulate stem cell therapy in The Bahamas.
I advised the Speaker that I am unwilling to do so, and the Speaker has named me resulting in my not being able to speak for the remainder of the Debate on the Bill. As a consequence, the members of the FNM will also absent themselves for the period that I, as Leader of the Opposition, am not permitted to speak.
Much was made of remarks uttered by me by a number of the members of the Government, especially by the Member of Parliament for Bains and Grants Town. It seems to me that they are intent on having my words interpreted by the Speaker of the House as an allegation of corruption against the prime minister. Indeed, until so prompted by the Member for Bains and Grant’s Town, the Speaker did not recall hearing me utter any offensive words.
Never the less, the Speaker, eventually on the 17th July ordered that my words be expunged from the records of the House.
At the subsequent meeting of the House on the 22nd July my attempt to speak was not entertained by the Speaker.
It is my duty as the Leader of the Free National Movement and as Leader of the official opposition, to explain my behavior in the House to members and supporters of my Party, and to all Bahamians who love our democracy, and cherish our democratic institutions and processes.
Nothing that I do or say is meant to cause insult or injury to our democracy or to the House of Assembly where I am privileged to serve as a servant of the good people of Killarney and of the proud party that I am honoured to lead.
Our parliamentary democracy precludes personal insults being exchanged between members but does permit members to express reservations and concerns when they believe that others may, in their action, inaction or association, cause harm or insult to our democracy, or bring disrepute to our country.
My belief, and hence my words, remain as on the first day they were uttered.
The association of the prime minister and a number of his cabinet colleagues with Mr. Peter Nygard – as reflected in media reports and in u-tube videos produced and released by Mr. Nygard has been judged by many as being most unseemly and outrageously inappropriate.
Mr. Nygard has made his special interest in stem cell therapy very publicly known. He has similarly made it known that he is a substantial financier of the Progressive Liberal Party and that he was especially interested in having the PLP returned to Government, an event which he celebrated in his now infamous video ‘Taking our Country Back’.
Both Mr. Nygard and the prime minister have admitted in the media that they had discussed Mr. Nygard’s interest in attracting stem cell research facilities to The Bahamas as long as two years prior to the 2012 general election -- while the prime minister was Leader of the opposition.
I continue to believe that the cozy relationship between Mr. Christie, his Government and Mr. Nygard is unhealthy for our democracy. Indeed, I believe that if the full extent of that relationship was known to the Bahamian people there would be near universal disapproval of it.
The same applies to the relationship between the Christie Government and the former Chairman of the Government’s stem cell Task Force, Dr. Arthur Porter. As you are aware, Dr. Potter is being held in Panama where he is fighting extradition to Canada to face charges of fraud, embezzlement, breach of trust, secret commissions and laundering of the proceeds of crime to the tune of $1.3 billion, all in relation to Dr. Porter’s former position at the universally highly regarded McGill University in Canada.
Dr. Porter was the Director of The Cancer Centre in Nassau when he was appointed to the Government’s Stem Cell Task Force in November, 2012. Dr. Porter is reported to have made generous contributions to the PLP prior to the 2012 general election. If allegations of Dr. Porter’s financial support of the PLP prior to the 2012 general election are true, there is even more cause for concerns by the Bahamian people that the agenda of this Christie-led Government is being heavily influenced by special interest foreign financial supporters.
I believe that it is critically important that I make it clear to the public that the Free National Movement is not opposed to stem cell research provided all the regulations, monitoring mechanisms, and especially enforcement are convincingly and aggressively adhered to -- after all we must protect the reputation and the future growth and development of The Bahamas.
The Free National Movement is saddened that so many reputable individuals including doctors, other research scientists and public servants have had their hard and dedicated service tied to individuals like Nygard and Porter.
The Free National Movement fully supports responsible, ethical and moral use of science to advance medical treatment and cures for countless medical ailments and conditions. We know of and hold tremendous respect for serious studies and experiments being conducted in noted research universities and Institutions around the world including, for example, those close to home at the University of Miami.
We especially respect studies being undertaken by institutions that are regulated and monitored by responsible national oversight agencies with decades of experience like the Federal Drug Agency in the United States. We do not believe that The Bahamas is ready at this time to mount the level and standard of oversight necessary for advanced stem cell research and clinical trials, and especially for the safe and reputable administration of stem cell therapies for financial gain.
The Free National Movement is especially concerned about lucrative opportunities being callously exploited by less than ethical special interests groups and individuals in stem cell therapy. We do not believe that such types should be permitted to ambush genuine research interests by responsible, reputable, ethical and properly- regulated researchers.
And we do believe that familiarity between such special interest groups and political parties or governments do not bode well for open, accountable Government, hence our concern with the cozy relationship which exists between the prime minster, his government, Mr. Nygard and Dr. Potter.
WHAT EDISON KEY HAD TO SAY
Edison Key says he does not care because they can do nothing to him that he cares about. He said that after he decided that he would vote with the Government to name his Leader Hubert Minnis have him suspended from the House for two sittings. Remarkable that he stood his ground as his six other FNM colleagues walked out of the House. He did not follow them. He sat and then voted with the government for the stem cell bill. Now the question: will they suspend him from the party; what sanctions if any. He says he does not care. More of what he had to say in his own words as reported in The Tribune. He spoke to them on Wednesday 7th August just after the House of Assembly broke for lunch:
“I have no right to get up in Parliament and call another member a crook or a thief unless I have evidence to prove it and this is exactly what took place. My leader was asked to withdraw or produce the evidence; so, he couldn’t produce the evidence and he didn’t withdraw. He didn’t withdraw so I didn’t think I needed to follow after him.
“I’m a member of parliament. I haven’t been suspended. It doesn’t make sense for me to get caught up in petty politics.
The Speaker asked him to bring proof or withdraw. He didn’t bring proof and he wouldn’t withdraw, and I didn’t see no sense in me following behind him. I would be saying the exact same thing that he’s saying and it doesn’t make sense to me.
“I have to know the truth before I make a decision – so I’m not getting involved to that extent.
“He (the Speaker) gave him (Dr Minnis) the privilege to withdraw and he didn’t produce any evidence to substantiate the allegations that he had made against the Prime Minister.” “I am a member of parliament. I represent the people of Central, South Abaco – not anyone else,” he said. “I think I made my case this morning and I didn’t walk out. I think for myself.”
“I don’t have no problem with them. If they got a rift, that’s their problem. I stand on principle; and if you can’t prove evidence to substantiate what the allegations – then that’s a different case.”
“That’s his actions and I don’t intend to condemn him,” Mr Key said. “That’s his views just like this is my views. I stood up for what I believe and he stood up for what he believes, and so that’s entirely up to him.
“I’m just considering joining Edison Key. I’m being honest because I stated clearly I supported the stem cell therapy Bill.
“I was the third person to speak on the Bill and what would I look like to the Bahamian people – not just to the parliament, we’re covered with television and people see you – and what would I look like one day supporting it and the next day I turn against it because someone else turns against it.
“As far as I know, I am still a member of the Free National Movement.”
ZHIVARGO’S POST ON FACEBOOK ON FRIDAY 8 AUGUST
The latest thought of Zhivargo Laing, the blue eyed boy of the Hubert Ingraham administration, no longer a minister, having lost his seat and the struggle of every day survival. This was posted on Facebook
From time to time people ask me to come back to politics or when will I come back. Please remember my dear people that I like many of my colleagues offered myself for service in a democratically held election in May 2012. We did not succeed in winning the confidence of a majority of persons in order to hold office. When you lose in an election, there is no second prize, no deputy post or runner's up responsibilities. Unless you hold an office in the official opposition itself, you are now a private citizen like everyone else, though if you were elected before, your experience does give you some perspectives on national life. From time to time, you share these as your contribution to the national dialogue. In the meantime, you have the duty to attend to your personal affairs, not least of which is to earn income to meet your obligations. Being in politics is not a full time, much less full life occupation, especially if you offer for service and are turned down. Being Bahamian and caring for your country, now that is an always affair and you do what you can when you can to help. I left the Senate, I did not leave the FNM. I am with the FNM. I support our leader Dr. Hubert Minnis and when he and the party call on me, I answer and will always answer. I have no ambition today than to do what I am now doing. Mischief makers can create all the stories they want. I am chasing nothing and no one need run from me. I am running for nothing. When will I return to politics? Life involves politics and so long as life last so will politics.
JUNKANOO ON EMANCIPATION DAY
We present scenes from Emancipation Day 5th August Junkanoo in Fox Hill.
The photo shows the winner with Randy Rolle, Consul General Bahamas in Atlanta on the right and former Honorary Consul for the Bahamas to Atlanta Michael Young.
A student from Nassau has won the top award among 40 students who participated in the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals' Aviation Career Education Academies (ACE) held this summer. The program which attracts hundreds of applicants from across the U.S., the Caribbean and abroad selects 40 of the most outstanding students from ages 13-18 to participate in the week-long academy sponsored by Delta Air Lines and held at Delta's World Wide Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
Khayton Morley,15, an 11th grader at Anatol Rogers High School, the only student from the Caribbean in the program, was presented with the Michael Young Award, the honour given to the most outstanding student in the Academy and named for the founder of the program and former Vice President of Community Affairs for Delta Air Lines. Young who retired from Delta in 2003 after 33 years with the airlines in addition to his role as VP of Community Affairs was also Vice President of Delta Air Lines Foundation. Young is the former honorary Consul General of the Bahamas in Atlanta.
"He was the smartest student in the class," said Captain Emmanuel Burke, a pilot with UPS Air Lines and director of the ACE Academies in Atlanta. " We tried to stump him but we couldn't. He knew every part of the cockpit. He answered all of the questions correctly and was the only student who knew all the answers."
"I always liked planes but when I knew I wanted to be a pilot I was 11 years old," Khayton said.. He plans to make flying as a commercial pilot his career.
The most exciting aspect of the ACE program for Khayton was "getting to know people and all the friends I made who share my interest in aviation. We are connected and its like they are my family. I'll miss them. It was fun for the days I was there. I wish it was longer"
Khayton bonded with his fellow classmates like Tristen Souder who during their time in the program invited him to join his family at the Six Flags amusement park and to dinner and to a party at his home. He hopes he will get the opportunity to return next year for the advanced ACE Academy program known as "Flight Line." Ten of the top graduates of the ACE Academy are selected for the next Flight Line class in 2014. The students interview for one of the coveted spots.
He learned of the opportunity to attend the free academy from family friend and former ACE Academy Director Captain Darryl Paul a pilot with UPS. Captain Paul and his wife Kimberly served as host family for Khayton and his mother Khalya and grandmother Angela Rolle who also traveled to Atlanta to the Bahamas with him.
At the ACE Academy, the students are provided lessons in aviation history, aerodynamics, meteorology, navigation, flight training and simulator orientation with FAA qualified flight instructor,s, and much more. The program is run by a dedicated volunteer staff with the core members being aviation professionals who forego personal and vacation time to work with the students. The program director this year was Emmanuel Burke, pilot with UPS Airlines and, Marcus Neyor and Jason Innis, First Officers with ExpressJet Airlines.
OBAP is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization and was founded in 1976 to increase the number of African-American pilots and women employed by major U.S. airlines. The mission of OBAP focuses on preparing young people to realize a successful future in aviation through educational opportunities, mentoring, and aviation projects.
Founded in 1989 by OBAP, Aviation Career Education (ACE) academies have provided more than 2,400 youth with comprehensive training in various aviation disciplines.
Highlights of the program include a trip on the OBAP " Delta Dream Flight" that takes the students on a one day trip to aviation places of interest. This year the students
traveled on the Delta Air Lines 757 chartered jet to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. Often members of the Tuskegee Airmen are on the flight.
OBAP has ACE Academies in 31 cities including Atlanta, Phoenix, Louisville, Dallas, Las Vegas, Memphis, Pensacola, Apple Valley, Dover, Cleveland, North Virginia, Columbus, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando, Memphis, Pontiac, San Antonio, Chicago, Jackson, San Diego, Bethel Alaska, New Mexico, Seattle, Western Michigan University and in the Caribbean islands of St. Thomas and San Juan Puerto Rico.
MITCHELL ON JONES AND CO
Last Sunday 4th Fred Mitchell, the MP for Fox Hill and Minister of Foreign Affairs appeared on the Channel programme Jones and Company with Wendall Jones and Godfrey Eneas. He spoke about Emancipation Day, Fox Hill and about Foreign Affairs and Immigration.
MITCHELL ANSWERS THE CUBANS IN SPANISH
Four questions were put to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell by Miami Herald reporter David Noriega. The Minister recorded the answers overdubbed in Spanish. The text of the answers appears below in English. Andrew Burrows of the Broadcasting Corporation produced the spot.
Answers by Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Nassau, to questions asked theMiamiHerald's David Noriega:
Were some of the detainees detained for smuggling?
1. There were in fact some detainees detained for smuggling, some of them were paroled out with their families to UNHCR accommodation just last year in Nassau. They were found on board a boat trying to smuggle their way into the United States in May of this year. In one particular case, the arrest took place by the United States Coast Guard. The three detainees who have brought the court action are believed to be former U.S. permanent residents. The United States government has been asked to take them back. However, there is no decision as yet.
What is their status?
2. Presently, three detainees are awaiting adjudication by the courts. The case has been adjourned at their request until the United States decides whether they can return or are in fact eligible for relocation to the United States. Meanwhile, they are being held in prison.
How many are there?
3. These are only three detainees the protestors are concerned about. They are trying to make it appear that they have a general interest in migrant welfare. I am of the opinion that the protesters do not have any interest beyond these three detainees.
Is it true that the State Department has gotten involved and are now interviewing the detainees?
4. I am advised that U.S. Customs and Border protection have interviewed them and will advise us shortly as to whether or not they will be permitted to enter the United States. I am now advised by the U S that the decision will not be made known until 5 August on Monday coming.
I wish to add that Bahamians are shocked and fed up with these protests. Bahamian nationals spend one billion dollars in Florida’s economy annually. Many merchants in Florida owe their profits to Bahamian customers. It is reprehensible that The Bahamas is being attacked in this way, apparently with official sanction. It is simply outrageous. The protestors are in the United States, if they want these detainees in the United States they should use their influence to have them returned to the United States. Should the United States authorities approve, the detainees can be released to the authorities as early as tomorrow.
THE LECTURE ON FOX HILL
Last year the Prime Minister Perry Christie challenged the MP for Fox Hill Fred Mitchell to produce a definitive work on Fox Hill and its history. The result an essay and lecture on Wednesday 7th August on the History, Development and Impact of Fox Hill on the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. It was delivered by Mr. Mitchell in the presence of the Prime Minister.
The video was captured by C Allen Johnson. There was a transmission error in the video at 1 hour and five minutes in that skips but it settles down a few seconds later.
Bahamians travelling to the United Kingdom are strongly urged to ensure that they are adequately prepared for the journey and asked to be particularly mindful of the following:
All Bahamians travelling to the United Kingdom should be in possession of valid passport
Bahamian tourists travelling directly to the United Kingdom from Nassau do not require a British visa to enter the United Kingdom, nor do they require a US visa
All Bahamians travelling to the United Kingdom via the United States do require a US visa
Police Certificates enables Bahamian tourist to enter the United States from The Bahamas, the Certificates will not facilitate re-entry into the United State from another country
Bahamian travellers are asked to note that the High Commission of The Bahamas in London is unable to facilitate applications for United States visas.
Bahamians who are not in possession of the necessary travel documentation will be required to make alternate arrangements to return to The Bahamas; either directly to Nassau, through a third country for which visas are not required or through the United States after obtaining a US visa. When transiting en route to third countries, travellers are also urged to ensure that they allow sufficient time to apply for, or are in possession of required visas and documentation prior to arrival, in London.
Lost/Stolen Passports
Incidents of lost or stolen passports should be immediately reported to the Police, as an original Police Report is required to obtain a replacement passport or emergency travel document.
Nationals desirous of obtaining a new travel document are expected to fulfil all of the usual application requirements, including submission of the Passport Application Form, Overseas Referral Form and photographs. The Passport FAQ, application guidelines and copies of the relevant forms are available at http://ww.bahamasclondon.net/.
Note: Children, 10 years and over, must sign the application form. Where practicable, all persons 14 years and above must be fingerprinted.
Damaged Passports
If a passport has been damaged, the original must first be verified by the Passport Office, via the High Commission. A copy is made, and the original is returned, after which the national is expected to apply for a new passport or an emergency travel document.
It is recommended that all travellers have on hand certified copies of their travel documents.
MELANIE ROACH'S MOM IS BURIED
Joan Roach, the widow of the late Anglican priest Neil Roach has her died. Her funeral service was conducted by the Bishop Laishj Boyd at St. Agnes Church on Blue Hill Road on Friday 9th August. She is survived by her four daughters including Melanie the former Director of Works and an Anglican priest Rev. Marie Roach. The images are by Peter Ramsay of the Bahamas Information Services. The Prime Minister attended the service with others from the Cabinet including Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald, Minister of Transport Glenys Hanna Martin, Attorney General Allyson Gibson. The photo is by Peter Ramsay of the Bahamas Information Services.
BRIAN SEYMOUR WRITES AN ANALYSIS FOR MINNIS
PROVERBS: LESSONS TO BE LEARNED – BRIAN N. SEYMOUR
Twenty-five years ago, there about, the politicos of the city of Freeport met at a local restaurant during the political season. These meetings normally took place during Saturday and Sunday mornings. At that time it did not matter whether you were PLP or FNM. Everyone sat at the same table. The grouping mainly met at Geneva’s in the downtown area. Among the men that met included the likes of C.A. Smith, F.A. Seymour, the late Sonny Martin, George Curtis, Cochise Hanna, Kelly Burrows, the late Junior Austin Grant, Rawle Maynard, Maurice Glinton, and Earl Godet. These were the seniors that sat around the table of brother hood. At that time, the other members who were a lot younger, inclusive of me and Michael Edwards, at all times, had to know our place. When a young person stepped out of line, you were rebuked with a proverb; “manners and respect will take you around the world,” this was used to put a young upstart in his place. When older men started raising the issue of corruption and the calling of persons names, F.A. Seymour would chime in with his favorite proverb; “those who deal in equity must come to the table with clean hands,” that would bring quiet to the table in a heart’s beat. Cochise Hanna’s favorite proverb was “if you don’t know a man, you call him Mister,”that statement that you crossed the line and you are not the elder’s company. The final proverb quoted was by one of the lawyers, Rawle or Glinton, “you cannot be a judge in your own cause.” Years later, the value of those sessions are fully appreciated.
DOCTOR HUBERT MINNIS
Dr. Hubert Minnis, leader of the Free National Movement and leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition,
would have done well to remember the proverbs he would have learned as a young man. “In the multitude of counselors there is safety”. Before allowing himself to be named and ejected from Parliament, instead what we saw was a novice filled with unbridled pride; a new and next generation leader operating in a digital era but using an old analog play book from an era long past. In this dispensation, a man of Dr. Minnis’ learning should have availed himself to using metaphoric terms, but instead he used the language that of a striker. The proverb about equity and clean hands came to mind when Dr. Minnis stood in Parliament to give his contribution to the Stem Cell bill. The very first thing he should have said was I was Minister of Health that licensed a company in Freeport to do stem cell research in the former FNM administration. Equity demands full disclosure. After that declaration, Minnis should have allowed Parliament to decide whether or not he was conflicted. His political colleagues should have demanded from him that some other member make the contribution instead of him as leader.
“If you don’t know a man you call him mister.” Dr. Minnis as the leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition holds a constitutional position, and as such, should choose his battles carefully. So to impugn the good name and by extension the Office of Prime Minister is the equivalent of a nuclear attack. To use a nuclear option in the first instance and not the last, speaks volumes to the judgment and temperament of the leader of the opposition. The trigger happy leader did not appreciate that one does not get a second chance with a nuclear option. I predict that the political hyenas will now overwhelm him.
The final lesson of proverbs was taught by Mr. Edison Key, MP for South Abaco. “Education is not sense.” You cannot make serious accusations of a member of parliament and when called upon to bring the proof not produce it. Nevertheless, two CPAs, one lawyer, one educator, and two business professionals followed their leader over the proverbial cliff making the point that education indeed is not sense.
CONDOLENCES FROM PM ON DEATH OF RALEIGH BUTLER
August 11th, 2013
For immediate release
Press Release by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Perry G. Christie
On the Passing of Raleigh Butler
I was saddened to learn of the passing of Raleigh Butler who for many years played a
vital role in the business and political affairs of our country.
As the eldest son of the legendary Sir Milo Butler, much was expected of Raleigh and
he did not disappoint. As his father had done before him, Raleigh joined the front lines
in the struggle for Majority Rule. Raleigh showed particular courage and selflessness in
this struggle, standing as the Progressive Liberal Party's candidate for Long Island in
the historic General Election of 1967. He had virtually no chance of winning - and for
certain he did not - but his preparedness to sacrifice himself in this major stronghold of
the UBP in order to advance the larger struggle for Majority Rule being waged in the
country won him many admirers. Indeed, his admirers only grew in numbers when in
the General Election of the following year (1968), Raleigh again stood for the PLP in
Long Island.
It was, however, in the sphere of business that Raleigh Butler achieved his most notable
successes. He grew Butler's Funeral Home and Crematorium into one of the nation's
premier mortuaries. He set a standard of professionalism that became the envy of
many, and he was widely admired for his many innovations, not the least of which was
the introduction of the very first crematorium into The Bahamas.
As Sir Milo's eldest son and principal heir, Raleigh was also a leading member of the
wider business empire of Milo B. Butler & Sons, one of the most enduring and inspiring
examples of black economic empowerment our country has ever known.
Raleigh Butler was a fine and outstanding member of our society. He was always an
exemplar of civility and courtly manners, and he contributed much to our development.
On behalf of the Government and people of The Bahamas, on behalf of the Progressive
Liberal Party, and on my own behalf, I extend condolences to Mr. Butler's widow, his
children, especially my colleague in Parliament, the Deputy Leader of the FNM, Loretta
Butler-Turner, and all the other members of the Butler family.
May he rest in peace
--
IN PASSING
Oscar Sands Dies On Monday 57 years old
Every once in a while the obits surprise you. That is the case with Superintendent Oscar Sands of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. He died suddenly following surgery last week. He was 57 years old. This man was a cops cop. He was in charge of enforcement against the bad boys on the streets and he knew and lived his job. The Force ata time when it needs to control the bad boys will surely miss him.
Chief Justice Sides With The School
Sir Michael Barnett was brought into a dispute with the Anglican Church and its Central Education Authority in its dispute with 26 parents of the St. John’s High School. The Church went and cancelled the graduation ceremonies of the students of his year’s class because some of their members engaged in anti-social behavior and displayed it on the web. The parents were incensed at the collective punishment and demanded their money back for the breach of the undertaking to have the graduation. The Chief Justice did not agree. He said while there was a contract, the school was within its rights to cancel the graduation and they did not have to repay the money a 300 dollar deposit to the parents. Seems a bit odd the reasoning but one supposes you will have to read the judgment in full. Bottom line, he sympathized with them but no money. He hoped the church would think it over and gave the parents their money back. He reserved arguments as to costs.
Gus Cooper Gravely Ill
The Prime Minister Perry Christie has spoken on several occasions publicly about the status of Winston “ Gus” Cooper, the Leader of the Valley Boys. Mr. Cooper is recovering from brain surgery reportedly for the removal of a tumor. The surgery has left him seriously ill and reportedly paralysed on one side. The Prime Minister said that he spoke with Mr. Cooper and told him that he does not have the right to give up that even if he is in a wheel chair he must survive and be there at Junkanoo. Mr. Cooper is in therapy in the United States.
The Stem Cell Debate Ends With An Act
The House of Assembly passed the Stem Cell Bill last week on Wednesday 7th August. That seemed to have been forgotten in the midst of the silliness by Opposition Leader Hubert in the House on that day. Congratulations on an act which now goes to the Senate for passage. This will put in place the regime that will govern stem cell research in The Bahamas moving forward. The Opposition tried to derail the debateby polluting it with nonsense about Peter Nygard in Lyford Cay. All irrelevant. Either we allow this research here or The Bahamas will get left behind.
Lottie Tynes Dies At 94
The first Bahamas Director General of the Red Cross Lottie Tynes has died. She passed away quietly on the evening of 5th August. She was 94 years old at the time of her death. Mrs. Tynes was a familiar figure on the side of Dame Marguerite Pindling when as the wife of the Prime Minister she toured the country raising money for the Red Cross Society in The Bahamas. Leader of Government business in the House of Assembly led the tributes for the government on Wednesday 7th August in the House to Mrs. Tynes. One of her sons Maurice is the Clerk of the House. The funeral is to be held on Friday 16th August at St. Anne’s Church at 10 a.m. Our photo shows Mrs. Tynes who lived in Fox Hill when she was honoured on 10th December 2006 by the Fox Hill Festival Committee.
Lionel McIntosh Wins
The winner of Manhunt International Bahamas on 4th August at Grand Lucayan Hotel is Dr. Lionel McIntosh. He said he was surprised by the victory and is now slated to go on to the international competition to compete for The Bahamas overseas.
Rhianna At Crop Over The Barbadian international pop star was pictured back in her native Barbados at the annual Crop Over celebrations. This was designed by the Barbados Tourism people to recreate the celebrations that used to take place when the cane crop had been cut and the season as over. It is now the Barbados equivalent of the Carnival.
The Commissioner of Police With The Summer Kids
The police summer programme came to an end last week on Friday 9th August at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Stadium. The Commissioner Ellison Greenslade himself showed up to see the programme at its end and to have fun with the children.
Raleigh Butler Dies
He was the oldest son of the late Sir Milo Butler, the National Hero and the country’s first Bahamian Governor General. He lived in his shadow even though he ran for office in the PLP, he was never successful. Instead the mantle fell on his younger brother who bore the name of his father Milo Jr. Mr. Butler did however succeed gloriously in the business of running a funeral home. His daughter Loretta then became an FNM activist and then a Member of Parliament. His other son Craig tried also to become an MP but had a falling out with the PLP. Anyway, the points are all at an end. Raleigh Butler has now joined his father with the ages. He passed away on Friday 9th August following a long illness. May he rest in peace.
Prime Minister Says Key Is Welcome Back
Well, now that the FNM is saying that they might sanction Edison Key because he did not support the FNM when they walked out of the House and voted with the government to support the Speaker in naming Hubert Minnis, the Leader of the Opposition and expelling him from the House, the PM thinks that maybe Mr. Key might be looking for a home. Mr. Key began his career as a PLP and served in the House as a PLP. He is welcome to come back the Prime Minister told the Nassau Guardian.
Bran McCartney Speaks
We find it strange that Branville McCartney who left the FNM in a huff and a row with Hubert Ingraham is now in the paper prescribing what the FNM should do to Edison Key. Is that his business? Must be a slow day in the DNA. Mr. McCartney called Mr. Key " a political prostitute". Mr. Key saiad he has papers on Mr. McCartney and does not care what he thinks of him. What we say is that Mr. McCartney's rhetoric was over the top.
Bahamian Pastors Attack The Pope
Last week we reported on this site the story that the Pope in Rome had said that he left it God to Judge homosexuals. Well that did not sit well with the moral police and hate brigade in The Bahamas. Led by Rev. Rainford Patterson and joined by Rev Myles Munroe, they called a press conference to say that they thought the Pope's remarks were reckless and Rev. Munroe said that he would be writing the Pope to say so. These people have nothing better to do with their time.
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CHRISTIE IN WASHINGTON: it was a rare favour granted to a Prime Minister and Head of Government outside the United States. Prime Minister Perry Christie was asked to speak at the observances of the Martin Luther King Jr. “ I Have A Dream” speech, the 50th anniversary of which was celebrated last week on Wednesday 28th August 2013. Mr. Christie spoke to the struggle with which The Bahamas identifies. In fact, the founding Prime Minister of our country the late Sir Lynden O. Pindling participated in the march in 1963. Mr. Christie was therefore on good ground to speak. The only other Caribbean leader there was Kenny Anthony, the Prime Minister of St. Lucia. He did not speak. Then after Mr. Christie came Junkanoo in all its splendor. It wowed the crowd. Mr. Christie for his part was shot in this bound to become iconic photo at the American Lincoln Memorial as he delivered his address on Wednesday 28th August. You can click here for the video of the http://www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/4463120. Our photo of the week is the photo of Mr. Christie at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. You may click here for the full address.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
MINNIS LOSES HIS MOORINGS AND PERHAPS HIS MARBLES
We publish below a most remarkable statement by Hubert Minnis, the Leader of the Opposition, on the situation with regard to the Cuban detainees. The Prime Minister Perry Christie called the actions of Dr. Minnis and his colleagues as bordering on gross stupidity. We agree but go further. We think that it is grossly stupid and irresponsible.
After he issued the statement, the Minister Fred Mitchell against whom he made the accusation responded in very strong terms. You can see his response below. The Minister is to hold a full press conference on the matter after this upload and we may something further to report.
Ever since the statement was made and the one before it by their Chairman Cash, the public has been asking on all the talk shows and in the streets whether these people have their heads screwed on properly. In the old days, there was an axiom that used to go like this: politics ends at the border.
These people however are so stupid and so desperate that they will do and say anything in order to get political power, even if it means that they are holding hands, and in bed with the enemy.
The day after Dr. Minnis’ statement, the very same sentiment was aired by the looney tune protestor heads of the so called Democracy Movement in Miami that orchestrated this whole business. He too wants the Minister fired. The very balls of this guy to get involved in our politics. However, it shows with whom Dr. Minnis and his colleagues are in bed. They are in bed with the enemies of the state.
The Prime Minister has said that he will ensure that Dr. Minnis pays the political price for his gross stupidity. We hope so and we will support any action to ensure that he and his colleagues do not survive this.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 24th August 2013 up to midnight:135, 285
Number of hits for the month of August up to Saturday 24th August 2013 up to midnight: 423,352
Number of hits for the year 2013 up to Saturday 24th August 2013 up to midnight:4,680,346
WHAT HUBERT MINNIS HAD TO SAY The following statement was issued by Hubert Minnis, the Leader of the Opposition on Wednesday 21st August: From the Office of the Leader, Hubert Minnis
Cover-up by Foreign Affairs Minister
___________________________________________________________________
We are here today to report to the Bahamian people on a major cover-up that the Free National Movement has uncovered. It is a cover-up of international proportions and one that has the potential to damage for many years our relationship with our long-standing friend and ally, the United States of America.
In recent times the public became aware of a video being circulated purporting to show that a group of Cubans detained at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre had been physically and verbally abused by officers of the Centre. The emergence of the video was a cause of significant concerns both locally and abroad. Alarm bells rang in the South Florida, Cuban-American community and in Washington DC among the legislators who pay close attention to immigration matters.
At the time the video emerged the Free National Movement stood in solidarity with government and emphasized the point that the official policy of The Bahamas Government is that we do not abuse persons in detention. At that time the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fred Mitchell made a public commitment to undertake an investigation into the matter. We supported that approach.
Bahamians will be aware that in the aftermath of the video‘s release, The Bahamas has been the subject of public demonstrations in South Florida. In addition to the demonstrations, senior US congresspersons have made direct pleas to The Bahamas government to undertake an investigation and to give a full report of that investigation.
To date, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has not given a full and honest account of what took place at the Detention Centre on May 20th, 2013. The FNM has examined this issue closely.
I now report on what we found out:
In the early hours of May 20, 2013 there was an attempted escape from the Detention Centre by seven Cuban detainees. This escape attempt was prevented. As punishment for the attempted escape, at least five detainees were physically abused to a severe degree. The abuse was so significant that three of the detainees had to be taken to the PMH for treatment. One person was detained and two others returned to the Detention Centre.
Following the beatings, the remaining detainees performed and videotaped a reenactment of the earlier beatings. Our information is that the reenactment was facilitated with the assistance of one or more defence force officers who provided the fatigues for the actors in the performance.
The FNM has been further advised that several senior government officials and Ministers became aware fairly early that a major instance of abuse had in fact taken place. There was at least one major meeting of senior law enforcement officers and cabinet ministers who were briefed as to what had transpired. As a result of that briefing, a more intensive investigation was ordered.
We are now aware that the report of the government’s preliminary investigation has been completed and is in circulation. This has been completed from as early as late June. It is now late August.
Despite becoming aware that a serious instance of abuse had taken place, the Minister of foreign affairs has continued to use well-chosen language to mislead the public.
Minister Mitchell continued to use strong, combative and undiplomatic language intended to deflect attention from the underlying legitimacy of the issue raised by the demonstrators. He had multiple opportunities to tell the Bahamian people and the international community the full truth of what had transpired. Instead, he has chosen to engage in a full-fledged cover-up.
It has now become clear that minister Mitchell has exhausted every ounce of credibility as Minister of Foreign Affairs. The FNM is appalled at the dismal mismanagement of our country’s foreign interests by Minister Mitchell.
We call on Prime Minister Christie to:
Dismiss Fred Mitchell from his cabinet forthwith.
Release the full and unedited reports of all investigations that have been conducted to date.
NEIL ELLIS CALLS IT QUITS
The dry press release issued on 19th August and repeated below did not tell the whole story. It is a story that that has been brewing for months. It appears that Neil Ellis, the Bishop who leads the Mt. Tabor flock in Nassau, had plans and ambitions to become the Leader of the Full Gospel Fellowship which he joined 20 years ago and in which he made a meteoric rise and brought substantial influence. The vote took place in the early summer and suddenly Bishop Ellis withdrew with commentators saying at the time it was to avoid dissension. Bishop Arnold Josey, one of the Full Gospel Bishops in The Bahamas and a supporter of Bishop Neil came back later after the press release and told The Tribune on 23rd August that the 18 Bahamian Churches were pulling out of the Full Gospel following Bishop Ellis’ resignation. Our guess: only goes to show that negritude can’t make everything right. Nationality still makes a difference. The church is American and Bishop Ellis is a Bahamian. That may have made all the difference even in the army of the Lord. What a pity though. The press release of the Bishop appears below:
Nassau, N.P. August 19, 2013 – After 20 years of committed and dedicated service to the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International, the Senior Pastor of Mount Tabor Full Gospel Baptist Church, Bishop Neil C. Ellis, formally resigned as 2nd Presiding bishop, and a member of the Bishop’s Council with immediate effect.
In a letter addressed to the International Presiding Bishop Paul S. Morton, Bishop Ellis stated, “I am satisfied, after much prayer and reflection that the Holy Spirit is now leading me to bring this season of my life in the Fellowship to a close”.
Bishop Ellis expressed gratitude, “to Almighty God for guiding my heart, hands and mind over the past 20 years as I have transitioned from role to role in our Fellowship and I wish to express gratitude to you for allowing me to serve.” He further recognized, the members of the Bishop’s Council, for the respect and cooperation extended to him particularly during the last 11 years while serving as 3rd and 2nd Presiding Bishop.
Mount Tabor’s Senior Pastor pronounced a blessing on “Bishop Morton and Lady Morton during your final years on the frontline of the Fellowship; may He be allowed to guide the hands and the work of the International Presiding Bishop-Elect and may God smile upon the future of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International.”
The decision comes on the heels of a surprise move that shocked the international and local Christian communities, this past July at the Fellowship’s international conference in Lousiville, Kentucky when Ellis pulled out of a two man race for the leadership of the Christian group in his words, “to avoid a possible division within the fellowship.” Bishop Morton will demit office in 2015.
PM’S BIRTHDAY AND ANNIVERSARY AND THE NAYSAYERS
Prime Minister Perry Christie celebrated his birthday during the past week. He turned 70 and pronounced himself fit. He also celebrated his wedding anniversary and from the looks of it that too is fit. He had a special visitor in the Haitian President Michel Joseph Martelly who was on a private visit to Nassau. The Urban Renewal Band came by to pay happy birthday and the staff at the office held a party in his honour. A good time was had by all. But of course there were some naysayers. On Facebook, the FNM and the radio commentators were in overdrive about how some people could not celebrate because they were not working and how he should not have taken the day off from work with all the important problems the country has. We all know that Jesus Christ once said that the poor we will always have with us. So a fellow can take a break if he wants to and should. The naysayers should simply get a life.
The photos are by Peter Ramsay of the Bahamas Information Services.
PM AT THE AIRPORT
Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna Martin hosted the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to a tour of the completed last phase of the new Lynden Pindling International Airport. The tour took place on Friday 23rd August.
The photos are by Peter Ramsay of the Bahamas Information Services.
MITCHELL IMMIGRATION FORUM GRAND BAHAMA
Fred Mitchell, Minister for Immigration, spoke at a forum in Freeport, Grand Bahama at the Grand Lucayan Hotel sponsored by Fred Delancey of the Training Education Centre. There was great turnout as people came to hear how the immigration policies are being used to promote greater employment in The Bahamas. The photo shows the Foreign Affairs and Immigration Team in Freeport for the event including Supt. Clarence Russell, the Passport office in Freeport, Immigration Officers Marilyn Burrows an Jerry Hutchinson Minister for Grand Bahama Michael Darville, Parliamentary Secretary Cleola Hamilton MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs Philip Miller, James T. Rolle, Assistant Director Immigration Freeport, Elkino Bain Immigration Officer and William Pratt, Director of Immigration. The other photo shows Fred Delancey the organizer of the forum with his wife and family.
The video of the event was shot by C. Allen Johnson
The following statement was issued by the Bahamas Information Services on Tuesday 20th August with regard to diplomatic postings for The Bahamas:
STATEMENT FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON NEW AMBASSADORS TO THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED NATIONS 20th August 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Ministry wishes to announce that on the advice of the Prime Minister Dr. Eugene Newry has been appointed Ambassador to the United States with immediate effect. He is expected to present his credentials shortly.
On 3rd May 2013, Ambassador Ellison Rahming, then Ambassador designate to the United States, withdrew his name from consideration as Ambassador to the United States and asked to be reassigned. Dr. Newry agreed to accept the new post and his name was advanced. We made no announcement on either development until agreement had been received from the United States Government. This was received yesterday.
Dr. Rahming is to become the Ambassador to the United Nations and will continue as the Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States. The two Ambassadors will be introduced to their respective staffs on Monday 27th August and Tuesday 28th August.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell welcomed the appointments and said he is looking forward to working with them.
NEW CONSULS GENERAL ANNOUNCED
Mr. Randy Rolle
Mr. Richard Treco
From the Bahamas Information Services:
The Hon. Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, has announced two additional appointments to his foreign diplomatic team.
Randy Rolle has already assumed his position as Bahamas Consul General to Atlanta, Georgia, recognized as one of the top business cities in the United States, and career businessman H. Ricardo Treco has been appointed Bahamas Consul General to Miami.
Mr. Rolle received his early education at St. Anne’s Primary and his secondary education from The Bahamas Baptist College, both in New Providence. He pursued and received his tertiary and professional education at Butler County Community, Bethune Cookman College, and Johnson& Whales University.
He has enjoyed a rewarding career in the hospitality industry, which has allowed him to travel and acquire international recognition. A 1998 C.H.A (Caribbean Hotel Association) Scholarship award winner, he has worked in Spain, Seattle and Boston, where he was acknowledged for his exemplary work ethics and representation of The Bahamas.
In 2008, Mr. Rolle received a Bravo Award from Starbucks International for playing a vital role in its market opening of its stores here in The Bahamas. In addition, the new consul general to Atlanta was one of the top three sales executive for Harbourside Resort at Atlantis from 2001 to 2003 and received awards for highest sales volume in the summer of 2003. He also headed the special operations department, a department that he created that was credited for a huge savings within the organization.
Most recently he was a certified project manager with The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.
Very active in community and civic organizations, Mr. Rolle is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity Inc., Masters of Excellence Toastmasters Club 933001, and a former American football standout with the Commonwealth American Football League’s Nassau Sunburners.
Mr. Rolle is a member of The Mount Tabor Full Gospel Ministries and is married and the proud father of one son, Deshaune Rolle. He is the son of former professional baseball player Randy Rolle Sr., of Bimini and Mrs. Karen Johnson from the Berry Islands.
“Over the years, and particularly in recent years, some close people-to-people ties have developed between The Bahamas and Atlanta, and Mr. Rolle’s vast experience in the hospitality industry will no doubt serve him well as he seeks to further develop these ties,” Minister Mitchell said. “Also, considering that Atlanta is a major business hub, with more Fortune 500 companies than any other city in the United States, his strong sales background should help to reinforce efforts by The Bahamas to attract new business to our country.”
Mr. Treco began school at an early age at Wee Wisdom primary and subsequently attended Jordan Memorial, Kingsway Academy, Miami Military Academy, Queens College and finally graduating from the R.M. Bailey Senior High School in 1975, with five GCEs and eight BJCs.
He later enrolled in Lindsay Hopkins Technical Education Center in Miami, Florida, from where he obtained an Associate’s Degree in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering. Mr. Treco is also a graduate, with honors, of the Commonwealth Bible College after completing a two-year course on Theological studies, including Homiletics, biblical survey and exposition.
A member of Grace Community Church for 45 years, he has served the church in various capacities during that time.
Mr. Treco is an avid sportsman. He was head coach for the Kingsway Academy senior girls softball team from1999 to 2004 and coached his teams to five BAISS championships.
An avid Junkanoo participant, he has been a member of the Valley Boys Junkanoo group for over 35 years.
Mr. Treco started his working career at the age of 14 and through diligence and a strong work ethic over the years, he eventually opened his own Customer Service and Parts Center.
Ricardo’s Customer Loyalty Center is the service provider for Master Technicians Ltd., which also designs, installs and maintains the highest quality HVAC (Central Air) systems, products and services.
“Given the longstanding cultural and commercial links between The Bahamas and Florida, the importance of the Mission in Miami cannot be overstated,” Mr. Mitchell said. “Mr. Treco business acumen and personal dynamism certainly will boost the work of the Consulate.”
NEW MEXICAN AMBASSADOR
Ambassador of Mexico to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas His Excellency Gerardo Lozano Arredondo (right) presents his Letters of Credence to Governor-General Sir Arthur Foulkes August 22, in the Drawing Room at Government House. (BIS Photo / Derek Smith)
NASSAU, The Bahamas - The Commonwealth of the Bahamas and the United Mexican States are seeking to explore new opportunities in areas such as agriculture, environment management and craft production.
His Excellency Sir Arthur Foulkes, Governor-General, highlighted these areas as he accepted Letters of Credence presented by His Excellency Gerardo Lozano Arrendondo, Ambassador of the United Mexican States, during a ceremony at Government House on Thursday August 22, 2013.
The Bahamas and Mexico has maintained relations at the political level through international organisations within the multilateral forum such as the United Nations and the Organisation of American States.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries on January 23, 1974, both countries have focused on bilateral relations regarding matters of technical assistance, trade and investment.
Both countries have also demonstrated their openness to bilateral exchange by conveying support for election, most recently, to organisations such as the Human Rights Council, the International Maritime Organisation, and the Economic and Social Council and the International Narcotics Board.
Sir Arthur gave his assurance that The Bahamas will support Mexico, whenever possible.
“Both our countries have been blessed with thriving tourism industries, which require specialised training and skills,” he said.
Continued contributions to promoting the Spanish language and culture, as well as technical training in the hospitality industry, are all areas that can be further developed for mutual benefit, he said. Additionally, new opportunities can be explored in areas such as Agriculture, Environment Management and Craft Production.
“Cognisant of the economic situation currently affecting our world and acknowledging both its challenges and struggles, it is understandable that bilateral motives for trade and development are occasionally eclipsed.
“However, I feel that this highlights, more than ever, the need to effectively engage in technical cooperation, whenever possible,” Sir Arthur said.
Ambassador Arrendondo has been instructed by his government “to increase and consolidate the presence of Mexico in The Bahamas, through the enhancing of political contacts, the promotion of more links between businessmen of both countries in order to increase the trade flows, and to reinforce the technical and scientific cooperation programmes in those areas of mutual interest or those of particular importance to The Bahamas.”
He said it was an honour and privilege to present his Credentials appointing him ambassador to The Bahamas.
Sir Arthur noted that the ambassador’s cultivated skills through his service as a career diplomat would no doubt allow him to excel in his responsibilities and official duties.
“I am confident that your distinguished academic, professional and business expertise will serve to foster stronger relations between our two countries,” Sir Arthur said.
MITCHELL ON MINNIS
The following statement was issued by Fred Mitchell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the statements by the Leader of the Opposition Hubert Minnis, claiming that there was a cover up of the investigation into the abuse of Cuban detainees. (See story above with Dr. Minnis’ remarks.)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 21st August 2013
I always knew the Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues had problems with the English language but I did not know that comprehension was one of those problems. With regard to their allegations about the video tape, how many times must you tell these people that an investigation is still on going into this matter and when the matter is done the government will follow the results of the investigation.
That is no cover up. That is clear, pellucid, easily understandable and verifiable. Only the FNM cannot understand.
All of us understand what a difficult job the FNM has where their Leader simply cannot properly read the tea leaves; where the Leader of the FNM organization is uninspiring and simply cannot comprehend the magnitude of what is before him, even though it is in plain sight. To help this poor performance, he has to sully the name of others. It is simply unimaginable that we have today something which is so simple and direct be twisted into some vast political conspiracy. In fact the FNM is talking a jumble of foolishness and I pray that their allies in the press do not go walking into a place where fools have rushed in.
I am very careful about my reputation. I will watch every word and accusation, and if they miss and make one false allegation or innuendo we will see them in court.
I will say it slowly this time: the government has indicated that there is an investigation into the allegations made at the detention centre. This will mean a review by a retired Justice of the Court of Appeal and a leading cleric. Those are my instructions. That has been my consistent public statement. The statements have been in the public domain for weeks. Until the time of the completion of the investigation, the FNM can spin what spurious lines it wishes, the facts are stubborn on this matter. When the investigations are complete, the government will act and the chips will fall where they may.
I have never met a more unpatriotic, un Bahamian group than the FNM. They opposed independence and now they are siding with enemies of The Bahamas against Bahamians. When will they stand up for The Bahamas? Their supporters in the press need to ask them that question?
In the meantime, I will pray to God for the patience of Job.
MITCHELL ON PANAMA The following statement was issued by the Bahamas Information Services on Tuesday 20th August: Press Statement
Earlier today, Tuesday 20 August, 2013, the Minister of National Security, the Honourable Dr. Bernard Nottage and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, the Honourable Frederick Mitchell met with the Special Envoy from Panama, Ambassador Guillermo Cochez and Mr. David McGrath, the Honorary Consul of Panama in The Bahamas. The Government of The Bahamas received an explanation from the Panamanian Government as to why a public announcement was made before it was formally communicated to The Bahamas and has accepted the explanation.
The discussion centered on the proposal by Panama to receive a number of illegal Cuban migrants currently in legal detention in The Bahamas and adjudged by international criteria to be political refugees. At the end of the short meeting, it was agreed that the discussions should continue in the near future.
FAREWELL LUNCHEON:
A farewell luncheon was held on Thursday, August 22, 2013 at TGIF on 42nd Street, New York, for Mrs. Pamela Symmonett-Wilchcombe, who is returning to Nassau, Bahamas, after serving for some 11 years with the Bahamas Consulate in New York. Mrs. Symmonett-Wilchcombe held the position of Visa Clerk. Staff members attending the luncheon included, seated: Consul General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas at New York, The Honourable Forrester Joseph Carroll. Standing from left to right: Mrs. Clemmy Eneas-Varence, Senior Information Clerk; Mr. Ulysses Stuart, Senior Visa Clerk; Mrs. Sandra N. McLaughlin, Vice Consul; Mrs. Carolyn L. Young-Miller, Administrative Assistant; and Mrs. Pamela Symmonett-Wilchcombe.on in The Bahamas and adjudged by international criteria to be political refugees. At the end of the short meeting, it was agreed that the discussions should continue in the near future.
FNM RED SPLASH IN FREEPORT
They were celebrating the anniversary of their coming into power for the first time in 1992 under Hubert Ingraham on 19th August 1992. This is what the celebrations looked like under their now leader Dr. Hubert Minnis. It's a struggle.
PM AND THE GG HAVE LUNCH TOGETHER
Prime Minister Perry Christie shown at the door to Government House as the Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes welcomed him to Government House for lunch on Thursday 21st August.
The photo is by Peter Ramsay of the Bahamas Information Services.
FRED MITCHELL ANSWERS DR. HUBERT MINNIS
The following statement was issued by Fred Mitchell MP at a press conference this afternoon at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
STATEMENT BY FRED MITCHELL MP
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND IMMIGRATION
25th August 2013
UPDATE ON CUBAN DETAINEES
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
It has been a remarkable week. The people of the country stood up to those who would destroy our country and its reputation. The people of The Bahamas supported The Bahamas. That is a good thing.
This is a law enforcement issue. Our detractors have tried to paint it as everything but that. We stand on that. We were at all times enforcing the laws of the country. We do so in a humane manner and where any excesses are found, the law will again be enforced.
I want to thank all those who phoned the radio talk shows and wrote to the press to support The Bahamas. It shows that the patriotic feeling for this country is strong. It also shows that when it comes to politics, that ends at the water’s edge. In the face of an outside enemy all Bahamians tried and true stick together.
Unfortunately, the only one who did not get or understand the point of Bahamians standing together was the Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues. They find themselves voluntarily absenting themselves from the House of Assembly and the Senate in dereliction of their duty. They in this matter of the detainees, find themselves allied with the protestors in Miami against the Bahamian people.
This is sad, reprehensible, regrettable, disgraceful, shameful. We must ask the question how is it that one day after the Leader of the Opposition called for the resignation of this minister, that the Leader of the protestors in Miami who have so defamed our country, also made the same call, using almost exactly the same words.
Dr. Minnis must explain the connection.
Further, Dr. Minnis must explain this. He makes the claim that we have and in particular I have not disclosed to the public the results of an incomplete investigation. If he is so enamored of public disclosure, he must explain to us why Amnesty International was able to allege on 20thAugust this year that the report of an investigation by the then FNM government in 2009 into events at the Detention Centre was never made public. Dr. Minnis was a Cabinet minister at the time.
Further, the Detention Centre’s dorms were destroyed by arson. There were two fires, one in 2006 and another in 2008 which cut the capacity of the detention centre by 50 per cent. The FNM was in office for five years 2007-2012 and did nothing to replace the dorms. We had to begin to rebuild the dorms following our return to office and we are now well on the way.
What does Dr. Minnis have to say about that? If he is so transparent and public explain that.
Dr. Minnis’ comments were directed at me personally. I find them incredible. The Prime Minister has said that they border on gross stupidity. I go further and say they are grossly stupid.
By private message, I understand that he now says that if the Prime Minister wishes him (Dr. Minnis) to stop speaking, all the Prime Minister needs to do is to call him ( Dr. Minnis) in.
This is interesting because that is my philosophy on how government and opposition ought to act. We ought to be able to share certain information on a confidential basis with the Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues. The problem that we have found is that they are unable to keep their counsel, in other words to keep their mouths shut and respect a confidence. So in these circumstances, we have chosen not to do so.
The government represents all of the people of The Bahamas. This matter is not an FNM or PLP or DNA matter. In this matter, all Bahamians should stand together, even as we get our internal affairs together but at the water’s edge we should be united.
I want to tell you now of the additional steps that are being taken to deal with this matter:
I leave for Washington tomorrow for meetings at our Embassy there and at the State Department.
I shall also visit the United Nation mission of The Bahamas in New York, then our consulate in Atlanta.
I shall meet with the staff of the Consulate in Miami on Friday.
The purpose of this is to brief all staff on the recent events, to introduce the new Ambassadors and to speak with the U S State Deportment about new proposals to deal with the current issues.
I spoke with the Justice of Appeal (retired) this morning along with the Prime Minister and we are in the process of settling the terms of reference of the review of the investigation which we expect within a week and we are seeking to have the review of this matter settled within thirty days thereafter.
A negotiating team will leave The Bahamas as early as the coming weekend to meet with the Cuban authorities in Havana with a view to settling the modalities of how there can be a quicker turnaround of migrant to Cuba.
We expect that a new agreement will be in place shortly.
I myself will meet the Cuban Foreign Minister in Grenada in early September to discuss these matters directly. We began discussions with the Acting Foreign Minister when the National Security Minister and I met in Havana earlier in the month.
We have had helpful discussions within the past week with the Government of Panama.
Our mandate is to ensure that the Detention Centre is empty of inhabitants, migrants, detainees as much as humanly possible.
In the meantime, the facility is being repaired, and in a few weeks, the Ministry of Health will be supervising an effort to sanitize and paint the existing dorms. This will require those who are detained at the detention centre be housed at that prison until the sanitation is done. We are seeking to ensure that these numbers are at a minimum.
I return now to a personal defence. I found the comments of the Leader of the Opposition to be sickening. He has embarrassed and shamed himself by siding with outsiders against The Bahamas. It is a serious error in judgment and it is clear that he is in over his head. He would be well advised to admit is egregious error and apologise to the Bahamian people.
I give some unsolicited political advice. Winning in politics will require carrying the middle ground. Not just the unthinking FNM base. When you examine the commentary in the middle: the DNA, Front Porch, all took measured positions. Those who took the rabid positions, are the usual suspects Eileen Carron, the columnists at the Tribune Sharon Turner, Kirkland Evans their guest writers. These are people who have a pathological hatred of the PLP and so cannot make a logical argument, or give a measured rational response to anything that involves the PLP.
Eileen Carron surprised me because I thought she at least had the ability to understand the English language but apparently she doesn’t either. In her column she suggested that I abjectly admitted that the matter could have been handled a different way. I have never abjectly done anything in my life. She ought to know if she does not know that sarcasm is a figure of speech which is used to make a point and so is irony. But then again that is English 101.
I think we have won the middle ground in this matter.
We pledge to continue to occupy the middle ground; to work diligently on behalf of the Bahamian people. Dr. Minnis’ Chairman Darron Cash said that my tone was belligerent. Well bless you my son. By Jove you’ve got it! Clarence Bain warned us to stay clear of weak-kneed apologetic Bahamians. If Dr. Minnis and Mr. Cash wish to fall into that category that is for them. But not Fred Mitchell. If Mr. Cash and Dr. Minnis were leading The Bahamas, in the face of these defamatory statements about The Bahamas, they would have spoken softly on their knees begging. I have a voice and I will use it to defend The Bahamas. I will speak strongly, firmly truthfully, in a principled manner. I will stand up for The Bahamas. That’s me. So Bahamians know now that in the face of a threat from the outside Mr. Cash and Dr. Minnis would speak softly on their knees, apologizing for The Bahamas but we on this side we stand up and give no ground. The choice in my view is now clear.
Thank you.
BRIAN SEYMOUR FROM FREEPORT ON DR. HUBERT MINNIS
POLITICS ENDS AT THE BORDER
The Bahamas in 2013 is a country whose stock in trade is tourism. We make our bread and butter, and our livelihood is derived from being hospitable to the people who arrive in our country. Given that simple reality, is it in the national interest to mistreat Cuban migrants that were interdicted at sea? Do our collective values condone the ill treatment of strangers within our gates? No. We believe if a man is thirsty, we give him drink; if he is hungry, we give him food: these are the values we hold dear as Bahamians.
Dr. Hubert Minnis, leader of the FNM, found it necessary to assert to the world that the government of the Bahamas was engaged in a cover up of mistreating Cuban migrants at the detention centre in Nassau. I have said it before that Dr. Minnis’ judgment and temperament as a new generation leader is sadly lacking. His political acumen is almost non-existent when it comes to identifying issues. He further lacks the gravitas to inspire those around him. Dr. Minnis has done well for himself economically that has caused him to become proud, and at times, reckless. The question is, how does his revelation help the FNM, and finally, the cause of the Bahamas? What was his goal, other than, to inflict damage? Dr. Minnis has unwittingly inflicted harm to our national brand, the Bahamas. He has troubled his own house, and does not appreciate that politics ends at the border, the high water mark.
We are a democratic country with the entrenched beliefs in the rule of law; and we further believe in the democratic process. With general elections not scheduled until 2017, when the collective will of the people will judge Dr. Minnis at the ballot box. What will this train wreck waiting to happen leader do next? At what point will the FNM party stalwarts and elders step him and bridled the behavior of their leader.
Prime Minister Perry Christie will know well the biblical story of Nehemiah of old. Our walls have been breached Prime Minister by forces from within. The breach must be repaired, while at the same time, the wall must be defended. A call to arms is necessary to defend our interests. We must now go in to an election campaign mode to end the political folly of Dr. Minnis.
The post script of Cardinal Thomas Wosley, 1473-1530, is an instructive lesson to all those up and coming politicians. He said that if I had served my God, as I have served my King, then I would not have been left desolate in my old age. To chairman, Darren Cash, do not defend nonsense.
Brian Seymour
IN PASSING
Haitian President Visits And Gets Into Our Political Business
Last time the Haitian President Michel Joseph Martelly visited The Bahamas it was just before the general election in 2012. He made a statement then as he left the Nassau airport that Haitians should support those who looked out for their interests. That was widely interpreted to mean to vote for the FNM. The PLP was furious. Perry Christie, the Leader of the Opposition as he was then, decried and denounced the statement as interference in the internal affairs of the country. The President came again and this time speaking to the press he said that he is sure that Perry Christie understands and will look after the interests of the Haitians here. He believes that the Haitian community is a political force and it affects the elections and he is sure that they will work together to protect their interests. Prime Minister Christie reportedly asked the President to come back on an official visit, including a cultural presentation in the national stadium at which the President will sing. The plan of the two leaders is to expand ties in trade and to seek to find effective measures to stop illegal migration. This relationship with Haiti is becoming more interesting as days go by.
The photo is by Peter Ramsay of the Bahamas Information Services.
The Two Huberts In Abaco
Reports are that they arrived on the morning Bahamasair flight into Abaco on Saturday 24th August: Hubert Ingraham, former Leader of the FNM and former Prime Minister and Hubert Minnis, now Leader of the FNM and supposed Prime Minister in waiting. The buzz in town is that secret meetings are being held to try and organize the troops on the ground. One of the things they should do is something to help Greg Gomez, their candidate in the bye-election to replace Hubert Ingraham when he resigned last year, who is having a hard time making it in Abaco. Mr. Gomez was defeated by Renardo Curry. The other buzz in Abaco is that Mr. Ingraham plans a comeback based on the view that Edison Key is going to demit office in 2017 and he Mr. Ingraham will run for a “safe” FNM seat.
Rick Fox In Church West End
The former basketball star and NBA team player of the Los Angels Lakers Rick Fox, a Bahamian, was in West End, Grand Bahama, visiting with the folks there and the Member of Parliament. Looks like he was having a good time on Monday 19th August.
New Dock In GBI? Craig Symonette, one of the principals of the Fast Ferry business in The Bahamas, was the host of a tour in Gold Rock Creek, east Grand Bahama last week. The Prime Minister Perry Christie came by with his colleagues including Michael Darville, the Minister for Grand Bahama to see the plans for a new docking facility for a Fast Ferry Service potentially between Abaco and Grand Bahama.
Lady Sheila Butler Dies
The wife of Sir Arlington Butler, the former Speaker of the House, Ambassador and Minister, died on Wednesday21stAugust at the Princess Margaret Hospital. She was 69 years old. We extend condolences to her family.
Caleb Hepburn Former Customs Chief Dies In Miami
The Consul General for The Bahamas in New York Forrester Carroll posted the following message on 22nd August following the death of Caleb Hepburn, retired Comptroller of Customs:
I am just getting the news that former Comptroller of Bahamas Customs, Mr. Caleb Hepburn has passed; I extend my condolences to his family all of whom are my very good friends. I wish to say that I served in the Customs Department during Mr. Hepburn's entire stint as Comptroller; I served under several other Comptrollers as well and I can say, beyond a shadow of doubt, that Mr. Hepburn was no doubt the best Comptroller the Customs Department had "TODATE." Why do I conclude that? Because apart from being very knowledgeable in his position, he was HUMAN; he treated the staff with respect and never gave the impression that he was so high and mighty that he couldn't sit and communicate with staff with respect. He was never afraid of being challenged for his position but as a matter of fact would tell you to aim for his position; he was a COMPTROLLER'S COMPTROLLER. MAY HIS SOUL R.I.P.
Keith Campbell Dies
Former Ministry of Agriculture veterinarian Keith Campbell died during the past week. There are no details available. Mr. Campbell was amongst the pioneering vets of the Department of Agriculture, coming back from school newly trained by the University of the West Indies in the 1970s.
Cubans Sent Home
The following statement was issued by the Department of Immigration on Wednesday 21st August: The Department of Immigration wishes to advise the general public that eight Cuban Nationals were successfully repatriated to Havana, Cuba this morning at 10 am. They were detained at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.
Raleigh Butler Funeral
The funeral service for the late Raleigh Butler, oldest son of the first Bahamas Governor General Sir Milo Butler, took place at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church on Thursday 22nd August. The Prime Minister Perry Christie attended as did former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham. Mr. Butler’s daughter Loretta is a former Minister and is now the MP for Long Island. He is survived by amongst others his wife Rose.
The photo is by Peter Ramsay of the Bahamas Information Services.
Usain Bolt In Fine Form from Facebook We thought we would share the man himself in all his power and glory, the star of the Caribbean and the fastest man in the world Usain Bolt of Jamaica showing off his form at the recent IAAF World Championships in Moscow.
Nassau, Bahamas — The Anglican Diocese is in mourning following the loss of one of its priests.Fr. Mervyn Sydney “Buck” Johnson died early Sunday morning at Doctor’s Hospital following an almost two year battle with brain cancer.
He was 62-years-old.Fr. Buck began his career as a customs officer. He went on to become a manager and the Vice-President of Operations at McDonalds Restaurants Ltd., before entering Codrington College to test his vocation to the sacred priesthood.He was ordained priest in June, 2000. Fr. Buck served at Christ the King, N. P., St. Patrick’s, Central Eleuthera, and St. Agnes and Holy Trinity, N. P. He became rector of All Saints Parish in 2011 and had to retire, for health reasons, in November, 2012.
Nassau, Bahamas - The following is a statement by Bradley B. Roberts, National Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party:
Nassau, Bahamas - The Speaker of the House requested that I withdraw certain remarks made by me in the House of Assembly on 17th July during the debate of a Bill for an Act to regulate stem cell therapy in The Bahamas. 
The following statement was issued by Fred Mitchell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the statements by the Leader of the Opposition Hubert Minnis, claiming that there was a cover up of the investigation into the abuse of Cuban detainees. (See story above with Dr. Minnis’ remarks.)
STATEMENT BY FRED MITCHELL MP
