Compiled, edited and constructed by Russell Dames... Updated every Sunday at 2 p.m.
Volume 10 © BahamasUncensored.com 2013
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AN OUTREACH IN THE MIDDLE EAST: Fred Mitchell, the Foreign Minister, was in the capital of Qatar last week from 21stMay to 23rd May. While there he was the guest of the government of Qatar at the annual Doha Forum co-sponsored with the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). The forum discussed trends on enriching the economies of the Middle East but its formulations on entrepreneurship, on youth unemployment, on security, on the digital divide, were all of general application. More importantly it was yet another opportunity sponsored by a Middle Eastern government with friendly relations with the west to sponsor The Bahamas and its own outreach for capital to an area where wealth is vast and some of it looking for a safe harbor. Our photo of the week then is that of the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the Doha Forum with the Qatari Ambassador to Washington. The two held talks about Bahamian Qatari relations and promised that diplomatic relations would soon be established between the two countries.
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COMMENT OF THE WEEK
The wise man built his house upon the rock…
The foolish man built his house upon the sand..
And the rain came tumbling down…
So build your house upon the Lord Jesus Christ…
Just before the rush hour traffic was beginning in Nassau, the Met Office, issued a weather alert for the northern Bahamas, covering Abaco, Grand Bahama, New Providence, the Berry’s and Bimini on Tuesday 21st May. There would be severe thunderstorms and lashing rain and it was likely to last until 9 p.m. of so the warning said. The reality was worse than that.
The rain did not stop until the next morning. While there was some rain in parts of those other islands, the thunderstorm, the brunt of the severe weather came in New Providence, where the capital city Nassau is located. It ranged from 16 inches to 8 inches, depending upon who you talked to, and that deluge came down in six hours or so. When one considers that the total annual rainfall for The Bahamas is like 45inches per year, that tells you that a hell of lot of water fell overnight in Nassau. We show some of the pictures of the discomfort, dislocation and damage that the water caused.
The House of Assembly met the next day on Wednesday 22nd May and no doubt there is going to be a full package of rescues designed to help the disadvantaged, many of whom were caught with no insurance and so will have to bear the brunt of replacing furniture, cars, televisions, food, refrigerators, from their own resources already hard pressed by unemployment and low wages.
The floods which left the areas like Pinewood, Yamacraw, Elizabeth Estates, Fox Hill, under three or more feet of water were exacerbated by the fact there was a spring tide and so there was simply no place for the water to go. The water had largely receded by the next day, with the population now to pick up the pieces. The old people in The Bahamas say: “ When it’s not one thing, it’s the next”.
The tendency of the human mind in these conditions is to see the worst and to get extremely overwrought and overwhelmed. Talking to many of the victims, they spoke in apocalyptic terms, like the world was coming to an end. Plenty of talk about these being the last days, and how they had never seen anything like this. Of course, that latter statement is true but what is more likely is that they simply do not remember. Sixteen years ago there was a similar cloudburst in the eastern part of New Providence where 12 inches of rain fell overnight ruining people’s homes. No one seemed to remember. No doubt many will be screaming climate change, and while we agree that climate change is an issue, the fact is floods of this nature happened in The Bahamas before over the past one thousand years. People have simply not been around to see or experience them and there is of course no historical record of it.
One only has to know from our geographical and geological history that in 25,000 b c there was an ice age and The Bahamas was a larger land mass than there is today because the waters were frozen around us.
The other issue is how helpless people suddenly become. They begin to see everything wrong, nothing works. They forget that just a few hours before the rains came, they were in the middle of mental angst over the carnage on the streets during the Whit Monday weekend, when many people were shot and four people died. Some rumour about a gang war amongst the Haitian immigrant’s children. The society forgot that it was ringing its hands over that just before the clouds burst.
Bottom line is that life goes on and there is not much you can do to stop the rain, nor the floods, nor the spring tide, nor the sunshine for that matters. But we can do something to stop the mosquitos that will come after the rains. We can fix the damn drains. We can tidy up the place. Those things we have control over. As for the rest, consider the lilies of the field, how they grow.
Number of hits for the week up to Saturday 25th May 2013 up to midnight: 123,297
Number of hits for the month of May up to Saturday 25th May 2013 up to midnight:452,220
Number of hits for the year 2013 up to Saturday 25th May 2013 up to midnight:2,961,102
AND THE RAINS CAME RUMBLING DOWN
These are a sample of the photos shown mainly on Facebook of the effects of the cloud burst over New Providence on the evening of Tuesday 21st May. Some 16 inches of rainfall are said to have fallen overnight in some parts of the island.
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION ON KEMP ROAD
It sounded like everyone knew the story. The video we show below from the newscast certainly reads like a Hollywood novel: bang, bang shoot ‘em up. It was the Whit Monday holiday weekend and it is one of those that the younger ones are not likely to forget. It started out with two dead in Kemp Road and then others shot in Nassau Village. Police men in their dark glasses showed up on the scenes and pronounced for the public what had happened and then said they had gotten their men. The story is going around town that the Zoe Pound Haitian gang is at war with itself. There is no doubt that this is a consequence of the failure of successive Bahamian governments to deal with the issue of immigration. Amongst the issues is the fact that the policy of choice by the Pindling generation of excluding those who were born here from citizenship has left us a disaster in our social life that we at once comprehend but cannot seem to make the leap which is necessary to solve it. Then came the marches in the streets by the village clown Rodney Moncur. His solution is to hang everyone. Never mind the rule of law. One thing about this fellow is that he never lets consistency stand in the way of a political opportunity. So the pictures show him marching in the streets, with the usual irresponsible and inflammatory rhetoric. It will accomplish nothing, save an irritant to the authorities. He seesaws so much that you can’t keep up with him. The day before, he took the sensible position that Bahamians were getting far too agitated about the fact that young Haitians in The Bahamas were celebrating their flag day in the country. He did not stay on point for long. Bottom line though is to repeat what we said here in this space last week: the government must be apoplectic over the apparent failure of the saturation patrols which was supposed to damp down the violence of the type which played out on our streets during the Whit Monday weekend. Maybe, given all the carnage now connected with it, the FNM might have its way and have the holiday removed. Don’t be surprised, this country often acts that way, the way Churchill often said the Americans act, by doing all the wrong things first before finally getting it right.
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(video from Facebook to be added)
DINNER WITH THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR
Fred Mitchell MP, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is shown with the Ambassador to Qatar of Japan at his home. The Minister was hosted to dinner during his recent visit to Qatar on Wednesday 22nd May and on the same day he paid a visit to the TV station Al Jazeera which is owned by the Government of Qatar.
AN UNSEEMLY ATTACK ON LESTER TURNQUEST
At the Doha Forum one of the main items for discussion was how to regulate content on the internet, particularly since there is a propensity for rumours and other destructive chit chat to make its way there with no effective way to shut it down or to demand some accountability. There is no institutional New York Times to go up against and make them fact check or if worse comes to worse to sue. That is what Lester Turnquest, the former Member of Parliament was up against last week, when the brother of his former partner in a financial services company in The Bahamas who was murdered went public with a video posted on YouTube which found its way to Facebook making an accusation of a serious nature against Mr. Turnquest. The man who made the allegation could not do so in The Bahamas where the libel laws are quite strict so he chose to do it in the United States and in a forum where there could be no effective answer. We think that the first thing for Mr. Turnquest to do is to use the mechanisms for controlling abuse on the various pages to have the material taken down. Secondly, it may be wise to make a formal complaint against the individual here in The Bahamas. We have seen how one person has already been charged this year with an intentional libel under the criminal law and this allegation falls into that category. There is a difficulty when a man grieving for his brother goes too far and makes allegations which are unfounded, untrue and smack of being malicious. In fact all the evidence suggests that the deceased while he was alive led an exciting life which may have led to his demise. There was someone tried for the murder and acquitted and at no time was Mr. Turnquest considered even remotely a suspect in the death. To suggest otherwise is simply wicked and malicious. When you go to YouTube, or Facebook it does not stay in the realm of gossip but becomes clothed in legitimacy. It must therefore be stopped dead in its tracks.
RYAN PINDER SPEAKS ABOUT FINANCIAL SERVICES
The apologists at the Chamber of Commerce, had a spokesman from the government that maybe they will listen to. Ryan Pinder, the Minister for Financial Services, spoke to their monthly meeting and used the opportunity to seek the promotion of the expansion of the financial services sector in The Bahamas. Not a moment too soon what with the European Union beginning yet another push to blacklist countries like The Bahamas for being in the financial services business even though the EU’s push is being done with the height of hypocrisy. The British are so hyped about this that their Prime Minister has now ordered all their territories to get with programme or one supposes they will intervene from the imperial parliament to put an end to it. The Bahamas needs to step up to the plate and defend the sector. Tax competition is free trade. People have a right to privacy and the developed world is simply wrong, wrong wrong on this point. Mr. Pinder also took the opportunity to defend the policiesof thegovernment on immigration as progressive. He said that he and the Immigration Ministry were working together to ensure that the policies fit the models that Financial Services as a ministry was seeking to promote.
You can click here for the full statement by Mr. Pinder.
The photo shows Mr. Pinder on the day he spoke with the Chamber. Chamber president Chester Cooper is shown at fourth from left standing next to the Minister.
OPPOSTION PARTY TAKEN LEAVE OF THEIR SENSES?
Opposition Spokesman Hubert Chipman thinks that he is on a good wicket. He went to the press on Thursday 25th May to demand in his words that the government “come clean” on the appointment of Dr. Elliston Rahming to the post of Ambassador to Washington. The question has to be asked: come clean on what? Dr. Rahming is in his post in Washington as the Head of Mission of The Bahamas and as the Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States. He will head The Bahamas’ delegation to the OAS General Assembly in Guatemala next month. The work of the embassy goes on and there is no evidence to suggest that there is anything untoward going on except the usual bureaucratic delay. The interesting thing is this is the same Opposition spokesman who praised Dr. Rahming from the highest heaven and now is seeking to sully the man’s reputation now that it is politically convenient. It is also interesting to note that the FNM’’s release came on the same day as a really cocked up story of half truths and lies by the down market Punch went to press. So clearly you have The Punch and perhaps some of the Bahamian public officials who may only know half the story feeding a set of self-serving lies to the press so that it was the pretext for their press release. The Opposition should cut it out. There are no legs in this story. Their mantra is as usual: never let the truth interfere with a good story.
BANK LENDING: A WORK IN PROGRESS
The banking sector has taken a drubbing the past few weeks with the pronounced failure of the programme which they designed with the government to help people who were behind in their mortgages. The government set aside some 10 million dollars to make the programme work. They designed it on the say so of the banking sector that approximately 1000 people would be helped. Turned out by the government’s own estimates and mouth the programme failed to help anyone and then the Prime Minister later announced that maybe four or five had been helped. Last week, the banks trotted out their finest spokesman in the person of the country head of the Royal Bank of Canada Nat Beneby to say the real reason the thing failed was become unemployment is high and people simply have no income to pay. That may well be but there is a simpler approach that is awaiting this . That approach would simply allow the courts in equity to re write the contracts and make the payments lower and make it inequitable for someone’s home to be taken away from them. Simple as that, then there will be no need for apologies or explanations at all. Greg Moss, the MP for Marco City, has been hawking this idea but not that he is out one supposes it will get no traction.
RAHMING HEADS OAS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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Bahamian Ambassador in Washington, D.C. Dr. Elliston Rahming receives Mexican Ambassador Joel Hernandez (right) during a courtesy call at The Bahamas Embassy in Washington, D.C. on May 23, 2013. Also pictured is Dr. José De Jesus Orozco Henríquez, President and Mexican candidate for re-election to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Among matters discussed were scholarship opportunities for Bahamians at various Mexican universities. May 24, 2013 |
Ambassador Dr. Elliston Rahming has been chosen to lead the Bahamian delegation to the Organization of American States’ 43rd annual General Assembly in Antigua, Guatemala, June 3 -7, 2013.
The General Assembly brings together some 500 diplomats and delegates from the 35 countries that constitute the OAS as well as non-member observer delegates.
At this year’s high-powered hemispheric parley some 100 items are on the agenda among them small business development, the elimination of all forms of racism and discrimination, hemispheric safety and security and protection of senior citizens.
The delegation will also include Ms. Kimberley Lam, Alternate Representative of The Bahamas Permanent Mission to the OAS and Mr. Mikhail Bullard, Foreign Affairs Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Also at this year’s summit delegates will vote to fill vacancies on such important organs as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
RHODA JACKSON PRESENTS CREDENTIALS IN GENEVA
SWITZERLAND - Ambassador Rhoda M. Jackson presented her credentials to His Excellency Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Director General of the United Nations Office in Geneva, accrediting her as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva.
In the brief ceremony, the Director General welcomed Ambassador Jackson to Geneva, underscoring that the Geneva post was an extremely active one as critical global issues are addressed by the various Specialized Agencies resident in Geneva. He noted that her past experience at The Bahamas Mission to the United Nations, New York should serve her well in this post.
Ambassador Jackson thanked His Excellency for the warm welcome and noted that the opening of the Bahamas Permanent Mission was not only a milestone for her but also for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Given the importance of Geneva, particularly with respect to the seat of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Ambassador reiterated the significance of The Bahamas' presence as it seeks to advance The Bahamas' accession to the WTO and follow closely other matters of interest to the Government of The Bahamas.
The Ambassador was accompanied by Third Secretary, Granville Butler. The Bahamas Permanent Mission opened its doors in Geneva on Tuesday 21 May, 2013.
Prior to her appointment to Geneva, Ms. Jackson had been serving as Consul-General of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Miami since 2011. Before that, she was Minister Counsellor at the Bahamas Embassy to the United States and Alternative Representative at the Bahamas Permanent Mission to the Organization of American States from the end of 2007 to 2011. She was Charge d’Affaires at the Bahamas Embassy in Washington DC from February to November 2007.
A career diplomat, Ms. Jackson served as Counsellor at the Bahamas Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York from 2002 to 2004, and as First Secretary from 2000 to 2001. She served as First Secretary at the Bahamas Embassy in Washington from 1997 to 2000, and concurrently as Alternative Representative at the Bahamas Permanent Mission to the Organization of American States. She was also Second Secretary at the Bahamas High Commission, London from 1993 to 1997.
Ms. Jackson joined the Foreign Service in 1993, after working as a teacher from 1984 to 1988. She has represented the Bahamas in numerous meetings of the Commonwealth, United Nations and other international fora.
Ms. Jackson was born on 5 March, 1960 in Nassau, the Bahamas. She has a B.A. in French from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada (1982). She is single.
The Bahamas High Commission in London has posted on its website a scholarship opportunity for a Bahamian to study in Turkey. This is part of the pitch that Turkey has to get the World Exposition in their country in 2020.
You may click here for the full facts on their offer.
ALLYSON GIBSON SPEAKS ABOUT MAJORITY RULE
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BREAKING NEWS: EHERD CUNNINGHAM DIES
Eherd Cunningham,the former Financial Secretary, has died. He had by-pass surgery earlier in the last week but sadly did not recover from the operation. He died overnight on Saturday 25th May.
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BRADLEY ROBERTS ANSWERS FNM ON THE WEATHER
The Cancer Society held its annual ball on Saturday 25th May at the Sheraton in Cable Beach, New Providence. The photos by Peter Ramsay of the Bahamas Information Services show Prime Minister Perry Christie and Mrs. Christie enjoying the ball and the sister of Fred Mitchell, the MP, with her husband Carlton.
Forrester Carroll writes from Freeport, excerpting a quote from the Head of the National Rifle Association in The Bahamas and says a word to the wise is sufficient.
I thought it would be useful, this week, to re-print two paragraph excerpts from a newspaper report of a press conference held with the newly elected (or appointed) president of the National Rifle Association (NRA) of America recently. I DO NOT take this decision to stir up any mischief but to simply remind those of you who think (for one minute) that you are SPECIAL NEGROS to think again.
Mr. Jim Porter, who replaced Mr. Lapierre as the new President of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), told Reporters, America and the World, when making his acceptance speech on 5th May, the following;
“I am very proud to be taking the lead here at the NRA. We need to really buckle down and strap on our best arguments to defend what is our God-given rights. No more Northern folk trying to take away what is rightfully ours. I will NOT stand by and let some LIBERAL-ELITISTS try to ruin what has made this country (America) great, especially a LIBERAL of (you know) A DIFFERENT BREED.
When asked to explain what he meant by the phase “A DIFFERENT BREED” he opined the following;
“I don’t have to clarify; you know GALL DAM well what I mean; in fact, it’s only a matter of time before we can OWN COLOURED PEOPLE (meaning BLACK PEOPLE) AGAIN. They sure as hell won’t be our leaders. It’s out-right embarrassing. The war of the Northern Aggression made it all possible, and you be best to know it’s all gonna change back. I’ll be on the front lines making sure it happens. I don’t want my grandkids growing up taking orders from a COLOURED (BLACK) MAN. It’s OUR GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS TO KEEP THEM (meaning BLACK PEOPLE)) as PROPERTY and KEEP THEM IN LINE” unquote.
To all of you who think you are SPECIAL NEGROS, as I said in my opening statement; think again. The man’s statement says it all; you don’t need any FOOTNOTES from me about what his statements mean so, as the WORD of GOD says: “SELAH;”- “THINK ON THESE THINGS.”
Thank you.
Forrester J Carroll J.P
Freeport, Grand Bahama
May 2013.
Gary Christie, the brother of the Prime Minister writes to the press and The Tribune in particular, demanding an apology:
The Tribune Limited
c/o letters@tribune.net
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
Dear Tribune Editor:
Your staff reporter Sancheska Brown made an egregious error in her front page story in your May 16 edition, “Christie: FNM has no moral authority to accuse PLP”. She stated that it was “alleged that Minister of National Insurance Shane Gibson awarded contracts to PLP supporters and that he hired a firm, run by Mr. Christie’s brother to conduct the NIB forensic audit”.
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas has three brothers including myself. One brother is deceased, and the other is so far removed from the realm of forensic accounting that your writer could only be pointing at me. I am not an accountant neither do I have any association with a firm engaged in that activity.
Your reporter may have erred in good faith, but my brother Perry is the top public official in the country who guards his integrity carefully. Accordingly, the assertion in your daily that one of his Ministers awarded his (PM) brother with a lucrative contract is scurrilous and untrue.
On behalf of the Prime Minister and his two brothers, I request a front page apology from your newspaper for printing this untruth. I thank you for your attention to this matter.
Yours truly,
Gary Christie
Een Colebrooke’s New Daughter Born
A daughter was born to the wife of Een Colebrooke, the former Bahamar executive, at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Nassau on Tuesday 21st May. The wife Sharice and daughter Iliana Willow are well.
Rev Charles Saunders Retires
Reverend Charles Saunders has retired as Pastor of Salem Baptist Church and leader of the Salem Union of Baptists in The Bahamas after 39 years. His final service took place at Salem in Taylor Street on Sunday 19th May. He is to be succeeded as pastor by his nephew Rev. Hewter Rolle.
Rev. Jason Roberts Is A New Pastor Congratulations
Rev. Jason Roberts, a prominent civic activist from Sandy Point, Abaco. Has a happy day in his history. He was ordained Senior Pastor of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Sandy Point. The ordination took place at St. John’s Native Baptist Church on Friday 24th May by Bishop Michael Symonette, Superintendent of the St. John’s Native Particular Baptist Church.
Primary School Child Of The Year For 2013
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Lauryn Rolle (right holding trophy) won the title of the best primary school student in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas at the 17th Primary School Student of the Year Foundation Awards held at the Golden Gates Worldwide Outreach Ministries. Pictured is L-R (a t back) are: Ms. Collette Knowles, President of the Pan Hellenic Council-Bahamas; Mr. Ricardo P. Deveaux, President, Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Foundation; Ms. Dominique Thompson, Bank of The Bahamas representative; Jared Fitzgerald, 2010 Winner; The Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald, Minister of Education Science and Technology; Nadja Simon, 2012 Winner; Teneille Curtis, 2003 Winner; George Zonicle, 2006 Winner; Mrs. C.C. Lafleur, Co-Chairman of the Awards Committee and Mr. Vandyke Pratt, Chairman; Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Foundation |
Front row (l-r) are: Khes Adderley, 2009 Winner and LaurynRolle, the 2013 Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year.
Eleven year-old LaurynRolle of St Thomas Moore Primary School, daughter of Pia Glover, was declared the Bahamas Primary School Student of Year Foundation’s ‘2013 Student of the Year’. Lauryn won the award over 122 other outstanding students from primary schools throughout The Bahamas. The prestigious title came with a $5000.00 scholarship donated by Bank of The Bahamas and a computer courtesy Dr. Jonathan Ford.
The dynamic student, who is the great-granddaughter of legendary educator, Theodore Grant Glover, has already achieved many accolades and milestones in her short lifespan. She was overcome with tears as she realized that it was her attributes being described by Mrs. Jacqueline Bethel, Chairman of the Judging Panel.
After composing herself, she stated, “World’s cannot describe how I feel. I have awaited three years for this to happen. This has never happened at my school, we have had a third, and a second, but this is the first time we have won.”
Minister of Education, Science and Technology, The Honorable Jerome Fitzgerald was the keynote speaker at the ceremony and provided a wealth of advice, initially to the parents of the honourees and then to the students. Minister Fitzgerald told parents that their child represented the best and the brightest in The Bahamas and that they are all winners.
“There are approximately 6,000 grade 6 students in the Bahamas. The students on stage represent 2% of that number,” the Minister proclaimed. He encouraged parents to embrace their children whatever the outcome of the competition and not complain.
The Minister told the honourees, that this is only one of many honours and awards they will receive if they stay focused, committed to excellence and worked hard in school, remain humble and most importantly honour God. “He has given you all of these extraordinary talents. Use them to honor him,” he said.
Minister Fitzgerald also took the opportunity to share with the audience a new initiative which he has implemented which is expected to impact education in a significant way.
“You have often heard me quoting words of Prime Minister Christie, when he declared that, “it is education not money that is the cure to poverty and likewise education, not jails, the solution to crime.” I strongly believe this and this is the reason I felt compelled to bring all of the major political parties to the table to collaborate on ‘A Shared Vision for Education 2030’ – a plan that transcends politics and has the Bahamian people’s interest at heart. We expect that at the end of our deliberations around this time next year, this plan will provide almost every child with an education which enables him/her to contribute to the development of The Bahamas.”
The Minister’s announcement was well received by the crowd who showed their approval with a loud applause. He also thanked Mr. Ricardo Deveaux, President and Founder of the awards programme for his vision in establishing the programme in 1996 which has been embraced by many persons who have given it their unwavering support.
Allie Pinder of Spanish Wells All-Age School was the Second Runner-up. She received a $3000.00 scholarship from Purity Bakery Limited and a laptop from Customs Computer.
Vashti Darling of St. John’s College’s won the first Primary School Student of the Year title in 1996. . Since then eight other students from independent schools have won and seven from public schools.
The winners have hailed from New Providence from Abaco, Grand Bahama and Eleuthera.
During the ceremony held on Saturday, 18th May, 2013, a surprise congratulatory video message from Anna Albury, the 2011 Student of the Year and the only blind person to win the award was played. Anna is currently studying at a school for the deaf and Blind in St. Augustine’s, Florida.
Since its inception the awards programme has awarded over $800,000 in scholarships. Fifty-two of the 123 students in 2013 were awarded scholarships.
Aubrey Curling Dies
One of the early pioneers in the telecommunications business in The Bahamas, the General Manager of Batelco which brought long distance dialing to The Bahamas, and expanded the telephone company with Bahamian hands throughout the country, has died. He was 77 years old at the time of his death.
Good News From Bahamar
Maybe the frosty and strained relationship between the Bahamar developers and the Bahamas government will be easing following the announcement in Asia that the developers have found a world class operator for the casino which is supposed to be part of the new Cable Beach development. This has been a sticking point between the government and the developers.
BEC Means “ Bring Enough Candles ”?
As the rains came tumbling down last Tuesday, someone posted this on Facebook which shows the low esteem in which the power company is held. It of course means Bahamas Electricity Corporation but a clever fellow said it actually means “ Bring Enough Candles”.
Congratulations To Jonathan Farquharson
The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced their annual All-Region awards this past week: Congratulations to Jonathan Farquharson who received the most all-region citations with four. 100m; 200; 4 by1 relay and long jump. He is the son of civic and political activist in Grand Bahama Allyson Marie Smith. A proud and hard working mother.
Nicholas And His Boys At Play
Well to be young, gifted, black is a good and joyful thing as this picture of happy young Bahamians shows and that is how it should be, not gunning one another down in the streets but having fun. The photo was displayed on the Facebook page of former Progressive Young Liber Chair Keenan Johnson. The centre of the photo is Nicholas Mitchell, nephew of Fred Mitchell, the Member of Parliament.
McKeeva Bush Did Not Regain The Premiership
The former Premier McKeeva Bush of the Cayman Islands who was ousted last year after the British arrested him on corruption charges is back in the House of Assembly in the Cayman after general elections there on 22nd May. The result was not what he wanted. He is back at the head of his party the United Democratic Party (UDP) but not with the majority. He got only 4 seats. The woman who ousted him in the post of Premier Juliana O’Connor Connolly is back, having lost her party nomination, as an independent. The major share though goes to the Opposition party Peoples Progressive Movement (PPM) headed by Alden McLaughlin with 9 seats out of the 18 member House. The prediction is the opposition will be asked to form the government but will need the support of others to govern. The British are accused throughout their territories of trying to destabilize nationalist parties in those territories.
Short Notes
The funeral for the victims of the plane crash in Mayaguana which saw three people lose their lives took place on Saturday 25th May at the Zion South Beach Church. Prime Minister Perry Christie spoke along with former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and Leader of the Opposition Hubert Minnis. Bishop B Wenith Davis presided.
Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis, the Minister of Works, joined MP Khaalis Rolle as he toured the storm damage in Pinewood, Mr. Rolle's constituency on Saturday 25th May.
