April 7th, 2013
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| THE BAHAMAS GDP FOR YEAR 2012 RELEASED | |
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In the wee hours of Thursday morning 4th April disaster struck in one of the most remote parts of The Bahamas, the island of Mayaguana on an jet strip long abandoned by the US government but not in a state of repair to take any aircraft at any time, much less at 12:30 a.m. in pitch dark with trucks on the side of it to light the way. The unthinkable became thinkable and according to the officials ex post facto, the lights of the trucks meant to light the path in the darkness temporarily blinded the pilot of the Cessna 402 coming in for a mercy flight and he struck one vehicle, careened out of control and then slammed into another which burst into flames consuming all the occupants in a fireball which lasted for one hour as bystanders stood helplessly by with no fire rescue equipment on hand. The Minister of Transport Glenys Hanna Martin who has really had a hard time of it in the past year what with oil spills and road traffic accidents flew down to have a firsthand look and to inspect for herself the damage. This photo by Chester Robards which appeared in The Tribune is our photo of the week, show in the utter devastation of it all as the minister looks on.
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COMMENT OF THE WEEK
TERAY SMITH IS THE HERO OF THE CARIFTA GAMES
Obie Wilchcombe, the Minister of Tourism says with pride that Teray Smith is Jimmy Smith’s son from Eight Mile Rock in his constituency in Grand Bahama. The pride could not be more however than that surprise that evening on Sunday last just around sunset when the runners were getting into the blocks for the 200 metre under 20 boy’s race. The lanes are chosen by times and so the young man in lane three was expected to win. Not Teray Smith, the young man in lane eight. The gun goes off and low and behold Teray Smith of The Bahamas won the race. The crowd went wild and he looking back did this young swag that the young black males do that said“that’s what I’m talking about”.He had won.
Sitting up in the private booth high above the games was the Prime Minister Perry Christie and former Sports Minister and now Co-Chair of the Urban Renewal Commission Algernon Allen. Mr. Allen was amazed. He crowed aloud. He could not believe it. The Prime Minister was speechless. This was his moment, the Prime Minister that is, for many reasons. This was in a brand new stadium, a gift given to the Bahamian people by the Chinese government but negotiated by Mr. Christie during his first term of office as a gift to the young people of The Bahamas. Mr. Christie, the perennial second chancer was looking from the booth in his second chance administration at a second chancer winning the race.
Teray Smith had messed up earlier, by Mr. Smith’s own admission. He said that during the relay with the boys under twenty 4 by 1 race, he was responsible for fumbling the passing of the baton and The Bahamas was disqualified. He told the press after he won the 200 metre race that he knew he would have to do something to redeem himself and so he put that extra effort in and won the race.
Why do we consider this the moment of the games? With due respect to a superb female athlete Shaunae Miller who is obviously our next star at the Olympics, Mr. Smith is a young black male of ordinary vintage. We are so sick of seeing the images of these young black boys doing what we call the Bank Lane Shuffle, walking in chains and hand cuffs as they are taken to court for some offence or other. Here was the complete opposite picture.
Here you had a young black male, who could with full pride boast, and have a whole lot of fun at something which he accomplished. He got on TV not in handcuffs but with his country cheering his accomplishment and from his own hard work and determination. That’s the story and example for the hundreds of the black boys out there; that one day that can be them and they don’t have to be drunk, or high or fighting or shooting a gun or walking down Bank Lane in chains to get on TV.
Congratulations Mr. Smith and do well.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 6th April 2013 up to midnight: 602,642
Number of hits for the month of April up to Saturday 6th April 2013 up to midnight:92,435
Number of hits for the year 2013 up to Saturday 2013 up to midnight:2,003,240
THREE GET INSTRUMENTS OF APPOINTMENT
The diplomats designate got their instruments of appointment from the Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes on Thursday 4th April. They are Elliston Rahming, the Permanent Representative Designate for the Organization of American States stationed in Washington; Calsey Johnson, High Commissioner to Canada and Paulette Zonicle, the Consul General designate for The Bahamas in Washington D.C. The photos are by
Three people died in a fiery crash in the early hours of the morning on Thursday 4th April in the remote island of Mayaguana. The facts as we now know them are a man was having some kind of medical emergency and a flight was chartered from a company Lee Air to travel to collect the man. As the plane was making its final approach at about 12:20 a.m., it smashed into a vehicle on the side of the runway which with others was parked there to supply light markers for the runway which has no installed lighting. The plane damaged that vehicle, its occupants escaped unharmed. The plane went on to careen out of control, snapping its wing on another truck that was also parked as a lighting marker. The plane’s wing broke off spraying fuel over the truck which burst into flames, incinerating all three passengers in the truck: a mother, daughter and son-in-law. There was no firefighting equipment on the runway and the people burned to death with their relatives and friends watching. The pilot and passengers in the plane escaped unharmed. The man who had the emergency is still alive and was taken to Nassau later that day on another plane. The dead people are Edith Collie, her daughter Enamay Polowick and her son-in-law Tim Polowick. They are the mother, sister and son-in-law of former Minister Sidney Collie. Couple of things. Mayaguana’s strip is the longest strip in The Bahamas, having been built there for the space programme era recovery planes of the United States government. It has been in a state of disrepair for decades, only one part of it usable. Bahamasair, the flag carrier will not fly there. Lee Air does scheduled charter services in its stead. The PLP administration had a plan for Mayaguana’s development with a group out of Boston called the I Group. The upgrade of the runway was one such proposal of the development. The PLP also left in place the lighting of all runways around the country with solar lighting. The FNM as part of its stop review and cancel programme stopped both the I Group and the lighting programme. Ten month into the PLP’s administration, and now with three deaths the lights are to be installed says the government forthwith. Go further back: it seems clear in retrospect that the emergency which required Lee Air to risk the lives of its own passengers and which led to the killing of three people on the ground was not an emergency that could not have waited until first light. The local air ambulance service would not have flown into Mayaguana until daybreak, given the condition of the runway. So plenty of blame all around. Alas hindsight is twenty, twenty. The Minister of Transport Glenys Hanna Martin flew to Mayaguana to see for herself with the MP for the area Agriculture Minister V Alfred Gray. She offered her condolences to the family. The press reported that the people of Mayaguana, not number more than 400 souls altogether are in deep sorrow and anger and have been lashing out at officialdom for the tragedy. The FNM’s Leader Hubert Minnis who was part of the cabinet who stopped the Mayaguana development says that he will respond to the criticisms after the mourning period is over.
MITCHELL AT ROTARY AND COB: BAHAMIANS FIRST
The Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell made two speeches this week in a follow up and response to the debate set off on 14th March with his statement to the House of Assembly on immigration. Mr. Mitchell answered the criticisms and put the case for the immigration policy proposed. What was interesting was his tribute to the National General Council of the Progressive Liberal Party and the role that they played in the development of the immigration policies. He paid particular tribute to Stalwart Councilor Betty Sweeting whom he said single handedly organized the Stalwart Councilors in Freeport in a revolt against the employment practices of the companies in Freeport.
You may click here for the address at the College of the Bahamas forum organized by the Bahamas National Youth Council (BNYC) led by Tyson McKenzie with whom Mr. Mitchell is pictured.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOWELL MORTIMER
Lowell Mortimer, the philanthropist, the lawyer and the businessman, celebrated his 70th birthday on Saturday 6th April, with grand birthday bash at the Balmoral Club. The photos are by Peter Ramsay. Prime Minister Perry Christie and Mrs. Christie attended the party.
RODNEY MONCUR JAILED
You have real difficulty understanding many things in public life. When it comes to Rodney Moncur there are many questions which arise that make understanding doubly difficult. Mr. Moncur who came to fame or more properly notoriety in The Bahamas supporting the abolition of the death penalty then made a switch to the creed of hang ‘em high without batting an eyelid, has been a bit of a Falstaff character for forty or so years on the Bahamian scene. One would have thought that after you become an old man at 54 which is what he is now, you learn sense and sort of get into the mainstream not act in a fashion which comes off as comical or imbecilic. There was a glint of that once when he was appointed to the National General Council of the PLP as a representative of the taxi union and people thought well at last he is in the mainstream. Not for long. He fell out with the taxi union and was back to the streets and attacking the establishment. Sometimes he was with Hubert Ingraham who gave him a Justice of the Peace designation and other times he was attacking Hubert Ingraham and then well the PLP he never really cared for them. In short he was all over the place. In the last general election, he ran as a part of the Democratic National Alliance of Branville McCartney , strange choice for a grass roots man, who loves the Haitian community and speaks creole to tie himself up with an anti-illegal immigration law and order type, who wants to round up Haitians and throw them out of the country. No matter though. Politics makes strange bedfellows and does not have to be logical or consistent. The latest foray into the notoriety is the use of Facebook to publish some photos of a man who died in police custody. Not sure what happened, whether he got into the morgue or the funeral home but he published the photos. The police are in deep trouble already over the death of two men in custody, the shooting of another by mistake and the beating of another and it appears that they took offence at the publication of Mr. Moncur and the photos, maybe it embarrassed them as it rightly should have. They have now in response to Mr. Moncur’s actions hauled Mr. Moncur before the courts and charged him with gross indecency. The Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade was in the press sounding off about the use of Facebook for nefarious purposes and how he will enforce the law. The police obviously have a lot of time on their hands in the midst of all the bloodshed on the streets from serious crimes like murder and robbery. Which brings us to the other thing that many people find hard to understand. Why would the police waste time prosecuting Rodney Moncur for this offence? Clearly this is being painted now as a civil libertarian issue. The previous PLP regime made a mistake in prosecuting him before for sedition. Mr. Moncur who revels in publicity and in spectacle and in provoking authorities to do stupid things, did just that out of it. He made a mockery of the proceedings. The Magistrate set bail at 7500 dollars which was criticized in many quarters as itself being over the top and then he said he would spend the night in jail. As he was brought into the court and taken away he accused the police of wanting to kill him and kept shouting freedom. So now this will no doubt make the US Embassy’s report of human right abuse. Why do we leave ourselves open to this stuff, when by simply ignoring it the matter have less traction? And thing is everyone knows what Rodney Moncur is up to. Any way the die is cast, so off to the races we go. Mr. Moncur made bail on Friday 5th April at 4 p.m. again making a mockery of the whole event telling in great detail how he was stripped searched in the prison where he spent the night. The video shows some of the spectacle and the photo is taken from The Tribune.
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THE HYMN: JESUS LIVES NO LONGER NOW FOR EASTER
THE ATHLETES AT WORK FOR THE BAHAMAS
Last week, the nation was in a thrall as thousands of its citizens took to the brand new Thomas A Robinson Stadium to witness the athletes from across the Caribbean compete against each other in the under 20 category. The Carifta Games is where Usain Bolt got his start and we are seeing the future in these games. The photos were everywhere on Facebook. The hero of the games for us is Teray Smith who came out of nowhere and surprised and thrilled the Bahamian crowd when he won the boys under 200 metre race from the outside lane. See Comment of The Week. The winner of the top game award the Austin Sealy Award was Shaunae Miller, her last qualifying year for the games, who is also the Athlete of the Year for the IAAAF Juniors. A photo spread of the activities over the Easter Weekend.
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OAS SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The Organization of American States (OAS), through its Department of Human Development, Education and Culture, is pleased to announce the following scholarships opportunities for higher education studies to the citizens of the Americas. The application deadline varies depending on the program and some of them are rapidly approaching. We invite you to apply as soon as possible and to share this message with friends, colleagues and family that could benefit from these scholarship opportunities.
www.oas.org/scholarships
RYAN PINDER TO HOST A FACTA WORKSHOP WITH THE AMERICANS
BIRTHDAY GIRL MILDRED DILLETTE
Mrs. Mildred Dillette celebrates her 90-something Birthday during a family dinner at her son and daughter-in-law Al & Kathy's home. The nonagenerian former civil servant celebrated with her favourite homemade grouper and organic coleslaw, topped by guava and carrot birthday cake. Mrs. Dillette is pictured on the 'phone, receiving congratulations from distant grandchildren.
THE BAHAMAS GDP FOR YEAR 2012 RELEASED
PRESS RELEASE:
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS RELEASES
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT 2012 FIGURES
The National Accounts Section of the Department of Statistics announces the release of the estimates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the period 2008 to 2012. The 2012 figures are Preliminary, 2011 are Provisional, 2010 and 2009 are Revised and the 2008 are Final until the next historical revision.
The 2012 annual preliminary results are based on early estimates from major data sources such as the Central Bank, Ministry of Tourism, and the Foreign Trade Section of the Department of Statistics, etc. They are also based on indicators which normally mimic movements of particular industries such as Hotel Room Rates, Megawatt Sales, Building Permits, Chargeable Telephone Minutes, Consumer Price Index, etc. The 2012 GDP figures are Preliminary and will be revised as more data become available.
The GDP is measured in both Current Market Prices and Constant 2006 Prices. The current measure utilizes current price levels and currency values, without factoring in inflation and determines the total value of the products and services produced in a particular year. The Constant Prices measures the effects of inflation and is more useful for studying trends in economic growth.
According to the preliminary results, the GDP in Current Prices for 2012 had a positive growth of 3.5%, while GDP in Constant Prices grew at 1.83%.
The growth at constant prices was due to increases in the Construction Industry, Manufacturing, Hotel Industry and Marine Transport In contrast, Fisheries, Electricity, Mining, Banking, Insurance and Real Estate/Gross Rents declined.
The Expenditure Approach to GDP is through measurement of Government and Household Consumption combined with Investment and Exports minus Imports. The Exports of Goods and Services at Constant Prices in 2012 grew by 5.7% and in Current Prices, 6.4%, a direct result of an 11% increase in the Export of Goods. Tourism expenditure which increased by 5% together with an infusion of 18% in Local Expenses of the Off Shore Companies were the main contributors to the increase in The Export of Services
Imports of Goods and Services at Constant Prices in 2012 grew by 13%. The Imports of Goods which represent 74% of all Imports grew by 16.7%, led mainly by significant increases in Machinery and Transport Equipment and Manufactured Goods Classified Chiefly by Materials. The Imports of Construction Services which increased by 92% was the major catalyst for the 10% overall increase in the Imports of Services.
Gross Capital Formation measures the value of Investment in Buildings, Machinery and Infra-structure in the economy and is a combination of the materials and lab our that are utilized to produce the various projects. The Gross Capital Formation in Constant Prices grew by 20.6%. The impetus in this sector was Non-Residential Construction and Machinery and Transport Equipment which increased by 97% and 22.6%, respectively. This build-up of these fixed assets was the direct result of major capital projects such as the BahaMar and the Airport Expansion Projects, etc.
The Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) or Household Expenditure which represents 70% of the GDP, increased in Current Prices by 2.9%. This increase was mostly in the Wholesale and Retail Trade Industry which grew by 5%, and Household Expenditure Abroad which grew by 20%. Contrary to the overall PFCE current growth, a slight decrease was measured at Constant Prices, where PFCE declined by 0.7% as part of the constant growth was mainly due to the increased prices. This decline is due to the All Items NP Consumer Price Index used to deflate the PFCE, which moved from 135.5 in 2011 to 138.4 in 2012.
The Government Final Consumption Expenditure (GFCE) is measured as Compensation of Employees, Depreciation Expense and Intermediate Consumption. This GFCE is split between Individual Consumption and Collective Consumption. In 2012, The Individual Consumption which includes Health and Education grew by 1.6% at Constant Prices and the Collective Consumption, which represents the remaining services, experienced a 2.5% growth.
A National Accounts 2012 Report with detailed tables will be available at the end of April 2013 on the Department’s website, http://statistics.bahamas.gov.bs.
Forrester Carroll writes this week from Freeport about the air of unreality in which unions in The Bahamas now engage in order to settle their grievances. This is against the backdrop of work stoppages in Nassau this week by the BEC workers led by their Union President Stephano Greene. Those workers confronted the Prime Minister at a function for international guests outside one of the hotels and police massed to ensure that there was no disorder given the disorder the day before at the BEC head office. Mr. Carroll says that the unions starting with the example of the teacher’s union and its head Belinda Wilson are seeking to threaten the government. He argues that the unions are insensitive to the country’s deep financial crisis.
Belinda Wilson told the press (the other day) that (minutes before she was speaking to them) she had delivered her union’s new three-year contract proposal, for public school teachers, to the prime minister. As she was speaking to the press one could see a smirk grin on her face as if seemingly to say; “ya bugger ya better find the money or else;” she furthered, “and it has financial implications in it.” Ms. Wilson then walked away from the reporters obviously pleased with herself that she had started a fight (for more money for her teachers) which she had every intentions, by hook or by crook, to win. I say only this, to Ms. Wilson, it’s one thing for a union rep to pretend that he/she has grit, in representing their members when negotiating with employers, but it’s quite another to conduct one’s self, during those negotiations, with prudence, common sense and a keen appreciation for the realism of the situation at hand.
The bull in a china shop display of ignorance may get Ms. Wilson kudos from enough of her members to get her re-elected for a third time but it won’t add anything to her resume, for when she is no longer in office and must really then begin working for a living. I wish to admonish the teacher’s union, and all other unions for that matter, to sit and negotiate with your employers, “In good faith,” keeping in mind the signs of times in which we live.
A week, or so, after the Belinda Wilson’s subtle threatening message (to the government) the media reported that the nurses began complaining and threatening that if they did not get their lump sum payments (and increases in salaries), as promised by the government, for November 2012 that they too were prepared to shut down the government’s free medical facilities-as if they have not lived in the Bahamas these past five years of FNM rule and are not fully aware of the country’s financial mess-they too demanded (forthwith) payments promised and seemed to say (as well) pay or else. Loud noises, singing the same tune, are heard coming from COB and other quarters, as well, without regard to the sad financial state-of-affairs within which the Ingraham government left the country. When the government tells them that Ingraham’s revenue projections, for fiscal 2012-2013, have been too generous-that the actual has shown a decline of almost $60 million in the first half of the year-is there anything in that submission that needs more detailing? What is it that they do not understand when the government tells them that what Ingraham projected we would collect, in revenue, has to date fallen short by some $60 million? It has just been revealed in the Senate, by the Hon. Keith Bell while delivering his contribution to the debate on the mid-year budget statement, that the Ingraham Administration was so reckless in their spending habits that even the police’s “Confiscated Assets Fund” (CAF) was raided and depleted; this is a fund primarily financed by confiscated monies derived from the confiscation, and condemnation by the courts, of proceeds proven to be gained from criminal activity. In mid-June 2011, as revealed by the Hon. Senator, the fund had more than $20 million on account but by the 15th of February 2012 the fund was depleted to an amount less than $185,000.00; the Ingraham Administration spent almost all of the $20 million and there is no record, according to the Hon. Keith Bell, as to its whereabouts or what Ingraham pissed it away on. The government isn’t saying that it will not pay their obligations, under these agreements, but is simply saying that the payments must be delayed for a more convenient time because of our sad state-of-affairs.
Whether you guys were promised a salary increase (or some other cash benefits in some signed contract years ago) or whether your contract has expired now and a new one is being submitted which contains a proposal for increased benefits, certainly if the financial climate in the country has changed so drastically that those promises simply cannot be kept, at this time, aren’t you people able to understand that there’s no getting blood out of stone-that increases cannot happen for you at this time? Will it take a rocket scientist to comprehend the facts of this simple arithmetical equation? Ignorant leadership, in any organization, breathes ignorant membership and that could be a dangerous proposition to handle.
The Prime Minister/Minister for finance delivered his mid-year budget presentation, to the Hon. House of Assembly, on Monday 25th February and it wasn’t pleasant to the ears. While more specific details emerged, during the course of the debate, on the Monday following we all (including Belinda’s union-the union at the college of the Bahamas-the nurses union and all other civil servants) knew very well the bad state-of-affairs, prior to the mid-year budget statement being read; it detailed some very startling mismanagement practices, by the Ingraham Administration, which would have gotten them arrested, for fiscal malfeasance in office, had it not been the Bahamas but some other country (like either North Korea, Grand Cayman or Iceland) where these criminal acts were committed; even in the Turks and Caicos Islands a warrant would have been issued for their arrest on sight. It isn’t that you union execs didn’t know of the precarious financial conditions, in the country, so I say show your love for the Bahamas (instead) and not seek to destroy your beloved country further. We will not tire of reminding the citizens of the FNM’s recklessness and the fact that unions never held them so accountable, as they are doing in the case of Mr. Christie’s ten-month old regime. We usually assume too much, I guess, when we assume that Union leaders are the “crème-de-la-crème-the intelligent if you will” of the bunch, but NO; at the very least, though, union leaders should be able to ascertain situations and act accordingly; “money or else” is no way to negotiate.
Adjustments must be made (to our expenditure) in order to bring it more in line (and on par) with the country’s stagnant income; it is quite evident, from what the prime minister revealed in parliament, that all of us (without exception) will have to make some tough sacrifices so that our country can survive this crisis. While no one in government-not the prime minister/minister for finance nor anyone else-is advocating a disengagement of civil servants, similar to what Ingraham did with impunity (or salary cuts in the public service), I believe that a clear message was sent by the government, however, that it wants public sector unions to be (for once in their existence) reasonable and allow the “ship-of-state” to re-set its course without burdening it down with more ballast; ballast, I might add, which we can ill-afford to take on. There’s no way of getting a grip on our precarious situation unless we take prudent measures to compensate for the times; the government would be just as irresponsible, as was Hubert Ingraham’s Administration, if it does not take the bull by the horn and disallow public servants to dictate the country’s financial agenda. The government knows well the commitments it inherited from the Ingraham Administration but it cannot succumb despite its desire to honour those commitments in a timely fashion. The bullying tactics of irresponsible union leaders, whose only objective is to win the next union election, cannot be allowed to dominate the conversation and ultimately win the argument at serious financial consequences to the country; it simply cannot be allowed to happen.
Notwithstanding the crises situation we saw when the minister of health, Dr. Perry Gomez, met with the Reps of the nurses’ union and assured them that they would be paid within days (or the following day) of his meeting with them and yet they opined to the press that they were not satisfied with the Hon. Minister’s assurances; what manner of blatant insensitivity and selfishness is that? The country can ill-afford to give anyone a raise at this time but when the minister assured that he would see to it that his ministry stretch its resources (and pay them) they accused the Hon. Minister of lying to them? What do you call that kind of attitude displayed by a group which (is supposed to be responsible adults) has just been approved for taxpayer funded (free to them) universal health insurance coverage; this while others, in the country, cannot themselves afford health insurance? The photo of the nurse’s union leaders on television (and appearing in the papers) showed a group which didn’t seem grateful for the minister’s assurances but rather a group which seemed prepared and determined to cause disruption in the profession whether they were paid, as was promised, or not; that is the expression I saw on their faces. Before state minister Hamilton demits her union office I would like to appeal to her to please impress upon her nursing colleagues to be more responsible in their future dealings and negotiations with their employer; re-assure them that the PLP government is not against them; that they are mixing us up with the former government which didn’t give a damn about them or any other Bahamian; but while we care deeply about the nurses, as well all other Bahamians, we do have an obligation to exercise the highest degree of prudence, in our financial dealings, especially at this time. The government must govern in the best interest of all Bahamians and not just special interest groups.
You’ve heard it before but I’ll say it again; this ten-month old government inherited an unbelievable sad financial state of affairs (from its predecessors the former FNM government) which we must now clean up. The FNM government created the mess but didn’t have the political guts, or wasn’t patriotic enough, to make the tough decisions to clean it up; the job is now left to the PLP (as was the case in 2002) to clean up Ingraham’s mess and cleanup we must. Ingraham maxed out the country’s credit card (2007-2012) leaving Christie (intentionally I would suggest) no wiggle room. He borrowed approx. $2.5 billion and left the country with unpaid bills (not included in the national debt as yet) amounting to around $800 million which this PLP government must now borrow to pay. Minnis, during his low-budget-mid-Year budget presentation-claimed he is concerned about the plight of poor Bahamians (and what they are suffering through) but their words have always spoken much louder than their actions; he tried his best to stick the PLP government with the blame, for all our ills, but no-can-do ma brother; the Bahamian people are well aware as to whose fault it is that they are in this mess; they also know that it’s the PLP which will eventually get them out of the miry clay and not Minnis’ FNM for sure.
Persons who work in the government should savor the fact that they are on the job and not in danger of being dismissed like Ingraham did to their colleagues (Customs, Immigration, police and defense force officers) during his last term in office. They should be thankful to God that the PLP is in no way like the FNM which would have sent many of them packing by now had they won on May 7th 2012. There are those in Customs, Immigration and on the police force, who breathed a sigh of relief when the FNM lost; they knew their names were on a long list to be dismissed-fired-disengaged-given a package (or whatever the hell you wish to call it) to go, had the FNM won, so let’s be careful in our demands; let’s all give the country room to breathe; it’s the prudent thing for all of us patriots to do.
I perceive that the whole country is aware of the crises we face but can it be that union leaders-like the teachers’; like the nurses-simply do not give a damn about our dilemma?
The 32nd president of the United States of America (1933-1945) once said; “when you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on;” the Bahamas is now at the end of its rope, financially, and the only thing left for us to do is tie that knot-stop the bleeding-and hang on for dear life; this is what this prudent government is seeking to do; it needs your help-union leaders-not your harassment.
Thank you
Forrester J Carroll J.P
Freeport, Grand Bahama
April 2013
Leslie Miller Takes On The BEC Union
When iron meets iron, there is fire. Leslie Miller, Chairman of the dead broke Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC), has decided that he will break the stranglehold that lab our has on the cost structure at BEC. It is not a pretty fight. It is not for the weak hearted. In the BEC Union, you have a mostly male group who are threatening mayhem and are used to getting their way. Only thing is the climate has changed. The model of BEC is old school and has to be phased out and Mr. Miller says we have to get on top of the cost structure. With the inability of BEC to keep the power on in the country and to lower their costs, BEC and their workers are unpopular in the public’s imagination. Mr. Miller therefore has the support of the country in breaking the stranglehold. In the meantime, the BEC union walked off the job they say in support of someone who was fired. They called in the hotel union’s President and hiding behind the gown tail of Nicole Martin, its President they started blocking the police and the public's access to BEC's premises. The next day on Wednesday 4th April, they confronted the Prime Minister at an international conference at one of the hotels. He told them that he will not operate with a gun to his head. On Friday, the President of the Union Stephano Greene issued an apology which was printed in The Tribune of Saturday 6th April saying that he went over the top by saying the government should leash their dog when talking about the Chairman of the Corporation Leslie Miller. He will have a lot more climbing down to do over the next weeks.
Global Small Arms Treaty
With all Caricom countries supporting the effort and with the United States, the main supplier of illegal weapons to The Bahamas signing on, there is now a United Nations Treaty On Small Arms. We think that this is a first step at the recognition that these large countries selling, aiding and abetting the trafficking in weapons will accept that they have a moral and now a legal responsibility to do something to stop the flow of weapons destroying Caribbean societies. The vote took place on Tuesday 2nd April. The Guardian newspaper of Great Britain writes: “Once the treaty is effective, UN member nations will have to assess every arms sale under its jurisdiction to ensure that it does not undermine peace and security or facilitate a violation of international humanitarian or human rights law. Safeguards against the use of conventional weapons to foment organised crime or terrorism will also have to be implemented.”
Jeffery Smith Marries
(photo to come)
Jeffery Smith, the landscaper, has married his friend Phylicia, formerly Ritchie. The marriage took place on Saturday 6th April at St. Gregory’s Anglican Church on Carmichael Road with the Rev. Sebastian Campbell officiating. Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs attended the wedding. The groom is the nephew of Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis. The photo shows the groom with his groomsmen.
Complaints About The Internet Service And The Phone Company
The Carifta Games were a smashing success for The Bahamas and its people and leaders. Sitting in the brand new Thomas A Robinson Stadium in Nassau, and viewing the seats filled to its 15,000 capacity, Prime Minister Perry Christie was pleased seeing the stadium which he negotiated with the Chinese in the year 2004 as a gift to the young people of The Bahamas come into full use. All except for the treatment of the press and the phone service. Inside the arena no internet or mobile phone service. Folks immediately blamed BTC, the British owned phone company, and Chairman of the PLP and Board Member of BTC made know his displeasure to the General Manager of the company Geoffrey Houston. BTC for their part said it wasn’t their fault. They were never contracted to provide the services in the stadium and they said that how could we expect 10,000 people to try to use phones in the stadium with crowding in the system. Nonsense. Of course but again we say: lousy phone company.
Eileen Carron Has Fred Mitchell On The Brain
It was funny as hell and an interesting aside. Eileen Carron, The Tribune’s editor, has Fred Mitchell on the brain or they often say, he obviously has her waters running. The Publisher of The Tribune in her editorial during the week, wrote one story saying that she hoped that Fred Mitchell had learned some lessons about immigration from his trip to Abu Dhabi. Then a few days later on Friday 5th April, she wrote an editorial defending Leslie Miller’s conduct as the Chairman of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) in his fight facing down the Unions. Except that somewhere near the end, Mr. Miller as in Leslie Miller became in her editorial Mr. Mitchell. That a brought a howl to many readers. Fred Mitchell obviously on the brain.
The Caribbean Slide Team
New Cobus President
The College of The Bahamas Union of Students has a new President is Alphonso Major, its former Vice President. He was elected unopposed in elections held on 28th March. He succeeds Ernesto Williams in that job.
Dermont Comes Home
The second child and son of Mathew Mitchell, the accountant and brother of Fred Mitchell MP is back in Nassau after an extended period of rehab work at the Jackson Memorial Rehab Centre in Miami, Florida. The younger Mr. Mitchell is seen here in a photo with his former employers Baker Tilly Gomez who presented a generous donation toward his health care, has had his skull reattached and is undergoing further rehab work with his parents in Nassau. Craig Gomez is at the front far left of the photos, Dermont with the helmet and his father Matthew in the centre.
Edward Fitzgerald Gravely Ill
Edward Fitzgerald, the father of Jerome Fitzgerald, the Minister of Education, is gravely ill in hospital in the United States. Mr. Fitzgerald ,the younger, is with his father.
Bahamasair Flight
On the next day and morning that the crash took place in Mayaguana ( see report above), there were serious thunderstorms across the northern Bahamas. The Bahamasair flight took off and ran into a thunder storm. The flight took the plane through the storm, with lightening all around and children screaming on the plane. The plane landed safely.The pilot was praised for his skill. That’s fine. One of the things that Bahamasair has a reputation for is the skill of its pilots. But one wonders why would a decision have been made to even test that skill. The plane could easily have sat on the ground until the worst of the weather passed. The flight following Bahamasair, Sky, turned back because of the weather. In Abaco, the plane landed in Treasure Cay after fighting its way through bad weather, and had to stay on the ground because they could not get cleared to take off for Marsh Harbour. Again, why did it leave Nassau in those conditions? Back channels at Bahamasair say that they have a more sophisticated radar and so can pick their way through. Our advice stay on the ground. Better safe than sorry.
Complaints About No Signals In Exuma For The Games
People in Exuma were complaining on Facebook that at a time when the rest of the country was watching and reveling in the games Cable Bahamas failed to provide a signal in Exuma for people to watch the games. They were not happy campers.
Condolences On The Passing Of Ken Francis
We extend our sympathy to the family of Ken “Six” Francis, the former publisher of the Nassau Guardian on his passing at the age of 82 on Friday 6th April.
Moses Moxey, the first black and international student to win the Presidency of the Student Union at the University of Nebraska at Kearney in the United States, has been sworn in to begin his job. The photo shows Mr. Moxey, who hails from West End, Grand Bahama and is the grandson of the famous IsraelRolle aka Bonefish Folley, was sworn in by the President of the University on 3rd April. His wife Nakuya was at his side. We present two photos from hisFacebook page.
Bahamar Scepticism
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FUNERALS ARE AN INTERESTING CULLTURAL STATEMENT: as this photo reveals. Here are the leaders of our country at a funeral. In this particular instance they are the Prime Minister Perry Christie, sitting at the front, the lesser mortal known as the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell and the looming light the former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham. At various times and on various occasions they have been on all sides of many issues, and the former two and are at odds politically with the latter one. The latter one says he is retired but well we shall see. Our photo of the week is that of Hubert Ingraham, Fred Mitchell and Perry Christie at the funeral of the late Kenneth Francis, the once publisher of the Nassau Guardian , whose funeral took place in the presence of the Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes a St. Agnes Anglican Church in Grant Town on Saturday 13th April. The photo is by Derek Smith of the Bahamas Information Services.
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COMMENT OF THE WEEK
THE DECISION ON THE NUMBER’S BUSINESS
Sir Michael Barnett, Chief Justice, handed down his decision on Tuesday 9th April in the matter of the case of the numbers houses against the Police and the Government. The church leaders who were leading the fight against gambling were pleased. The order which Justice John Isaacs had put in place known as a conservatory order, to preserve the status quo was lifted by the Chief Justice and now presumably the police are free to go shut down the shops. The Attorney General Allyson Gibson and the Prime Minister seemed to agree, the shops should close down.
The decision was a good exposition on American Cyanamid Principles on interlocutory injunction requests but a bad decision for The Bahamas. The order should have been to keep the conservatory order in place until the substantive issues are decided and that will only be when the matter reaches the policy court which is the Privy Council. Now the numbers fellows have to go to the Court of Appeal, the hearing is set for Wednesday of this week 17th April. What a horrible thing to have to contemplate: more money, more time.
The Commissioner of PoliceEllison Greenslade has told the numbers bosses to cease and desist. He shouldn’t waste his breath. It won’t happen in a million years. The police couldn’t stop it when Percy Munnings and Gene Toote and Stokes Thompson were selling numbers by paper and throwing the ball every day at midday. How in an electronic age are you going to stop it now? What with policemen being shot down in the streets and the murder count being what it is, surely the police have more important things to do than going after victimless crime?
We think the wise decision for the executive and that means the arms of the Attorney General and the police should be to give an undertaking to the court that until this matter is received and settled at the policy court level, the Privy Council, no action will be taken against these numbers houses. In the meantime, as it winds its way up to that court, the executive ought to get a regime together which will regularize this business and let’s put this one behind us.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 13th April 2013 up to midnight:140,920
Number of hits for the month of April up to Saturday 113th April 2013 up to midnight:249,229
Number of hits for the year 2013 up to Saturday 13th April 2013 up to midnight:2,160,034
MITCHELL SPEAKS TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Once again immigration was the hot button topic of the day for the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell in an effort to settle down the business community about the issue of work permits and under what circumstances they would be granted. The Minister speaking at the Meet The Minister Series of the Chamber of Commerce on Thursday 11th April at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel explained the principle is that no work permits are to be granted where Bahamians are available for those jobs. He said of the misunderstandings on the policy pronouncements of the last few months: “I have read a lot about myself these past weeks. A lot of it is a load of codswallop. In fact I have not read so much bull in all my life over the past weeks. What we propose is not complicated. The people of this country voted for us to get rid of illegal immigration so the loopholes are being tightened and the law is to be enforced. That’s it plain and simple. There is no apology for it.
I end as I have said so many occasions though: this is The Bahamas, an easy going country. They say ministers come and go so before you blink the minister may be gone and relief might be on the way. Until that day though the job is going to be done in accordance with announced principles. If we get on top of legal migration issues, we will solve the illegal migration problem.”
RAHMING PASSES THE BATON
The baton of leadership has been passed by the outgoing Superintendent of the Prison Elliston Rahming to a career officer Patrick Wright. In a public ceremony, the first of its kind, Dr. Rahming who is Ambassador designate for the United States and Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States designate, said farewell to officers at the prison after eight years of stellar service. He was lauded by the Minister of National Security Bernard J. Nottage. Other ministers attending the function were Keith Bell, the State Minister in the Ministry of National Security; Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell; Trade Minister Ryan Pinder; State Minister in Transport Hope Strachan. The photos are from the Bahamas Information Services. The ceremony took place at Her Majesty’s Prison in Fox Hill on Thursday 11th April.
THE MINISTER’S STATEMENT ON THE AIR ACCIDENT
Last week we reported on this site an horrific airplane accident that occurred on a remote Mayaguana Island airstrip in The Bahamas. Three people were killed early on Thursday morning 4th April in what started out as a mercy flight. The mercy flight turned in to a disaster. Three people seemed to have died in vain in a most horrible and painful way. There is an official investigation but the authorities think that they know how it happened. They believe the pilot was blinded during the landing by the lights of the vehicles that were set on the side of the runway to aid his night landing in the absence of proper runway lights. Of course, the man they went to collect is still alive and left on a later flight, which means in retrospect that there was no emergency at all. The government has said that they will now fix the runway and the lights. There has been a week of back and forth over why the lights are not on the runway. The PLP accused the FNM of stop, reviewing and cancelling the plan to light all strips in The Bahamas. The FNM said that the PLP is now the government and should fix the lights and not seek to assign blame and further three people are dead and should be allowed to mourn without all the back and forth. Whatever the merits and demerits of their arguments, the Minister of Transport has moved with speed to correct the situation.
AMBASSADOR COMES CALLING FROM IVORY COAST
His Excellency Ambassador of The Republic of Cote D'ivoire Mr. Daouda Diabate (Right) presented his letters of credence to Governor-General His Excellency Sir. Arthur Foulkes in ceremony at Government House on Thursday April 11, 2013, in the Drawing Room of Government House. (BIS Photo Derek Smith)
AMBASSADOR COMES CALLING FROM EL SALVADOR
His Excellency Ambassador of Republic of El Salvador (Right) pictured presenting his letters of credence to Governor-General His Excellency Sir. Arthur Foulkes (Left) in ceremony at Government House on Thursday April 11, 2013, in the Drawing Room of Government House. (BIS Photo Derek Smith)
ATHLETES FROM CARIFTA AT THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
The Carifta Team of Bahamian athletes were at the House of Assembly on Wednesday 10th April to hear the Prime Minister Perry Christie and the Leader of the Opposition Dr. Hubert Minnis laud them for their performances over the Easter break at the Carifta Games. They were later hosted to lunch by the Minister of Sports Dr. Danny Johnson. The photo is by Peter Ramsay of the Bahamas Information Services.
Margaret Thatcher, the now deceased British Prime Minister of the 1980s is to be buried at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday 17th April. One of her colleagues in the Tory party MP Conor Burns speaks of her life and work. Ed Bethel, the High Commissioner for The Bahamas will represent The Bahamas at the funeral of Baroness Thatcher.
THE STOKES CONCERT
Under the patronage of Sir Michael Barnett and his wife Lady Camille Barnett, Brian Stokes Mitchell, a more than able singer and actor, performed several Broadway tunes, a tour de force of the familiar show tunes from South Pacific, Man From La Mancha, Les Miserables and spirituals as well. The ample crowd who showed up in the early evening at the Christ Church Cathedral were thrilled to bits. Mr. Mitchell who prefers to be called “Stokes” says he fell in love with his wife here in The Bahamas and felt privileged to perform here. The photo of the event last Sunday 7th April at the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral is Nassau is by Peter Ramsay.
LOWELL MORTIMER’S 70TH IN PICTURES
Last week, we showed one picture of what transpired at the 70th birthday party of Lowell Mortimer, the lawyer, philanthropist, diplomat and CEO of Campbell Shipping.This week, we show the full spread of the fun at the party which was attended by the Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes and Lady Foulkes, the Prime Minister Perry Christie and Mrs. Christie, the Attorney General Allyson Maynard Gibson and Mr. Gibson, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell. The photos were taken by Peter Ramsay. The party ended sometime around 5 a.m.
AUTHOR CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHI: LOVE RACE HAIR
BAHAMIAN SINGER TY COX SEND IN THE CLOWNS
AT THE LAMB’S HIGH FEAST WE SING
ALL PEOPLE THAT ON EARTH DO DWELL
Kenneth Francis from the Fort Hill brought the Nassau Guardian from the dark ages into the modern era. He was one of the boys who rose from the bottom in the Nassau Guardian right up to the top. When he died he was 82 and was lauded by leaders from all parts of the society. Craig Flowers of the the FML Group spoke on behalf of the Golf Federation which Mr. Francis once led. The Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes, the Prime Minister Perry Christie, the former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham; the Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell, the Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damien Gomez, the Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis, the former Governor General Sir Orville Turnquest were among the mucks who were present. The photos are by Derek Smith of the Bahamas Information Services.
BAHAMAS OLYMPIC ASSOCIATION RESULTS
Forrester Carroll writes from Freeport the first of two parts on the thorny issue of immigration. He firmly supports the new policy thrust of the PLP administration which says Bahamians must come first. He reveals some secret information that he has obtained about corrupt practices within the immigration department and those who are allegedly doing the corruption. The second part continues next week.
“No matter which government is in power (in the Bahamas) we have our operatives on both sides, of Bahamian politics, who are prepared to protect (and look after) our interest; so we have nothing to worry about” unquote; this (my readers) is a statement reportedly made by one of the Italian executives (who is a GUEST WORKER, in this country, at QUALITY SERVICES LTD here in Freeport) to a Bahamian employee, on Friday 22nd March, after the company was, allegedly, able to have an immigration officer land four persons without the required pre-requisite immigration approvals (I am told) to work in the country; this act (intentionally apparently) in blatant disregard for the strict rules the minister has recently set in motion to be followed. The context in which the statement was made was obviously in response to the now widely proclaimed, resurrected and re-affirmed, policy of the “Bahamianization” of all jobsites (like Quality Services Ltd) in the country.
Quality Services Ltd, an industrial company here in Freeport, is one of the firms on Grand Bahama which, apparently, has had its challenges coping with the government’s new thrust in respect to foreigners being imported for tasks Bahamians can perform. They’ve been so used to securing approvals, without question, that now that they must account for their efforts, at seeking out and securing Bahamians by all means necessary, they are having a tough time complying I am told. They cannot believe that the Ingraham Administration’s relaxed policies are now no more and that they must now adhere to the PLP’s new thrust for the protection of Bahamians. With the Pindling/Hanna Bahamianization policy, now being rigidly empathized and enforced, the company must now adjust (but finds it most difficult) to employing, and where necessary training, Bahamians; the new rule, as I understand it to be, is that they, and every other company, will be required to employ a Bahamian understudy for each and every different job description for which they may be allowed, at the end of the day, to import low-wage income Bosnian citizens. The days of going through the motion of placing ADS in the newspapers, for three consecutive days, claiming to require five to ten years’ experience when in fact the jobs, being advertised, require no such experience, are over. Using this ploy to exclude Bahamians will not be tolerated anymore; the fact of the matter is that companies like the one referenced in this article really import slave labour; in more cases than some of us wish to admit, when the so-called five to ten years experienced slaves get here and on the jobs, Bahamians are the ones who end up teaching them what to do and how to do it; they come here with no experience at all, contrary to the false newspaper ADS.
I am advised that the immigration minister was out of the country on business, in New York, when the unidentified immigration officer (whoever he or she may be) took the initiative and, knowingly, landed the four alleged illegal migrants. This is the context in which the opening statement, to this article, was casually made by the Italian exec and I am told that it was made in a sort of daring (the minister to stop the practice) fashion; as if to say, “Put in place whatever policies you wish but it would concern us very little because we have our people placed, strategically, and we will get what we want, when we want and no one can stop us.” If this is what is actually happening, within the immigration department generally, then the Hon. Minister has a bigger problem, on his hand, than originally thought; he must now attack the root cause of the problem by ferreting out the slaved-minds within the system. What galls me is that it takes very little to influence the allegiance of some of these unpatriotic Bahamian officials; the average expat knows what it takes to buy their allegiance-how shameful. During my fifteen years as a customs officer I’ve had numerous opportunities for deal making (if I wished) but my pride for king and country (and my parents’ home training) wouldn’t allow me even to harbor the evil thought; couldn’t bear to think of the adverse consequences, to my good name and that of my parents, if I had acted contrary to the ideals of my home training on Long Island; mommy and daddy would have been so ashamed of me had I allowed the devil to trick me into such a stupid trap; thank God because of good parenting no one can point an accusing finger at me today. Our officials, on staff currently, seem to have little (if any) remorse soiling their characters for so very little-they do so (it seems) for as little as a few drinks, at the bar, and a cheap night on the town; the situation, within the service today, reminds me of the times when the British slave traders would land on the gold coast of the mother country (Africa) with their cases of cheap fire water and a few cheap trinkets; how the natives (and they still refer to us as the natives) would sell their own tribesmen to the British Slave masters in exchange for the cheap booze and trinkets and think nothing of it.
I’ve been told for years that there were certain bad apples, within the immigration department, who were devoid of scruples and who were easily influenced by the monetary inducements offered them by these foreigners (especially) operating here. I defended them against those rumors because I didn’t think that career (senior) officers would stoop so low as to sell their virtue for a morsel of bread, but it seems I was wrong. There are those, apparently, who are willing to sell their patriotic souls, at the drop of a hat, for what amounts to a bad cut of beef and a cheap bottle of wine. Prior to a few weeks ago the company’s (Quality Services Ltd) employee union, as well, was seen daily making waves about terrible working conditions at the industrial plant without any relief; everyday, it seemed, during their lunch breaks primarily, they were out picketing the company’s headquarters for better pay, insurance coverage in case of accidents and humane working conditions (they said) but lately we’ve heard nothing from them-not a squeak. I found out the reason why the silence; the mouth of the lion is shut tight. There are too many examples of how these foreigners use fair means or foul to get the allegiance of those in any authority; do you wish to know what think of them? I don’t blame them if they can get away with buying the favours they need if they could; for us as a people though, it’s a damn shame and disgrace and a blithe on the image of the country.
End of part 1
Yours sincerely
Forrester Carroll JP
Mitchell To Address Joint Session Illinois Legislature
Fred Mitchell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will speak at a special joint sitting of the legislature of Illinois in the United States of America as part of the outreach to people in the United States. The speech will come on Tuesday 16th April.
Wellington Miller Is Re-Elected Head Of BOA
There were dirty tricks in the wind as the elections for the new term of the President of the Bahamas Olympic Association. The side that opposes the incumbent Boxing Association President Wellington “ Champ” Miller as the head of the Bahamas Olympic Association (BOA) released a long statement in the press which really accused him of stealing money. For that they, got their comeuppance, they lost by a knockout, well we mean by landslide. The electionswere held on Friday 11th April and Mr. Miller is once again President. The elections were held with the support of the International Olympic Committee.
Our View Of The Air Accident
The plane crash which took the lives of three people in Mayaguana in the wee hours of 4th April is still resonating in The Bahamas. We continue to say that the whole thing needs to step back away from just the physical issues at the time of the accident and investigate why Lee Air went down there in the first place. Then there is the wider question about the safety for the flying public of these non Bahamasair airlines. People need to be safe and you cannot park a plane on the side of the air. There is only up and down.
Glenys Branch Meeting
A picture of Glenys Hanna Martin, the Minister of Transport and the MP for Englerston meeting with her constituents at the April monthly branch meeting of the PLP Branch of Englerston. The photos appeared on her Facebook page and the meeting took place on Thursday 11th April.
The Back And Forth Over Clifton
We must tell you that the whole thing comes off as rather unseemly. It appears that there is a proxy war being waged on behalf of two rich men in Lyford Cay and the subject matter is ostensibly Clifton, the heritage park but the real targets are each other. Bahamians are being used to fight the war and each side is professing to be more principled than the other.Press releases have been flying back and forth over this, emanating from Keod Smith, the former MP, then from Peter Nygard himself, one of the rich-man antagonistic team engaged in a property fight who spoke on the radio; enter the picture Rev. C. B. Moss who does want the government to give Mr. Nygard accreted land from the sea near his house, who was then attacked by Mr. Smith, who Is Mr. Nygard’s lawyer, with not too subtle hints of Mr. Moss allegedly accepting gifts from Louis Bacon, the other rich man in Lyford Cay, who it appears kicked the whole thing off anew in this round by accepting a prize for his work in the environment which incensed Keod Smith who brought in Louis Farrakhan and who was countered it appears by Robert Kennedy Jr. coming to Mr. Bacon’s defence; now the latest is Fred Smith, who never gets into anything unless there is something in it for him and he is joined by Joe Darville, from the Human Rights group in Freeport and then Sam Duncombe, the environmentalist, with high sounding principled phrases but all of which collectively begs the question: wha going on here? Are you sure this about Clifton?
Chris Brown Invitational
Fred Stirrup writing in the Nassau Guardian on Saturday 12th April described Chris Br the Bahamian Olympic gold medalist as a humble man. He is indeed. He is a scrapper. He took his raw talent and climbed step by step with sheer grit determination and perseverance until he won that Olympic gold. Now at the end of his track career with just one more Olympics likely, the is obviously looking to the future. He has organized his own invitational race. Mr. Stirrup thinks that he needs help to make sure that it is a success. The government has provided some assistance. By all accounts from the list of A listers that he got here, it was a smashing success and another way to confirm the top quality which is our new Thomas A Robinson Stadium. Congratulations Chris Brown.
Arnold Forbes At Work (Facebook)
One of our hardest working MPs at work is Arnold Forbes and here he is pictured with students from the school where he made a presentation of a lap top to the head boy and head girl of the C W Primary School in his constituency to them on 10th April. The principal of the school is there to welcome him. The picture appeared on his Facebook page.
Charles Carter Turns 70
We wish veteran broadcaster, former MP, Senator and Minister of the government Charles Carter a happy 70th birthday which he celebrated on Arawak Cay on Friday 13th April. Peter Ramsay was there to capture the moment.
PM On Stem Cell Research
The government announced in the House of Assembly on Wednesday 10th April that they will pass legislation to allow and regulate the use of stem cell therapy and the practice of stem cell therapy. The Prime Minister gave a full communication on the matter which you can access by this link.
Mitchell Answers The Critics
The video was captured by C Allen Johnson. This is a response given on Wednesday 10th April to criticisms of radio talk show hosts about the performance of the government.
Grand Bahama Youth Choir
GB YOUTH CHOIR IN DETROIT: The Grand Bahama Youth Choir, under the direction of Artistic Director Kevin Tomlinson, almost took the roof off the Perfecting Church in Detroit, Michigan, on Sunday, according to Jenneva Russell, who is travelling with the group. "They are having a wonderful time and so am I. Keep them in your prayers,” she wrote on Facebook from where the picture comes. The group is back in Freeport and their director is over the moon. The Freeport News published a three page spread of the trip of the choir.
Two New Holidays
The government announced on Wednesday 10th April that it will pass legislation to create a new holiday on 10th January every year to mark Majority Rule Day, the day when the black majority in the country won the government for the first time in the history of the country. The second law to deal with holidays which the government announced is a bill to amend the law to change the name of the Labour Day holiday to Sir Randol Fawkes Labour Day, after the Bahamian labour leader and pioneer.
The following statement was issued by Fred Mitchell, the Minister for Immigration in response to a Tribune story about an immigration check at Atlantis on 24th April.
Louis Bacon has been involved up to now in what appeared to be a proxy war between himself and his neighbour out in Lyford Cay Peter Nygard. On the one side you have people like former MP Keod Smith fighting for Mr. Nygard, on the other side, the lawyer for hire Fred Smith and activists like Joe Darville and Rev. C. B Moss it appears on Mr.Bacon’s side. Now Mr. Bacon injected himself into the debate. He said some interesting things one of which was that the former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham caused the Commissioner of Police to go to Mr. Bacon and apologise for a police “raid” which took place in his home. The Commissioner of Police took umbrage. Mr. Bacon replied with this follow letter which appeared in The Tribune:
