bahamasuncensored.com
SEPTEMBER 2003
Compiled, edited and constructed by Russell Dames   Updated every Sunday at 2 p.m.
Volume 1 © BahamasUncensored.Com
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Columns From Previous Months
14th September, 2003
21st September, 2003
28th September, 2003
 
7th September, 2003
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THE MURDER COUNT INCREASES... SCHOOL OPENS SORT OF OKAY...
PROTECTING THE FISH AND THE FISHERMEN... THE CHINA TOUR NEARS THE END...
TINY IS A TEACHER... ZHIVARGO LAING’S EDUCATION ATTACK...
MAURICE GLINTON BATTLES ALONE... TROTTING OUT COLIN POWELL...
FIFTY CENT COMES AND GOES... MARLON JOHNSON RESPONDS TO PASTOR MOSS AGAIN...
US JUDGE PENALIZES BAHAMIAN PARASAIL COMPANY... BAHAMIAN CULTURE DAY IN NEW YORK...
READER JOHN BAIN ON THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM... B.S. NOTES FROM GENEVA’S FREEPORT...
The Official Site of the Progressive Liberal Party... The Official Site of the Free National Movement...
PLPs On The Web... Interesting Places...
Bradley Roberts / PLP Grants Town Bahamas Government Website
Neville Wisdom / PLP Delaporte Reg & Kit's Bahamas Links
Alfred Sears / PLP Fort Charlotte Bahamians On The Web
Melanie Griffin / PLP Yamacraw Bahamian Cycling News
John Carey / PLP Carmichael FredMitchellUncensored.Com ARCHIVES...
Grand Bahama PLP
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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK - Glenys Hanna Martin is a second generation Member of Parliament from her family.  Her father Arthur Dion Hanna was the Deputy Prime Minister of the country for 18 years.  He was also Leader of the House and is considered by most to be the closest in legacy to that of Sir Lynden, the founding Prime Minister of the country.  She also serves as the Minister of Transport and Aviation.  It’s been a pretty rocky road for her what with the airport needing fixing, the docks in bad shape, the taxi drivers and jitney drivers kicking and screaming to remain in the 20th century, and then there is the accident at sea and a plane crash.  So it must have been a special relief for her colleagues to see her pure delight in the photo in Tianjing just about an hour and a half away by air from Shanghai, China where she after invoking the blessing of Almighty God and using a silver hatchet, caused a bottle of champagne to smash on the bow.  With that, Clipper Valour, the fifth of the Valour Series for the Clipper Group owned by Torben Jensen of Denmark took to the water.  Also present was the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell at the end of his official tour of China.   We thought it ought to be our photo of the week. The photos are by Nello Lambert.

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

WHAT TO MAKE OF KINGSLEY BLACK
The press can sometimes make you or break you.  And with the Bahamian press it appears that you have to be more than careful when it comes to replying on what they report to be the truth.  It is appears that one such situation arose this week when Kingsley Black, the President of the Bahamas Union of Teachers was quoted as saying something that he later said he did not say.

It is sometimes hard to figure him out.  He is the President of the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT).  He is without doubt one of the, if not the pre-eminent trade unionist in the country.  He talks a good talk and from all accounts has a good working relationship with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education.  Yet at times he seems to do and say the most mercurial things.  And the Government must at times say to itself: is this simply the cost of doing business with Kingsley Black?  A shorter version of the same quizzical question would be: what to make of Kingsley Black?

That is what some started to say when the reported statement appeared.  Mr. Black was furious.  And we would be furious too if it had happened to us.

It is clear for all to see that the country has a hard economic road to go, with unemployment and a national budget deficit looming into the future.  The former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham without any reference to the future pledged in a five year industrial agreement that he would pay civil servants an additional 1200 dollars per annum beginning 1st July.  The Government does not have it, and would have had to tax to pay it. The advice was to wait until December; perhaps the revenue situation might change appreciably to allow it to be done out of surpluses.

Mr. Black and all the other trade unionists seemed to understand the facts about the economy, and from all accounts the discussions seemed to be going well in public.  The plain fact is that the country has no stomach for industrial action over this.  The Union leaders would be wise to take the temperature of the country and not seek to press the advantage.  We are between a rock and hard place.

And so on the day that school opened, when all but 15 of the 158 schools in the country opened successfully, it was all the more curious to read the supposed ultimatum issued by Mr. Black.  The Tribune reported - erroneously as it turns out - that he said that the Government must pay the teachers by 1st October or there will be industrial action (read that as a strike) on 5th October, International Teachers Day, coincidentally also the birthday of the public service Minister Fred Mitchell.  The language was categorical and without any room for manoeuvre.  It turns out that 5th October is a Sunday.

To say that the country would be concerned about this is to make the understatement of the year.  The remark would have been inexplicable and indefensible.  There was no call for it, and what made it worse was that one paper suggested that he went on to say that if the children were left alone without teachers and supervisors so be it, seemed to be irresponsible.  That seemed to be out of character for Mr. Black.

Within his union there are some elements who think that his conciliatory attitude toward the salary negotiations has been seen to be too soft and so the thought was that he was playing to that gallery.  Others examined the statement that he made and that of Hubert Ingraham, at a politically rally in Freeport, put two and two together and determined that Mr. Black was following Hubert Ingraham’s line.  All that speculation comes to naught because Mr. Black has now said that he did not say it and that he deserves an apology from the Government for characterizing his statement as irresponsible.

The Prime Minister had just returned to the country from dropping his daughter off to school and he must not have been amused when he read it.  The Prime Minister is said to have made it clear to colleagues that they will have to stay close to their constituencies because it may come to a contest of wills at any time, if there is a serious push to follow through on industrial action.

We would approach with caution.  But we also believe that the Government must be resolute, steadfast, stand fast and strong, and not give one quarter.  The salaries cannot be paid until December and that is all there is too it.

But at the same time, we are relieved that the statement as reported is not true.  We think the real apology must come to Mr. Black from The Tribune not the Government.  We also think that it is a mark of responsibility that so far Mr. Black has led with caution his union through these treacherous waters.  This must continue.  There is no need to strike.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 6th September at midnight: 23,222.  [Editor’s note – Our statistics engine reports zero hits for Sunday 31st August.  We feel that this must be in error, since we received no reports of difficulty accessing the site that day.  If you had any problems with access, please e-mail us at placid_point@yahoo.com]

Number of hits for the month of August: 131,506.

Number of hits for the month of September up to Saturday 6th September: 2003 at midnight: 23,222.

Number of hits for the year 2003 to Saturday 6th September at midnight: 967,364.



CONTACT US AT E-MAIL:placid_point@yahoo.com

THE MURDER COUNT INCREASES
    The country is not certain what precisely to make of the fact that we are now up to murder 32 in The Bahamas.  Some weeks it is quiet, and then like a burst of bad luck from hell, you hear about one or two murders.  The murders get all the news, someone beaten to death, someone stabbed to death as it happened over the past week.  But what is an even more telling story is the number of persons who suffer bodily injury and harm as a result of crime, not only amongst the local population but in the tourist sector as well: the unreported rapes and assaults, the incest and the abuse of little children, the armed robberies and property theft.
    The country often does not hear about the extent of crime but for the rape and assault of tourists.  That is a particular worry.  Our Ministry of Tourism has been particularly skilful in keeping a lid on it.  But The Bahamas must do something about crime; otherwise we will go the same route as Jamaica not just for tourism but also for our own sake.  We still say the answer is trying to develop something for those young boys and girls as they sit in primary school to show that there is a future for them and that they must serve the society that gives them their education.  That in the long run must be the answer, together with the elimination of poverty and all that goes with it.
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SCHOOL OPENS SORT OF OKAY
    We reported above that the schools opened well.  There are 158 schools in The Bahamas and of them 15 had problems.  But the criticisms remain generally the same.  We wonder what is the source of this annual complaint.  It appears that we don’t get ready for school until the week before school opens in The Bahamas.  And so if you go by the school yards in the country during the long summer beak, you will find that there is no attention paid to yard care and building maintenance during that break.  All of a sudden during August and late August at that there is a burst of activity in and around schools.  Something has to change about that.
    There is the interesting hypothesis posed by a caller to one of the talk shows this past week that the problem is that there is not enough time between the Budget being approved and the opening of school.  But what some speculate is that the present Minister of Education and the Minister of Works started early and made the decisions and made the contractual agreements to get the school works going.  But guess where it got stuck: between the decision makers and those who had to execute.  In some cases the thing just sat in the file and was never carried out.  Now there is a compelling case for public sector reform if there was ever one.
    The number one public policy problem in The Bahamas is the ability from the Cabinet on down to execute the things that they decide in a timely fashion.  That is not an FNM or PLP problem.  That is a Bahamian problem.  The country suffers for it. That problem must be solved. Nassau Guardian photo by Patrick Hanna.
 

PROTECTING THE FISH AND THE FISHERMEN
    Sir Nicholas Nuttal, the English baronet who lives out at Old Fort Bay, writes a weekly column in the Nassau Guardian.  He is the founder of the conservation group BREEF and spends countless hours trying to educate Bahamians about the need to protect the seas.  The fact is that the reef system throughout The Bahamas is under great stress.  The conch population in The Bahamas is under similar stress.  But most of all the grouper population is in danger of collapse.  The Bahamas has the last aggregations of Nassau grouper in the Caribbean.  Everywhere else it has collapsed as a result of over fishing.  And yet Sir Nicholas is unable to convince the Ministry responsible for fisheries that the right thing to do is to close the grouper fishery during the spawning season.  The Department of Fisheries has been attacked by many for being too weak in its science on the issue.
    Now Sir Nicholas has heightened awareness of another problem that threatens to explode on the high seas.  The fishermen of The Bahamas report that they are constantly harassed and attacked and their catches stolen by fishermen from the Dominican Republic.  There is even the suggestion that the Defence Force is not doing its job effectively because there may be moles within the Defence Force who are informing the Dominicans once the RBDF is called to the scene.  Whatever is happening on the high seas, the Government of The Bahamas needs at least to prevent the raping of the fishery resources by foreign fishermen.  They owe that to The Bahamas, and by all means we want them to avoid having to take the law into their own hands.
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THE CHINA TOUR NEARS THE END

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs should be winging his way home this week after a long and punishing schedule in the Far East.  His travel has taken him on official tours of Japan, China and Hong Kong, and then on to Malaysia to discuss some potential business investment in The Bahamas in the information technology area.  He is to stop briefly in London for consultations with the London office on his way home.  The Minister said from Hong Kong that his meeting with fellow Harvard alumnus Donald Tsang, the second in command in Hong Kong went well.  He was able also to tour the Hutchison Whampoa facilities in Hong Kong, and have dinner with Bahamian professionals living in Hong Kong.  The Minister of Transport Glenys Hanna Martin who joined him on the earlier part of the tour returned to Nassau on Thursday 4th September.
    We think that the tour was a great idea and we congratulate the Minister for his hard work as Minister and more importantly for keeping the Bahamian people informed as he went along of what he was doing on their behalf.  Ministers Mitchell and Hanna Martin are pictured marching atop the Great Wall Of China with local officials in this photo by Nello Lambert. [Editor's note: Last week a photo was carried showing Minister Mitchell with Bahamians Darius Turnquest, Erin Dames and Randolph Culmer.  We neglected to report that they are all medical students on scholarship in Beijing.]
 

TINY IS A TEACHER

    The Sojourner Douglas College in The Bahamas has hired Sir Orville Turnquest, the former Governor General to be a lecturer of some kind at their local campus.  It does not say what he is going to lecture on but that should be fun being in a class taught by teacher Tiny.  Tiny is the nickname of the former Governor General.  The Sojourner Douglas College in The Bahamas is headed by former Public Service Minister Theresa Moxey Ingraham.  Sir Orville’s joining the faculty gives the school a fillip in the community.  Can you see those hands now: “Teacher Tiny! Teacher Tiny! I know the answer!”  All fun and jokes aside, he can provide useful insights into the development of public policy for the public administration degree that the school offers and his involvement can be a model for how former high-level officials can continue to contribute positively to the national agenda.
 

ZHIVARGO LAING’S EDUCATION ATTACK
    Zhivargo Laing is at it again.  The defeated former Minister of the Government who used to be known as the Minister for Uneconomic Development was back in the press on Thursday 4th September.  This time he was attacking the Minister of Education for being a failure at his job as Minister of Education.  Nothing can be further from the truth of course.  Mr. Sears has done a yeoman's job in these tough fiscal times.  We think that he is getting a bum rap from critics because he has two difficult jobs to perform that of Attorney General and that of Minister of Education.
    There is no doubt that Education demands a full time Ministry but then so do so many other jobs that many ministers have.  The fact is that at the moment the country cannot afford another Minister and it would be wise to struggle along as best we can until we can do better.  There is no doubt that the Minister is fully engaged, and even the Union of Teachers has to recognize that this is the best Minister of Education that they have ever had.
    There was said to be rejoicing in some Bahamas Union of Teachers quarters when it was thought that the Director of Education was actually going to leave the scene.  The Teacher’s Union has also called for her to go.  We have to take what Zhivargo Laing says with a ton of salt.  Remember that Mr. Laing was defeated by Alfred Sears as the representative for the Ft. Charlotte seat.  In his arrogance Mr. Laing thought that could never happen and it did.  He is still smarting from that spanking.  That we believe is the real genesis of the criticism.
    Mr. Sears should be encouraged to ignore Mr. Laing and continue with his shoulder to the wheel on behalf of the Bahamian people. [Editor's note: See one reader's opinion below.]
 

MAURICE GLINTON BATTLES ALONE
    Those who have been following this column since its first incarnation and now in its second life would know that we have a lot of time for Maurice Glinton.  He has been battling on every front for human rights and for the rule of law in this country.  He is not an easy fellow on friend or foe but he is a righteous fellow in the true sense of that word.  He can be counted upon when the chips are down.
    The Bahama Journal published this week on Thursday 4th September, the transcript of a revealing interview with journalist Mike Smith that had been earlier aired on radio Love 97.  He talked about his present battle to set aside the laws passed by Hubert Ingraham on the financial services sector.  He talked about the games that the Bahamian courts seem to have been playing in this area with the case.  What he reveals is truly frightening about the state of our Judiciary. Please click here for the full text of the interview from the Bahama Journal.
    Reading the interview, one gets the sense that the underlying tone is that of someone who feels abandoned by his natural allies, many of whom now serve in the Government.  He should not feel so.  This column supports all that he is doing to redress the wrongs caused by those laws and we say that in the aggregate for good or ill, the public service rendered by Mr. Glinton and Leandra Esfakis his co-attorney in the matter is a good service for our country.
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TROTTING OUT COLIN POWELL
    We have refrained from commenting in this column on the US policy in Iraq for some time, to avoid the useless speculation about whether the opinions of this column reflect the opinions of the Government, which they do not.  But it strikes us that, notwithstanding that risk, some comment is now appropriate.  It is a good and joyful thing that the Bush administration has been humbled into admitting that the United Nations must take a role in what is going on in Iraq.  Colin Powell now has the ascendancy in the US administration after the administration was being led by the nose by a group of anti-intellectual hawks that caused their country a great deal of grief - dead soldiers, but more importantly to us, a war that killed 7000 Iraqi civilians with US “surgical” armaments.
    The chaos in Iraq can no longer be covered up.  The failure of the policy is clear and palpable.  What offends us is that now that it has failed, Mr. Powell is being trotted out to the world, without an apology from the US.  He is making the case for multilateralism after he himself was humiliated by his boss when there was intent to make war.  It seemed quite sad as the saga unfolded of the US Secretary of State trying to avoid apologizing to France and Germany and making in a speech at George Washington University in Washington on Friday 5th September a passionate and compelling case for democracy in Iraq.  It sounded good.  He is an intelligent and convincing speaker.  But his case is weak and it cannot succeed.  That is the sad part that such a great man should have been reduced to this.
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FIFTY CENT COMES AND GOES
    The Minister of Culture Neville Wisdom, notwithstanding the Government’s announcement that the rapper Fifty Cent was to be allowed into The Bahamas told the press as reported on Friday 5th September that he did not sanction the rapper coming to The Bahamas.  He said that we must be careful how we allow US groups to come to The Bahamas.  Of course they come to The Bahamas in all sorts of forms, as tourists but more importantly through television.  So how are we to stop it?
    The Government was right to allow Fifty Cent into The Bahamas.  It was said that Government Ministers were to meet with the rapper to remind him of his obligations to the young of the country.  We think that all of this is a storm in a teacup and the Christian Council’s dancing up and down and calling for an apology from the Government because they let Fifty Cent in won’t make fifty cents worth of difference.
 

MARLON JOHNSON RESPONDS TO PASTOR MOSS AGAIN
    In what we hope and trust will be the final instalment of the still interesting to and fro between our readers Pastor Cedric Moss and Marlon Johnson, in this week’s mail there was an answer to last week’s points by Pastor Moss from Mr. Johnson.

    "Seeing that we will now turn our efforts to getting rid of the deviant left-handed folks, we might as well deal with some more evil matters before us.
     "I think this letter that was reportedly written to the US radio personality, Dr. Laura, also applies to our circumstances.
     "We might as well put an end to ALL the abominations one time and done and really start keeping God's Word!!

Dear Dr. Laura:
    Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law.  I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can.  When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an
abomination.  End of debate.
    I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:
    1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors.  They claim the odor is not pleasing to them.  Should I smite them?
    2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7.  In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price  for her?
    3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness - Lev.15:19- 24.  The problem is,  how do I tell?  I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
    4. Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations.  A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians.  Can you clarify?  Why can't I own Canadians?
    5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death.  Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
    6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality.  I don't agree. Can you settle this?
    7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight.  I have to admit that I wear reading glasses.  Does  my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
    8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27.  How should they die?
    9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
    10. My uncle has a farm.  He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them?  Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev.20:14?)
    I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help.   Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is Eternal and Unchanging.
 

US JUDGE PENALIZES BAHAMIAN PARASAIL COMPANY
    The Charlotte Observer reports that a US District Court in Florida has found a parasailing company in The Bahamas liable for the 1999 death of a tourist.  According to the report, the court further awarded a judgement of $1.8 million dollars against the company.  Please click here to read the Charlotte Observer report.  According to our legal correspondents, the judgement cannot be enforced in Bahamian law.
 

BAHAMIAN CULTURE DAY IN NEW YORK
    The Bahamian American Cultural Society, Inc. successfully hosted a Bahamian Culture Day in New York on August 30, at Pier 63.  This report is from Mrs. Beryl Edgecombe:
    "Against the picturesque backdrops of the skyline of New Jersey and the sky scrapers of New York City, hundreds of Bahamian-Americans, friends of The Bahamas and visitors enjoyed a
taste of Bahamian culture.  They listened exclusively to Bahamian music during the nine hour event.  They feasted on Bahamian food - peas and rice, conch salad; and drank Bahamian beverages.  They rushed to cowbells and drums.
    "There were several booths displaying art works, straw work, books of Bahamian authors, and heritage search literature and consultation.  Adding to the cultural flavor and assisting in bridging the divide were performers brought from The Bahamas - Kayla Edwards accompanied by her husband Desmond, Claudette (Cookie) Allan, and Valerie Pyfrom who is New York based.
    "The promotors of the Culture Day articulated their aims and the goals of the Society as
            Strengthening the Bahamian Culture Community
            Maintaining the bond and linkages between Bahamians and  Bahamian-Americans
            Re-connecting younger generations with their ancestral roots
            Expanding the participation of others in the celebration of diversity
    "As one of the promotors explains, “I deeply believe that the exploring of each other’s culture, brings about a better understanding among peoples. It is an instrument of peace and friendship.”
    For more information call 212-213-0562 - Beryl E. Edgecombe - President.
 

READER JOHN BAIN ON THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM
    This contribution from this week's mailbox features reader John Bain's take on the public education system and the many public comments put forth over the last weeks.  Please click here.
 

B.S. NOTES FROM GENEVA’S IN FREEPORT…
NEWS FROM GRAND BAHAMA -

Can’t We Just Get Along?
City of Freeport Council is comprised of nine elected councillors.  Since their election last year, barely a month has passed without some controversy spilling into the public’s view.  Late Word is that at least seven council members have petitioned the Minister of Local Government Alfred Grey to have him intervene to remove the Chief Councillor.  The only thing is that there are no provisions in the Local Government Act to have a Chief Councillor recalled.

The people of Freeport have grown tired of these public spectacles, which serve no useful purpose.  If the councillors feel that they are unable to work with one another for the betterment of the Freeport community, then they all should resign.  But these public clashes are detrimental to the whole system and are not a good reflection on a council that was thought to be one of the better ones in the country.

Royal Oasis
The management team at the Royal Oasis should hang their heads in shame for allowing a novice manager to engage in folly.  Reports are that Harcourt Rolle, a 27 year employee and assistant manager of a restaurant at the Royal Oasis, was terminated by the new manager.  Mr. Rolle’s employment record at the resort has been impeccable according to the Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union.  He has been an Employee of the Month on several occasions and Employee of the Year and just recently he was commended by the resort’s ‘shoppers’ who conduct undercover reviews of staff performance.

Mr. Rolle was let go for reportedly abandoning his position.  No warning was given.  He was simply summarily dismissed.  A union spokesman said that there are procedures in place for dealing with such disputes should they arise, but this only proves, said the union, that the management team is not prepared to work in good faith with its employees, but instead wishes to rule by intimidation.  Late word is that Mr. Rolle has been suspended pending an investigation.

Jack Hayward High
When classes began on Monday past for the students of the Jack Hayward High School, there were no reports of repairs not being made over the summer holiday.  This was because the school’s administration has taken the position that their woodwork and electrical departments could use as projects, minor repairs around the school.  A maintenance programme has been put in place for these departments to effect repairs as soon as something needs to be worked on and over the summer holidays, these departments hired 11th and 12th grade boys to do most of the painting and carpentry that was required.  The boys were paid small stipends to help with the purchase of books and uniforms.  We believe that this is the kind of thinking that most high schools should adopt because it also fosters a sense of belonging and might prevent in most other schools, vandalism.  We say hats off to the administration of Jack Hayward for innovative thinking.

The Four Missing Boys
Prime Minister Perry Christie was in Freeport yesterday morning, notwithstanding the stormy weather conditions, to attend a march and rally for the four missing boys.  The march was supposed to have taken place from downtown Freeport to the Independence Park on Coral Road but had to be held instead at the auditorium of Freeport Anglican High due to the weather.  The rally still went on and most of those in attendance were pleasantly surprised to see the Prime Minister, Minister of Education and Minister of Tourism along with all the other local Grand Bahama MPs.

The case of the missing boys has baffled law enforcement officials and most believe that the boys have been kidnapped.  To date not one body has been found.  Most school administrations have beefed up security around both private and public schools and have spoken to students about going off with strangers.  It is hoped that through these efforts no more children are abducted.  During the rally community leaders lauded the non partisan approach that has taken place to try and bring some reasonable conclusion as to what really happened to the boys.
BS



 
 
14th September, 2003
Welcome to bahamasuncensored.com
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DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN THE BAHAMAS... BAHAMAS LENDS HELP TO BERMUDA...
11TH SEPTEMBER ANNIVERSARY IN THE BAHAMAS... CONDOLENCES TO THE SWEDES...
THE PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS TAKE OFFENCE... BATELCO BIDDER NAMED...
THE FIFTY CENT CONCERT... A MORNING AT PARADISE...
ALARM ABOUT NATIONAL INSURANCE... FR. JOE PERNA DIES...
GEORGE MACKEY WRITES ABOUT LAND... JACKSON BURNSIDE BURIED...
MINISTER BACK FROM CHINA... COB AND KENT STATE...
B.S. NOTES FROM GENEVA’S FREEPORT...
The Official Site of the Progressive Liberal Party... The Official Site of the Free National Movement...
PLPs On The Web... Interesting Places...
Bradley Roberts / PLP Grants Town Bahamas Government Website
Neville Wisdom / PLP Delaporte Reg & Kit's Bahamas Links
Alfred Sears / PLP Fort Charlotte Bahamians On The Web
Melanie Griffin / PLP Yamacraw Bahamian Cycling News
John Carey / PLP Carmichael FredMitchellUncensored.Com ARCHIVES...
Grand Bahama PLP
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK - Prime Minister Perry Christie joined Sol Kerzner, the Chairman of the Board of Kerzner International, owner of Atlantis, Paradise Island and the Ocean Club at the site of the new villas for the Ocean Club on Wednesday 10th September.  The occasion was the groundbreaking for the construction of the new facility.  The two men spoke about the start of Phase III of the Atlantis operation in The Bahamas and about the dynamics of the tourist industry in The Bahamas.  Mr. Kerzner called the Nassau International Airport, the worst in the world.  The Prime Minister said that the government has pledged to upgrade it, including new management.  But that aside and before they went off to breakfast the two men shook hands.  We thought that this smart start of the Phase III and a 600 million dollar investment ought to be our photo of the week.  The photo is by Peter Ramsay.

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

THE TROUBLE WITH HURRICANES
The Tribune published a map that showed the latest track of what has been called a monster storm, with winds clocked at 160 miles per hour.  The map is generated from US technology and from US hurricane fighter sources.  By their own map, the hurricane is to pass The Bahamas on a parallel track to the country and head off toward North Carolina.  We publish the map.

But that did not stop the United States authorities from recommending that people stop travelling to The Bahamas.  And get this; they have decided to evacuate non essential personnel from the country.  That includes it appears the persons who man the pre-clearance facilities at the Nassau International Airport and the airport in Grand Bahama.  From this morning, the pre-clearance facilities are closed until the storm has passed.  It means that everyone will now have to clear in the United States when they leave The Bahamas.  Perhaps it will only be a short inconvenience to save lives.  The talk is that if the hurricane hits at 160 miles per hour, it will cause severe damage and loss of life.  The decision is being made to protect American lives and it is a judgement call.  Leaving it beyond Sunday may be leaving it too late.  Better safe than sorry.

That is one side of the question and who can argue with saving lives?  But one wonders whether or not The Bahamas Government knew in advance that the US government planned to close the facility here, and what the implications of the closure of the facility would mean.  In the present climate, one wonders if some pretext is not being set up to close the facilities for good even though the facilities benefit the United States.

Suffer it to be so, the hurricane may or may not come.  The latest computer models show the storm turning away from The Bahamas, however, the gravity of the decision to withdraw and evacuate, the very use of those words seems to suggest that some Armageddon is on the way, and that The Bahamas won’t in fact be here after the storm has passed by.  It is not a good feeling.  We who are Bahamian of course have nowhere else to go.

The Bahamas weather service is predicting that the storm will pass to the northeast by about 200 miles at its closest point.  That should mean strong winds and storm surges.  But if that doesn’t happen and the present track of the storm continues without the expected curve to the northeast that means that sometime on Monday or Tuesday of this week, we should expect to begin to feel the effects of the hurricane and the full force will meet the country on Wednesday if not before at a point somewhere between Acklins and Long Island in the south-eastern Bahamas.  Given the size of this and the wind speed, we would be in for trouble.

Even given those scenarios, the closing of the pre-clearance lounge is premature, and unnecessary and it is a cause for grave concern that such a decision was taken.  We ask again: who was consulted when this was all done?

If we survive, and are alive (given the scary scenarios), for this week and during the storm, we will try to keep you updated through our site as to the latest information about the storm and how it is affecting the country.  Usually the first to go is the phone system; well at least there is a toss up between the power and telephones.  But they all go - but if the wireless capability is available we will try to keep you abreast as often as we can.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 13th September at midnight: 27,469.

Number of hits for the month of September up to Saturday 13th September at midnight: 50,691.

Number of hits for the year 2003 up to Saturday 13th September at midnight: 994,833.



CONTACT US AT E-MAIL:placid_point@yahoo.com

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN THE BAHAMAS
    Just last month, this column made some observations after examining the public record of the way we perform during disasters.  It raised the question of whether we are in fact prepared for disasters.  The disaster that time was the tragic accident at sea on the August Monday weekend when four Bahamians lost their lives at sea.  What it seemed to show is how unprepared we were at the business of public information, at the ability to get out to sea to help any one in distress, and at establishing command procedures.  At the end we got it right but the question of a hurricane is much more serious.
    During the Ingraham years, this country seemed to face hurricanes with a discomforting certainty.  Mr. Ingraham’s administration was faced with Hurricane Andrew in 1992 shortly after he came to office.  Since that time, we have experienced Hurricane Floyd and Michelle.  Each caused significant damage and some of the damage from those earlier hurricanes has still not been repaired.  During Hurricane Michelle the facilities of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (ZNS) went off air for the first time in the history of the country.  The whole reason for ZNS was to provide weather information.  Then the telephone lines failed. They failed because the batteries were not kept up.  The batteries died because the generators at BaTelCo were not kept in good repair so when the power supply of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation failed, there was no way for BaTelCo to keep the batteries up.  One wonders if we learn from these lessons.
    The television news and the printed media give a good impression of the Disaster Preparedness Committee this time.  The Americans have already frightened us half to death by taking the run to Miami with all their non essential personnel.  Us natives will have to stay here and suffer with it.  But the Bahamas Disaster Committee tells us that there is a plan afoot.  The Royal Bahamas Defence Force has been deployed in the southern Bahamas in anticipation of the storm.  The US has deployed a forward team for disaster preparedness and the Caribbean has also sent a forward team.  So with the hurricane coming and it will surely go, let’s hope we do a good job this time.
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BAHAMAS LENDS HELP TO BERMUDA
    There was a hurricane in Bermuda last week on 5th September.  Hurricane Fabian packing winds of 115 miles per hour slammed into Bermuda and laid low the place.  When the skies cleared, four people were missing and presumed dead.  There were 19,000 homes without power.  The Premier Alex Scott told his country that Bermudians would pull together to overcome the crisis.  Helping in that process are workers from the Bahamas Electricity Corporation.  They are assisting the Bermuda Electric Light Company (BELCO).   The Bahamian team is part of a larger team of 41 Caribbean nationals.  The Bahamians are led by Ian Pratt.  The team is a restoration team of linesmen and engineers from six member states of the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC).  The other members of the team come from Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Barbados, Belize and Dominica.  The team is said to be putting in 4 hour shifts to help restore the power to the territory.  The Bahamas Government has communicated to the Government of Bermuda its concern and has offered any further assistance that is required to help the territory get up and running.
 

11TH SEPTEMBER ANNIVERSARY IN THE BAHAMAS

    There was a moving service held at Christ Church Anglican Cathedral in Nassau on Thursday 11th September.  That marked the day when incredibly the two tallest structures in the United States in New York City came tumbling down after two jumbo jets were highjacked and slammed deliberately into the towers.  The towers caught fire, then they fell to the ground.  The pictures were dramatic.  Last year, the service of commemoration in The Bahamas was held in the public square.  This year and more sensibly it was held in a church.  The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell, Minister of State for Finance James Smith and Michael Halkitis, Parliamentary Secretary for Finance attended the service on behalf of the Government.  The Minister of Foreign Affairs (pictured, right) reaffirmed the country’s support for the values which we share in common with the United States.  Charge D’affaires of the US Embassy (pictured, left) in Nassau spoke on behalf of the US Government.  You may click here for the remarks by the Minister.  The photos by Peter Ramsay show scenes from the service.
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CONDOLENCES TO THE SWEDES

    The Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh was stabbed to death in a Swedish department store this past week.  The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell issued a statement on behalf of the Government of The Bahamas expressing condolences to the Swedish government on the untimely death of the Minister.  You may click here for the full statement.
    Ministers in The Bahamas like those in Sweden do not have police bodyguards or civilian aides with them as they move about the country or overseas.  It is felt by some to be unnecessary and extravagant.  Seventeen years ago the Swedish Prime Minster Olaf Palme went to the movies without his bodyguards and he was gunned down as he left the cinema.  His murder was never solved.  It looks like the murderer has gotten clean away again in this case as well.  It is said that the Swedish Government has ordered immediate security details around their Ministers and doing a rethink on the entire issue.
 

THE PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS TAKE OFFENCE
    ZNS television and radio dragged up some old footage of Leslie Miller, the Minister of Trade speaking at a forum which was not identified but in which he made some gratuitous and not so pleasant remarks about public servants.  Many people felt the remarks were true but impolitic in the face of the tortuous negotiations being conducted by the Minister for the Public Service Fred Mitchell to settle a wage dispute.  The Unions were due to meet with the Minister on Friday 12th September and they did.
    Just when it appeared that all the controversy about the relations between Government and Union had been settled, the Unions had a cause again.  John Pinder, President of the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) said that he did not take kindly too it at all.  He said that productivity in the public service was something that he as union president had been preaching about since he took office.  He believed the Minister was making an unfair attack.  He denied that he had ever said or that any union leader had ever said that members should close down the town.  Mr. Pinder said:
    “I have never asked our members to close down the town.  Neither do I know of any union leader who has asked membership to close the town down.  I have at every opportunity stressed the importance of increased productivity to our members with a view of cutting back the cost of personal emoluments to the government so that more revenue would be at our disposal when it comes to negotiating for salary increases.”
    As for the meeting of 12th September, the Minister for the Public Service told The Tribune that the BPSU took the position that the first instalment of the pay raise must be paid in October and the rest follow in December.  The Government said that the entire increase would be paid in December.  Mr. Mitchell added without reference to the Leslie Miller controversy:
    “I wish to drive home the fact that there was no condemnation from the Government in relation to the position of public servants.  All of us live in this country and while we recognize that there are issues in pubic administration, it is to the benefit of no one to cannibalize each other over this subject, but to deal with the issue as forthrightly as we can and solve whatever problems there are.  There is an appreciation for the wide value of work in the public service and for public servants.  There is an understanding that the Government’s position is that public servants as a group are not being condemned.”
    The meeting was adjourned to Monday 6th October.
 

BATELCO BIDDER NAMED
    The Bahamas Government has announced that Tom Bain, son of Rodney Bain and his group backed by Morgan Financial group have won the bid for the purchase of the 49 per cent and controlling stake in the telephone company.  This brings an end to all the speculation about the Government backing out of the process.  The Government did not accept the price offered and authorized the tenders committee to negotiate with the preferred bidder to meet what the Government wants.  If they back out then the rules say the next preferred bidder - the Blue group that is connected with Deutche Telecom - should be asked if they wish to negotiate for the purchase.  The losing bidders were asked to extend their bids in order to keep themselves in the running.
 

THE FIFTY CENT CONCERT
    The last laugh is on the Bahamas Christian Council who were trying to stop the artist Fifty Cent from coming into The Bahamas.  There were many who were pleased that the Government stood its ground against the attempt to create a theocracy and allowed the artist to come in, conditions and all.  As it turned out the conditions were useless and they merely stated the law anyway.  Fifty Cent came on to perform at “fore day in the morning” as they say in The Bahamas.  The concert ended at 4 am.  It was not as well attended as they wanted but all told some 4000 people were said to have turned up.  Those who did had a good time.
    The pre show was said to be a good show for the fellas with the artist Trina showing up with some women in slinky outfits that showed much of their unadorned posteriors.  But Fifty Cent followed his agreement with the government and did not utter a curse word.  He bleeped out the words but put the microphone to the audience that knew the songs and used the words for him.  One irate pastor wrote a Minister of the Government to complain that the police should have arrested those members of the audience who were cursing.  The fact is in a country where there is free speech and adults go to an adult forum what does one care whether they use curse words in that forum?
    It is also reported that Fifty Cent can curse in French and Spanish so the police would not to have known any way.  A good time was had by all including many police women who were singing along, curse words and all with Fifty Cent.  It only goes to show that the Government was right.  Let freedom ring.
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A MORNING AT PARADISE
   The Government is obviously pleased at long last a shovel is going into the ground over at Paradise Island.  The official ground breaking ceremony was held for the first phase of Phase III at Atlantis Paradise Island.  This is a 20 million dollars phase with the construction of new villas for the super rich who want to take of advantage of the Ocean Club’s reputation as the “One and Only Ocean Club.”  Room price $3500 per day.  Mr. Kerzner boasted that the Ocean Club has got the highest rating in the world for the niche market that it serves.  Bahamas Oscar winning Actor Sidney Poitier told the Prime Minister that he has never stayed at any place else where service is so good.  That said 20 million is not the significant part of the investment.
    Despite all the happy smiles, Paradise Island, the Kerzners and Atlantis have to do more than that.  The Government will also have to do more.  Mr. Kerzner made it plain that their investment is contingent upon two things being done.  One is the Nassau International Airport (NIA) has to be fixed.  He called it the worst airport in the world.  The other matter that the Government needs to move on is the final stages of an agreement for groups travelling to The Bahamas to take advantage of the convention tax exemption offered by the US for its citizens who travel and have their conventions here.  Mr. Kerzner believes that the convention centre and its rooms won’t make sense unless the formalities are completed to allow the convention tax exemption.
    The Paradise Island project as a whole is crucial to The Bahamas.  The Emerald Bay project in Exuma that has been hiring a number of young males from New Providence for the last year has finished its construction phase and is nearing completion.  They are starting to trickle back into Nassau.  There is no other major project on the horizon.  The Crab Cay project in Exuma shows no real evidence of getting off the ground before next year.   Everything else is said to be slow to dead stop.  All eyes then are looking to Paradise Island and as we said 20 million is not going to cut it. Photo of Prime Minister Christie and Mr. Sol Kerzner by Peter Ramsay.
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ALARM ABOUT NATIONAL INSURANCE
    The Bahama Journal in its weekend edition says that there is alarm at the losses being sustained by the National Insurance fund that will without some changes go broke in 25 years.  The contribution rate is said to be too low at 8.8 percent of an insurable wage.  Also several Government corporations including the Water and Sewerage Corporation are in default in their loan repayments to the fund.  This news is not new but all of it highlights the fact the Government ought to act today to save the Fund from ultimate bankruptcy.
 

FR. JOE PERNA DIES
    Joe Perna or Fr. Joe as most people knew him is dead.  The last time we saw him in public was at the service for the ordination and consecration of Bishop Patrick Pinder as the first Bahamian Bishop.   Fr. Joe was described in a Catholic Church release as being known for his “directness and no non-sense approach”.  That must be the understatement of the year.  Fr. Joe used to know just how to fire off the right word to solve the problem.  Let’s put it that way.
    Fr. Joe was the pastor of Sacred Heart Church on Shirley Street.  He was a supporter of the ecumenism between the Anglican Catholic and Methodist Churches particularly during lent when the services were shared between the denominations.  He had a varied life before becoming a priest and was led to the priesthood rather late by the late Bishop Leonard Haggarty here in Nassau. We will miss Fr. Joe.
 

GEORGE MACKEY WRITES ABOUT LAND
    George Mackey wrote a column in The Tribune on Saturday 13th September in which he wrote of the scrapping of the land policy implemented by the Government in which he served.  The land policy came into effect by legislation in 1982 and each person who wanted to buy land in The Bahamas had to have permission to buy the land.  By the time the PLP lost office in 1992, the PLP’s policy in this area was being blamed for the lack of capital in flows into The Bahamas and the slow down in the economy.
    Mr. Mackey writes that the FNM came to office and scrapped that policy leading to the buying of land by foreigners in the country and driving up the price of land beyond the reach of ordinary Bahamians.  In this dispensation including that aspect of desperate economic times, there is not much support for changing that position.  Some like Maurice Glinton, the attorney, argue, what is the point of land sitting there in your hands with no economic benefit or value?  Nevertheless George Mackey’s piece should remind those who now sit around the Cabinet table that there is a faction in The Bahamas that does not believe that Bahamian land ought to be sold off lock, stock and barrel to foreigners.
 

JACKSON BURNSIDE BURIED

    Dr. Jackson Burnside, the activist dentist and citizen of renown was buried after a funeral service St. Agnes Anglican Church last Sunday 7th September.  He was 89 at the time of his death.  His service was attended by the high and the mighty in the land.  Peter Ramsay followed the Prime Minister Perry Christie there and provides this montage of photos from the service including one of Ambassador Sidney Poitier, the Oscar winning Bahamian actor who is a relative of Dr. Burnside’s widow.  Gertrude Burnside nee Fawkes is the sister of the late Sir Randol Fawkes, the labour activist.  Dr. Burnside is survived by his sons Stanley (Sideburns cartoonist), Jackson and Wayman, and a daughter Julia.

 

MINISTER BACK FROM CHINA

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell is back from his official tour of the Far East.  At a press conference held at the airport in Nassau upon his arrival, the Minister said that the trip was an interesting one that he commended to the Bahamian people. He said that he was impressed by the dynamism, industry and discipline of China.  He said that service in China in the tourism sector was impressive.  The Minister was met at the airport by the Chinese Ambassador upon his arrival.  Top photo shows members of the delegation with Bahamians resident in Hong Kong.  From left (back) Robin Roberts, Antonia Carey, Terry Archer, Protocol Officer; Christopher Johnson, Andre Carey.  Front are Freddie Tucket, Hong Kong Consul General; Dr. Patricia Rodgers, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Minister Mitchell and Shane Stuart.  Photo at right pictures Minister Mitchell with Hong Kong's Chief Secretary Donald Tsang.
 

COB AND KENT STATE
    The formal articulation agreement signed between Kent State University in Ohio and the College of The Bahamas on 30th October 1998 has been expanded to include a student exchange programme for teachers.  On Friday 12th September, the COB President Dr. Leon Higgs signed to join COB formally to the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching (COST).  Signing on behalf of COST was Dr. Kenneth Cushner.  COST is a programme that emanates from Kent Sate but includes universities from the Midwest and south-eastern United States and one in Canada.  COB teacher trainees can go to the universities within the COST programme to do their teaching practice.  Dr Higgs said that this would provide a good opportunity for Bahamian teachers.
 

B.S. NOTES FROM GENEVA’S IN FREEPORT…
NEWS FROM GRAND BAHAMA -

Percentie Stands With Her People
There she was on the front page, shovel in hand backed up by heavy earthmoving equipment, vowing to shift away the offending roadblock.  It was a compelling image of Ann Percentie, Pineridge MP and Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister who is quickly developing the reputation of being a ‘no nonsense’ representative of the people.

The story began when unknown agents blocked an unpaved extension of Balao Road in the east of Freeport City which had been used as a shortcut home by residents of Freeport Ridge estates.  The residents complained and Ms. Percentie acted, saying that the residents were being discriminated against by the closing of the road and called on “the authorities” to immediately address the situation.  Bravo, Ann.  But we wonder who exactly are the authorities?  Surely it is she and she has, in fact, acted already.  One of those things that happen from time to time where government and quasi government interact and one of those things that make you go, hmmmm.

Tommy T and Every ‘Bye Ain Gone
There is mischief afoot among the movers and shakers of the FNM party apparatus in Grand Bahama.  The chief instigator is said to be a high ranking FNM official with an base in the east of Grand Bahama who feels that the FNM should cut its losses with Tommy Turnquest and steadily move to bring back Hubert Ingraham.  Sources tell us that with the PLP projects not taking off quickly, this faction believes they could force the government into early election; but they must first get Tommy to move aside.  We send out a warning to our friend Tommy:  There is in fact a conspiracy afoot, be very careful as you forge ahead.  A word to the wise is sufficient.

Late word is that on an FNM boat cruise over the weekend, former West End MP David Wallace was moved to lecture the gathering on support for Tommy, using a curious example: “After all, Sir Lynden’s people never deserted him… they stayed ‘til the end… we must do the same for Tommy T.”

Is The Lucaya Casino Deal On?
On Monday past, the Freeport News’ lead story said that the Isle of Capri casino deal had hit a snag with the government.  The Isle of Capri operators were quoted as saying that they had hoped that a full agreement would have “been signed by now”.  We found that to be strange.  Other sources tell us that the real reason for the snag is that Isle of Capri believes that the Hotel Corporation, which owns the casino licence, is overcharging them and they want the percentage being asked of them to be reduced.  The Minister with responsibility for investment, Allyson Maynard Gibson told the newspaper unequivocally that there was no snag.  Inside sources say that there may be a problem with gouging, but not from the hotel corporation, rather from the casino’s prospective landlord on the Lucaya strip.  We say, whatever it is, the government should move quickly to resolve the situation.
BS



 
 
21st September, 2003
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PRE-CLEARANCE REOPENS... CHRISTIE TO MEET BUSH...
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ABACO AIRPORT IN PROBLEMS... EXPLOSION IN LYFORD CAY...
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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK - Two persons died, one instantly and one shortly after the explosion occurred.  It was Thursday 18th September and the radio stations reported live from the scene in Lyford Cay, reporting not of the usual scene of wealthy beauty but one of destruction.  A famous name was connected with it.  Sometime on that afternoon and fifteen minutes after Mrs. Callender had left the house to go to the funeral of the contractor who had built the house, a gas tank exploded and demolished the home of Attorney Colin Callender and his wife.  Sheila Hailey, the wife of Alex Hailey the author of the novel ‘Airport’, heard the explosion at their mansion down the road.  She described it as a scene like one in Iraq.  The Tribune’s photographers were there and pictured this photo of the devastation.  The Nassau Guardian showed another photo of Mr. Callender surveying the catastrophe.  Everything was lost including two lives.  It was a bad end to the week but that it makes the photos our photos of the week.

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

THE WEEK OF THE BRADLEY
Bradley Roberts aka Big Bad Brad was ready and rearing to go.  He is pictured as he entered the House of Assembly to deliver the good news.  Help and hope is here.  The Minister of Works who is considered one of the most active of the Christie Ministers came with a comprehensive announcement that stopped the tongues of the Opposition from wagging.  He announced a series of plans that would effectively cut the price of electricity for most consumers, some 17 percent.  He also announced that interest would now be paid by Bahamas Electricity Corporation on deposits given by consumers when they open their accounts.  The Minister later said that the rates of electricity competed with those set by Freeport Power where there was no tax on fuel and where they had no social obligation to light up the rest of The Bahamas.  You may click here for the full text of the communication.  Mr. Roberts’ announcement dominated the front pages.

The FNM had to congratulate the Government but claimed that it was their work that caused the Government to be able to reduce the cost of electricity.  Yes, these were the same people that caused BEC to have to pay an additional 20 million in taxes.

Later in the day, Mr. Roberts returned to the House of Assembly to move the second stage of the Bill to Register Professional Engineers in the country.  It has been a long struggle to bring the bill to the House.  It has taken two Governments to try to bring it forward, and each time the old cranky school of engineers of Bahamas Institute of Professional Engineers (BIPE) have been the stumbling block to the bill moving forward.  The Minister had a poll of all engineers and the Bill was overwhelmingly approved in that poll, with the support of some of the members of BIPE.

The one objection publicly has come from architects who argue that the Bill does not sufficiently account for the overlapping responsibilities of architects and engineers and may increase the cost for consumers by making it necessary for a professional engineer to sign off on buildings which architects now do as a matter of routine for smaller buildings.

It seemed like a good day though generally for Mr. Roberts and the Government on Wednesday 17th September, the first day since the summer break.  There is a need for some joy in the business of Government.  There is a cacophony of complaints about the Government's inability to produce jobs.  In every watering hole, the cry is that the Government is indecisive and not doing enough to produce economic benefits for the people who voted for the PLP.  Many PLPs still feel that there are too many FNMs in positions that are hindering the Government's works.  It also appears that many of the decisions made by the Government don’t seem to get carried out.  The PLP rank and file is in the mood for a house cleaning.

Our guess is that this pressure will go nowhere with the Prime Minister.  Our guess is also that the source of the complaint is mainly economic in nature.  If the economy were doing better and people were working and feeling like they could pay their bills and their children were safely in school, then you wouldn’t hear a single complaint.  We keep our fingers crossed for the Government to get into next year with the announced projects up and running.  Attention must then be focused on Sol Kerzner’s Paradise Island and putting their feet to the fire for them to do what they say they intend to do.  More importantly for the Government to deliver on what it is supposed to do in order to get the project at Paradise Island going.

There are two ways to improve the lot of people.  One way is to raise their income level.  Another way is to lower costs.  The announcement of the lowering of electricity rates falls in the latter category, and one hopes that this will truly translate into a lowering of costs and not turn out to be one of those ephemeral accounting procedures.  If it turns out to be real, it will go down as one the PLP's first major and tangible objectives.  We congratulate the Minister for driving this forward.

Number of this for the week ending Saturday 20th September at midnight: 35,548.

Number of hits for the month of September up to Saturday 20th September at midnight: 86,239.

Number of hits for the year 2003 up to Saturday 20th September at midnight: 103, 0381.

Nassau Guardian photo of Bradley Roberts on his way to the House of Assembly by Donald Knowles.


CONTACT US AT E-MAIL:placid_point@yahoo.com

PRE-CLEARANCE REOPENS
    All of the newspapers of The Bahamas led the way in their editorials over the past week with speculations that there must have been some other reason for the closure of the pre-clearance facility in Nassau and Freeport by the United States Government last week.  It was blamed on the weather.  It was also unprecedented in the sense that we have had hurricanes before come to The Bahamas, pass over the island of New Providence (Hurricane Michelle in 2001) and the pre-clearance lounge did not close.  Further, it was clear from the map that we showed on this site last week that when the Americans issued their order to evacuate, the hurricane was not headed toward The Bahamas.
    The press speculated that the motive was to test what the reaction would be to shutting the whole thing down for good.  The Tribune was particularly pernicious claiming that somehow the fact that the US and The Bahamas had a disagreement at the joint task force meeting in December 2002 that the United States was taking spite against The Bahamas in closing it down.
    The truth is probably quite simple.  The US made a mistake and ordered the evacuation too soon and without a basis in fact, and then could not reverse themselves when the order was made.  But all of this shows just how jittery Bahamians are about US/Bahamian relations.  What is clear is that when the US decides to move, they have no care what other countries think or do.  They simply do it, notwithstanding the adverse consequences to other people and countries.
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CHRISTIE TO MEET BUSH
    The Cabinet office has announced that Prime Minister Perry Christie is to travel to New York for a breakfast meeting on Wednesday the 24th September with US President George Bush.  The Prime Ministers of St. Lucia and Grenada with the President of Guyana are also to join the breakfast.  The meeting is a working breakfast at which matters of mutual interest both bilateral and regional will be discussed.  The Heads of Government will be joined at the meeting by their Ministers of Foreign Affairs.  The Bahamas delegation will depart Nassau on Tuesday 23rd September.
 

THE FNM’S PROBLEM
    Poor Free National Movement!  Bradley Roberts had them completely off stride this week.  They had set themselves up to make the argument that the PLP had been wasting its time all during the summer.  They were hoping that when the PLP came back to the House they would have no agenda.  But the agenda got off to a roaring start with a series of communications from Ministers of the Government; the major one of course was that announcing the reduction in electricity rates.  Neville Wisdom (pictured) gave an excellent account of what’s happening in sports.  Then Alvin Smith, the Leader of the Opposition got up and tried to muster an argument over some small point in the House.  You heard him asking: what has the PLP been doing over the summer? He was asking why some questions on the agenda had not been answered.  He said that the PLP had been doing nothing over the summer break.  This from a party that dissolved the last Parliament with five years of unanswered questions.  It made him look just a little foolish.
    True to form Brent Symonette was absent from the chamber as Mr. Smith worked himself alone into a frenzy.  When the noise stopped, no doubt the embarrassment having passed, Mr. Symonette returned to the chamber.  The trouble with the FNM is at the moment they cannot mount a credible case on anything.  Minister of Sports Neville Wisdom is shown in Paris, France during the IAAF World Championships congratulating Bahamian triple jump Bronze Medal Winner Leevan Sands.  Nassau Guardian photo by Donald Knowles.
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THAT WILL BE A GLAD REUNION DAY
    The Royal Bahamas Defence Force is headed by Commodore Davey Rolle.  He was chosen by the Free National Movement administration in a choice that pitted him against Commander Anthony Allens, now Port Director.  Both were said to be equally qualified.  There is no suggestion here that political considerations enter into the present running of the Force.  It is said that the FNM believed Mr. Rolle to be their supporter and so he got the job.  Mr. Allens is thought to be a PLP supporter.  Be that as it may, the Force was said to have been divided into two factions; those who support Davey Rolle and those who are said to support Commander Allens, even though he is long gone and is unlikely to return to the Force.  Many members of the RBDF are said to have voted for the PLP in the hope that Commodore Rolle would be replaced by someone they perceived to be more PLP friendly.
    All of that aside, life goes on.  But we thought it was interesting when we read a report in the Nassau Guardian at the opening of the hearing by the Wreck Commission looking into the maritime disaster of 2nd August 2003.  The final paragraph of the Nassau Guardian’s story on Tuesday 16th September read thus: “Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Davey Rolle and Captain Allens are scheduled to meet later this week on what additional steps are required to enhance overall security measures.”  We thought that will be a glad reunion day.  Nassau Guardian photo of Captain Allens conferring with Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and Legal Counsel to the Wreck Commission Cheryl Grant-Bethell by Donald Knowles.
 

ABACO AIRPORT IN PROBLEMS
    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the enforcement arm of the US for air safety was in town the other day looking at facilities and aerodromes into which US carriers fly.  They looked at Nassau’s International Airport.  But more importantly, the press reported that they looked at the Marsh Harbour Airport.  People in Abaco are saying that they were not pleased with what they saw. Some are reporting that because of the shortage of fire fighting equipment and lack of security around the field, the FAA will cause the plug to be pulled and US airlines will be told that they can no longer fly to Marsh Harbour.  This is one reason why we really need to have a US Ambassador in The Bahamas.  The present situation where a public servant is carrying out political tasks will not do for long.  A political Ambassador would be able to fight for The Bahamas in position while we get it fixed.  But fix it, we must.
 

EXPLOSION IN LYFORD CAY

    It has been learned that experts from the United States are to fly into The Bahamas to examine the reason why the gas explosion took place in Lyford Cay and levelled the home of Attorney Colin Callender.  Mr. Callender lost a housekeeper, a national of Peru.  Another Peruvian national was killed.  She was a housekeeper from the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Burchnall.  There was high praise for the rescue efforts, and Minister of Works Bradley Roberts has promised a full investigation.  The gas company that installed the tank said that they were certain that it wasn't their fault.  Whatever the problem, two people are dead, and the house is in total ruins.  We need the investigation to be completed and its finding made public. Nassau Guardian photo.
 

ISABEL PASSES
    The hurricane Isabel passed away from The Bahamas with only slight breezes felt in Nassau.  The Glass Window Bridge in Eleuthera had to be shut temporarily during the storm because of the high surf and winds.  No one lost their life this time.  The interesting thing about the passing of the hurricane is the fact that people who claim to be Christians said that they prayed the Hurricane away from The Bahamas.  What we don’t understand is if God listened to your prayers and supplications then why would he send the hurricane toward another land mass that ended up killing at last count 17 people and causing almost a billion dollars in damage.  Did they pray it away to the Carolinas or did they just pray it away without care for others?  There seems to be some kind of contradiction there.  Anyway, the storm is over now, and we pray that there won’t be another for the rest of the season.  The last thing we need is another hurricane.  Chief Meteorologist Basil Dean is shown pointing out Isabel's shift in this Bahama Journal photo by Omar Barr.
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A FIGHT BETWEEN BABY PLPS AND FNMS
    It was about time.  We hadn’t heard from the Young Liberals, the baby version of the PLP, more respectfully said  - the younger version of the PLP - for some time.  They were responding to the baby version of the FNM, the Torchbearers, who appear to have a more active life.  The Torchbearers attacked Alfred Sears the Minister of Education for what they claimed was his lack of application to the system of education.  Not so said the baby PLPs, he is doing a good job in particular he is just trying to clean up the mess created by the FNM during its time in office.  We agree with the baby PLPs.
    The FNM are the last ones who should talk, having created a slush fund in the Education Guarantee loan scheme, without controls and which the PLP has had to spend time and money to straighten up, and having left a school system where the Director of Education was proud to proclaim that students who were getting an average of D for their exams as an improvement. Lawdy me!
    What we are concerned about is that the Young Liberals are not heard from enough.  The PLP in general is not heard from enough.  It takes too long to respond.  It is almost like the PLP has forgotten the art of politics, like the cat has got their tongues.  So maybe this is the start of something new and nice.  The chair of the Young Liberals is Andrew Edwards.
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TOURISTS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE BAHAMAS
    A survey has come back to the Ministry of Tourism about the lack of satisfaction with The Bahamas as a destination.  Fifty percent of those who leave here after a visit say they won’t come back and won't recommend the destination to their friends.  Who can blame them?  You know the problems yourself, a filthy place, with nothing to do, rowdy young boys who drink and curse all over the place, a culture of begging and a nasty dirty airport.  But don’t; trust our word for it, read below what Deputy Director Vernice Walkine had to say in her own words as she launched a new courtesy programme called SMART on Thursday 18th September.
    Of course, we don’t believe courtesy courses are the complete answer. What is the answer is to fix the destination from the ground up, starting with the iron discipline of the little children as they come up and strict enforcement of codes of conduct.  The Bahamas suffers from slackness and a slack atmosphere on enforcing rules.  It is compounded by the political inability or unwillingness to do anything about it.  Ah but we live in hope.  Here’s what Ms. Walkine had to say:

    “It’s not the things you know that hurt you, it’s the things you know just aint so.
    “The slogan ‘It Just Keeps Getting Better’.  It just aint so.  The Bahamas is not the most beautiful country in the world and most of what visitors want some of our sun, sand and sea – things they can get from other places.
    “The Bahamas may have a reputation as warm, friendly and welcoming people, that impression also just aint so.
    “Bahamians are not the warmest, friendliest people in the world, and most of them resent these foreigners coming here, and expecting so much from us, and if they don’t like who we are and what our culture is, then too bad for them.
    “Whitewashed advertising has been successful in hiding inadequate deplorable conditions at the Nassau International Airport.  Every visitor arriving here by plane does not believe that they are in a special place when they arrive at our airport and they are thinking what little people we are, what pride we must have that we can’t keep our major airport in better condition.
    “And when cruise ship passengers enter the Welcome Centre, it could be an unwelcoming experience.  As they are met by men and women wanting to sell them something, if they’re not too busy eating or arguing with one another.
    “Tourists are being sold taxi tours, hair braids, mopeds, ferry boat rides, times etc.  So “no” is an unacceptable answer from a visitor.  When they enter the Unwelcome Centre they are harassed by more people, wanting to sell them something.”

    (Editor’s note: This sounds not like a vacation but a nightmare.  And yet, nothing will be done about it, except maybe some cosmetics like spraying the side walks on Bay Street.  But next year this time, it’s a safe bet that we will still be pounding on the table about the lack in quality service.  The problem is in us and not in the stars.  Let’s face it, we have lousy product that will take dramatic improvements to save us.  This is a must do if we are to survive.  It must start with the children.  But you have applaud the Ministry for taking a stab at it.  For a start confession is good for the soul.)
 
 

BERNADETTE’S BIRTHDAY

    The Prime Minister’s wife Bernadette Christie celebrated her 52nd birthday on Thursday 18th September.  Congratulations to her, and in her honour we show this portrait by Peter Ramsay.
 

SOL’S NEW PURCHASE
    Butch Kerzner and his dad Sol are on another buying spree.  This time they have concluded the purchase of the Club Med facility on Paradise Island for a mere 40 million dollars.  A good deal says young Kerzner.  He says that in the first instance after Club Med hands over, the employees will have an opportunity to transfer over to Sun’s facilities.  Then he says the hotel will be used to house the workers for the third phase.  The plans to buy the Grand Hotel are now out of the window.
    Club Med is in financial trouble and is repositioning itself to invest in destinations that are not urban but village and country like.  People come to Club Med to strip naked on the beaches.  Not possible at PI.  Club Med recently negotiated a sweet deal with the Government for marketing support.  That was part of the price for reopening the Club Med at San Salvador.  It has two properties in The Bahamas, one at PI and the other at San Salvador.  Now some must be asking were we hoodwinked into giving them all that marketing support and will the Government allow it to continue?
 

SOME DEATH NEWS AND A BURIAL
    Fr. Joseph Perna, the hard driving, tough talking Roman Catholic priest who died last week at the age of 72 was buried at Sacred Heart Church’s cemetery.  The Archbishop Lawrence Burke presided at the funeral, also attended by Auxiliary Bishop Patrick Pinder and a legion of Roman Catholic clergy.  Father Perna served at the church for most of his years as priest in The Bahamas.  A cross section of Bahamian society turned out for the service including Works Minister Bradley Roberts and Mrs. Roberts, Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell and President of the Senate Sharon Wilson with her husband Franklin.  Also there were Mr. and Mrs. Garret ‘Tiger’ Finlayson and former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson.  We mention the deaths of three young women.
    Portia Johnson, a former employee of the Department of Statistics and the daughter of the late Philip Johnson, and Octavia Johnson (nee King) died following surgery on Saturday 20th September.  She was 39 years old and is survived by her mother, and two brothers Christian and David.  Her mother is the former Registrar of Insurance.
    Also dying suddenly is Andrea Strachan (nee Archer).  She was 31.  She was stricken suddenly by what appears to have been an embolism in the brain.  She was a teacher at Queen’s College Primary School.  She was 31 years old.  She is survived by her husband Edward Strachan and her parents Mr. and Mrs. Leonard ‘Skinny’ Archer.
    And finally, the wife of Pastor Joshua Sands who was also a teacher, at Kingsway Academy, died suddenly on Friday 19th September after class chapel.  Denise Sands was 47 years old and said to have been in good health.  An autopsy is to be performed.  The school is said to be devastated.
    Our condolences to all of the families.  Photo of the late Father Joseph Perna's coffin being borne away by Peter Ramsay.
 

CABINET RESHUFFLE?
    One never knows how these things get started, but we think that it is probably simply idleness.  The Bahama Journal led in its weekend edition of Friday 19th September that the Prime Minister Perry Christie after 16 months in office is thinking of a Cabinet reshuffle.
    Among those the Journal says may be moved are Leslie Miller, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Allyson Gibson, the Minister of Financial Services and Investment, Alfred Sears as Attorney General, Cynthia Pratt as Minister of National Security, Alfred Gray as Minister of Agriculture and Melanie Griffin as Minister of Social Services.
    The Journal did not say the source of its speculation but quoted extensively from an unnamed source as saying: “There is not sufficient dynamism in the Cabinet.  Too many Ministers still do not have control of the nuts and bolts in their Ministries, with the Government being roundly criticized for inaction.”
    Usually, when a newspaper prints this kind of speculation there is some internal group trying to push things in one direction or another but it usually has the opposite effect.
 

WRECK COMMISSION WRECKED?
    Joseph Strachan, the retired Justice of the Supreme Court, started with his two assessors to hear the matter of the wreck of the Sea Hauler and the United Star as events unfolded on 2nd August on the way to Cat Island.  Four people died that weekend.  His listening ear did not get very far.  Charles Mackey, who represents the United Star made a submission that the so called Wreck Commission set up under the Merchant Shipping Act was improperly constituted because the rules of inquiry for such a process were British Rules incorporated by reference into our rules.  The Government argued that he was wrong and that the Merchant Shipping Act itself incorporated the procedures of the Commission of Inquires Act of The Bahamas.
    The Judge ruled in favour of the Government.  Mr. Mackey then promptly went off to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the Judge.  And so things are held up to allow that challenge to be heard.  Some friends of the Government were aghast that the inquiry could not get off the ground and suggested that the Government’s lawyers did not do their homework.  But seeing that there are ten lawyers involved, one is bound to get these procedural challenges no matter how thorough the preparation of your case.  The main effect would seem to be that the parties would under the British rules get an additional 30 days to notify witnesses for the inquiry.  If that’s the only point, how about simply asking for an adjournment to give more time?  Photo of Wreck Commissioner Joseph Strachan by Dominic Duncombe, Tribune.
 

CORRECTION ON DR. JACKSON BURNSIDE'S ARTICLE
    This correction was in our mailbox this week, from Burnside relative Duane Evans:
    "I am Bahamian living abroad.  I read this Internet newspaper every Monday morning.  I enjoy it very much.  It keeps me in touch on what is going on in The Bahamas.
     "Your article mentioned that Sir Sidney Poitier is a relative of The Late Dr. Jackson Burnside's widow.  That is incorrect.  Sir Sidney is actually related to Uncle Jack.  Actually they are close cousins.
     "The Late Dr. Jackson Burnside is my grand uncle.  He and my grandmother (Deloris Poitier, yes Sidney's sister) are cousins.
     "Please make that correction in next week's issue. Again thank you for an enjoyable paper and keep up the good work."
E. Duane Evans
Cedar Hill, Texas
 
 

APOSTLE CEDRIC MOSS’ 50 CENTS ON 50 CENT
    This one came from the voluble Apostle Cedric Moss, now a regular correspondent with this site:
    "I read with interest your September 14, 2003 comments on the ‘One Love Festival Concert’, under the caption, ‘The 50 Cent concert’ and thought I should put them in a more accurate perspective for you and your readership, which I trust you will facilitate.  In the interest of editorial fairness, and thinking that I might be the person described as the “irate pastor”, I hereby attach my commentary, “A Calamitous Compromise”, the FULL text of my response (minus gender references) to the Government minister who kindly responded to “A Calamitous Compromise” and my wrap up commentary “Making Sense of 50 Cent”.  My commentary, “A Calamitous Compromise”, was sent to ALL government ministers but that minister alone offered a response.
    "About the emotion behind my words to the minister, “irate” would be inaccurate…saddened would be accurate.  I was truly saddened at all that had happened.  I still am.  I am especially saddened that there are those who see nothing wrong with this whole episode and would do it again if and when the opportunity arises.
    "Further, your own commentary shows the sadness of what happened.  Consider the following extracted from your comments.  About the conditions against profanity and obscenity the Government imposed on the Trio, you rightly said:
    ‘As it turned out the conditions were useless and they merely stated the law anyway.’
Yes, we do have laws against profanity and obscenity.  Yet you go on to state the following as a matter of fact:
    ‘A good time was had by all including many police women who were singing along, curse words and all with Fifty Cent.’
Just to be sure that you get my point, I’ll restate it: You acknowledged that as it turned out the conditions (which restated the law) were useless therefore the law was useless.  You also seem to state as a fact that the same officers who are charged to enforce those laws broke those laws themselves.  Sir, is something not wrong with this picture?  If the majority of Bahamians see nothing wrong with this picture, our problems as a nation are bigger than we think...and no amount of foreign investment will fix them.
    That’s my 50 cents…thanks for facilitating my comments and warm regards."
Cedric Moss

[Editor’s Note: The whole article was written tongue in cheek.  As a Minister of Religion you have a duty to preach wrong where you see it.  But in a secular state, people have free choices and an adult has the right to choose his or her form of entertainment.  The fact is that the obscene language law is ‘to the annoyance of any person.”  Clearly in an adult gathering where they gather by consent who could arguably be annoyed at hearing the language used?  That is their right as free adults to choose their form of entertainment.  Now you may argue that their choices are not ones with which you agree and that they do not conform to a moral code.  But that is another story and one you should continue to preach against if that is your belief.  The art of persuasion in a free country is what it is all about.]
 

PUBLIC SERVICE WEEK

    The week long project captioned in the banner was the occasion for this gathering outside Poinciana Hill, the offices of the Ministry of The Public Service.
 

MITCHELL TO UN
    Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell will lead a delegation to the 58th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) from 23rd September through 2nd October 2003. Other members of the delegation will Mr. Marco Rolle, Under Secretary, Ambassador, H. E. Dr. Paulette Bethel and officers of The Bahamas Permanent Mission to the United Nations, and the Ambassador to The Bahamas to the United States, H. E. Joshua Sears.   Minister Mitchell will address the Assembly on 1st October 2003.
 

A WEEK WITH THE PM

    A photogenic week for Prime Minister Christie, shown here in pictures by photographer Peter Ramsay.
Mr. Christie and Minister of Youth, Sports & Culture Neville Wisdom are pictured at top with members of the Government’s ‘Fresh Start’ programme, aimed at assisting youngsters in danger.

    Mr. Christie visited Georgetown, Exuma for a banquet in honour of long serving members of the Progressive Liberal Party there.  A number of people received Certificates of Appreciation and former MP and Government Minister Livingstone Coakley was presented a plaque for his outstanding service over the years.  Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe also attended the event, as did the Member of Parliament for the area Anthony Moss.  Our photo shows Government Environmental scientist Dr. Livingstone Marshall at left with Prime Minister Christie as he presents the plaque to Mr. Coakley with Exuma MP Anthony Moss at right.

    Young Bimini tenor singer Roosevelt Rolle is shown presenting a copy of his recently released CD to the Prime Minister.  At right is Mrs. Janine McCartney.

    Renowned for his own oratorical abilities, Prime Minister Christie looks especially pleased to receive this gavel from the Toastmasters Organisation.
 

PLPs BEWARE
    PLP’s should be warned that the FNM is getting into a political mode and they must also get themselves into a political fighting trim again so they won’t be caught unawares.  Obviously the FNM is of the perception that the PLP is vulnerable on certain things, even if the perception is not based in fact.  The signs are all there.  That is the obvious reason why the FNM is seeking to mislead the public on CSME, they are publishing their propaganda sheet, ‘The Torch’ and simple funerals of supporters have become political rallying points.  These are all signs of an attempt at a revival of some kind and the FNM can’t be allowed to get away with it.  A word to the wise, as they say.
 
 

B.S. NOTES FROM GENEVA’S IN FREEPORT…
NEWS FROM GRAND BAHAMA -

Our Lucaya Casino Indifference?
This is considered to be the soft part of the tourism season, when hotel workers are rostered to work two and three days a week.  This will go on until at least American Thanksgiving weekend in November.  Money is tight on the island of Grand Bahama.  You would have thought that anything the Government could do to relieve some of the pressure on the island’s economy would have received the fast track treatment.  Not so.

Even after the Freeport News story about the Isle of Capri casino deal stalled and a News From Grand Bahama story there has been no announcement on the signing of the casino deal.  We were further challenged to try and reach the Minister of Investment for clarification.  So we tried.  We were careful to leave all our telephone numbers.  That was on Thursday and to date, no call.

The Government of The Bahamas faces insurmountable challenges on every conceivable front, both locally and internationally.  If we as a people are going to meet these challenges the Government Ministers themselves must lead by example and pick up the pace.  I believe that most Ministers are trying to micro manage their ministries and that is a sure recipe for disaster.  Set policies and give directives and then follow through.  The Isle of Capri is a good example of how we so often lose investment opportunities with our indifferent attitudes.

I know Minister Gibson personally and if I can’t speak to the Minister, who I know, I shudder to think what goes on with people she does not know.  We must do better.

Sign the deal please, or Grand Bahama risks losing this winter season.
[Editor's Note: - We should point out that Minister Maynard Gibson was in the newspaper that very day flatly denying that there was any untoward hold-up in the Isle of Capri Casino deal - Ed]

No Public Support For Sit In
Teachers at Jack Hayward High School sat in for one day this past week.  This was in reaction to a shortage of two specialist teachers.  The Ministry of Education said that the teachers had been found but would not be in place until month’s end.

This is only the second week of school and already students in the Government schools were losing time.  They could be seen all over downtown Freeport.  Parents and guardians from both sides of the political divide told News From Grand Bahama that if the teachers expect any sympathy from the public, the disruption of classes must stop.  In the end, it’s only the students who suffer.  Most parents believe that this is overkill on the part of the union.

The Government faces another problem, that is, they only know that the teachers will not return two weeks prior to the opening of school.  This is because the teachers fear if they let the Government know in advance that their July and August payments may be withheld.  So we say to the union and the Government that this is something that they may want to negotiate instead of what we call wildcat strikes every September.

High Rock MP
Kenneth Russell is the Member of Parliament for High Rock, Grand Bahama.  He believes in action and it seems he is not impressed with the pace his FNM party has set to try and regain the Government of The Bahamas.  So this week, from Sweetings Cay in the east of his constituency, he has started holding Town Meetings to educate his constituency on the new proposed terrorism legislation.  We believe that is a laudable exercise.  We are, however, suspicious of his motives because he has not taken his Council Members with him in helping to organize some of these Town Meetings.  So what is he really up to?  Things that make you go hmmmm.

Correspondent Weighs in on '50 Cent'
Something a bit new, this week - a letter writer sent this contribution to News From Grand Bahama about the recent performance of the American rap artist '50 Cent'... The letter makes interesting reading.  Please click here.
BS



 
 
28th September, 2003
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THE POWER OF THE TOURISM MINISTRY... BUTCH KERZNER SENDS OUT A WARNING...
MINISTER RESPONDS ON AIRPORT... NO WRECK COMMISSION...
US DENIES REPORTS ON PRECLEARANCE... ORPHANED CHILDREN FROM HIV/AIDS...
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK - Undoubtedly the photo of the week was the picture of the Prime Minister Perry Christie at breakfast with the President of the United States and his three colleagues from the Caribbean: Baharrat Jagdeo, President of Guyana, Dr. Kenny Anthony, Prime Minister of St. Lucia and Dr. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada.  For the Prime Minister of The Bahamas the event was the capstone of his premiership in the sense that his political enemies in the Free National Movement had been characterizing the state of relations between the US and The Bahamas as being difficult, having been through the experience of a querulous US Ambassador in the first year of its term.  That Ambassador having departed, it would seem that matters are now on a more even keel.  The critics will be silent for a few days, and he can bask in this accomplishment.  Now comes the follow up.  The photo shows Mr. Jagdeo, Mr. Christie, Mr. Bush, Dr. Anthony and Dr. Mitchell.

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

THE TOP OF THE WORLD

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life!
You were only waiting for this moment to arise...
John Lennon and Paul McCartney
The reports that reached The Bahamas from the meeting of the Bahamian Prime Minister Perry Christie with the US President George W. Bush were that the meeting had gone very well.  Mr. Christie met with President Bush over a breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria, home of the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations on Wednesday 24th September.  The two men were joined by Baharrat Jagdeo, the President of Guyana, Dr. Keith Mitchell, the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. Kenny Anthony, the Prime Minister of St. Lucia.  It was powerful and heady stuff.

This was in a real sense the top of the world for all of these men, but for The Bahamas and its Prime Minister it could not have been a more poignant moment.

A couple of things!  First, at a moment of triumph, it is only human for a person to think of all of those persons you would have liked to be there.  No doubt amongst those on the Prime Minister’s mind would have been his mother the late nurse Naomi Christie, and his father Gladstone Christie.  Both died a short time before he became the Prime Minister and can only be here in spirit.  Not quite the same thing.

Secondly, one thinks of the personal triumph, again related to one’s parents who struggled and stayed with you and made sure that you succeeded, when teachers had told you that you would not succeed.  The moment then must have been in some respects bittersweet.  But that could only have been for the moment, because it was a complete triumph in every sense of the word.

Dismissed from the Pindling Cabinet by the very man who called him into public service, dispirited as an Independent and Opposition figure.  Joyous as he reunited with his natural political home, and then dispirited again as the PLP went down in flames in 1992 and under the sea in 1997.  He then had the task to lead, first defeating a life long friend for supremacy and then piecing together a fractious coalition of independent spirits into a party called the new PLP, allied with some people half his age, some of whom he simply took a chance on, with the great former leader and mentor having died prematurely.  He had to win.  All his life, that is the way it has been: underestimated, he would climb from out of a deep hole, surprise everyone and succeed.

These days the talk is of seeing the end of his career in sight.  He speaks openly about preparing for the future and of bringing the competitors on his trips with him to plot the course.  He of course is the only one who sees and can see the end.  His party, grumbling as they sometimes do about this decision or that not being taken quickly enough, or that FNM or this FNM not being fired, is not anxious for him to go anywhere and are but a Greek chorus, not to be ignored but not to be followed too faithfully.  His Cabinet is united and in order, despite the occasional undisciplined voice.  That is part of his natural order.

And so all of that could well have been on his mind as he stepped up to the door to be greeted by the President of the United States, the man who is thought by most to be the most powerful man in the world.  One hour and twenty minutes shared with three other heads, his and their Foreign Ministers.  It fell to them to speak for a region and its people, thoroughly ticked off by the inattention of the US, but too tied to the US and too dependent on its fortunes to shun any overtures.  And knowing also that in the domestic polity this would play well, even silencing his harshest critics in the Opposition and in the unremitting Tribune and Punch, until they can make up other monstrous lies and distortions.

But for the moment, this was his moment in time.  He is at the top of the Bahamian heap.  Only he could speak for the nation.  And ever since Hubert Ingraham made such a big deal about a similar working visit to the US President under Bill Clinton as his major stamp of approval, that is how it has been in the politics of The Bahamas.  And so Hubert Ingraham, up to mischief in is retirement, reassembling the boys, should have nothing to say but understand that he has been equalled and bested.

The songwriter says: “All your life! You were only waiting for this moment to arise.”  We congratulate the Prime Minister, his government, the party and our country.  Now comes the hard part: the follow up.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 27th September 2003 at midnight: 40,325.

Number of hits for the month of September to Saturday 27th September 2003 at midnight: 126,564.

Number of hits for the year 2003 up to Saturday 27th September 2003: 1,070,706.

BIS photo of Prime Minister Christie and Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe in Limousine by Peter Ramsay.


CONTACT US AT E-MAIL:placid_point@yahoo.com

THE POWER OF THE TOURISM MINISTRY
    When Stafford Sands was the Minister of Tourism and the Minister of Finance from 1964 to 1967, he was the most powerful man in the country.  He set up the Ministry of Tourism so that it was not subject to the same rules of the game as the other Ministries and departments.  The reason that has always been given for that is that the Ministry needed the flexibility of financial dealings that would allow it to do its work, rather than be subject to the strictures of the regular treasury processes.
    That set up by Stafford Sands is retained even to this day.  The difference is even enshrined in the constitution of the country that makes the Ministry of Tourism not subject to the same rules as the public service.  It makes the Minister of Tourism and his Ministry especially powerful in the Government.  It also has the reported benefit of making the processes of decision making within the Ministry of Tourism, quicker and more efficient.
    The question is why is the Ministry of Tourism's system not copied for the other Ministries of the government, weighed down by paper work, a bureaucratic nightmare of decision making, running the gauntlet with the Treasury and the Ministry of Finance, so that the public complains and the Ministries themselves complain that decision making often comes to a grinding halt.  When the country looks, as its Government says that it will look, at the issue of public sector reform, one hopes that chief amongst the reforms will be copying what happens at the Ministry of Tourism.  It is not the exact form that we think needs to happen; it’s the quickness, efficiency and flexibility of action on all fronts that we think is most desirable.
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BUTCH KERZNER SENDS OUT A WARNING
    There appeared to be two ominous announcements in the press during the week.  One was a comment that we heard before recently from Sol Kerzner but which The Tribune chose to run again this time out of the mouth of son Butch Kerzner.  It came out like this.  If the Government of The Bahamas does not fix the airport and move the convention tax bill then all bets are off with regard to the construction of the six hundred million dollar expansion of the Atlantis property.  Shakespeare said it like this: “I tell you that which you yourselves do know”.
    Then came a separate announcement.  That announcement said that the Kerzners were moving to create another Atlantis property in Dubai.  Dubai is one of the Arab Emirates that apparently is running out of oil, and they in the hottest part of the desert are in a frantic effort to put the oil revenue on the ground with brand new buildings, buying up everything in sight in order to protect the future.  We are told that the economists believe that the growth in Dubai is unsustainable, that they cannot grow their tourism at the rate they are going without facing collapse, that it is just too much, too fast.  It is said that they are selling rooms at below cost.  The Kerzners see the advantage here of creating a brand name or franchise for Atlantis.  They have created One and Only as a franchise for the Ocean Club up market brand.  It seems like a win win situation for them in the sense that the Government of Dubai does all the building and investment.  They only run the property and take home gobs of money.
    In The Bahamas, the Dubai announcement was all the talk.  The talk was that The Bahamas government was dragging its feet and imperilling the one thing that looks like a sure bet to push the economy forward.  There was also the talk in town that the Kerzners had taken the strategic decision to abandon The Bahamas as their primary destination and diversify.  The market would be glad to hear that anyway, since most investors feel that for a publicly traded company they have too much of their profit centre risk in The Bahamas.  Add to that the fact that Butch Kerzner has moved to New York City to run the empire from there.  The truth is probably some of all of those elements discussed above.  The fact is the Government must improve the airport and is committed to doing so.  The fact is the convention tax bill is underway.  But we think that The Tribune distorted the case either for their own propaganda purposes or for the Kerzners themselves who have used their connections with the Carrons, owners of The Tribune to put public pressure on The Bahamas Government through the Bahamian public to act.  Bottom line, the deal must be done or they are saying, we’re out of here.  Photo is an artist's rendering of the proposed Dubai project for Atlantis.
 

MINISTER RESPONDS ON AIRPORT
    Glenys Hanna Martin does not have an easy job of it.  She is the Minister of Transport and Aviation, and almost everything that she has to govern was left in a complete mess by her predecessors.  For example, rather than deal with the serious running down of the airport and the reconstruction of a runway that the FNM had been advised was in a shape beyond repair, the FNM Government chose to fight with air traffic controllers costing thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses to the country.  The docks are in equally as bad shape as are almost every major family island airport: Governor’s Harbour, Marsh Harbour and Exuma in particular.
    When the debate on the Engineers Bill wrapped up and passed on Wednesday 24th September Brent Symonette had something to say about the airport.  The Cultural Commission, headed by Winston Saunders, had made its interim report to the Government.  One suggestion was that the Nassau International Airport is renamed the Sir Lynden O. Pindling Airport.  Brent Symonette said that he had no problem with the change of name but he ventured that it should be for a new airport, not the present rundown structure.  The Minister pleaded during the week for patience in the matter.
    It is not as easy as it seems.  The runway is of course the most critical issue and the bids are expected on that soon.  Reportedly most of the engineering work has been done on that.  The real issue though is the terminal and its environs that at present would not be able to handle the expected load of passengers that will come when the Kerzner International project gets up and going.  The Minister must then make crucial decisions with regard to that terminal.  If that were not enough for the Minister, she soon has to advance the Government’s programme to take over the supervision of over flight in Bahamian airspace.  This will give the Government additional much needed revenues.  Look to fights on this issue from the US authorities.  No!  No!  It’s not an easy road.
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NO WRECK COMMISSION
    The Sea Hauler and the United Star crashed into one another on the open seas on 2nd August.  Four people died including a 14 year old.  The Government promised a quick inquiry into the matter pursuant to the Merchant Shipping Act.  They didn’t count on lawyers to get involved, but get involved they did.  The reason lawyers are in it, is that the Wreck Commission headed by retired Judge Joseph Strachan with assessors Sir Durward Knowles and retired Commodore of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Howard Smith will ultimately assess and apportion blame.  Hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of dollars will turn on this.  Insurance companies and bereaved families, not to say the owners of vessels and maybe even the Government have a stake in the outcome in money terms.  There may be Government liability for the failure to provide a proper system of safety inspection.
    There will apparently be no quick inquiry.  Last week, we reported that the Wreck Commission had come to a dead stop when Attorney Charles Mackay for the United Star submitted that the rules being used for the inquiry were not the proper rules, that the British rules on such inquiries had been imported into our legislation and as such ought to be used.  Mr. Mackay argued that the whole thing was improperly started.
    Cheryl Grant Bethell who is the Government’s chief lawyer in the matter said that Mr. MacKay’s arguments were ill founded and that the Merchant Shipping Act itself looked to the Commission of Inquiries Act to provide the rules of procedure.  The Wreck Commissioner agreed and ruled in favour of the Government.  But with lawyers that is never the end of that.  Mr. Mackay then went to the Supreme Court before Justice Hugh Small.  He sought judicial review of the procedure.
    The Wreck Commission is adjourned to await the Court’s ruling.  The Judge himself heard the arguments and reserved his position for two weeks when he will give his decision.  But he warned the lawyers and the public that his decision was subject to an appeal, and no doubt lawyers being who they are will be off to the Court of Appeal to seek to overturn his ruling.  And so thus far the Wreck Commission remains wrecked and on the rocks.
 

US DENIES REPORTS ON PRECLEARANCE
    At last the United States Government’s representative in The Bahamas is speaking with a clear voice.  Robert Witijewski, the Deputy Chief of Mission, now Charge D’affaires (pictured) responded to press speculation about the closure of the pre clearance lounge during the hurricane Isabel (click here for previous story).  It is as we said a simple matter.  Hurricane Fabian destroyed their facility in Bermuda as a category three hurricane.  Isabel when it first appeared as a category five hurricane looked like it would create mayhem if it hit The Bahamas.  It was a straight out decision to try to save lives; no sinister political motives.  The Tribune and The Punch who are increasingly occupying the same space in Bahamian newspaper bandwidth claimed that there was something amiss about the closure of the lounge during the hurricane.  Not so said the US representative.
    As for the future, the US representative said that there were no plans to shut the facility, that in fact the facility was just as useful to The Bahamas as it was to the United States.  Further, he said the report in The Punch about the refusal of The Bahamas government to allow the US to arrest a terror suspect on its soil, and for the US to get jurisdiction from the Bahamian Attorney General to do so in all cases in the lounge was untrue.
    The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell told Jeff Lloyd’s LOVE 97 radio show on Monday 22nd September that the lounge works exactly the way the law intended it to work and that the arrest of the suspect wanted by the US was conducted in accordance with an agreement with the US authorities at the time.  Well you know that fellow at The Punch.  He makes his living in prevarication.
 

ORPHANED CHILDREN FROM HIV/AIDS

    Dr. Marcus Bethel, the Minister of Health represented the Government at the special conference on HIV/AIDS at the United Nations in New York on Monday 22 and 23rd September.  He made the case for more to be done on fighting the disease.  But what was of special interest was his plea for the cases of children who are orphaned by HIV/AIDs where both their parents have died as result of the disease.  He did not say or at least it was not reported how many cases of this exist in The Bahamas.  But from the situations we see in Africa, they are sad cases indeed.  Dr. Bethel is pictured with his senior health administration team at the conference in the United States.
 

DPM BACK ON THE GOOD FOOT
    The press reported that the Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt was back at work in the House of Assembly on Wednesday 24th September.  The DPM had been in hospital for five days while tests were done.  She left the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 16th September complaining of not feeling well.  She was escorted to hospital by the Minister of Health who had her hospitalized as a precaution.  Tests were done and everything after a week’s rest seems okay.  She is now back to work.  We are happy to see her there.  Deputy Prime Minister Pratt is shown accompanied by aides on her way to the House of Assembly in this Bahama Journal photo by Omar Barr.
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CAR THEFT STILL A PROBLEM
    The Bahama Journal reported that car theft is down some 24 per cent over last year as a result of their special efforts in that area.  But the police said that it remains a problem.  They reported a list of cars that are favourites for the car thieves.  They are: Nissan Sentras, Nissan Altimas, Honda Civics and Nissan Maximas.  Buyers beware.  These are the favourite cars of the young thugs but they are among the cars that are also popular on the second-hand market for young mothers.
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CULTURAL COMMISSION REPORTS
    The Cultural Commission has reported its initial findings to the Government and Prime Minister Christie held a press conference with them to listen to the findings.  Amongst them is to rename the Nassau International Airport in honour of the late Sir Lynden O. Pindling.  The Commission wants British honours abolished in total, not a two track system of local and British honours.  That means the designations Order of the British Empire and knighthoods will disappear, if they have their way and replaced by totally Bahamian honours.  They recommend that a Bahamian history and literature month ought to be declared for October and that the second Monday in October should be declared National Heroes Day.  They have given other suggestions for the names of streets and buildings.  They believe the new education building should be named after Arthur Hanna, the former Deputy Prime Minister and first PLP Minister of Education.  No doubt these and other changes must come.  We support them and look forward to the changes.
 

THE STORM IS OVER NOW

    One of the great engineering problems in The Bahamas has been its inability to find a permanent solution for the so called Glass Window Bridge in North Eleuthera.  Eleuthera looks like one land mass, a skinny island stretching 110 miles from north to south on the northeast fringe of The Bahamas.  If you fly on a course northeast from Eleuthera you reach Bermuda.  Bermuda was the land from which the first settlers reached The Bahamas at Eleuthera in the 17th century.  But there is actually a small break in the island, and while you can walk across it, if it were left in its natural formation, you will have to walk down then up again because it is actually two cliffs joined by an eroded land bridge at almost sea level. The gap is connected by man with a small bridge between two tall cliffs, with the deep dark Atlantic Ocean on the windward or eastern side, and the light green bay waters of the leeward or western side.  On the east there are fierce waves crashing against the shore and eroding the limestone cliffs at the best of times.  At hurricanes it is simply fierce, and it always knocks the bridge out.  The bridge has been replaced three times in the last ten years.  Hurricane Isabel did not even come to The Bahamas but its wake sent shock waves up against Eleuthera’s eastern shore at the glass window.  We show these pictures of nature’s show for your enjoyment.
 

MAILBOX
    This correspondence from a reader in Arizona:
    As a Bahamian living abroad it is not often possible to keep up with all of the news from home that is off interest. Unfortunately, telephone calls (3 hrs. time difference & expensive from Tucson, AZ) or reading the Guardian online does not always do the trick.
     It is so good to read the variety of items you write about; the politics, sports and actual speeches from Parliment. Thanks so much for reporting on Fr. Perna's funeral and the 3 ladies that died. Two of them are so well known to me and the other is my son's classmate.
     Keep up the good work and continue to discuss deaths of not only prominent Bahamians but teachers, etc. in the papers, it is good so those of us abroad can call or write the loved ones
Caroline F. Johnson
Tucson, AZ.

PS: What is the latest on the missing boys? Thank God for you all keeping their faces on the net.
 

ST. THOMAS MOORE MP WEDS
    Frank Smith, the handsome and dashing first time MP for St. Thomas Moore married the beautiful, intelligent and engaging Sharlyn Wilson, daughter of businessman Franklyn Wilson and Senate President Sharon Wilson on Saturday 27th September.  Mr. Smith is the son of Richard Smith, brother to Philip Smith, High Commissioner to Canada for The Bahamas and George Smith, former Minister and now Chair of the Hotel Corporation.  The ceremony took place at the Christ Church Cathedral, presided over by Archbishop Gomez with rites by Dean of the Cathedral Patrick Adderley and Suffrugan Bishop Gilbert Thompson and the homily by Fr. Glen Nixon of St. Thomas Moore.  Prime Minister Christie and his wife Bernadette attended the ceremony fresh in from their New York and Washington official visit.

A WEEK WITH THE PM

    Mrs. Christie is pictured in this breathtaking classic evening gown as she joined the Prime Minister in Washington DC where Mr. Christie was honoured by the influential group '100 Black Men of America'.


Mr. Christie is pictured receiving the award at left and at right with Bahamian members of the group.


The Christies were welcomed to Washington by DC Mayor Anthony Williams.  Mayor Williams is pictured at left with the Prime Minister and Mrs. Christie at a luncheon hosted by Billionaire Robert Johnson, second from right.  In the photograph at right, the Prime Minister is joined by Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe and Minister of Financial Affairs Allyson Maynard-Gibson at the InterAmerican Development Bank where they greeted an Bahamian employee of the bank (left).


The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs confer with the country's legal counsel in the United States and at right with other Bahamians in Washington.


Mr. Christie shares a chuckle with Bahamian Peter John Goulandris, Deputy Chairman of The Bahamas Maritime Authority and at right in Bahamas House with Minister of Financial Services & Investment Allyson Maynard-Gibson, Ambassador Joshua Sears, Dr. Baldwin Carey, Minister of Transport & Aviation Glenys Hanna-Martin and Minister of Health Dr. Marcus Bethel. Photographs by Peter Ramsay.
 
 

B.S. NOTES FROM GENEVA’S IN FREEPORT…
NEWS FROM GRAND BAHAMA -

THE POLICE and DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS
    News from Grand Bahama has been contacted by some concerned downtown merchants for assistance in bringing about a positive resolution of their problems.  Ever since the central police station was relocated from the heart of downtown on Pioneer's Way to the new police headquarters on the Mall, it seems that the vagabonds have moved into the area.  They assemble in front of the Winn Dixie food store, and to the side between the Winn Dixie and the now closed Pantry Pride food store where they harass would-be shoppers and make lewd comments at ladies and from time to time fight with one another.  It is only when they see the police, they quickly disburse but soon after the officers leave the area, they just as quickly reassemble.  This is most notable around the lunch hour.

    When schools are dismissed in the late afternoon, a new set of problems unfolds with groups of schoolchildren raiding local shops.  News from Grand Bahama has contacted the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Grand Bahama, Ellison Greenslade and he has admitted to having some challenges in that regard.  So, News from Grand Bahama would like to make a suggestion, it might be in the public interest to set up a satellite station in the heart of downtown from 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. in a small building similar to that in the International Bazaar and locate it in the parking lot close to the downtown bus stop.  If this is not a workable solution, the police might consider renting a shop space in the downtown area and using that as a satellite station.  The other suggestion is, in the mean time, the police might consider beefing up its foot patrol with the use of officers like officer Weir who the merchants regard as a person who is able to keep order.

    We shall hold the Assistant Commissioner to his word of rectifying the problem.
 

PARENTS GOT IT WRONG
    Thirty years ago when the fathers of this nation took our people into Independence they were proclaiming to the world that we could be more than just hewers of wood and drawers of water; and, by the grace of God, we were able to forge our destiny, FORWARD, UPWARD,
ONWARD TOGETHER.

    This past week in a dramatic shift in policy, the Minister of Transport and Aviation announced that the government was close to choosing a foreign management company to manage the operations of Nassau International Airport.  This was a clear admission by the government that there could not be found one person among us competent enough to manage the Nassau airport.  I do not accept this as a young Bahamian and I am deeply offended by that notion.  To accept this is to repudiate our founding fathers.  It is an admission that they got it wrong, and hundreds of millions of dollars in the education of our people had been wasted.

    My final point is that the Commonwealth of the Bahamas is a group of islands and Cays.  Our country is only able to work within the confines of the resources that we have.  In other words, the old proverb should ring true “We should cut our coat according to our cloth”.  So what is needed for the smooth and orderly development of our capital city is a clean, user-friendly airport that works and is well maintained.

    We are a tropical island; we do not need or are able to afford a Ft. Lauderdale airport.  The travelling public does not expect that of us.  So, this whole notion of us trying to develop an American- style airport is way beyond our means.  Cut our coats according to our cloth.

    And now another contribution from DM who has become a regular on News From Grand Bahama:
BS

On the government of The Bahamas

I am a supporter of the Progressive Liberal Party and I am proud of where we came to as a country via the accomplishments of the PLP.  May 2nd, 2002 was yet another milestone by the PLP. The party, yet again, was able to lead a seemingly oppressed people out of the hands of the oppressors, referred to in that way for various reasons.  The honeymoon is over!  We are now more than a year in and as a supporter, I am disappointed.

Firstly, our ministers seem to lack insight and outlook. I cringe as I remember the infamous “bleachers issues” of the last Junkanoo season, where a seemingly competent minister squandered a million dollars on bleachers that we do not have any claim on, and as a government, we turned around, in parliament and praised him for a job well done.  How? Why?  What message are we sending to the people of the nation when we praise a lousy job such as this?  In theory, he had a good idea, but it seemed more feasible to buy the bleachers so we could have them for this year.  I was embarrassed to say the least and as much as I tried, I was never able to come up with a reason to justify it.  I am sick and tired of ministers making irrational decisions.  I am sick and tired of those ministers who get on national radio, with no class and row with Bahamian people.  I am sick and tired of ministers and PLP MP’s who have been making empty promises, those who do not return phone calls or change cell phone numbers.   I am sick and tired of ministers who make decisions that seem to have no substance.  For example, why would you reduce energy fees?  If there is extra money available, there is a guarantee that it could be used in some other area of government.  Why is a government giving money back?   What is the agenda here, Mr. Minister?

I am sick and tired of commissions.  I feel like commissions are a way for the administrators to shun the issues by saying that they are “awaiting the commissions report.”  Moreover, how many of those commission have actually reported back since the first was formed over a year ago?  We have too many commissions.  It is a pure waste of time.  I just heard recently, that a National Hero’s commission is forming… While we are at it, I think that we should form a commission on picking mangoes.

What is the status of our immigration problem?  What is being done?  Repatriation is not the answer?  That is causing the government too much money…money that we could use for the betterment of our own country.  Though this has been a problem for years now, it seems that it is becoming more and more prevalent.  Each time I hear about a Haitian vessel reaching to Nassau, I have to ask someone if we still have a Defense Force.  How is it that the Department of Immigration has not sought to have a ghost vessel roaming the southern islands to attempt to combat this issue?  How is it that raids are not conducted more routinely in high populated areas to check documents and deport those residing here illegally?  Additionally, we could seek to put heat on those Bahamians who are harboring these illegal immigrants and are making huge about of money from the trade.  The trip that the certain minister made to Haiti to discuss the issue was a pure waste of time and money, in my opinion.  I thought he could have taken a couple of bails of yellow-corn grits and a few cases of corned beef with him as a diplomatic gift for the poor and oppressed in the country…that might have made the trip more worthwhile.

Most refer to this cabinet as the ‘gusimae cabinet’, but I call it the ‘eagle cabinet’ because they are always flying.  And, when they do travel, on the government’s money, they travel in such large contingents.  Recently, I heard of a minister who traveled to a family island and was reported to only, “eat, sleep, and defecate (that word was not used), then it was time for her/him to leave”.  One thing that I must commend the minister of Foreign Affairs for is that the whole country knows his agenda.  Those become media events and rightfully so.  The Bahamian people should have a right to know what their money is being used for.

Ray Charles could see that our economy is stagnant.  A good economy means that jobs would be on the increase, most people would be working, then businesses would be flourishing and everyone wins…from the government to the man on the street.  If the government is dragging its feet in implementing new investments or creative job opportunities, we end up with an abundance of job-less youngsters and high crime.  We do not have the type of economy where we could sporadically implement projects.  There needs to be investments ongoing so that we could be moving because each year, thousands of children graduate from high school and are looking for jobs.  Similarly, many Bahamian students are graduating from college and are looking for jobs as well, where do they go?

There are a few projects that my government has been able to implement in their reign, and there are a few ministers who are following proper procedure and protocol and are representing themselves well.  However, I repeat my disappointment in my government.  Gone are the days when people vote on tradition.  Those fanatic youngsters who chanted, “PLP all the way!” last year could easily turn that cry around.  We live in a generation in which there is little fear and even less loyalty.  The young people are loyal and committed to rap music, platinum necklaces, fancy clothes, drugs, and good sex.  They do not make attachment to anything else.  They go with instant gratification.  Many youngsters would probably not see the necessity to vote in elections because in this era of fast money, the government cannot do anything for them.  All is not well in this country.  Our government administrators should take this letter as an alarm to wake up and introspect, and realize that we are not drowning only because of the grace of God.

"...just as lightning makes no sound until it strikes, the revolution will be generated quietly..."