RE EARTH PETITION AGAINST THE CHINESE IS RACIST SAM DUNCOMBE MUST EXPLAIN
Editor’s note: Elcott Coleby of BIS puts Sam Duncombe’s racist campaign in perspective
From: Elcott Coleby <egcoleby44@gmail.com>;
To: Sam Duncombe <sam@reearth.org>;
Subject: Re: Bahamian Against Chinese Fishing petition hits over 2700 supporters
Sent: Sun, Nov 6, 2016 12:17:24 PM
Ms Duncombe
Well I will end where I started. The draft proposal (for discussion only) submitted by HE Paul Andy Gomez is just that – a proposal, an idea, his idea or a suggested model to the government of The Bahamas for accessing The Bahamas’ portion of the $35 billion earmarked for the Caribbean by the Peoples’ Republic of China. That is HE Gomez’s job and he was doing his job; I applaud him for doing his job.
I REPEAT: IT IS WRONG AND DISHONEST TO USE A PROPOSAL OR SUGGESTION TO THE GOVERNMENT AS OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT POLICY. IT IS WRONG…IT IS WRONG…IT IS WRONG! AND PEOPLE HAVE DONE THAT INCLUDING RE-EARTH…AND IT IS WRONG, DISGRACEFUL, INEXCUSABLE AND WRONG.
In a letter to Ambassador Gomez, Minister Gray approved the pursuit of economic opportunities for The Bahamas in China; this involves consultation with both Bahamian and Chinese stakeholders. He was instructed to write a report at the end of the consultations that the Agriculture Minister and his senior can review and to elevate to cabinet if he believes the report to be both feasible and beneficial to the Bahamian people.
How a newspaper could interpret that to mean Gomez was given approval to pursue the 50-50 partnership as outlined in his proposal is beyond me. People have gone further to say the government has sold Andros to the Chinese…Chinese can fish in Bahamian waters…the government is selling out fisheries to the highest bidder….ALL OF WHICH ARE LIES. This is an attempt to stoke the flames of xenophobia and heighten anti-Chinese sentiment in The Bahamas. This has nothing to do with preserving nothing for Bahamians.
THE RECORD OF THE GOVERNMENT WITH REGARD TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IS UNQUESTIONED AND CLEAR. THIS GOVERNMENT HAS NEGOTIATED, SIGNED ONTO AND BROUGHT INTO FORCE THE PARIS AGREEMENT; EXPANDED THE PROTECTED MARINE PARKS NATIONALLY; COMMENCED RESEARCH AT BAMSI ON THE QUEEN CONCH AND NASSAU GROUPER TO FIND WAYS TO SUSTAIN THESE SPECIES; SIGNED A MOU WITH OCEAN UNIVERSITY TO ACCESS GREATER KNOWLEDGE AND TO FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY AND BEST PRACTICES ON OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT IN ORDER TO BETTER PROTECT IT AND ENSURE ITS SUSTAINABILITY IN ORDER TO FEED AND PROVIDE A GOOD LIVING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE NATIONAL TRUST HAS PRAISED THE EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT. TO SUGEST THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL CARELESSY AND RECKLESSLY PUT THIS ALL AT RISK IS AN INSULT TO ALL WHO HAVE WORKED TO PROTECT OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT.
YOUR PETITION DRIVE SUGGESTS THAT THE BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT IS RECKLESSLY AND CARELESSLY DESTROYING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND YOU AND RE-EARTH ARE THE SAVIOURS. NOTHING CAN BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS GRANDSTANDING IN ITS WORST FORM BECAUSE THERE IS NO BASIS FOR THE PETITION.
I support constructive engagement with industry stakeholders on the sustainable development of agriculture and marine resources. I am opposed to grandstanding and bluster.
EGC
On Sat, Nov 5, 2016 at 8:09 PM, Sam Duncombe
FYI…I stood behind this govt firmly on the referendum on equality
The fact that the Chinese are being given a 50% in “to be on the boats but not fish” is about as insulting to my intelligence as you an get
you should have a look at what/how the Chinese are raping the world’s fisheries – no- i don’t want them here in my back yard spinning deals that would destroy our fisheries and will fight that until they are OUT.
be real – the longline issue would have decimated out fisheries in a matter of a few years – that from Dominic Sacchi’s mouth to my ears (the main Canadian proponent of longline back in 1993-4)
I was not speaking specifically to any of your comments as far as spinning –
– just the government which you appear to be in support of
as far as me doing more ham than good -I’m sorry you see it that way. I do my research – if you chose to deny the evidence all over the internet and from respected news orgs and other organizations I can’t help you.
i wonder how you felt about longline fishing, or clifton, or dolphins in captivity or removing toxic waste from Abaco – as they were all brought forward along with other issues under the FNM govt.
Be honest and let me know – because I am very curious why you would defend what is going on and has been going on.
And for the record I am no fan of the FNM or the DNA – I am a BAHAMIAN FIRST and have always in the past 25 years worked and will always work to advise, enlighten, inspire, and condemn, fight and defend anything that is against the best interest of the environment, animals and the people who wish to coexist with those entities.
Good night.
Have a great Sunday
Sam
On Sat, Nov 5, 2016 at 6:55 PM, Elcott Coleby
You absolutely cannot take a suggestion given to a minister of the government by a civil servant and present it as official government policy; government ministers receive suggestions and proposals all the time. THAT IS THE HIEGHT OF INTELLECTUAL DISHONESTY. Even I submitted a proposal to my minister on improving my department; it would be wrong and dishonest for anybody to present my views and suggestions as official government policy. This same crap was done during the referendum to hijack a conversation on citizenship and equality to ramble on about same sex marriage and transgenderism which had absolutely nothing to do with the bills before the Bahamian people.
There is absolutely no evidence that the government is “giving our fisheries away to the highest bidder.” That is an invention by you and your organization.
As for your master of SPIN comment, I also challenge you to assail the veracity of any of my public commentaries. They are all unassailable. I do not go around inventing stuff like you and your organization to intentionally mislead the Bahamian people in pursuit of a hidden agenda.
People like you do more harm than good to The Bahamas.
On Sat, Nov 5, 2016 at 5:58 PM, Sam Duncombe
Yes Mr. Coleby, because to date the government has shown how trust worthy, competent and transparent it is.
It is interesting that the new word of the day is xenophobia (that’s a Greek word you know) when every government to date has used it to their advantage every election… think the Haitian population.
But then that’s how you’ll roll, you use anything to your advantage and I must congratulate you on the adept skillfulness shown over the years. Masters of SPIN….
The Government should be going about securing our food security into the future NOT giving our fisheries away to the highest bidder.
Sorry, but I gave up drinking koolaid a long time ago – perhaps you should too.
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend.
Sam
On Sat, Nov 5, 2016 at 3:03 PM, Elcott Coleby
THE PETITION IS A MOOT POINT BECAUSE THE FISHERIES ACT IS CLEAR…FOREIGNERS CANNOT SECURE LICENSEES TO FISH IN BAHAMIAN WATERS. FISHING IS RESERVED FOR BAHAMIANS. MINISTER GRAY MADE THIS CLEAR IN HIS LETTER. THIS PETITION APPEARS TO BE ANOTHER INCITEMENT DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE AND CESSPOOL OF XENOPHOBIA AND RACE BAITING. THIS IS SHAMEFUL. PERHAPS RE-EARTH SHOULD BEGIN BY EDUCATING THE BAHAMIAN PUBLIC ON THE FISHING LAWS OF THE BAHAMAS AND NOT ENCOURAGE MISINFORMATION, NONSENSE, ERROR AND FOLLY. CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT MUST BE THE ORDER OF THE DAY IF WE ARE TO PROGRESS AS A NATION.
EGC
On Sat, Nov 5, 2016 at 2:17 PM, Sam Duncombe
Good morning,
reEarth’s petition has been up for just over 36 hours and has garnered 2,773 SUPPORTERS ALREADY!
IT WAS LAUNCHED NOV 3 AT 7.22 PM
it has also been shared 3,700 times!
If you haven’t signed the petition yet please do and then share it on all social net works and via email….please click here
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/375/517/486/bahamians-against-chinese-fishing/
there are many others who have said NO on this page
https://www.facebook.com/ReEarth-418632954899512/notifications/
Please also visit this site for more comments from Bahamians who are FED up with the way this government is handling our affairs
https://www.facebook.com/photo .php?fbid=10153843754567397&se t=a.170912052396.133073.681792 396&type=3&theater¬if_t=lik e¬if_id=1478215426338742
This is the PLP’s Longline Fishing
China is actively seeking out other countries fishing grounds to fully exploit them. Our fisheries need conservation not wholesale rape!
Perhaps the yellow “sun” in our flag was prophetic!
We all know how the “100 Bahamian businesses” are going to work…
and as a country that has ZERO food security the notion that the government could open up our fisheries and farming to a country as voracious as China is down right unconscionable!
we say HELL NO!
Please share this email with all your friends and family.
—
Sam Duncombe
Director
reEarth
P.O. Box N 302 Nassau, The Bahamas
www.reearth.org