Compiled, edited and constructed by Russell Dames Updated every Sunday at 2 p.m.
Volume 2 © BahamasUncensored.Com
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| PHOTO OF THE WEEK - A most glorious time was had by all. The Roman Catholic Church has come of age with the consecration of its new cathedral in the heart of old Nassau. The St. Francis Xavier Cathedral has been reincarnated in the form of a beautiful edifice designed by Bahamian architect Bruce LaFleur and built by Bahamian builders from money raised in The Bahamas. It was the crowning achievement of Archbishop Lawrence Burke, the Jamaican who came to The Bahamas two decades ago following the retirement of the American Paul Leonard Hagarty who had led the diocese and invested its funds in the education of young Bahamians rather than buildings. Archbishop Burke leaves The Bahamas to return to his native Jamaica where he will take up new duties but in addition to the legacy of an expansive building programme, he leaves behind a diocese that is now headed by an Archbishop instead of a Bishop and now has its first Bahamian born head of the church. The Catholic community has a lot to be proud about. That is why we chose this picture by the photographer Peter Ramsay, who himself is a Roman Catholic, as our photo of the week. The service of consecration took place on Wednesday 31st March. |
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
FAREWELL TO ARCHBISHOP BURKE
The
new Cathedral Church of St. Francis Xavier, the seat of the Roman Catholic
Archbishop is a magnificent structure. It gives you a feeling of
‘Wow!’ when you enter it. It is a Bahamian work of art. It
gives you the feeling that it is a labour of love and sacrifice. It gives
you the feeling that it will endure. It gives you the feeling that
within its walls will come much that is positive and good and loving, and
much of which we can all be proud.
Roman Catholicism in The Bahamas has always been in the ceremonial sense of the spare variety. Traditionally that is the way it has been. The buildings of Roman Catholic churches in The Bahamas were not every elaborate. They were consistent with the missionary image of a church that was established here in the late nineteenth century, with a hostile establishment comfortably ensconced in Anglicanism and Methodism. The blacks preferred the Baptists. The Romans seemed to have made the decision to tackle the outsiders and embrace them, pouring their money into education, rather than buildings. They used the Benedictine monks of Minnesota to push their programme forward, and it worked. Today, Roman Catholics outnumber Anglicans in the population. The Roman Catholic Church’s success appears in retrospect to be tied to its American origins and the increasing influence of American power in The Bahamas as the British influence faded and fades.
It has now also joined the modern Bahamas in terms of its ceremonies, its buildings, its services. The service for the consecration on Wednesday 31st March was over three hours long. Roman Catholic Services are usually short and to the point. One supposes it’s the market competition in the church sphere, where every other denomination engages in these long ceremonies. The building programme began in earnest under the present Archbishop Lawrence Burke who came to The Bahamas 23 years ago following the work of Paul Leonard Hagarty. Bishop Hagarty spent his summers roaming across the United States finding monies to help to keep the diocese going. He invested the money in the expanding the school system in which the Roman Catholics had invested. He encouraged American priests to come to The Bahamas to help expand the work of the diocese.
With the coming of Lawrence Burke, a surprise choice when Bahamian Monsignor Preston Moss turned down the job, things began to change. The then Bishop Burke was from Jamaica. That was an immediate break with the past. He was a Caribbean man. He was the first non white to head the diocese. He started to take a stand on issues of social justice, rather than embrace the establishment. Sometimes that ran him afoul of the Pindling administration which when he came here was at the height of its power and authority. In some quarters, the Roman Church was sometimes perceived as anti PLP. But the work of the church prevailed.
The schools expanded under Bishop Burke. The church started
investing in the training of adults, in social justice. That brought
the building of the Emmaus Centre. He started to look at attracting
the local clergy, Bahamianizing it. The first wave of Bahamian priests
couldn’t take the celibacy it appears and but for Monsignor Preston Moss
all dropped out. Archbishop Burke ordained married men to the diaconate
of the church to help where priests were not available. He even appealed
to the Pope to allow married men to be ordained as priests to help alleviate
the shortage. That was not to be. In the last years, the diocese
was upgraded to that headed by an Archbishop. He began a building
programme of new churches in earnest. The parish churches of St.
Anselm's, St. Joseph's, Sacred Heart in New Providence, in Long Island
he built a brand new church as well, and now the cathedral in Nassau. 
The
mark of distinction in this programme of building was that after a century
of development of the Catholic community here, this was a home grown effort.
According to the Archbishop some 6 million dollars is invested in this
cathedral. If you look at the fact that the building will last 200
years or more, that translates into a rent of 300,000 per year in 2004
dollars. That is well worth the price.
The service of consecration is a dress rehearsal for the ordination of the new Bahamian born Archbishop who on 4th May will so quickly take over following his being named as Auxiliary Bishop. No one knows what has happened behind the scenes. But what is clear is that Archbishop Burke's work in The Bahamas is now finished and what a great 23 years it has been. The new Archbishop Patrick Pinder will take over in the shadow of a huge legacy. The ordination of the new Archbishop will be another time of celebration. Archbishop Burke's farewell homily was punctuated by applause like it was a political rally. The faithful were cheered and they cheered. As he walked away from the platform with the words “Amen” and “Amen” in ringing in the ears of the faithful, they applauded again. He has done a good job and we wish him well having run a good race and having kept the faith. God bless him and all his faithful in The Bahamas. You may click here for a Peter Ramsay photo essay of the consecration.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 3rd April 2004 at midnight: 44,596.
Number of hits for the month of March ending on Wednesday 31st March 2004 at midnight: 246,705.
Number of hits for the month of April ending Saturday 3rd April 2004 at midnight: 13,482.
Number of hits for the year 2004 up to Saturday 3rd April 2004 at midnight: 685,624.
WHAT
WAS KEOD SMITH THINKING?
On the front page of the Nassau Guardian on Thursday 1st April, readers
in The Bahamas were shocked to see a picture of Ambassador for the Environment
and Member of Parliament for Mt. Moriah Keod Smith displaying a T shirt
that was paid for by the supporters of Samuel ‘Ninety’ Knowles, the convicted
drug trafficker. It was not an April fool's joke. Mr. Smith
took to his feet during question time in the House of Assembly on Wednesday
31st March to defend the demonstration that a group of supporters of Mr.
Knowles had held in Rawson Square during the luncheon break of the House
of Assembly the week before. There was a great deal of consternation
amongst members of the Government over what he did. It was inexplicable
and inexcusable.
The PLP struggles daily with propaganda from its
opponents that it somehow has links with drug traffickers. Only the
week before, a disgraced former attorney had made a similar charge in the
newspaper that caused a stern reaction from Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fred Mitchell. No one knows where Mr. Smith was coming from and he
seemed quite naïve indeed to think that anyone would believe that
what he said was the direction in which he was headed. He came out
with a message that said that the press had not properly represented the
demonstrators and their views. Mr. Smith claimed that what they were
really after was justice, fairness and proper treatment in the Fox Hill
prison and not seeking to stop Mr. Knowles from being extradited to the
United States. He said that persons were still defecating into plastic
sacks at the prison and he wanted to know when the Minister of National
Security was going to do something about it. This is thought by many
to be amongst the most mercurial things that Mr. Smith has done in his
political career.
Mr. Smith does not seem to understand or appreciate
the role he plays as Ambassador, and has been in open conflict as the Prime
Minister's ambassador with the Government. Reported private appeals
to conform have apparently not had any affect. In Freeport recently,
contrary to Government policy, he called for the repeal of the Hawksbill
Creek Agreement Amendment Act. Now he appears in a situation that
is much more serious where he may be lending credence to the assertions
of others that people in the PLP have some kind of agenda for a drug trafficker.
Even in Mr. Smith's purported request though for
prison reform, the people of the country are entitled to ask if he is a
member of the PLP why does he see the need to have to deal with enquiries
on that score in public, since he has access to all the policy makers on
any given day. The calls are for the Prime Minister to act and act
quickly to bring some sense of order back to the situation that many assert
has drifted too far. Whatever the case, it is clear that Mr. Smith
intends to march to his own drum. The other fact of which Mr. Smith
will have to be careful is that as his judgement on these issues gets questioned,
and the PLP becomes more nervous about it, then it is not unknown for such
a person to turn out as a victim of his own political strategy. Isolation
within the PLP can be just as difficult as not having a seat at all. Nassau
Guardian photo of Ambassador Keod Smith MP holding a T-shirt in the House
of Assembly - Patrick Hanna.
FORMER
US AMBASSADOR REBUFFED
We have said before in this column that the former Ambassador to The Bahamas
from the United States J. Richard Blankenship just seems to love to see
his name in the press. The latest message was apparently unable to
get into the mainstream press so it showed up in that slimy rag called
The Punch with some strange words, which The Punch claimed were representative
of the views of the United States Government. The article appeared
on Thursday 1st April. Perhaps it was an April fool’s joke, but you really
have to be scraping the bottom of the barrel when you give an interview
to The Punch. The publisher of The Punch apparently has no scruples
and so will publish anything to sell newspapers. No one takes issue
with him who appears to be a person without conscience or any patriotism
or personal sensitivity. What one would have to take issue with,
is a former Ambassador of a distinguished country like the United States
not realizing that he is not the Ambassador and that he does not speak
for his country but makes comments that seem designed to destabilize Bahamian
public opinion by words suggesting that he does.
The twice weekly rag sheet carried a story in which
Mr. Blankenship claimed that the Ambassador is still the Ambassador since
according to the story his resignation was never accepted by U.S. President
George Bush. The story said that the Ambassador had recommended last
year that The Bahamas be decertified by the U.S. government as an anti-drug
co-operating country because the government refused to follow his advice
to appoint a drug czar. The story said that he was going to Washington
and again ask for the country to be decertified if within one week the
Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell did not sign the order for the extradition
of Samuel ‘Ninety’ Knowles.
The Bahamas Government had no comment on the matter
but the U.S. Government’s response was swift. It said that Mr. Blankenship
is no longer the Ambassador to this country from the United States.
They said he does not speak for the United States or represent their interest.
They also said that the positions espoused by him in the newspaper piece
were not the views of the United States Government.
There is of course one caveat. The Punch is
a newspaper that is not to be believed. One can’t be sure that The
Punch didn’t simply make the whole thing up. But so far, there has
been no denial by the putative subject of the article. Even given
the outspokenness of the former Ambassador these comments seem a little
beyond the pale. File photo of ex-ambassador J. Richard Blankenship.
DAYLIGHT
SAVING TIME
The Bahamas like much of the North American hemisphere
switched to Eastern Daylight Time as of 2 a.m. 4th April. This time
is one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time. All clocks in this realm
should have been turned ahead one hour as at 2 a.m. Fooling with the time
is a foolish thing. Our view is that the clocks should be left where
they are all year long. But there it is, until the last weekend in
October.
LNG
PIPELINE TO BE APPROVED?
This must be called the week that was of startling headlines. The
Nassau Guardian claimed in a headline and front page story on Tuesday 30th
March GOVT. LNG OK IMMINENT. The headline came following a statement
that the Nassau Guardian said was made on Thursday 25th March by the Minister
for Trade and Industry who is superintending the process. The newspaper
quoted Mr. Miller as saying that he was certain that one of the three companies
vying for a licence from The Bahamas would be given the go ahead within
14 days. No word from the Ambassador for the Environment on the question.
The environmentalists themselves appear to be mute.
This is a remarkable development for projects that
in our view should not be allowed in the Bahamas. The Bahamas environment
should not be sullied, nor its tourist reputation made to suffer because
of the presence of these pipelines in our country. But the press
is apparently on from the commercial sector, from the need for jobs, from
the United States and more particularly from the state of Florida that
needs the natural gas.
Two contenders for the pipeline licence are Tractabel
and AEC Corporation. The Tractabel project would go in the Freeport
Harbour. The AES project would mean pipelines built between Florida
and Ocean Cay, part of the Bimini chain. The nationalists in The
Bahamas say that the Government in granting permission to put a pipeline
to the U.S. is in fact sealing the fate of the sovereignty of the country
by giving the U.S. an excuse to invade the country if the gas stops flowing.
Stan
Burnside's 'Sideburns' caricature from the Nassau Guardian of 31st March.
FREEPORT
COUNCILLOR TO MOVE THE COURT
Marva Moxey, the Freeport Chief Councillor, (pictured) has this column
has learned at last decided to take the matter into court. She should
have done so long ago. If this is indeed correct, the court should
rule two things. One is that the Minister of Local Government has
no jurisdiction to determine what goes on in the Freeport Council.
The second is that the seats of the members of the Council who did not
attend three consecutive meetings are in fact vacant and that fresh elections
have to be held for those seats. We will see what the Courts have
to say. This issue has gone on for much too long.
This week the Freeport News was again at it in its
editorial with the newspaper claiming that the Administrator in Freeport
has issued a letter saying that the Chief Councillor could no longer authorize
purchase orders. How he got the jurisdiction to do that is another
story. He has no such jurisdiction. The fact is that the law
on these matters changed in 1996 to give local people some greater say
over their lives. The central government has no right and should
not interfere with these limited rights. We believe that Ms. Moxey
should be left alone to govern until her mandate from the people expires.
Certainly no PLP should have any interest in helping to get FNMs to keep
their seats in the Freeport Council. If they lose them, too bad.
MISUNDERSTANDING
FOREIGN POLICY
That wise sage of the newspaper business Oswald Brown (pictured) is back
at it again. He is in the Nassau Guardian in his weekly column that
appeared on Friday 2nd April (too late for April Fool’s day) suggesting
that Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell has the guts to take steps to publicly
dare the United States but Prime Minister Perry Christie would not follow
the advice. This is part of a persistent campaign of disinformation
by him and other sources in the media.
The fact is that the person who is the Chief Architect of Foreign policy
is the Prime Minister but the person who is charged with the responsibility
for executing it is the Foreign Minister. He is also the Prime Minister’s
chief advisor on Foreign Policy. This then means team work. The
country's foreign policy team of Prime Minister Christie and Foreign Minister
Mitchell is shown at right.
To suggest that Mr. Mitchell would seek to put this
country at risk is a silly suggestion, and one that has been made over
and over again by his political enemies but on each occasion it has proven
to be at best a gross misstatement of the facts and in fact an outright
lie. It is time for this to cease and desist and realize that this
country has its most talented team yet in the Foreign Affairs arena and
that they have charted the course of this country through some pretty tough
times during this past twenty four months in office.
THE
AMBASSADOR RETURNS TO HAITI
Ambassador Eugene Newry has landed back in Haiti
after an absence of just over a month. He returned to the post on
Friday 2nd April. The events surrounding the departure of President
Jean Bertrand Aristide of are now fading into memory. The former
President from his exile in Jamaica has filed suit against the United States
and French officials for forcing him out of the country. It is not
known where President Aristide will ultimately go when his time is up in
Jamaica. Ambassador Newry was preceded in the return to his post
by Vice Consul Anthony Williams and a police detective from the Royal Bahamas
Police Force. A police detective also travelled with Ambassador Newry
and his wife. Ambassador Newry, left, is shown in this photo with
Prime Minister Perry Christie.
SIDNEY
STUBBS MP DECLARED A BANKRUPT
PLP backbencher Sidney Stubbs (pictured) is in trouble again. This
time the trouble can be serious. The Tribune reported that on Tuesday
30th March, Justice Jeanne Thompson declared Mr. Stubbs bankrupt.
Mr. Stubbs has since told the media that he had in fact discharged the
debt but they had not yet caught up with the facts.
Under the constitution, if you are declared a bankrupt
you are to cease performing your duties as a Member of Parliament.
You have 30 days in which to appeal, and this may be extended by the Speaker
up to 150 days and then after that by the House of Assembly. If all
appeals fail, then you must vacate your seat.
Mr. Stubbs also told The Tribune that he had contracted
the debt on behalf of the PLP. This was immediately dismissed as
nonsense by an unnamed source. The source that is close to the PLP
said that when you sign a note, unless on the face of it the documents
say that you are signing this as a trustee, the debt is legally your obligation.
Many argue that Mr. Stubbs is trying to muddy the water in his attempt
to sully the name of the PLP because of his troubles after being dismissed
as Chair of the Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Corporation (BAIC).
The Tribune was called by Earlin Williams, who has
also had his contract with the government terminated. Mr. Williams
has begun a full scale campaign to discredit the PLP and Government Ministers.
Mr. Stubbs continues to have a close association with him.
PLPs got a hint of the problem facing Mr. Stubbs
when he was served with a civil process at a public meeting in Nassau held
by the Banking Select Committee of the House of which he is a part. The
law says that a civil process cannot be served within the precincts of
the House and the question some ask is whether or not service in that Committee
meeting was the precincts of the House. It appears that it is not
since the meeting was held at the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers
Union hall. But what concerned many PLPs is why someone would raise
a technical irregularity in the face of a looming serious problem.
The public reports do not do well for the PLP and
some are arguing that it is time that something is done to deal with Sidney
Stubbs and the embarrassment that he is causing the party and the country.
This story was contributed by our special correspondent
from Marsh Harbour. Since this matter went to press, the Free National
Movement issued a statement calling for the resignation of Sidney Stubbs.
While, we cannot excuse the situation that has occurred, it is very curious
that the FNM leaps on this. Somehow we think that lurking in the
background is the defeated candidate for Holy Cross in the 2002 elections
Carl Bethel, who is now the Chair of the FNM and looking for a billet.
The FNM would want to accomplish by the backdoor what they could not do
by the front door in the General Election. The FNM getting into the
fray only causes the PLP now to harden its position and resist the question
of a resignation simply because the FNM is asking for it. -- Editor
BERNARD
NOTTAGE REPORTS ON ANTIGUA
Dr. Bernard Nottage, the leader of the Coalition
for Democratic Reform (CDR), an extra parliamentary political party, was
the Government’s representative as a Caricom observer for elections in
Antigua on 23rd March. Dr. Nottage came back and hosted a press conference
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He briefed the press on the issues
that he thought were significant in the election that saw the Bird dynasty
in Antigua defeated for the first time in almost a generation.
The whole matter of why Dr. Nottage was chosen has
titillated the politically wise in the country. The pundits have
had a field day. The Prime Minister fed the speculation when on his
departure for St. Kitts on Wednesday 24th March, he said that he thought
that Dr. Nottage had a contribution to make and that as a former Parliamentarian
he thought it was the right thing to be inclusive. He said that if
Dr. Nottage had not accepted he would have chosen Algernon Allen, the former
Marathon MP (FNM) as the substitute.
The speculation is that the Prime Minister will
act to bring Dr. Nottage back to the PLP by choosing him as a Senator to
replace the vacant seat of former Senator Edison Key. Dr. Nottage
would not be drawn into that discussion saying only that he took the matter
as it was presented, and that he had no discussion about a Senate seat
with the Prime Minister. He said he had not been signalled by the
Prime Minister on the issue. The tongues got to wagging even further
when a picture showed up in the press with Dr. Nottage being congratulated
for serving by the Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell. Photo - Bahamas
Information Services
THE
SPELLING BEE CHAMPION
Joeanne Salise of St. Georges High School in Freeport
is to represent The Bahamas for a second time at the E.W. Howard Scripps
Spelling Bee championships with spellers all around the world. This
is the second consecutive time that Ms. Salise who is 14 years old will
travel to Washington D.C. with her coach Desiree Forbes. Congratulations
were offered for a job well done by the Minister of Education Alfred Sears
to the schoolgirl and her coach. Do well!
FOOTNOTE
TO HISTORY
The BEC Management and Union have come to the end
of a bitter dispute, with all sides smiling in the press and signing off
on a new contract on Thursday 1st April. This was no April Fool’s
Day joke. Congratulations to Vincent Peet, the Minister of Labour
for a job well done indeed! Tribune photo.
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
Kudos from Costa...
Hi, I can't wait to get to my office on Monday
mornings to read BahamasUncensored. I especially look forward to
reading about what my neighbor, for most of my life, Fred (I know him as
Audley) Mitchell is doing. Our backdoors in Centreville were facing
each other. It's no surprise that he's doing such a wonderful
job representing The Bahamas government; he's always been brilliant.
I hope one day that he would be Prime Minister of The Bahamas. Of
course I grew up in the Valley playing ‘rounders’ with Perry Christie.
Coming from Centreville, Eighth Terrace, I am one of the original Valley
Girls. I am now living in Columbus, Ohio. To Fred Mitchell,
keep up the great work! Thank you BahamasUncensored.
Sandra Wood Costa
SUPER
VALUE EXPANDS
Bahamian food store magnate Rupert 'Junior' Roberts
held a gala opening for the new expansion of his foodstore on West Bay
Street at Westridge. Mr. Roberts welcomed Mrs. Bernadette Christie,
wife of the Prime Minister, who cut the ribbon. Photo by Peter
Ramsay.
MP VISITS
WITH MISS FOX HILL HOPEFULS
The Fox Hill Festival Committee is preparing to stage a Miss Fox Hill Beauty
Pageant as part of its special celebrations this year for the 170th anniversary
of the abolition of slavery. Member of Parliament for Fox Hill the
Honourable Fred Mitchell is shown with the contestants during a rehearsal
at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Jan Davis.
Last Sunday 28 March, the newly elected Fox Hill
Festival Committee attended services at St. Paul's Baptist Church in Fox
Hill. The Committee is pictured with the Member of Parliament Fred
Mitchell and the Pastor of St. Paul's the Reverend Dr. J. Carl Rahming.
Not pictured is Committee Chair Jacinta Higgs. The Committee is planning
several special events for this year's Fox Hill Day celebrations, including
the hosting of special guests from China, Africa and the United Nations.
THIS
WEEK WITH THE PM
Prime Minister Christie and Mrs. Christie were among
the throngs who gathered for the consecration of St. Francis Xaviers Roman
Catholic Cathedral. They are seen sharing the greeting of peace with one
of the many congregants during the service.
The Prime Minister also this week, was presented with a copy of the book
'The Empty Ocean' by author Eleanor Philip. As we went to upload,
Mr. Christie was on his way to Grand Bahama for the launch of BaTelCo's
new GSM cell phone system. He was also expected to meet with various
Grand Bahama leaders.
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| PHOTO OF THE WEEK - Today is Easter Sunday. This is by far the most glorious time of the year in The Bahamas. It does not have the melancholy feeling of Christmas with its oppressive demand for a festive feeling, and the excessive emphasis on commercialism and gift giving. This is a time for new suits and shoes for boys and white dresses for girls. It is certainly the most religious time of year for Bahamians. The Friday before Easter is public holiday Good Friday and that caps the week of religious services starting the Sunday before with Palm Sunday. The Monday after Easter is also a public holiday, the start of the swimming season for Bahamians. Before that Bahamians complain that the water is too cold. It suddenly warms up on the day after Easter. The emphasis all week is on fish eating, and the docks have had deluge of customers. Our photo of the week is by Bahama Journal photographer Omar Barr of Bahamians flocking to the docks to buy fish for eating on Good Friday 9th April 2004. |
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
THE TROUBLES OF SIDNEY STUBBS
(A special contributed by our Grand Bahama correspondent)
Chairman
of the Progressive Liberal Party Raynard Rigby issued a statement published
on Thursday 8th April. In it he said that the bankruptcy of a Member
of Parliament was a matter at the most personal level. (Click
here for last week’s story on Sidney Stubbs.) Mr. Rigby said
that the PLP was watching the situation and that it had been assured by
Sidney Stubbs that the debt had been paid. He added that the FNM
could not lecture the PLP on the need for Sidney Stubbs’ resignation when
it was a party riddled with deceit and scandals itself. And so that
for now is the PLP's position. You may click
here for the full statement of the Chair.
The Free National Movement as an Opposition party is plainly hopeless. If the PLP had been the Opposition, its spokesmen would have been dancing up and down, pushing cajoling and elucidating for the public what the position ought to be on the subject. Instead, we have this tame call for a resignation by FNM Leader Tommy Turnquest, whose party does not seem to have an appreciation for the law. The fact is that while a declaration of bankruptcy can cause a resignation, a resignation is not required for the Member of Parliament to lose his seat. This is a lack of knowledge that the FNM apparently shares with Mr. Stubbs himself and his spokesman Earlin Williams who both seemed to think also that a resignation is required. The constitution says that if you are declared bankrupt, you shall vacate the seat. Bottom line, no resignation is required.
It would be most unfortunate if a bye election has to be held. The country can ill afford it, and the PLP should not have to be distracted by the holding of any election with much work still to do. Mr. Stubbs should never have put his party in this position. Mr. Stubbs has publicly and - it appears from the press - privately assured his party that a bye-election will not be necessary in that he has paid off the debt.
Some bankruptcy experts say that it is not as easy as all that; that it appears that the constitution requires that an appeal be open to the Member of Parliament after he has been declared a bankrupt and if it is not then the seat is to be vacated. One hopes that an appeal is filed quickly so as to defend his position, and if the party is not to be led into unnecessary expense prematurely. The experts say that the bankruptcy law is filled with all kinds of pitfalls and procedural difficulties, and it should be followed strictly. It might be that an act of bankruptcy was not extant, that a procedural flaw exists, and if the sub stratum is not there, then the bankruptcy should fail.
One thing that could help this situation is if Mr. Stubbs and his so called spokesman Earlin Williams would keep their mouths shut. They seem to be their own worst enemies, with Mr. Stubbs displaying what seems to be martyrs or victims complex, which the country simply will not buy. Neither does it buy the conspiracy theory that the FNM plotted his downfall.
The fact is that there is a debt which was unacknowledged and unpaid, and that on the face of it grounded the action. It is not in keeping with the status of an honourable man for him to have the arguments cluttered with the disinformation that the debt was for someone else and in particular to appear to turn on his own party, giving the wrong impression that his party abandoned him. Attorney Wayne Munroe for the judgment debtor Gina Gonzales said that he doubted very much that this was a PLP debt. It is simply not wise or becoming to spread that kind of propaganda. One should take the medicine.
That said, the PLP appears for the moment to have risen to extend its protection to its errant and difficult member. Mr. Stubbs ought to appreciate the value of the gesture. That is what a party does, that is part of what it is there for, to rise to protect its own when there is a problem perceived against the whole. He does a great disservice to a great organization if that is forgotten. Just as easily as it protects you, if you behave in particular way, it can eat you up or leave you to your own devices to sink or swim on your own. In this case, it is clear that without that support life would be more difficult. Discretion should therefore be the better part of valour. We hope that all who have ears to hear will hear.
And so the country waits to see how this unfolds. The hapless FNM will no doubt be beating the drum, seeking inspiration from the courage of others. The PLP watches and waits. And as for Sidney Stubbs we hope he heeds the advice, keeps his head down, his mouth shut and let his lawyers do what they do best.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 10th April 2004 at midnight: 59,257
Number of hits for the month of April up to Saturday 10th April 2004 at midnight: 72,739.
Number of hits for the year 2004 up to Saturday 10th April 2004 at midnight: 744,881.
CENTRAL
BANK GOVERNOR BREAKS OUT
The right wing Nassau Institute cosponsored a symposium in Nassau on Monday
4th April. Central Bank Governor Julian Francis (pictured in this
Bahama Journal photo) addressed the seminar on the topic THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE
AND THE NEED FOR REFORM. The speech had some interesting remarks
which will cause some discomfort within the Government. They touch
and concern some sacred cows: the policy of Bahamianization and the policy
of the Cabinet making decisions on investments.
On Cabinet Decision Making
For a long time, there has been pubic criticism
of the Government's decision making on foreign investment and on licencing
decisions for Bahamians. The cry has been in some quarters that the
fault is the Bahamian Public Service with its excessive reliance on paper
work and references and cross checking.
From Pindling to Ingraham to Christie each Prime
Minister has sought to address the issue by bringing the decision making
into the Cabinet on the theory that the smaller the group of people who
have to deal with it the better and the quicker. But what has tended
to happen in each Government is the criticism that the Government itself
is involving itself in too much minutia. The feeling has emerged
in the sector that the public service is being unfairly blamed for a problem
which is political in nature. It also means that often if a politician
does not like a particular person then personal considerations might get
in the way of a good investment decision. But no one who is a senior
public official has ever voiced the concern before.
Now the Governor of the Central Bank in his address
has called for the decision making on investments to be taken away from
the Cabinet and given to an administrative body. While this appears
on the face of it to be attractive, the fact is that ultimately there has
to be someone politically accountable to the country for an investment
coming into The Bahamas.
The idea of the Governor of the Central Bank should
not be dismissed out of hand but perhaps a modification of the idea with
a subcommittee of the Cabinet as opposed to an administrative body alone.
There should also be time limits imposed in law so that the decisions can
be made quickly. Mr. Francis is sure to get flak from attacking this
sacred cow but we are sure he is used to it.
Mr. Francis said: “I am not at all certain that
the strict [control] of this area by the Bahamas Cabinet is the most efficient
way of managing investment in the economy.”
On The Need For Foreign Labour
In earlier addresses, Mr. Francis also attacked
the monopoly of the Bahamas Bar Association. He believes that foreign
lawyers ought to be able to practice freely in the Bahamian market.
This he argues is in line with the global practice around the world.
The President of the Bar Wayne Munroe has taken
issue with Mr. Francis’ call saying that right now it is possible for lawyers
from other countries to come into The Bahamas if their clients require
their services. Mr. Francis went further in his address this time
and said: “We do need to consider seriously the benefits in terms of the
costs of this input [labour] to our economic product and the benefits derived
from permitting a free flow of labour from the outside.”
Our Comments
This is sure to bring howls of protest within the
country. We agree with much of what Mr. Francis wants to achieve.
The slowness of decision making and the criticism of how slow the decision
making is, finds resonance throughout the investment community. But
given the size of the country, there is a natural in built caution which
people have when agreeing to let persons come from outside their country
into the country. Further in the matter of labour, the PLP having
come to power as a nationalist Government directly opposed to the FNM’s
wholesale acceptance that the only way to advance the country is by embracing
foreign labour, is now faced with the extraordinary fact that if the economy
expands the way the PLP expects, there will be a serious labour shortage
within the country within one year.
Right now some employers are finding that at a given
price they are unable to find Bahamians who are willing to work and willing
to go to a new place of work if it is not within the confines of Freeport
or Nassau. Much therefore has to be done in terms of worker education
and training, if The Bahamas is going to keep its people employed.
What Mr. Francis does not seem to acknowledge or
recognize is that we will have a social explosion if this economy expands
and for whatever reason, the true true Bahamians are left out of the economic
equation. That is a recipe for economic disaster.
SECURITIES
COMMISSION MAN JOINS IN
Hilary Deveaux is the Acting Executive Director of the Securities Commission.
Mr. Deveaux (pictured in this Bahama Journal photo) was a guest speaker
at the symposium sponsored by the right wing think tank the Nassau Institute
on Wednesday 4th April. He has joined the Governor of the Central
Bank in attacking another sacred cow. This one is whether or not
certain sectors of the Bahamian economy will be reserved for Bahamians.
Mr. Deveaux believes that The Bahamas ought to open
up economic sectors now reserved for Bahamians only. He believes
that if we fail to do so this, it would mean a loss of competitiveness
against other jurisdictions. Mr. Deveaux is also the chair of the
Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) services negotiating group.
He said: “There has to be a review of this policy if The Bahamas is to
remain competitive with other jurisdictions. If services are inefficient,
the final product is not efficient and The Bahamas will lose market share.”
Our Comments
For a long time, this and its predecessor column
has been urging successive governments to rethink the entire policy of
reserving segments of the economy for Bahamians. This works a particular
hardship where Bahamians do not have the money to establish businesses
and what it does is it prevents new young Bahamians from going into business
and simply protects the market shares built up by the existing Bahamian
businesses.
We have to design a policy which allows Bahamians
to access capital from abroad with a view to allowing younger Bahamians
to go into business. Both the comments of Mr. Deveaux and Governor
of the Central Bank Julian Francis find considerable sympathy amongst young
Bahamians. It is clear to many of them that the existing policies
have now to some extent to be consigned to the past if the younger Bahamian
is going to get the break that he or she deserves.
HAITIANS
WARNED BY THE POLICE
A remarkable warning was issued by the police and
published in The Tribune this past week. Superintendent Hulan Hanna
who is the spokesman for the police to the press gave a warning to Haitians
in The Bahamas who were walking on the streets alone. He said that
it appeared that they were being targeted for robberies. He also
said that they should ensure that they change their patterns of walking
on the streets to work so as to avoid being harassed and attacked.
This is a serious matter.
One wonders whether or not the Government has formally
been advised that Bahamians are making Haitians a target for robberies.
If so, then there must be a more concerted effort including public education
to stop it. It cannot be said anywhere that Bahamians condone this
sort of action against any nationality living in our country, particularly
a group that is so vital to the success of our economy whether we want
to recognize it or not. A woman police officer holds back Antoinette
Baptiste, the daughter of Tony Baptiste, murdered in Sunlight Village this
past week. Nassau Guardian photo by Letisha Henderson.
A
NEW MISS BAHAMAS UNIVERSE
Raquel Horton is the new Miss Bahamas Universe. She will represent
The Bahamas when the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant is held later in the
year. Ms. Horton pictured in this Nassau Guardian photo on Monday
5th April won the prize over 11 other contestants. The win was not
without the usual controversy and cries of cheating. Some people
felt that the first runner up in the contest Leslia Miller should have
won because she was said to have answered her question much better than
Ms. Horton.
The Nassau Guardian responded in an editorial that
the people of The Bahamas ought to recognize that someone has to win and
someone loses. This is all the more so in something as subjective
as “beauty contests”. The point is the women enter the contest knowing
the rules, and though the losses can be heartbreaking, the decision of
the judges should be accepted as final. The same thing occurred in
Junkanoo this year. In our national life, we need to accept that
in some things the decision of the judges is final. Ms. Horton
in victory (top); waiting for word with runner-up Leslia Miller at right.
Nassau Guardian photos by Donald Knowles.
FNM
CALLS FOR STUBBS RESIGNATION
After days of stony silence and after The Tribune led the way, the Free
National Movement finally came to life to call for the resignation of PLP
MP Sidney Stubbs, ever the carpetbaggers of issues, they and their leader
were busy lecturing the PLP on how the PLP was silent on the issue and
how it was important for the PLP to move swiftly to deal with the issue.
With the FNM entering the picture, this gave further credence to the assertion
by Sidney Stubbs that the matter was one which was pushed by FNM ideologues.
We do not subscribe necessarily to conspiracy theories but it is easy to
see how he can make a case for that. No doubt there is lurking in
the background Carl Bethel, the Chairman of the Party and defeated by Mr.
Stubbs in the last election, anxious to get the seat back that he lost
in an open contest, only through the back door. You may click
here for the full text of the FNM’s statement. Bahama Journal
photo of Tommy Turnquest at news conference by Omar Barr.
SIDNEY
STUBBS MP IN HIS OWN WORDS
There is an old Bahamian saying: “Shut mouth catch no fly”. It appears
that this is an adage that does not apply to the Member of Parliament for
Holy Cross Sidney Stubbs, who under the constitution and having been declared
a bankrupt must cease to perform the duties of a Member of Parliament.
Mr. Stubbs is defiant in his own defence. We thought that we should
share with you his thoughts in his own words as reported in the Nassau
Guardian on Saturday 11th April:
“What I am trying to do right now is to clear
my name. I am not bankrupt. Everybody in this country has debts.
I have a mortgage which I am servicing, and so that is my right.
Every Bahamian, as far as I know, has some loan that they are paying off.
That is the way societies are built. I was servicing my debt, but
that does not mean that I am bankrupt.
“The debt owed to Gina Gonzales has been settled.
The money to pay off the loan came from my investment account. My
attorneys had the funds from last week Wednesday (31st March) and since
the bankruptcy order was perfected, the money had to be paid through a
court appointed trustee. [He was declared bankrupt by the court on
Tuesday 30th March]
“A friend of mine then paid his money to liquidate
the Gonzales debt and also the debt from her lawyers, but my attorneys
were holding my banker’s draft, drawn on my investment account at Fidelity
Bank and Trust, Frederick Street, where I have always had an investment
account…
“I am clearing my name, which is my right.
So no man or woman, no boy or girl, will cause Sidney Stubbs to do that,
which is not in Sidney Stubbs’ best interest. So Tommy Turnquest
(FNM Leader) who has had all kinds of questions levied against me should
not be the one to ask for my resignation…
“I am a good man…
[On his time as Chair of the Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Corporation]
“I never victimized anyone while I was executive
chairman of BAIC, I was a creature of instruction. Sidney Stubbs
never fired anyone. Sidney Stubbs was simply carrying out an instruction,
an order. I could have cared less whether someone was hire or fired.
I was purely a creature of instruction. If you check the BAIC Act,
my instructions came from above.
“I did not set out on any given day to fire anyone.
I kept quiet on that, but I will not be tagged in this country as a victimizer.
I did not do it and those who instructed me, they know that I did not fire
those people myself.”
THE
CONSTITUTION AND BANKRUPTCY
We thought that it would be interesting to display
here the provisions of the constitution of The Bahamas on the question
of bankruptcy. A bankrupt is disqualified from running for the House
of Assembly. When you are adjudged bankrupt you are to vacate your
seat unless you have an appeal open to you. We lay out the relevant
terns of the constitution of The Bahamas on the subject below:
49.-(1) Every member of the Housed of
Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House-
...(2) If circumstances such as are referred to in sub-paragraph
(1) (e) of this Article arise because any member of the House is
under sentence of death or imprisonment, declared bankrupt, adjudged to
be of unsound mind or convicted of an offence relating to elections and
it is open to the member to appeal against the decision (either with the
leave of a court or other authority or without such leave), he shall forthwith
cease to perform his functions as a member of the House but, subject to
paragraph (3) of this Article, he shall not vacate his seat until the expiration
of a period of thirty days thereafter:
Provided that the Speaker may, at the request
of the member, from time to time extend that period for further periods
of thirty days to enable the member to pursue an appeal against the decision,
so, however, that extensions of time exceeding in the aggregate one hundred
and fifty days shall not be given without the approval, signified by resolution,
of the House of Assembly.
(3) If, on the determination of any appeal, such
circumstances continue to exist and no further appeal is open to the member,
or if, by reason of the expiration of any period for entering an appeal
or notice thereof or the refusal of leave to appeal or for any other reason,
it ceases to be open to the member to appeal, he shall forthwith vacate
his seat.
(4) If at any time before the member vacates
his seat such circumstances as aforesaid cease to exist, his seat shall
not become vacant on the expiration of the period referred to in paragraph
(2) of this Article and he may resume the performance of his functions
as a member of the House.
KUDOS
TO THE FINANCIAL SERVICES MINISTRY
On Thursday 8th April, ZNS TV news did an excellent
special news story on the new Ministry of Financial Services and Investments.
The Ministry has now moved into its new premises in the Goodman’s Bay Corporate
Centre. This is a fitting place for a Financial Services Ministry.
Having its own quarters will allow the Prime Minister to have use of his
office on Cable Beach.
But what people viewing the report thought was interesting
about the special was the great array of obviously keen, bright young people
who have the prime job of putting together the investment proposals for
the country and attracting investment to the country. We think it speaks
well for us and we wish them and their Minister Allyson Maynard Gibson
(pictured) well. The story and the faces made a good impression.
WORLD
HEALTH DAY
Minister of Transport Glenys Hanna Martin has been
involved in an active campaign with the Ministry of Health to try to bring
to the attention of the Bahamian public the need to lessen the number of
traffic deaths in The Bahamas. This year’s World Health Day theme
was that of reducing the death toll by road traffic accidents. Too
many people are killed in The Bahamas result of traffic accidents.
We suspect that part of it has to do with speeding and the laxity of enforcing
laws on drinking. There is also inadequate driver education and enforcement
of the rules of the road generally. The country does not put a high
premium on the enforcement of the rules. We support the campaign,
and in particular ask for stricter enforcement of the rules against drinking.
One word to the Government here, the Associated Press reported on Monday
5th April that Ghana was able to reduce the road traffic deaths in the
country by 35 per cent as result of the increased use of speed bumps in
their streets. Minister Hanna Martin is pictured laying a wreath
to victims of a traffic accident in this Nassau Guardian photo by Letisha
Henderson.
EASTER
MESSAGE FROM FOX HILL MP
The Member of Parliament for the Fox Hill constituency
has sent a message to all of the people of Fox Hill to be read at churches
throughout the constituency on Easter Sunday. We thought we would
share the letter with you:
I hope that this glorious Easter finds you and
your congregation in the best of health. I want to take this opportunity
to let you know how pleased I am about the work of the Fox Hill Festival
Committee.
Fresh Elections were held and a new team is in
place. This year is the 170th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery.
That makes this a special festival year. To mark the occasion, the
Director General of the United Nations’ Education Social Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) will visit Fox Hill with Ambassador to UNESCO, Sidney Poitier
for a luncheon address on 21st May 2004. More will be announced about
this.
The Festival is to take place this year, beginning
30th July and ending 10th August. There is an activity planned for
each day. It will be a continuous event. The Executive Council
of the Committee includes: Charles Johnson, Eric Wilmott, Paula Tynes,
Jan Davis, Gwendolyn Pratt and Rev. Carl Rahming. A Freeport Committee
of Fox Hillians has also been formed and chaired by Wellington “Doc” Stewart.
A Miss Fox Hill Emancipation Pageant will be
held on 25th April 2004 at the Grand Hotel, Paradise Island. The
contestants are:
1. Yvrose Ava Valcin 2. Leshanda McPhee 3. Kristania Bastian 4.
Lashanda Clarke 5. Shekeitra Lightbourne 6. Dashanique Poitier 7. Alexis
Bethel 8. Janiska Davis
Please lend as much support as you can for all
of these events.
I wish to say that plans for the Community Centre
are progressing and I hope to start construction in October 2004.
Pastor Carrington Pinder of St. Mark’s and Benjamin Rahming of Tom’s Radiator
are the Co-chairmen of that committee. Please lend them your support.
Finally, it is left for me to thank you and the
congregation for all of your hard work and dedication to the community
and to our country. I am proud to represent you in the House of Assembly.
May God bless you all!
Yours sincerely,
Fred Mitchell
THE
EXTRADITION ORDERS ARE SIGNED
The Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas reported
on its newscast of Good Friday 9th April that Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fred Mitchell who is the minister responsible for extraditions signed the
warrants of surrender for Samuel ‘Ninety’ Knowles and Frank Cartwright.
Both men were wanted by the United States on a number of drug charges.
The Privy Council made the final decision in the matter on 11th February.
Mr. Cartwright was taken to the United States to
face trial. According to ZNS, Mr. Cartwright was taken by U.S. officials
on Friday 9th April and landed in Florida on the same day where he is in
a U.S. Federal Correctional facility. ZNS reported that Mr. Knowles’
immediate extradition has been prohibited by a court in The Bahamas because
there is a further action pending.
The Corporation also quoted a press statement from
the U.S. Embassy in Nassau saying that Mr. Cartwright would get a fair
trial in the United States. There are many Bahamians who do not believe
that it is possible for the two men to get a fair trial. There were
public demonstrations before the Parliament in Nassau calling for the Government
to free Mr. Knowles.
DR.
CONROY WILLIAMS DIES
A memorial service was held for Conroy Williams
at Holy Trinity Anglican Church on Saturday 10th April. Dr. Williams
died shortly after being conferred with his PH D in Counselor Education
at the University of Central Florida. He also held a BA in Sociology/Administrative
Studies from University of Western Ontario and a Masters in Counseling
from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Springfield, Missouri,
and a Masters of Science in Education from the University of Nebraska at
Kearny. He was a personable young man, well liked by his contemporaries
and all those who knew him. He was a great example to his country
and to young Bahamian male leadership. 'Tis passing sad that he has
died and all his talent is lost to our country. He was 33 years old
at the time of his death.
WELLINGTON
'BRITELY' FERGUSON DIES
We express condolences on the passing of Wellington
"Britely" Ferguson. Though best known for running a great restaurant
in the Bain Town area, he was also a well known Race Track man and fought
to the end for the rights of race track men. He was also a die-hard
FNM. You need people like that to make the political system work.
He ran unsuccessfully for the Bain Town seat for the FNM. He was
never fully rewarded for that faithfulness during their time but he stuck
with them to the end. Mr. Ferguson's body was laid out in the FNM
headquarters and viewed by FNM Leader Tommy Turnquest who issued a statement
marking his passing. We mark his passing too and say well done.
God bless until we meet again!
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
The Nassau Institute
I'd like to know your opinion of the small but
vocal group of Bahamians known as the Nassau Institute. I have yet
to see from Bahamas any contra opinion to their preaching but I have to
say - from my perspective in Canada - that articles like the one in (this)
link: http://www.nassauinstitute.org/wmview.php?ArtID=412
plus many others from this organization are full of b.s. These Bahamians
would be given zero credibility in my country and I don't understand why
they continuously trash us. Are they trying to stir up bad relations
between Bahamas and Canada or what?
Bill Cara
Few people take the Nassau Institute seriously in
The Bahamas. We ignore them. They are a right wing think tank,
a mixture of racists and other ideologues who would turn back the clock.
One of them likes the idea of going to the Lyford Cay Club every morning
and regaling his rich friends with stories of how he told off the Bahamian
Government. They are like the Pharisees and Sadducees. Much
too self-righteous. But in our country, since they have no impact,
everyone says what's the harm in printing foolishness which people simply
ignore? Recently though we find that the US Embassy seems to be pushing
their agenda. Hmm! Ed.
The Consequences Of The Gay Debate!
A letter writer who used to be a resident of Exuma
and does not want their name reported wrote the following about the debate
on same sex marriages in The Bahamas:
ZNS Television news was carrying a story on Thursday
8th April. They were reviewing a discussion by leaders of the Christian
Council on same sex marriages. Overlaying the footage as the story
was being reported were scenes of men and men and women with women in intimate
details. Doesn’t anyone see that one of the, I guess, unintended
consequences of this whole debate in The Bahamas by people who brought
this up is to promote the exact thing that everyone is trying to stop?
THE
R. C. LEADER ON SAME SEX MARRIAGES
The Roman Catholic Archbishop Lawrence Burke leaves
The Bahamas to take up a new assignment as the Archbishop of Kingston,
Jamaica. The new Archbishop of The Bahamas is the first local man
in the job Patrick Pinder. Archbishop Burke gave a farewell interview
to Jeff Lloyd on Love 97 FM. He spoke inter alia about same sex marriages.
Here is what he had to say in his own words:
“The position of the church is very clear.
We have to have a pastoral approach to people who have a homosexual orientation.
This orientation itself is not sinful, it is not something that people
are responsible for, this is the way they are, and we don’t want to be
judgmental on such people. But just as there is a law about how a heterosexual
practices sexual activity in their life, and there are do’s and don’ts
in this area, and so for the homosexual we also have do’s and don’ts.
One of the things the church is clear on is that people are free to form
unions but do those unions have to be recognized as marriages?
“This is the crux of the matter. It seems
to me that all of the great religions of the world subscribe to the fact
that a marriage is between a man and a woman because they follow the natural
law. Natural law says that the procreation and the extension of the human
race can only happen when there is a union between a man and woman.
Now many of our homosexual friends would say that procreation is not of
the essence of marriage, that in fact it is only a mutual love and support.
“Well, the Catholic Church is very clear that
even if a man and a woman approach the church for marriage and they say
we’re going to get married but children are totally out of this union,
as far as the Catholic Church is concerned that marriage is null and void.
And that is one of the questions we ask people when they are preparing
for marriage. Marriage in our point of view must be open to life.
“Now I said Natural law has one thing to say
about the human race – it has to be between man and woman. Now when
we get to the Revelation as Christians we see that in the very beginning
in Genesis when Adam was looking for a suitable partner and they paraded
all the animals etc, when Eve the woman was created, he said now at last
I have someone who is a suitable partner for me. And throughout scriptures
even when we talk about the relationship between God and his church it’s
always a male/female relationship.
“In Isaiah and Jeremiah we talk about the unfaithful
wife, the spouse and in St. Paul’s letters we talk about the marriage between
a man and a woman is like the relationship between Christ and the Church;
and on the other hand nowhere in scripture is a homosexual relationship
celebrated; it’s always mentioned negatively, saying it is wrong whenever
we refer to that scripture. So from Revelations point of view this
will not be accepted.
JEFF LLOYD: Would you criticize Parliament if it decides to legislate same sex unions?
ARCHBISHOP: Absolutely, I would criticize Parliament because I don’t know what would be served by doing this. If people are concerned about inheritance we can have laws that might allow someone who is living with a homosexual partner to inherit from them. One would have to look at all the different laws when people are asking to have equal rights, but this would not make a marriage.
“One of the things that’s happening is that maybe
it will be necessary to separate marriage as a legal entity and marriage
as a sacramental nature. This needs to be explored. But as
we understand marriage now, marriage has to be open to life and it has
to be between a man and a woman.”
THIS
WEEK WITH THE PM
Prime Minister Christie and Mrs. Christie attended
a private function in Nassau this week, where the PM met up with sporting
legend Muhammed Ali. The PM is seen trading punches with the boxing
great in this Bahama Journal photo by Omar Barr.
 |
| PHOTO OF THE WEEK - What a piece of work is man. That is a line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Indeed! That must have been the thought in the minds of many who sat in the funeral service of attorney and former Senator Reginald Lobosky. Mr. Lobosky died at the age of 71 (see biography below) after battles with a long series of illnesses. He left his mark as a former politician, one of the last of the United Bahamian Party and he left his mark latterly as an attorney in labour law and as a civic activist. He was an outstanding Bahamian. As a former Senator he was entitled to a state recognized funeral. His funeral service was held at St. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in the presence of the Archbishop Elect Patrick Pinder. His remains are interred in the cemetery at the Ebenezer Methodist Church. This picture of the interment by Peter Ramsay is our photo of the week. |
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
JUST WAITING FOR THE MOMENT
The economy is just about to turn around. We are just waiting.
They are waiting in the parks, in the architects’ offices, on the construction
sites and in the lawyer’s offices. They are waiting in the cabinet
makers workshops, the tile layers are also waiting. The boys on the
blocks are waiting. The women sewing at home are waiting. They
are all waiting for the economy to turn around. Most of all, the
politicians are waiting and hoping. Their very political lives depend
on the economy turning around.
The news in the air is that the tourism sector has performed very well during the past season. Now it is time to expand to prepare for an even bigger season, and the project across the water at Paradise Island must get going and soon, if there is to be any dent in the sad unemployment statistics. The community of Exuma is now alive and kicking because of the hotel Four Seasons. Exuma is unrecognizable as it goes into the frenetic season of regatta number 51. Everyone has an eye to the economy. Our ears hear that the U.S. economy is turning around. We expect our turn to come soon. Soon too it will be political season in The Bahamas.
The PLP is in the curious position of having no natural enemies about which it needs to be concerned. All of its natural predators appear to be under control. What it does have to fear, however, is its ability to inflict damage on itself. The fact that there is no visible threat does not mean that there is not a nascent threat. That threat is based on the 40 per cent who do not support the PLP whatever happens, and the twenty per cent over which the PLP and the FNM fought during the last general election. It is to this latter group, their hearts and minds that the appeal went out to nationalism and to save the country. It was their forgiveness that was sought when it was said that this was not their father’s PLP, that the perceived ways of the Pindling administration would not be practiced under a new PLP administration if given a chance.
And so it is to that gallery that we ought to be playing as the PLP seeks to deal with the issue of Sidney Stubbs. The party seeks to protect its own but it must not be foolish or an ostrich with its head in the sand. Even within its own ranks there are people who know right from wrong, and have a sense of discomfort and unease when it does not respond as it should. They may be silent but they are there can help to build that nascent dissent that can lead to a new majority. When it is time to let a fellow go, it should be done, swiftly cleanly and without rancour.
One has only to look back at why Hubert Ingraham was so successful against the old PLP. He was able to break out from under that sub culture of protectionism: a see no, hear no evil view that was incestuous and caused the party to lose focus on the rot that existed within, hearing only its own voices and lulling itself to sleep at the pat of the hands on its own backs. This should never be allowed to happen again.
It’s the economy stupid! Yes indeed. After people have their very basic needs fulfilled, they start to turn to quality of life issues, and to issues of self esteem and their own sense of what is right and wrong. The political party that represents them must reflect that. So one must be very careful indeed not to forget that lesson.
The Government has signed almost two billion dollars in investment projects. We are all waiting for them to come online, just one in New Providence would get this economy hopping. All of the complaints that you hear on the road about indecisiveness, within the party about not making decisions, and about PLPs not getting pieces of the pie would disappear with an economy that is hopping again. It has been the singular preoccupation of the Prime Minister since he came to office.
Budget time is coming soon. At the end of May the Prime Minister as Minister of Finance will go down to the House of Assembly and read to the nation how he plans to raise money and what he plans to spend over the next year. The Central Bank says that it will not be a pretty picture, and behind the scenes will no doubt be suggesting that there be further cutbacks and that there ought to be tax increases.
But three years of public sector hiring freezes has sent out a negative signal to the country, that there is lack of confidence in our own ability to move forward. It is time for it to be considered, the pressure is enormous from the people who are looking for work. But the talk is, just give it 12 months, the economy will be hopping and no one will be talking about joining the public sector.
So we sum it all up. Fix the economy, play to the middle. Keep the enemies at bay. Learn and remember the lessons of the past. That should be a formula for continued success. We are simply waiting. We are certain the PLP is up to the task.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 17th April 2004 at midnight: 52,847.
Number of hits for the month of April up to Saturday 17th April 2004 at midnight: 125,586.
Number of hits for the year 2004 up to Saturday 17th April 2004 at midnight: 797,728.
REGINALD
LOBOSKY DIES
The day that Reginald Lobosky died was Easter Sunday. The priest
who gave the homily at his funeral on Friday 16th April saw some significance
in that. He portrayed Reginald Lobosky as a religious man.
Few would have known it or guessed it. He was rough and tumble.
He led the fight. His former partner Sir Geoffrey Johnstone eulogized
him. He said that Reginald Lobosky had said to him that after his
last bout of illness, he had prayed to God and promised him that if he
spared his life, he would serve him, like he had never served him before.
It may account then for what appeared to be the softening of his positions
in life.
In the year 2002, when at the height of the dispute
with City Markets over the unionizing of that company he quit as the company’s
lawyer, some were concerned. But he told his friends that he quit
because he did not agree with the position that City Market had sought
to put. That was a strange move but one which many on the other side
appreciated and in death which came to be seen as an important fact about
him.
When 'Reg' Lobosky served in the Senate, he was
Chairman of the United Bahamian Party. The party was known for being
the white man’s party in a Black man’s country. Yet he defended the
party in the difficult circumstances of the PLP being at the height of
its power. He was unrelenting and withering. So unrelenting
was he that he came up against the leaders of his own party, with them
threatening to remove him from the party. He served his last year
in the Senate as an independent.
In 1972, Mr. Lobosky left The Bahamas with his wife
and went to the United Kingdom, they both studied law, returning to the
country in 1977. It was in the practice of law that he really
distinguished himself and found himself, developing the expertise in labour
law, and a particular expertise in keeping unions out of companies.
He had a dispute with his law firm Higgs and Johnson, and was forced to
move on first to his own firm, and then amalgamating with Harry B. Sands
and Co. where he became the managing partner. During that time, he
was hit with a series of illnesses, a lifetime of smoking cigarettes, long
hours without proper nutrition took its toll. The workaholic in him
brought him first to heart bypass surgery, then to kidney transplant, accepting
a kidney from his wife Sarah.
Reginald Lobosky became a civic activist.
He worked with the Chamber of Commerce as its President. He was once
head of the Bahamas Confederation of Employers. He headed the Civil
Society Consultation group of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he
opposed The Bahamas’ participation in the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas,
the Caribbean Single Market and Economy and only grudgingly accepted the
World Trade Organization.
Mr. Lobosky came from a complex social, racial background
in The Bahamas, being from that group of racially mixed people who were
most comfortable with the world of the white Bahamian and considered by
the black world in The Bahamas to be part of the white world. But
as he came to the end of his life, he seemed to be more comfortable with
even those facts. His great friend was Napoleon McPhee, an African
Bahamian, whom he described as like a father to him and when Mr. McPhee
died he was profoundly moved by the death.
The state gave what is called state recognized funeral,
with policemen, flag and national anthem. The Governor General, the
Prime Minister and the Cabinet all attended. His colleagues in the
law were all there. His former Parliamentary and political colleagues
came. May he rest in peace! Widow Sarah Lobosky is pictured
receiving the ceremonial flag from her husband's funeral from Prime Minister
Perry Christie.
A
CALL AGAINST ARMS
Chief Superintendent Marvin Dames spoke to a Rotary meeting on Thursday
15th April about something that has been obvious for years in The Bahamas.
The statistics are shocking nonetheless. He reported that of the
50 homicides in The Bahamas last year, 48 per cent of them were committed
with guns. Of the 735 armed robberies last year, 650 were committed
with guns. In a country of 300,000 people, that is too much.
Mr. Dames said that there is a need for the police
force and the wider community to get on top of this problem. Mr.
Dames said: “The police can go into some of these communities and
arrest a young man for possession of drugs and somewhere next to him is
an assortment of ammunition. So he is selling the drugs and the ammunition
and it’s a problem.”
On the international front, Caribbean countries
have been trying to push the United States that is the source of the guns
coming into Caribbean countries to do something about the firearms flooding
the Caribbean. But instead of helping, the United States seems to
try to pile on further problems by threats to the countries on drug issues
and on other means tests which cause further stresses on the Caribbean
societies.
What is clear is that The Bahamas government needs
to take seriously what Superintendent Dames has said and so do the Bahamian
people. No doubt the Deputy Prime Minister already has this information
and is working assiduously toward some kind of special measures to deal
with this.
EVENTS
IN HAITI
Ambassador Eugene Newry Mrs. Françoise Newry
returned to The Bahamas on Sunday 18th April, following what is reported
to have been an attempted armed robbery near the Haitian public market
in Port-au-Prince on Saturday 17th April at approximately 1:40 p.m. during
a shopping trip by Mrs. Newry. The Ambassador was not with her at the time.
Mrs. Newry and her Bahamian security aide Royal Bahamas Force Sgt. Michelet
Meronard were slightly wounded. The Prime Minister of The Bahamas the Rt.
Hon. Perry Christie was informed of this incident as soon as the news was
received in The Bahamas.
Medical attention was received in Haiti. Although
the injuries to Mrs. Newry and the security aide are not serious, in the
circumstances, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said that it was
felt that a return to The Bahamas was appropriate given that the Ambassador
was due to return home for consultations in any event. The incident is
being investigated fully by the Haitian and Bahamian authorities. The U.S.,
Canadian and French Ambassadors in Port-au-Prince have also been informed.
The spokesman said that Dr. Newry is to remain in
The Bahamas having now completed his diplomatic and security review of
the situation in Haiti. He will provide a report to The Bahamas government.
According to the Ministry, the Prime Minister of
Haiti Gerard La Tortue in a call to Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell late
on Saturday 17th April has expressed his deep regret and sympathy to the
Prime Minister and people of The Bahamas about the incident and has promised
that the matter will be fully investigated and The Bahamas Ambassador’s
security increased. As a precaution, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
has also recalled Second Secretary Anthony Williams and his wife, Vice
Consul Michelle Williams.
A BRUTAL
MURDER
On Tuesday 13th April, the country woke up to the shocking news of the
death of Jermaine Thompson formerly of Monastery Park in New Providence
and latterly of Abaco. Mr. Thompson was found in ignominious circumstances,
having been missing for only three or so days. He was found in what
Bahamians call a Blue Hole or also known as an Ocean Hole. These
are natural holes in the limestone shell of The Bahamas that lead to the
ocean. They are a source of tourist fascination, and often
a swimming point for local people. But in this Blue Hole in Abaco
was found Mr. Thompson’s body. Somebody or some bodies had gone to
a great deal of trouble to get the body there.
The body had started to decompose when it was discovered
by two tourists come to see the Blue Hole on Easter Sunday. According
to the press, the head and much of the body was wrapped in duct tape, which
strapped the arms to the sides and the legs together. The body was
bound with a chain fastened by a large lock and weighted by a cement block
tied to the legs with a rope. All of that did not prevent the body
from being found. Once the body was retrieved, it was found with
dog bites all over the body. It appears that the person was killed
by attack dogs and then dumped into the Blue Hole.
The police questioned two persons in custody.
They have now charged Abaco man Ian Knowles (right, in photo) with the
murder. His picture was shown by The Tribune from The Abaconian by
David Ralph. This matter is reminiscent of another murder in Abaco
that went unsolved when the former head of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation
in Abaco left his home to answer a call, and never returned home.
His body was burnt beyond immediate recognition and the murderer was never
found.
MITCHELL
AT SIMEON HALL’S CHURCH
Minister of Foreign Affairs and The Public Service
Fred Mitchell is to do a reprise of his appearance in the pulpit of a church.
He was invited on African Heritage Sunday today at the New Covenant Baptist
Church of Bishop Simeon Hall. This is sure to raise some eyebrows,
Bishop Hall being a known supporter of the Free National Movement.
The Minister will speak to the congregation on the role of The Bahamas
in international affairs. You may click
here for the stories around his first address in Altadena, California at
the Methodist church there in January 2003. You may click
here for his address earlier today.
NINETY
EXTRADITION - FOOLISHNESS IN THE PUNCH
The newspapers all got the news after the Easter
Holiday was over. As reported on this site last week, Foreign Minister
Fred Mitchell signed the order for extradition of Samuel ‘Ninety’ Knowles
and Frank Cartwright just before the Easter weekend. Mr. Cartwright
was immediately extradited to the United States. Mr. Knowles is still
in The Bahamas awaiting the disposition of a court on his latest application,
based on the allegation that he will not get a fair trial within the United
States of America. There is some considerable sentiment in the country
that the United States is being a bully and should not be allowed to have
Mr. Knowles.
Bahamians have to be careful that they do not support
the drug culture as part of this society simply because that drug man is
able to mobilize money and influence friends through that money.
It undermines the meritocracy that the country needs to survive and it
undermines the moral fabric of the society, not to mention the work ethic.
Mr. Knowles should go, and no tears should be shed about it.
The low grade gutter press, led by The Punch has
been running a rear guard action against the Government on this matter.
The newspaper keeps trying to insinuate that there is something untoward
in the way that this matter has progress through the courts and to extradition.
Nothing is untoward about the matter save and except the perverse mind
of the Editor of The Punch.
CASSIUS
STUART THROWS DOWN THE GAUNTLET
In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Caesar makes the comment as he looked at
Cassius, one of the progenitors of the murder conspiracy against Julius
Caesar and says: “Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look”. It comes
to mind as it now appears that Mr. Stuart has thrown down the gauntlet
to the PLP. For years, his friends within the PLP have been seeking
to persuade Mr. Stuart and his partner Mr. Smith that it is in the best
interests of both of them to join the PLP. They have refused.
Mr. Stuart’s latest effort is to make the statement
that both PLP and the FNM, have not properly disclosed or complied with
the Public Disclosure Act and its regulations. He claimed that no
Member of Parliament has properly disclosed in law for the past two years.
That is patently false. Quite apart from the untruth of it, one wonders
what political game he and his partner are up to. The matter has
no traction at all, and they become just another headline that is grabbed
on a slow news day. The way the legislation is written, the person
who activates complaints in matters against Members of Parliament are the
Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister responded that it was good for
persons such as Mr. Stuart to keep the society reminded of the obligations
of leaders. But that’s fine, if all one wants to do is remain
on the fringes.
Mr. Stuart was at it again as he spoke to the Bahama
Journal about the success or lack thereof of the PLP on its second anniversary
as a Government. He was quoted on Friday 16th April as saying: “What
is needed in the PLP administration is leadership. It is a forgone
conclusion that they are not equipped to govern this or any country.
There is no vision in this Government.”
This is now a case of biting the hand that feeds
you. Mr. Stuart clearly does not know where his loyalties should lie.
Since he is content to be a fringe, will not equip himself with a proper
job and profile to be in the mainstream, perhaps the fringes are where
he ought to remain. Mr. Stuart’s latest attempt at a headline grab
is a promise to bring a court action against the Government of the act
is not complied with. Obviously this is a man with nothing better
to do with his time. Prime Minister Christie chats with BDM leaders
outside the House of Assembly last week. BIS photo Peter Ramsay
FALSE
REPORT ON PM
There was a false claim reported in The Tribune
Wednesday 14th April that PLP stalwarts held a meeting with the Prime Minister
and roasted him on performance of the Government. The report was
that a heated meeting took place that angered Stalwart Councillors about
the inability of the Prime Minister to make decisions and of the Government
to deliver for them. This is a constant complaint that simmers below
the surface in the country. The complaint betrays a fundamental disconnect
about the vision of the PLP, which is not to do business as usual but to
try to change the culture around to evidence based decisions, and to make
sure that the benefits are there for everyone as opposed to the tribalism
that was practiced by the Free National Movement.
The PLP went into overdrive on refuting the claims
saying that the meeting that took place was one in which there was a frank
exchange of views but that most people left quite satisfied about the outcome
of the meeting. There was also a report in the newspaper of Saturday
16th April that said that two Members of Parliament Obie Wilchcombe, Minister
of Tourism and Ambassador Keod Smith had an argument at a council meeting
on Thursday 14th April over support for Sidney Stubbs. The Minister
denied the allegation. Clearly, the political onslaught is on against
the PLP. The party does not seem yet to have determined an effective
strategy to deal with these matters.
STUBBS
FILES HIS APPEAL
The Notice of Appeal has been filed by Member of
Parliament Sidney Stubbs to set aside the order in bankruptcy made against
him by Jeanne Thompson, the Justice of the Supreme Court on 30th March.
The appeal is quite tortuous but it is based on the technical view that
rules under the Bankruptcy Act were not promulgated by the Government so
any actions taken under the bankruptcy law are nugatory. Charles
Mackay and Keod Smith MP (PLP Mt. Moriah) are acting for Mr. Stubbs.
Until then, Mr. Stubbs cannot carry out the functions of a Member of Parliament.
If he loses, the appeal he will have to vacate his seat.
PICTURES
OF THE FABULOUS FIVE FROM THE TRIBUNE
The Tribune did a story this week in one of its
feature sections about the progress of the four girls of Mrs. Joanne Pyfrom.
Mrs. Pyfrom gave birth to quadruplets nine years ago. It was then
quite a thrill for Bahamians and for the new mother. But from the
looks of the picture by Steve Taylor, they are still quite a special blessing
from God. The four girls are now students at Queen's College.
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
A German Investor’s Story
A letter writer to this column reacted to a story
in The Tribune of Friday 16th April. Toby Michaels writes:
“The self proclaimed German investor Harold Fuhrmann
was back in press this week or it is more correct to say back in The Tribune,
spouting off his lies and larceny about The Bahamas again. He has
nothing but odium and contempt for The Bahamas, based he claims on some
bad experiences that he had apparently had with Bahamian professionals.
The Tribune keeps him going by reporting his every move. His campaign
of disinformation against The Bahamas has not worked so far so he is now
threatening to shift his public relations campaign against The Bahamas
into higher gear to further embarrass The Bahamas. He has given The
Bahamas Government ten days to comply with his deadline or else.
He can take his deadline and shove it [expletive deleted]. He is
clearly an inveterate racist. But what appears to be the best situation
is for the Bahamas Government to invite him out of this country in handcuffs
and to go back to Germany where everything is fine and the sun shines every
day.”
MINISTER
MILLER VISITS UWI
Minister of Trade & Industry Leslie Miller’s
government travels took him to Jamaica recently and while there he visited
with Bahamian students at the University of the West Indies Mona campus
whom he took to dinner. The photo is are courtesy of Bahamian student
Adrian Cargill. Thanks Adrian. The Minister was accompanied
during the visit on Saturday 17th April by Trade & Industry official
Hank Ferguson.
ON
MUHAMMED ALI
"I was born in the Bahamas, and as a youngster, my Dad and an elderly
neighbour would gather for all of Ali's fights by the radio. They would
tell me stories of Ali and I was drawn in. I remember the fight with Henry
Cooper in England. I was inspired by the way Ali held his ground, despite
all of the racism that existed when he first started to box. That carried
me through when I moved to the U.S. 15 years ago. Whenever I experienced
a bit of racism, I would say to myself, 'How would Mohammed Ali handle
this situation?' It led me to carry myself with dignity, and represent
not only the Bahamas, but black people the world over. Just look at Ali
now. He is respected and loved all over the world by people of all colors.
I just love him and thank God for allowing him to be an inspiration to
me." — Bahamian Philip Brice, Los Angeles [writing in USA Today as a contest
winner -http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/2004-04-16-ali-contest_x.htm
THIS
WEEK WITH THE PM
Prime Minister Christie and Deputy Prime Minister
Pratt, along with other Government Ministers were in Andros this past week,
attending the official opening of a new clinic at Stafford Creek.
 |
| PHOTO OF THE WEEK - The country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs was actually on leave. But he was called back to service on Sunday last 18th April to meet the entire Bahamian diplomatic corps that had been called back to Nassau from Haiti when Francoise Newry, the wife of the Ambassador, was shot along with her Bahamas Police Bodyguard. He was shot in the left calf. She in the right buttock. They were all flesh wounds. Later, the Vice Consul, Anthony Williams received a threat by telephone to his family. The Government decided to withdraw the whole lot immediately by private charter. Unquestionably that was the photo of the week, Mrs. Newry being helped by Chief of Protocol Andrew McKinney shortly after she left the plane at the Nassau International Airport. The BIS photo is by Peter Ramsay. |
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
A CLASS CLOWN
A PERIPATETIC POLITICAL JACK-IN-THE-BOX
He
has been around the political scene from king hatchet was a hammer.
He first emerged as a political presence in around the freedom and justice
campaign of ‘Muscle and Guts’ Edmund Moxey about 1975. Mr. Moxey
represented the area around the Grove during the PLP’s early years.
Black Village from where Mr. Moncur hails is adjacent to the Grove.
Mr. Moxey resigned as a Parliamentary Secretary after his work at developing
his Jumbey Village project; the site of the National Insurance Board today
went unrecognized by his political colleagues. Mr. Moxey either led
or joined the campaign of Rodney Moncur who emerged from Black Village,
a poor and depressed area just to the south of Bain Town. The campaign
was to stop the execution of Errol Dean, who they believed was not rightly
convicted for the murder of a police officer. The campaign failed
but Mr. Moncur and his friend Nicholas Jacques, of Haitian ancestry, had
launched his campaign for national recognition. Together they formed
the Workers Party. He has used it as vehicle for publicity and without
success in getting to the House of Assembly.
That must be going on thirty years ago. Mr. Moncur was and is in a word mercurial. You are never quite sure where he is on any given day on any given issue. That’s the way it has always been. He has had something of the flare for the dramatic. These days his act is wearing a little thin and comes off as exaggerated histrionics.
In 1981, he brought the PLP’s convention to a stop with a demonstration outside the convention. The late Sir Lynden Pindling, someone who was never short of the flair for dramatic himself, stopped the convention and engaged in negotiations with the Workers Party, for it to join the PLP. The event was just another dramatic blip that came to nothing. But one got the impression that Rodney Moncur had accomplished his objective by simply grabbing the headlines.
On another occasion, he was detained by Sir Clifford Darling, then
the Speaker of the House of Assembly for walking up to then Prime Minister
Pindling in the precincts of the House and saying:
“You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting” as an act
of civil disobedience during the last years of the Pindling Administration.
Again, to no real effect but he grabbed a headline.
One thing is certain, sometimes he has been on the right side of an issue, most times not, but definitely he has been able to grab headlines. He has an interesting relationship with the owners of The Tribune. He is the man they love to hate and they also love to entertain his antics in their newspaper. He is good entertainment and it sells newspapers. They also at the same time often condemn what he does. This week there was the example of him being fussed out by Wendall Jones because of irresponsible remarks made on a Love 97 talk show and threatened with expulsion from the radio. The story came from Mr. Moncur himself. Most people would think that such a negative story would be bad for one’s reputation but to Mr. Moncur that was no doubt music to his ears.
There are others like him but he is not really duplicated. Ortland Bodie, from time to time takes the prize for being the class clown, and the fellow who will sell his support to the highest bidder. Earlin Williams, Mr. Moncur’s sometimes comrade has left his side, in pursuit of capitalism. Nicholas Jacques has a real job and is the leader of a real group of people. Cassius Stuart, now leader of the BDM, is more intelligent than many of these people, and in a kind of different class, certainly a different generation. But he risks putting himself in that category of persons doomed to irrelevance if there is not some switching to the centre and soon. Randol Fawkes, made a great contribution early in his life, but near the end of his life had become so mercurial and eccentric that it was only his early years that saved him from being dismissed as irrelevant.
When the PLP lost power, Rodney Moncur seemed to be on their side. He ran for the post of leader of the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union and was defeated. But they gave him the right to represent them on the PLPs National General Council, the governing body of the party. You would have thought that at last he had found room at the centre of politics, a niche from which he could wangle his way into a seat in the Senate or maybe even into the House of Assembly. But it wasn’t long before that mercurial bug took over again, and he was off attacking the PLP, attacking the Union and then he was bounced out. His latest effort to bring down the Presidency of the Union failed miserably and he had largely disappeared from his beloved headlines.
But last week on Monday 19th April, he was back with a vengeance. After trying desperately around town to peddle his extreme views on Haiti, and with no one listening, he somehow got Wendall Jones to allow him on to his radio station. And he performed up to standard. He asserted as a fact that the shooting of Francoise Newry, wife of the Bahamian Ambassador to Haiti in Port au Prince market was an assassination attempt. He said that the Newrys should not have gone to Haiti because Mrs. Newry was a distant cousin of ousted President Jean Bertrand Aristide. He said that compromised their independence. Then he said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was responsible for a demonstration by Haitians in support of President Aristide in The Bahamas. The next day the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell denounced him as irresponsible, inflammatory and a liar. He was threatened with expulsion from the radio station’s premises in the middle of the show by its owner if he did not apologize to Pastor Simeon Hall of New Covenant Baptist Church for making an unseemly accusation against Bishop Hall that won’t be repeated here.
But all of that is Rodney Moncur. He had gotten the headlines again, the attention he had been dying for. His views have to become more and more extreme in order to get attention. He has not in this latest episode failed to oblige.
The real act of irresponsibility though must be that of the radio
station for inviting him on in the first place. It is not like the
radio station is not familiar with him, his style and what he would do.
But we have a culture today influenced by The Punch and The Source and
other low life newspapers that encourages this kind of pastiche of exhibitionism
that passes for lobbying on public policy.
There is freedom of speech but it is axiomatic that freedom comes
with responsibility. There is no right to incite violence.
What Mr. Moncur did borders on that.
We can be sure that we have not heard the last of him. No doubt there will come some more extreme histrionics in the not too distant future. But a man, who must be near his fiftieth birthday, if not over fifty, with grown children and probably grandchildren ought to really stop and examine his behaviour to figure out why he is still on the fringes, an irrelevancy and a bit of entertainment in the great political debate. It is sad really because had his activism made the turn to centrist’s actions, he could well have made a great contribution to the public policy of The Bahamas. But to each his own.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 24th April 2004 at midnight: 47,171.
Number of hits for the month of April up to Saturday 24th April 2004 at midnight: 172,757.
Number of hits for the year 2004 up to Saturday 24th April 2004 at midnight: 844,899.
MORE
DEMONSTRATIONS FOR NINETY
On Wednesday 21st April, there were demonstrations again in the public
square seeking to put pressure on the Government with regard to the extradition
of Samuel ‘Ninety’ Knowles.
You should know that the order for surrender of
Mr. Knowles was signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on 7th April.
That order was stayed by the Courts until the hearing of another application
by Mr. Knowles to prevent extradition. Mr. Knowles is charging that
he will not get a fair trail in the United States because of his designation
as a drug kingpin by President George Bush.
The demonstrators are seeking to poison the debate,
however. They say that foreign countries should not try to force
The Bahamas to commit acts that are not in the national interest.
We agree except we believe that it is in the national interest to extradite
Mr. Knowles.
The demonstrators were seen by Prime Minister Perry
Christie who told them that while we all have the right to our point of
view, we must not get carried away by hysteria, and ruin the efficacy of
our arguments because of getting carried away by hysteria. Well said!
Tribune
photo of Prime Minister Perry Christie chatting with demonstrators in Rawson
Square by Dominic Duncombe.
A
FOREIGN MINISTER’S MEETING
Foreign Ministers of the Caricom countries minus
Haiti met in Barbados under the Chairmanship of Dame Billie Miller, Barbados’
Foreign Minister over two days 22nd and 23rd April. This was the
Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR). The agenda was
dominated by Haiti, and the fact that Haiti still remains outside the Councils
of Caricom.
A core group of Heads of Government meet in special
caucus under the Chairmanship of Baldwin Spencer, the new Prime Minister
of Antigua and Barbuda on 4th and 5th May. It is expected then that
the special envoy to Haiti will be approved and that the way forward on
Haiti’s participation in Caricom will be mapped.
WHAT
ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN HAITI
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell made a communication to the
House of Assembly on Wednesday 21st April on the known facts of what happened
in Haiti as regards the shooting of the wife of Ambassador Eugene Newry
and the Royal Bahamas Police Force bodyguard Sgt. Mitchelet Meronard.
In order to do so, the Government had to ask the leave of the House and
its unanimous consent to interpose the communication, since the House was
already in the middle of a debate on the Weights and Measures Bill.
When Brent Symonette, the Opposition’s leader for
House business got to his feet to respond to Government Leader Vincent
Peet's request, he said the Opposition was refusing because there was nothing
new to tell the House, the story already having been told to him by the
Minister (Mr. Symonette is Opposition spokesman on Foreign Affairs) and
further that it had already been aired in the press.
The Member of Parliament for St. Margaret’s Pierre
Dupuch immediately rose and said that he found it incredible that on a
matter of national importance such as the shooting of a Bahamian diplomat's
wife for the first time in the history of the country, the FNM would seek
to block it. Notwithstanding that it had been published in the press,
the Minister had a responsibility to the people by way of the House not
to the press. Mr. Dupuch asked them to rethink their position.
Larry Cartwright, representative for Long Island
and Ragged Island rose to make the same request and statement. The
Minister added that he was leaving that day for Barbados for the meeting
of Foreign Ministers of the Caribbean and that if the FNM maintained its
position the record would show that they were blocking the obligation of
the Government to the House.
An embarrassed FNM, having been put on the defensive
that they were blocking the Minister's responsibility to inform the House
at the earliest opportunity of the matters in Haiti, backed down.
‘Why didn’t you say so?’ was what they seemed to be saying. Mr. Symonette
said that if only he had been told the Minister had to travel, he would
have yielded. That said, the Minister made his communication and
you
may click here for the full story. Oh what a web we weave, when
first we practice to deceive.
A
PERIPATETIC POLITICAL JACK-IN-THE BOX?
The phrase peripatetic political jack-in-the box was one used by Foreign
Minister Fred Mitchell to describe Rodney Moncur. The phrase was
used by the Foreign Minister during his appearance on Love 97’s Issues
of The Day. Some said that they went scrambling to the dictionary
to find out what it meant. The phrase is not one that originates
with the Minister Foreign Affairs. It was first heard by the Bahamian
public during the Pindling administration serving from 1977 to 1982.
Paul Adderley, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Attorney
General, first used the phrase to describe Henry Bostwick who had served
as the Leader of the Opposition for a time after the 1977 General Election.
Mr. Bostwick had been a PLP, an FNM, a BDP, and then an FNM again.
Thus Mr. Adderley’s description of a peripatetic political jack-in-the
box. It means some one who pops up in different political guises
all over the place.
WHAT
SHOULD OUR HAITI STRATEGY BE?
Haiti is not so complicated an issue for The Bahamas
that it is beyond our ability to assist. You have the scaremongers
and the ignorant engaged in public commentary that has injured the cause.
But those who know better must persevere. First, the Haitian issue
is not one that can be solved in the classic sense of the word. It
requires constant management. To that extent Secretary General Kofi
Annan of the United Nations is correct that the international community
abandoned Haiti in its earlier interventions. Mr. Annan has argued
that the UN must be in it for the long term. The country that needs
to learn that lesson most of all is the United States. Its policy
makers have failed to recognize that they committed a most egregious breach
of faith with its Caricom partners over Haiti.
Now that the United States is in Haiti, in its enthusiasm
for the thing to succeed, they are trying to bully an embarrassed Caricom
into accepting a regime that Caricom finds odious and a process that it
finds flawed. Caricom itself must certainly move on because events
in Haiti and the hemisphere are moving on. But we think that it is
incumbent upon the United States to find the way to cut through the thicket
of recriminations and act like the moral power that it is supposed to be.
Perhaps then what The Bahamas policy ought to be
is to act as an honest broker between the harsh judgments of our neighbours
to the south on this issue and the silly recriminations of our neighbours
to the north, and maybe just maybe the Haitian people will be the beneficiaries.
A
MISGUIDED GUARDIAN EDITORIAL
The Nassau Guardian ran an editorial on Thursday
22nd April in under the headline: INFLAMMATORY RHETORIC. The editorial
said that there could be more to the shooting of Francoise Newry than the
Minister of Foreign Affairs is telling the Bahamian people at this time.
It then went on to list that because Mrs. Newry chose not have the bullet
removed in Haiti, because there was a list of dignitaries from Haiti at
the hospital to wish Mrs. Newry well in Haiti and because there was a threatening
phone call and because there was a convoy taking the diplomats to the airport,
no one could believe the Minister’s story.
The Nassau Guardian was giving aid and comfort to
the Rodney Moncur School of conspiracy. Stan Burnside had a cartoon
to support the view on 23rd April 2004. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
immediately issued a statement challenging the Nassau Guardian. You
may click here for the full response
of the Ministry.
THE
DPM SAYS SHE’S LEAVING IN 2007
Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt kind of stunned the nation
when she told the country by way of radio that she had no interest in running
in the 2007 general elections. Whatever she said precisely, the Nassau
Guardian ran a headline that said that she was not running in the 2007
General Election. While, the talk has been going around for some
time, it was still a surprise to hear it first hand and personal.
Here is what the Nassau Guardian reported that Mrs.
Pratt said on the programme Parliament Street on Island FM last Sunday
18th April:
“At present Anthony [Delaney talk show host]
I have no interest. God directs my life, but for me, I have no interest
in running again. In 2007, we don’t know if we are going to be here,
so we have to just take it one day at a time, and if God decides that is
what happens.”
On the question of an appointment as Governor General
here is what she said in her own words:
“Everybody knows except me. I am ready
to serve my country in any capacity. Whatever God wants me to do,
that is what will happen, I am not caught up on whether I am on the hill
or if I am not. It does not matter and my objective is to serve.”
THE
TRIBUNE ATTACKS THE PLP
On Monday 19th April, The Tribune returned to its
old tricks again by attacking the PLP as facilitating drug trafficking
in The Bahamas. They used the excuse of Keod Smith’s unfortunate
intervention in the House of Assembly, which he was warned would be interpreted
as being in favour of drug dealer Samuel ‘Ninety’ Knowles. (Click
here for the story on Keod Smith).
Now comes The Tribune in predictable fashion to
use Mr. Smith’s speech as a launching pad for dredging up history and claiming
that this means that the PLP of today has a pall of facilitating drug trafficking
against it. Only in the minds of The Tribune. The facts speak
otherwise. It is a fact that the largest drug busts have been since
the PLP came back to office. It is a fact that the volume of extradition
requests came under this now PLP administration and they are being dealt
with expeditiously.
The people who are now being prosecuted for drug
offences did so and gained their wealth when the FNM was the Government.
We are not as stupid as The Tribune as to suggest that because Samuel ‘Ninety’
Knowles and Dwight Major and his wife Keva (their extradition case moved
a step closer this week when a magistrate said they have a case to answer)
made their drug wealth under the FNM that the FNM was responsible for it
and that the Government of Mr. Ingraham is drug smeared. Yet that
is what The Tribune’s editorial of Monday 19th April would have us believe.
Hogwash! It won’t wash. It is a lie.
IAN
STRACHAN GETS MARRIED
Perhaps one of the nation’s most eligible bachelors
is now off the market. Ian Strachan, the Ph D playwright, lecturer
and social commentator got married to his beau of some standing LaTasha
Antoinette nee Joseph at Christian Life Church on Sea Breeze Lane on Saturday
17th April. Peter Ramsay was there and recorded the nuptials with
his camera. Congratulations to Ian!
PROBLEMS
WITH BATELCO
For those of you who are living overseas and have
found it difficult to get through to home with the most annoying tones
or some stupid recording saying all circuits are busy, the reason is that
a ship has for the third time cut the cable between The Bahamas and the
U.S. near Freeport. The telephone company says that the cable ship
won’t reach The Bahamas until Tuesday 27th April. Hmm! That’s
the anniversary of Black Tuesday. Until then good luck with your
phone calls.
ELECTRICITY
SUPPLY NOT TO BE OUTDONE
Notwithstanding BEC's pledge that power cuts will
stop in Nassau, the power outages continue with annoying regularity in
the eastern area of Nassau. Freeport was plunged into darkness by
the Freeport Power Company on the evening of Friday 23rd April, and again
on Saturday all afternoon and into the night of 24th April. No generator
in the Our Lucaya Resort so the whole place was in darkness and no restaurant
service because there was no light in the kitchen. Ah the glories
of life in the third world!
INGRAHAM
COMING BACK
It seems that the politics of The Bahamas proves each day the adage in
politics that the memory of the people is short. Just a few short
years ago; the people of the country threw out Hubert Ingraham and the
Free National Movement because of his bull headedness as he governed the
country. The only opinion that counted was his and he did whatever
he wanted come what may.
Perry Christie, the now Prime Minister came to office
with the promise that before making decisions he would consult widely to
get a sense of where the country was at any particular moment. Now
the chorus of disapproval comes that he takes too long to make decisions
and that the PLP is doing nothing. The Prime Minister himself had
enough when he denounced the people making silly comments about this from
silly minds.
Hubert Ingraham’s memory too is short. He
is now trying to base a comeback on the talk going around town during mid
term blues that nothing is being done. People simply don’t want to
see what is being done we think. Shane Gibson’s record in housing
has already outstripped the FNM’s entire time in office. (Minister
Gibson is shown accepting the joy of a new owner of Government housing
in this Bahama Journal photo by Omar Barr). The FNM wanted to make
an issue of the PLP’s first 18 months in office and how often the Senate
met. They had to drop the issue when they discovered that the FNM
convened the Senate less than the PLP during its first 18 months in office.
But then again some people don’t let the facts interfere with a good story.
The word is that Mr. Ingraham is actively campaigning to come back as leader.
The word is that Tommy Turnquest will step aside for him. If he does,
that will be a silly decision. Why would a comfortable, retired man
want to come back take the abuse that goes with his attempt that is almost
certainly bound to fail?
According to The Tribune, Mr. Ingraham caused a
stir by the words which follow as reported by The Tribune (no doubt it
caused a stir in the boardroom of The Tribune where they can just see the
dollars rolling in) to the Grand Bahama Association of Administrative Professionals
(formerly secretaries) at the Crown Plaza Gold Resort and Casino on Thursday
22 April 2004:
“Now I am listening. And some people say
I’m not talking enough. Perhaps one day I’ll get it right.
The welfare and betterment of The Bahamas remains my obsession, my only
obsession. And so I say as long as those who are in, advance The
Bahamas and all its people, people like me, who are out, will be comfortable
with our station in life. I say no more today.”
Give it a rest! P. ‘Shuteye’ Dorsett ran a
cartoon on Saturday 24th April in the Bahama Journal with an interesting
and funny angle on Mr. Ingraham’s situation.
HENRY
BOSTWICK WRITES
The former President of the Senate and former Leader
of the Opposition J. Henry Bostwick has written a letter to the press condemning
any possible decision in favour of the various proposals by AES, Tractabel,
and El Paso to build a gas pipeline from The Bahamas to Florida.
It mirrors our sentiments exactly and we publish an excerpt from his letter
that first appeared in The Tribune on Monday 19th April:
“Put very simply The Bahamas has nothing to gain
from this devilish scheme, and without seeming to be melodramatic such
an undertaking places Our Bahamas at the most perilous and unthinkable
risks. Hurricanes, floods, droughts, famines and other forms of pestilence
may fade away. The doom that this devilishness forebodes for us is
irreversible and damnable.
“It must not happen. It cannot happen.
“Our Bahamas, given to us in trust, must be handed
down to our succeeding generations no less habitable and beautiful than
it was when we inherited it --- clean and pristine.”
BASIL
JOHNSON – EX RAF DIES
Every year, Basil Johnson sold poppies for the men and women of the British
Legion. It had become something of a quaint anachronism in later
years, but the sacrifice of time and effort was important. He had
made a pledge along with many other Bahamians, not to forget the men and
women who had died during the Second World War, his comrades at arms.
He had seen action over Europe during the war in an R.A.F. aircraft.
He made it out alive. Others did not. He had fought for freedom.
They died for it and their sacrifices could not be forgotten. He
defended the British Empire and the freedom that it gave him. He
would never forget his colleagues that paid the ultimate price. Every
year, he would come to the cenotaph on Parliament Street and lead the intonation:
“We Will Remember Them.”
Basil Johnson joined the RAF in 1941. He returned
to The Bahamas with a British wife and raised a family of four children.
He was a man of great bearing and strong convictions. He started
the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union, led it for five years beginning in
1958. He was a strong churchman; a regular figure until recently
at St. Agnes Anglican Church in Grant Town where he and his whole family
went to church from he was a child. He was the quintessential gentleman,
a ladies man when he was younger, and certainly cut a dashing figure well
into his older years.
The Johnsons are related to the Mitchells (as in
Fred Mitchells). The Mitchells lived in Bain Town. The Johnsons
in Grants Town. The mothers of the two families were Weeches, and
were sisters. The two sets of children were more like brothers and
sisters.
Basil Johnson, RAF man, an old soldier faded away
and left this mortal life into the next on Wednesday 21st April after a
long battle with prostate cancer. He was 84 years old. We will
never forget him. He is survived by his son Ivan, the publisher and
editor of The Punch; daughters Felicity, Janet and Jill. His wife
Eunice predeceased him.
CONDOLENCES
Condolences to Greg Stuart of North Eleuthera on
the death of his seven month son. This is an unspeakable tragedy and loss.
We mourn with him. Prime Minister Perry Christie and Mrs. Christie
attended the funeral on Saturday 24th April.
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
This week, we feature a short, but to-the-point
letter from a writer signed as ‘Conrad’, who takes issue with a
disgruntled German investor.
German Jerk
Should anyone take anything seriously what this
German jerk has to say? ... The Bahamas was a world class destination for
investors before him and will be one after him!
THIS
WEEK WITH THE PM
Among the photo opportunities this week with Prime
Minister Perry Christie were the opening of a new Government Housing Subdivision
with Minister of Housing & National Insurance Shane Gibson and a major
address by Mr. Christie to a conference of the International Labour Organisation
(ILO) being hosted in The Bahamas by Minister of Labour and Immigration
Vincent Peet. BIS Photos by Peter Ramsay.
