bahamasuncensored.com
MAY 2008
Compiled, edited and constructed by Russell Dames Updated every
Sunday at 2 p.m.
Volume 6 © BahamasUncensored.Com 2008
While material on this web site can be used freely by other sections of
the press, as a courtesy, journalists are asked to attribute the source
of their material from this web site.
11th May, 2008
18th May, 2008
25th May, 2008
Click on a heading to go to that story; press ctrl + home to return
to the top of the page.
|
| NEW JUSTICE:
Rubie Nottage,
the daughter of the late Mortician and former Member of Parliament Marcus
Bethel Senior and Jane Bethel, nee Butler, as in sister of the late Governor
General Sir Milo Butler, is now a Judge. She said that she intended
to serve and she will get the chance to do so. Mrs. Nottage was sworn
in by Governor General Arthur Hanna on Wednesday 30th April at Government
House. She was supported by well-wishers including her husband Kendal
and brother Marcus Jr., former Minister of Health as well as brother-in-law
Alfred Sears, the former Attorney General. Also present was Dame
Marguerite Pindling, the widow of the late founding Prime Minister of the
country Sir Lynden Pindling. Our photo of the week is by Peter Ramsay
of the Bahamas Information Services at the swearing in of the new justice. |
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
The FNM’s lack of an agenda
ALL DRESSED UP… NOWHERE TO GO
How many times can a man turn his head?
And pretend that he just doesn’t see
Bob Dylan
Hubert Ingraham, the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, could be heard
well within the precincts of the official House of Assembly. His
raucous laughter pierced the sounds of official business. He was
sitting in the smoking room of the House and he was having by the sound
of it a good time. Never mind the serious business going on outside,
never mind the fact that the country is slipping into recession, unemployment,
that he has single handedly wrecked one project after the next. He
was having a good time. Enjoy it while you can. Nero fiddles
while Rome burns.
Mr. Ingraham is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. One day he is
nasty and piercing and raucous, and then next he sounds the very picture
of reasonableness. The psychologists have a name for this.
So he is in the House having a good time. In the case of all the
rest of the country, we suffer. On 2nd May this year, the anniversary
of the shameful win by the FNM in 2007, he was seen sitting at his desk
on a newspaper’s front page, apparently serious again, supposedly doing
the work of the country. The PLP had some warm words to say about
how lousy his performance has been over the past year. MORE FM radio
had a poll, and they asked people to vote on their website. Forty
eight percent said that the government deserved a D or an F grade for their
performance over the last year.
Then he was up in Abaco and speaking to the press. He talked
about the fact that so many young people were out of jobs and that crime
remained an issue that he would have to conquer. When did he discover
this? When did this epiphany take place?
What work is the FNM and their Prime Minister doing? The evidence
is not there from what they do in the House of Assembly. We have
had three budget debates in this Parliamentary year. No productivity
there. There was a debate on the signing of the Bahamar 2.1 billion
dollar proposal at Cable Beach. Mr. Ingraham scuttled that deal with
his ill chosen words. Then the FNM brought three pieces of minor
legislation to the table. They can’t even stretch that out into a
decent debate. Each of the small acts have taken exactly a half day
to do. When the House suspended on Wednesday 30th April, there was
one more to go.
When the House suspended on 23rd April, the Local Government Act
was passed. The act is one page long. It was expected that
the House would go on for the whole day. The government said it had
an emergency meeting on that day which required the House to suspend.
The emergency meeting turned out to be a trip by the Prime Minister and
his buddies to the National Family Island Regatta. Next week on 30th
April, they came back with the amendment to the Supreme Court Act.
The session was supposed to go the day. They could not manage that
and by lunch time, again the House was suspended.
There is a sense of drift in the country that nothing is happening.
The press was interested one year after the fact in what the PLP
thought of the anniversary of the FNM. PLP Leader Perry Christie
said that the FNM had let the country down badly.
Party Chair Glenys Hanna Martin said that the FNM’s performance was
mediocre and lacklustre.
Fred Mitchell, the party’s spokesman on Foreign Affairs said quoted
the Bahamian song “look what you could get when you tired of what you gat.”
One area in which the FNM could start to do something is the school
system. The schools have the most impact on the future. If
we can get the education system in some kind of shape then there will indeed
be a bright future for the country. But what we keep getting is a
series of signals that the future is not even bright with the overwhelmingly
negative stories about sex in the schools, violence in the schools, evidenced
by the Youtube videos that are circulating on the Internet.
There is a short video circulating on the Internet and young people’s
cell phones in The Bahamas of what is said to be Bahamian students engaged
in sexual activity in a classroom. At week’s end, the police thought
that they were not Bahamian or kids after all. But the country is
worried, that the FNM scrapped all of the interventions by the PLP to do
something to lessen crime. There have to be radical social interventions
to make sure that the time bomb of social unrest does not develop into
that explosion which will surely come. When Urban Renewal was scrapped,
the FNM started the road to ruin of the social fabric.
The Prime Minister in Abaco now says that the government intends
to increase the level of food assistance to the poor in the country.
This is a belated admission of the rise in economic problems in the country.
No doubt, he will have the support of the PLP in helping to ease the burden
on the poor.
However, it is clear to us that what the PLP really needs to concentrate
on, is how to get itself into power. You have a man who has no interest
in helping the poor, except when it is right in his face and he can no
longer pretend that he just doesn’t see.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 3rd May 2008 up to midnight:
191,239.
Number of hits for the month of April up to Wednesday 30th April
2008 up to midnight: 1,236,783.
Number of hits for the year 2008 up to Saturday Wednesday 30th April
2008 at midnight: 4,890,476.
CONTACT US AT E-MAIL:placid_point@yahoo.com
THE
U.S. DOES A JOB ON RUBIE
The press of The Bahamas has been relentless in its attacks on Rubie Nottage
and her appointment as a judge of the court. According to the press the
controversy over the appointment continues. The U.S. Ambassador Ned
Siegel last Sunday on the Island FM radio talk show ‘Parliament Street’
said that the indictment was no longer a live matter. Those words
were printed in The Tribune on Wednesday 30th April. No sooner had
they hit the page, the next day a spokesman for the Justice Department
in the US was saying that Mrs. Nottage was still considered a fugitive
from justice, that the indictment was still a live issue and that they
were investigating why nothing was done to seek the extradition of Mrs.
Nottage.
All of this seemed a bit strong in the face of the
fact that the U.S. Ambassador in The Bahamas is supposed to have the final
say over what U.S. activities occur in this jurisdiction, not the Justice
Department in Washington. Mr. Siegel himself seemed to suggest in
his last Sunday interview that it was not the place of the U.S. to comment
on judicial appointments in The Bahamas. But this is what happens
with a government as vast as the US; it speaks with many tongues and often
the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. There seemed
even a division within the embassy itself in Nassau.
Mrs. Nottage was sworn in as a Judge on Thursday
1st May. The press said that she distributed her curriculum vitae
and it is stunningly stellar, a life of scholarship and accomplishment,
blighted now by this indictment, which many say, is not worth the paper
that it is written on. It seems grossly unfair, casually and recklessly
done without thought for any consequences on life beyond US borders.
The question now is what will the Bahamian authorities
do? Mrs. Nottage is now 64. She turns 65 in November of this
year. In order to serve beyond that time she will need the support
and concurrence of the Prime Minister after he consults with the Leader
of the Opposition Perry Christie. Dr. Bernard Nottage, the leader
of Opposition business in the House says that she has the support of the
Opposition for that extension which was given when the Prime Minister requested
the Opposition’s support. Recent reports indicate that the Prime
Minister Hubert Ingraham at first decided that he would support it but
now feigns ignorance of the indictment and is set to renege on that pledge
to support the appointment. He and the FNM then are hoping to put
the whole matter to rest when Mrs. Nottage turns 65 in the fall.
This kind of double dealing is to be expected of the FNM but it is lousy
all the same.
Rubie Nottage -BIS photo/Peter Ramsay
CONCERN
ABOUT KIDS ON THE WEB
There is a short video circulating on the Internet
and young people’s cell phones in The Bahamas of what is said to be Bahamian
students engaged in sexual activity in a classroom. The story around
Nassau was that pornography was being circulated by students in the high
schools of The Bahamas and it was finding its way on the web. Minister
of Education Carl Bethel said he would check it out. When he did, the question
was whether or not these were actually students. They may well not
have been. The policeman in charge of cyber crime does not think
so. But this should not stop the authorities from spreading the alarm
so that the situation does not indeed spiral out of control. Indeed,
Minister Bethel, what about work on a class to teach students the responsible
use of the Internet?
CRIME
STATS CONTINUE TO RISE
At last count, it was 24 murders for the year.
But the police did a curious thing with the stats on murder. They
told the press that they could not tell how many murders there were because
they were still trying to figure out the classifications of some deaths.
Some people in the press cried foul, that the police now were seeking to
cover up what is really happening in the society on crime.
What we do know is that Herbert Winter went to get
a Subway sandwich on Saturday 26th April around 2 p.m. and someone came
in to rob the restaurant. The man put a gun, a submachine gun, to
the head of a customer who was an off duty police officer. That officer
struggled to get the gun to avoid being killed. In the process, the
gun went off, struck, and killed Mr. Winter, 63 years of age. A sad
story but one that has become all too common and random.
Remember Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham’s stupid
comment about the murders in The Bahamas, that people were safe and that
the drug dealers and criminals were simply killing each other. Fred
Mitchell, the former Foreign Minister spoke to the issue of crime in his
recent address in the House on the Supreme Court Act. You may click
here for the full text.
HAITIANS
BURIED
How
many deaths will it take ‘til he knows
That too many people have died
Bob Dylan
The bodies of the 14 Haitians that had not been
identified following the disastrous drowning off the west coast of New
Providence two weeks ago have been interred in a public cemetery in Nassau.
This is different from the mass burials in a common grave that Bahamian
authorities have done in the past when these mass drownings have occurred.
This is due to the fact that it took place near the capital with morgue
facilities, not available in the islands where many of the disasters occur.
The pain of the Haitian community was palpable.
There was a very public funeral on Wednesday 30th April at the Roman Catholic
gym on Gladstone Road. The service was led by a Haitian Pastor but
joining him was Roman Catholic Archbishop Patrick Pinder. There was
no official from the Bahamian government present, a mark of great disrespect
to the Haitian community that voted in such large numbers for the FNM.
There was no expression of sympathy from the apathetic Minister of Foreign
Affairs Brent Symonette, his eyes firmly fixed on kith and kin to the north.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt MP joined the mourners and represented
the PLP. Foreign Affairs spokesman for the Opposition Fred Mitchell,
expressed sympathy on the part of the PLP for the victims of the tragedy.
The pain was evident. The preacher swore that
never again would Haitians be buried in a mass grave. He also urged
his countrymen to stop taking to the sea in boats and risking their lives.
While those are nice thoughts, the reality is that the situation in Haiti
is so dire, death and the chance of death is a price that many are willing
to pay to improve their circumstances. That is the issue we must
help to solve. The InterAmerican Development Bank has announced 54
million dollars in emergency food aid to Haiti. This is a start but
much more is needed. The photos of the service are by Peter Ramsay
of the Bahamas Information Services.
WHAT
A PALAVER ABOUT OBAMA
The American people, their press, must make up their
minds whether or not they will live out in 2008 the true meaning of their
creed: “we hold these truths to be self evident” that all men are created
equal. If Barack Obama is first chosen as the Democratic Party nominee
and then elected President of the United States, then we will know.
But that seems increasingly unlikely when the dominant culture in the U.S.
wants to stick on Senator Obama the views of his former Pastor. That
Minister Jeremiah Wright said some pretty true but damaging things about
the United States in an old sermon that the right wing circulated on the
web.
Truth can sometimes be inconvenient. In this
case, that truth was also bad for the campaign. The right wingers
have been having a field day and the campaign of Hilary Clinton has gone
into overdrive. Mr. Obama distanced himself from the Pastor’s remarks.
The pastor should then have kept his bloody mouth shut. But the Pastor
likes the limelight, incensed some say because he was disinvited from the
saying of the prayer at the launch of Mr. Obama’s campaign. He was
back in the news last week, again saying things damaging to Mr. Obama's
campaign, and this time talking a lot of nonsense about the U.S. government
inventing AIDS. Who knows where this man’s head is at?
What we know is that Mr. Obama is Mr. Obama and
Pastor Wright is Pastor Wright and in black America as opposed to white
America, there is a certain culture in your community, which is separate
and apart from what happens in white America and the white church.
There is now an obvious and fundamental clash in those values now.
What the dominant culture seems to be asking of Mr. Obama though is for
him to repudiate his religion and culture and become a white man and not
a black man. That is the problem. The real issue is whether
or not the American public, the white dominant culture is simply able to
accept a black man for who he is as a black man and what comes with it,
even your church that says inconvenient things, strange things maybe and
things that you may not necessarily believe but you still like the church.
MITCHELL
ON THE COURTS
Fred Mitchell, the former Foreign Minister, has
returned to an old theme. Before he became a Minister, Mr. Mitchell
used to do an annual review of the Judiciary just before the Supreme Court
convened for its official beginning in January. Now Mr. Mitchell
has taken up the mantle of defending the citizen’s rights to criticize
judgments of the Court. The matter arose during the debate on the
Amendment to the Supreme Court Act on Wednesday 30th April.
The amendment will confirm the powers of Assistant
Registrars of the Court to do the same thing that a Registrar does, handling
matters in Chambers like setting down matters for trial and judgments in
default. Mr. Mitchell said that it represented a wider opportunity
to discuss a number of matters including the sub judice rule, whereby the
press has censored themselves from discussing the scandal involving a government
Minister Zhivargo Laing and the drink ‘Mona Vie’. He also spoke about
the right to criticize Judges saying that the Court of Appeal was particularly
discourteous to attorneys. You may click
here for the full statement.
The photo of Mr. Mitchell in the House is by Peter Ramsay of the
Bahamas Information Services
RIGBY
REVIEWS THE PLP AND THE FNM
Former PLP Chair Raynard Rigby is on the warpath
again with some pretty frank views about where the Party should be, staking
out his ground for the future. There is an interesting dynamic at
work in the PLP. It likes to shoot the messengers but often does
not provide the opportunity for new and dissenting views to be aired within,
thus forcing the ideas out into the public domain. The views are
not that controversial but the press manages to make a sensation where
there is none. The Journal’s misleading headline was RIGBY BLASTS
PLP. Not so, but it sells papers. Here is what Mr. Rigby said
in his own words:
“I think it was most unfortunate that the PLP
found it appropriate to walk out of the House of Assembly because they
say they were denied a right to address the Mona Vie issue when in fact
it had been in the public domain for weeks, and when there are more critical
issues facing the country and the Bahamian people.
“These issues include crime and the fear of crime,
the dysfunctional education system, the inability of the healthcare system
to address the growing health and preventive care needs of the Bahamian
people, and the realities of the sub prime mortgage crisis in the United
States and its likely impact on the Bahamian economy which is being felt
now in the escalation in the cost of food and the almost daily increase
in the cost of gasoline.
“These are the issues the Bahamian people expect
a responsible opposition to address..
“I think the Opposition has demonstrated a degree
of strength, however, there appears to be a lack of coordination between
what is being done in Parliament and what is required to be done outside
of Parliament by the party and its broad-based membership…"
You may click
here for Mr. Rigby's full quote.
Peter Ramsay photo
IS
THIS ANY WAY TO TREAT LEON WILLIAMS?
By any measure Leon Williams was a success at BTC,
the telephone company that has been trying to privatize for almost ten
years. On Thursday 1st May, Mr. Williams told the press that he was
summoned to a meeting and dismissed or in the polite language of the Board,
“asked to resign.” Mr. Williams, appearing with his attorney, Wayne
Munroe, threatened legal action. He is entitled to ask why he should
go, in the face of his successes at BTC and not Kevin Basden at Bahamas
Electricity Corporation that can’t keep the power on, and where the company
is now a profitless company, losing 30 million dollars in the last report.
Mr. Williams fault is that he is perceived as being
too close to the former PLP Minister for BTC Bradley Roberts. Ever
since the FNM came to power they have been on a witch hunt and when he
refused to provide any material that would damage Bradley Roberts, because
there is none of course, he was put on the chopping block.
Mr. Williams ironically was fired in the same manner
that the Chairman of BTC Julian Francis was fired by his bosses at the
Grand Bahama Port Authority about a year ago. Mr. Francis fired Mr.
Williams. You would have thought that there is a way to do these
things. But the story is one similar to that of Abraham Butler, for
whom Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham has a pathological hatred. Mr.
Ingraham directed that Mr. Butler leave the public service to which he
had been seconded and go back to the Corporation as General Manager.
Within six weeks, he was fired. No reason, just told go home.
It appears that there is also a history of dislike of Mr. Butler by Phenton
Neymour, the Minister of State directly responsible for the Corporation
who used to work there.
The talk around town is that the job of BTC President
is to be offered to Julian Francis, the now Chair but others say the more
likely scenario is that Hubert Ingraham will resurrect one of his women
supporters from the first term Sandra Knowles to be president. Mrs.
Knowles you will remember presided over the disastrous management of ZNS
in the first FNM term.
Leon Williams shown addressing the media with attorney Wayne Munroe
in this Bahama Journal photo / Torrell Glinton
FOX
HILL YOUTH AWARDS
The newly formed Fox Hill Youth Association
held an awards ceremony Friday night from honoured students of Fox Hill
area schools Sandilands Primary School, L.W. Young Junior High School and
Dame Doris Johnson Senior High School. The awards ceremony was staged
at the Fox Hill Community Centre under the patronage of Fox Hill MP Fred
Mitchell and attended by students, teachers, parents and other members
of the community. The awards ceremony highlighted various young people
of the Fox Hill Constituency in three main categories; Outstanding Academic
Achievement; Outstanding Church Service; Leadership and Outstanding Sports
Achievement.
The night started off with entertainment from the
Joyful Sound Marching Band of the St. Paul’s Native Baptist church as well
as other exceptional performances from the Sandilands Primary Rake n’ Scrape
Band along with the Doris Johnson Senior High School Ensemble.
The awardees’ of the evening were: Mr. Devin Ferguson
of St. Marks Native Baptist Church: Outstanding Church Service and Leadership;
Ms. Deandra Deveaux of St. Marks Native Baptist Church: Outstanding Church
Service and Leadership; Mr. Valentino Rahming of Macedonia Church: Outstanding
Church Service and Leadership; Ms. Iesha Rahming of Macedonia Church: Outstanding
Church Service and Leadership; Mr. Shannon Burrows of Church of God: Outstanding
Church Service; Academic Excellence and Leadership; Ms. Melissa Rahming
of St. Paul’s Baptist Church and Doris Johnson Senior High School: Outstanding
Service; Academic Excellence and Leadership; Mr. Breon Cox of St. Paul’s
Baptist Church: Outstanding Church Service; Leadership and Academic Achievement;
Mr. Jabari Wilmott of St. Augustine’s College: Academic Excellence and
Leadership; Mr. Deangelo Ferguson of Doris Johnson Senior High School:
Academic Excellence and Leadership; Mr. Rashad Rolle of Doris Johnson Senior
High School: Academic Excellence and Leadership; Ms. Riclisha Kelson of
Doris Johnson High School: Academic Excellence and Leadership; Mr. Davin
Hutchinson of Doris Johnson Senior High School: Academic Excellence and
Leadership; Ms. Delronique Stuart of L.W. Young Jr. High School: Outstanding
Service and Leadership; Ms. Marva Etienne of L.W. Young Junior High School:
Outstanding extracurricular activity and Most Gifted Athlete; Ms. Macy
Elean Suazo of L.W. Young Junior High School: Academic Excellence and Leadership;
Ms. Claudia Russell of Sandilands Primary School: Academic Excellence and
Leadership; Mr. Kareem Rolle of Sandilands Primary School: Academic Excellence
and Leadership.
The Fox Hill Youth Association said a special thank
you to: The Sandilands Primary High School; The L.W. Young Junior High
School; The Doris Johnson Senior High School; The St. Marks Native Baptist
Church; The St. Paul’s Native Baptist Church; Macedonia Baptist Church;
Church of God of Prophecy; The Joyful Sound Marching Band; The Doris Johnson
Musical Ensemble; Mr. Valentino Stubbs and Ms. Evrita Pinder.
Thanks also from the Association to The Fox Hill
Festival Committee for their support as well as MP for the Fox Hill Constituency,
Mr. Fred Mitchell. Above, the ceremony is treated to performances
by the Sandilands Primary School Rake & Scrape Band and an ensemble
from the St. Paul's Marching Band. Mr. Mullings, Principal of L.W. Young
Jr. High School, Ms. Asharan Lightbourne The Fox Hill Youth Association
President, Ms. Macy Suazo L.W. Young Jr. High School, Mrs. Suazo and MP
Fred Mitchell.
Please check back tomorrow for a full upload of
photos.
IN PASSING
Sir Sidney’s New Book
Former Bahamian Ambassador to Japan Sir Sidney Poitier has written
a new book called SIDNEY POITIER – LIFE BEYOND MEASURE. This follows
his runaway success THE MEASURE OF A MAN. Sir Sidney is by far the
most famous Bahamian in the world, even though the book describes him as
an American icon. That he may be, but the books are redolent of his
Bahamian experience, the first 15 years of his life having been spent here.
Cat Island is once again put on the map. Sir Sidney wrote this book
in epistolary style. It is a letter to his great granddaughter Ayele.
It is well worth the read. You may click
here for an Amazon link to him reading a passage from the book.
Many Bahamians get honourable mention in his book. Amongst them some
of the women that he had an eye for as a youngster, including Vernice Cooper,
the former Vernice Moultrie of Meeting Street. He says of Mrs. Cooper:
“There was one girl at school, when I was about eleven and a half, who
was my dream girl. Her name, Vernice Cooper. Never spoke to
her. Just smiled a lot. Vernice would give me a little bit
of a smile in return, or she would turn her head just before I caught her
eye. But my handmade clothes, sewn by my mother from flour sack cloth,
were a signal that I was from the wrong side of the tracks, while Vernice
was from a family that was substantial in every way: strong educational
background, middle class. In fact, she wound up as an executive for
a telephone company. And in our grown-up years, we wound up with
a warm friendship that has flourished.”
Teron Fowler Sentenced
Former gaming board inspector Teron Fowler was sentenced to 70 months
in prison in Miami on drug charges on Wednesday 30th April. Mr. Fowler
became a cause celebre in The Bahamas prior to last year’s general election
in The Bahamas when he was the cause of a fight between two PLP MPs.
Keod Smith, then MP for Mt. Moriah, was representing Mr. Fowler in an action
to recover sums allegedly owed by former PLP MP Kenyatta Gibson’s firm
to Mr. Fowler. Mr. Gibson was then Mr. Fowler’s boss at the Gaming
Board.
Premier Not Stepping Down In Turks
Floyd Hall, Deputy Premier of the Turks and Caicos Island, visited
The Bahamas during the last week on a private visit. The Turks and
Caicos is very much in the news these days. Reports in The Bahamas
press suggested that the Premier of the Turks Michael Misick would resign
shortly because of allegations that he raped an American visitor at a party
at his home. Mr. Misick has described the charges as “false and outrageous”.
The reports coming to this site say that Mr. Misick has a whole lot of
support in the Turks and most people feel that the charges are not going
to go anywhere. The investigation, however and the authority to charge
are controlled by the British governor and not the local authorities.
The British government previously colluded with the U.S. government to
arrest another former Chief Minister of the Turks on drug charges.
Website Questions Sharon Turner
Sharon Turner is the Deputy Director of the Bahamas Information Services.
According to the website bahamaspress.com,
she is an FNM partisan who was appointed as a result of her work with Hubert
Ingraham during the FNM's campaign. They do not put much stock in
her talent but seem to place much of her rise to office on her connections
with the Prime Minister. The website claims that she has replaced
veteran Peter Ramsay as the Prime Minister's personal photographer, rather
than being a true Deputy Director of BIS. What we do know is that
BIS needs to do much to improve its services to the public at large and
perhaps Ms. Turner needs to concentrate on management and innovation and
less on taking pictures of Hubert Ingraham. Leave that to the real
photographer.
Local Government Elections Coming
The PLP needs to get its socks on. Local government elections
are coming on 23rd June. Nomination day is set for 3rd June.
The local government elections will the first test of the popularity of
the FNM administration. Many PLPs are simply afraid to run because
of the intimidation by the FNM government. They ought to come forward
and defend their interests and their party. Former Local Government
Minister Alfred Gray last weekend called on all men and women of goodwill
in the country to come forward and run.
Sir Clement Recovering
Sir Clement Maynard, the former Deputy Prime Minister, is resting comfortably
in hospital. The former politician was hospitalized for further care and
observation. Sir Clement suffered a stroke earlier in the year.
Celeste Mitchell Hospitalized
Celeste Mitchell, nee Williams, is recovering in hospital in Nassau.
Mrs. Williams is the wife of Robert Ian Mitchell, brother of Fox Hill MP
Fred Mitchell and the mother of Nicholas. She is the daughter of
Edward and Esther Williams and is a teacher at St. Anne’s Anglican High
School. We wish her speedy recovery.
Did Mariah or Nick Hit The Jackpot?
Mariah Carey, the American singer with a home reportedly in Eleuthera,
is now married again. This time it is reported that she married Nick
Cannon, a former MTV host, and the star of movies like Drumline.
Mr. Canon has a toy boy image. Ms. Carey is 11 years his senior.
They were reportedly married at Ms. Carey’s home in Eleuthera on Thursday
1st May. Bets are on about how long it will last. So who hit
the jackpot, Nick or Mariah?
Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon at the Tribeca Film Festival - Photos
AP/Getty
HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY!
Click on a heading to go to that story; press ctrl + home to return
to the top of the page.
|
| NEVER FORGET THE FLAMINGO:
It
was a sad and frightening day in The Bahamas. The news to Nassau
came late in the evening. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force which was
then just six weeks old had lost the HMBS Flamingo and four men.
The incident arose at sea when the Flamingo was in pursuit of Cuban fish
poachers in the seas off Ragged Island. As they pursued the fishermen,
Cuban MIGs appeared out of the sky, buzzed the boat, shot it, sinking it.
The MIGs then strafed the waters and it appears that the four marines were
killed in the water. They were never seen again. The Royal
Bahamas Defence Force dedicated a memorial park to the men on Saturday
10th May, and launched a wreath at sea on the anniversary of the sinking.
Our photo of the week is then a scene from the dedication service at sea
and we dedicate ourselves to never forgetting the four men who lost their
lives and the crew of the Flamingo who survived. The photo is by
Letisha Henderson. |
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
The government this week passed a minor amendment to the Hotels
Encouragement Act. This amendment will extend to shop keepers and
to restauranteurs, the same benefits that the hotels now get to be exempted
from customs duty for their building materials and equipment coming into
the country. The Act has been in place since 1954. It has been
credited with accelerating the pace of the development of the Bahamian
tourism industry.
The regime works like this. Customs duties are the main source
of revenue for The Bahamas. But when a duty is applied at the border,
it increases the cost of doing business, together with the stamp tax of
some 50 per cent over the cost and freight of the good. This makes
life in The Bahamas more expensive to buy food, to buy equipment and to
buy cars. The idea is that if you are able to give a tax holiday
or break or exemption when confined to certain areas, to certain goods
or to certain industries, then you will provide an incentive for the production
of that good or that service. There are exemptions for agriculture.
The Minister can allow agricultural implements including cars to come in
duty free. There is one for industry, which allows duty free building
materials in the industrial park and under the Industries Encouragement
Act for duty free import for equipment and raw materials for Bahamian produced
goods. Then there is the Hotels Encouragement Act. The granddaddy
of all exemptions however is that of Freeport, one big duty free zone on
the northern island of Grand Bahama.
That has been the case for over fifty years. We recall however
the words of John Rolle, a former Central Banker in The Bahamas, who told
the civil society group at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that whether
or not we sign on to the new trade regimes, integrating ourselves fully
into the world economy, the tax structure of The Bahamas had to change
because it was not able to produce the level of goods and services which
Bahamians expected from their government. If that is so, then for
more reasons than one, duty free regimes must be on the way out.
The second and perhaps more significant reason that we are going
to have to exit the duty free regimes is that The Bahamas has signed the
Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union. That agreement
is a zero customs duty regime. The idea is to eliminate all border
taxes that would inhibit trade. The Bahamas also proposes to join
the World Trade Organization, where duty free is the mantra. The
new trade agreements with Canada and with the United States will all have
the commitment to eliminate customs duties. It is coming down the
road. Yet here it is the Government has introduced a fixer upper
with the new amendment to the Hotels Encouragement Act that reinforces
a regime that they will have to scrap in the near future.
No government spokesman talked about the changes that are coming,
even though the embattled Minister of State Zhivargo Laing, infamous for
his Mona Vie duty reduction, was busy touting the benefits of the Economic
Partnership Agreement on every street corner. The government also
ducked the obvious criticism that this minor amendment is really designed
once again to benefit the Bay Street supporters of the Government.
It was left to the PLP’s spokesman on Foreign Trade Fox Hill MP Fred
Mitchell to lay out the case for a national conversation on two points:
the question of the development of our economy and this would include tax
policy as well. Mr. Mitchell speaking in the House of Assembly said
that he believed that there ought to be a national conversation on establishing
The Bahamas as a developed nation by the year 2020. He believed also
that there ought to be preparation for migrating the country to value added
tax, which would be not a more progressive tax but would be more equitable
in the sense that both the goods side of the economy and the services side
of the economy would be taxed.
He said that during the failed debate on the Caribbean Single Market
and Economy (CSME), he pointed out how the man who trades in goods has
to pay almost 150 per cent of the value of the good to get started in business
before he put the first good on the shelf. But he said that the man
who is in services can simply set up his shingle and collect huge fees
with only the small business licence tax to concern himself about, while
taking advantage of all the subsidies the government gives to its citizens
virtually for free, including the education that gave him the ability to
make the money. Mr. Mitchell thought it was simply not fair for the
merchants to carry the tax burden alone. He told of the experience
of Barbados when it implemented value added tax.
In addition, Mr. Mitchell urged the government to begin that national
conversation. He said that the country is already committed to the
United Nations Millennium Development goals. Those goals are to be
accomplished by the year 2015.
There are eight such goals:
-
Eradicate extreme hunger and poverty
-
Achieve Universal Primary Education
-
Promote gender equality and empower women
-
Reduce child mortality
-
Improve maternal health
-
Combat HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases
-
Ensure environmental stability
-
Develop a global partnership for development
The Bahamas is already quite a ways to meeting those goals but
the goals are not being approached in a systematic and rational way.
We agree with Mr. Mitchell’s call for the country to be dedicated to its
development to that of a developed nation by the year 2020. It is
within the country’s grasp. The incrementalism that we still see
in the FNM government is not wise. It is for the PLP then to provide
the alternative message and plot the way forward.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 10th May 2008 at midnight:
265,048.
Number of hits for the month of May up to Saturday 10th May 2008
up to midnight: 356,224.
Number of hits for the year 2008 up to Saturday 10th May 2008 at
midnight: 5,155,524.
CONTACT US AT E-MAIL:placid_point@yahoo.com
A
CABINET SHUFFLE COMING
Hubert Ingraham, the Prime Minister, is like one
of these old style Communist party heads, a type of commissar, who loves
to play musical chairs with the political positions and with the names
of ministries. People don’t last in positions very long in his administration.
He is constantly moving them around like they are pawns in a game.
They go willingly. He also changes the names of ministries every
year or so, causing major headaches for filing, imposing additional and
unnecessary costs on the government.
Word is that after one year in office, a Cabinet
shuffle is coming. Elma Campbell is reportedly out and headed
to China as Ambassador to China. She will head the mission where
the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, without
any announcement, has been sent to China as the number 2 in the Embassy.
The Chinese want to know whether this is a demotion for the former Head
of the Foreign Service. Then the report is that Claire Hepburn is
to leave to take a post on the bench as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
This will then give the commissar a chance to shuffle some people around.
Maybe this will be an opportunity to reward Zhivargo
Laing, his hapless Minister of State for all he did for lowering the duty
on the Mona Vie and providing the major scandal for the government for
this term, by giving him a bigger post.
A
NEW CHRISTIAN COUNCIL HEAD
Patrick Paul, not the clothier, is now the Head
of the Christian Council. He was elected at a meeting held at the
Joe Farrington Road Auditorium of the Church of God, headed by Bishop John
Humes whom he ousted. Pastor Paul is head of the Assemblies of God
in the Bahamas. He was the special assistant to Bishop Humes just
prior to his election. His nomination was a surprise to many.
The President’s post was the only one contested. Pastor Paul’s election
was even more of a surprise. Bishop Humes lasted one year.
The vote was a close one with the victor squeaking
by with two votes. The vote took place on Tuesday 29th May.
While the victor's statement spoke about how it was the Council’s role
to bring the people of the Lord together, the Christian talk overlaid a
decision taken to remove the former President after one year after a series
of embarrassing public gaffes by him, one of which blamed the PLP for crime
because they would not according to the Bishop Humes accept the results
of the election. Many were disturbed that the Bishop spoke for the
Council on matters that were doctrinal without checking with the Council
members. Catholics and Anglicans were particularly concerned that
Bishop Humes spoke out against gambling when they have no doctrinal position
opposing gambling per se.
SHANE
DECRIES GOVT’S ACTIONS
Shane Gibson, the former Minister of Housing, told
the press last week that the government’s action of moving to foreclose
on delinquent mortgagors with the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation was ill
timed. He said that while he believed that everyone should pay their
mortgages that this was a bad time for the government to foreclose on homes.
Mr. Gibson said that instead they should work with the homeowners to save
their homes, given the state of the economy.
Mr. Gibson's view was reinforced by a statement
from party Chairman Glenys Hanna Martin. Mrs. Martin said on Wednesday
7th May:
“The Progressive Liberal Party expresses its
surprise and dismay that at a time when the government should be intervening
to ease the burden and suffering of the Bahamian people, the Bahamas Mortgage
Corporation is now threatening homeowners who have become delinquent in
meeting their obligations to the corporation.
“While we do not in any way condone the evasion
of obligations to the corporation, it is nevertheless clear that in an
atmosphere of recession, unemployment and price inflation, the public policy
of the government ought to be the alleviation of suffering, not the increasing
of pressure when families are most vulnerable.
“We believe that each delinquent homeowner should
be approached confidentially by the corporation and the maximum effort
should be made to regularize their obligations. It is very disappointing
that the government has instead chosen to threaten homeowners when they
are most challenged by oppressive economic conditions.”
The Bahamas Mortgage Corporation announced last
week that it is going forcibly after delinquent mortgagees. It came
off as heartless on television.
INGRAHAM
DEFENDS WILLIAMS DISMISSAL
The Jamaican American singer Shaggy has a line in
a song when he was caught with another woman: “It wasn’t me”. That’s
the feeling you got when Hubert Ingraham incredulously told the press in
The Bahamas last week that he and the government had nothing to do with
the dismissal of Leon Williams at telephone company BTC after 40 years,
two of them as President of the Company.
Last week, we reported how Mr. Williams intends
to sue the company over his dismissal. He laid out the case against
BTC in a detailed statement released to
the press.
According to Mr. Ingraham, the government appointed
a Board headed by Julian Francis, the former Central Bank Governor who
reportedly wants the job, to run the corporation and he pledged at the
time of their appointment that the government would not interfere unless
they were messing up. In his view, they had done nothing to mess
up. He said that the decision to fire Mr. Williams had been made
by the Board and communicated to the Government through disgraced Minister
of State Zhivargo Laing.
Mr. Williams adds to the list of former chief executives
dumped by the Ingraham administration for political reasons. Before
Mr. Williams was Abraham Butler of the Water and Sewerage Corporation,
Rory Higgs of the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation.
THE
DEATH OF JEFF SCAVELLA
John Jefferson Scavella was the golden voice that
graced radio in The Bahamas for over a generation. He started out
at ZNS radio as a young man, with a “‘Merican” accent. He was the
modern voice of then only radio station in Nassau. He brought a panache
when he came on that exceeded the change that took pace when George Capron
had been on before him. He was the voice of the Out Island You Ask
for It programme on Saturday evening where requests were taken from people
in the Family Islands by mail then called the Out Islands. This programme
then morphed at 11 p.m. to Lovers’ Tune Time. He had the prefect
basso profundo, smoky voice for it.
Mr. Scavella was lauded for his contribution to
broadcasting by former Broadcasting Corporation colleagues Obie Wilchcombe
MP, Kendal Wright MP, Picewell Forbes MP and Fred Mitchell MP in the House
of Assembly on Wednesday 7th May. Mr. Wright caused a controversy
in the House when he suggested that Mr. Scavella’s voice had been silenced
for political reasons. Mr. Scavella left ZNS in protest and ended
up as a candidate in the 1982 general election for the FNM against Arthur
Hanna, the then Deputy Prime Minister. A row ensued in the House
and even after it was questioned, you could see Messrs. Wilchcombe, Mitchell,
Forbes and Wright vigorously discussing the matter from their seats in
the House.
DRIP
FEEDING INFO ON THE EPA
Scandal ridden Minister of State Zhivargo Laing
is like a politically crazed man. He is all over the place giving
one speech after the next about this or that, anything to take the public's
mind off the Mona Vie scandal. Mr. Laing is not serving the country
properly in the process. He has the mammoth task of public education
on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) initialled by the Caricom
countries and the Dominican Republic with the European Union to replace
the Contonou Agreement that expired in December of last year.
The agreement for The Bahamas brings in the provisions
of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) by the back door, which
Mr. Laing fought so hard to repudiate while he was in Opposition, after
supporting it in his book ‘Who Moved My Conch?’ His strategy is not
to be upfront with it. He has been drip feeding the country about
it. Last week, he told the Real Estate Agents Association that telecommunications
and real estate is not part of the services sector that they will liberalize.
We hope they don’t believe that because it is not true.
What Mr. Laing needs to do is to come clean on the
entire list of services and goods and the transition provisions for liberalization
that will apply. But there is one standard for the FNM and another
for the PLP. The PLP spoke the truth and it is out of office for
it. The FNM tells blandishments and lies and the real state agents
sit there in a torpor.
SIR
ARTHUR FOULKES TURNS 80
The now Director General of the Bahamas Information
Services Sir Arthur Foulkes turned 80 on Friday 9th May. Sir Arthur
is one of the pioneers and architects of the modern Bahamas. He was
a member of the Progressive Liberal Party shortly after it was founded.
He used his considerable talents as a writer to establish a paper for the
party called the Bahamian Times. The Times was the party’s mouthpiece
from 1962 to 1967. He was a founding member of the National Committee
for Positive Action (NCPA). This was the organization within the
PLP that pushed the PLP to the radicalism that led to its assuming power.
He served as Cabinet Minster from 1967 to 1968 when he was dismissed by
then Prime Minister Lynden O. Pindling, to whom he had been fiercely loyal.
He then went on to vote against Sir Lynden in the no confidence vote in
1971. He was known as one of the Dissident Eight, who broke away
from the PLP to form first the Free PLP, then the Free National Movement,
a combination of the defunct United Bahamian Party and the Free PLP.
He served again in the House of Assembly from 1982 to 1987.
When the FNM assumed office in 1992, Sir Arthur
served as non resident Ambassador to Cuba and to China and then High Commissioner
to London. He is the father of 9 children with his first wife Naomi.
One of them is the Minister of Labour and Maritime Affairs Dion Foulkes.
A birthday party was held at the younger Minister’s home, attended by well-wishers
including Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, Leader of the Opposition Perry
Christie, son-in-law Education Minister Carl Bethel, Cabinet Ministers
Elma Campbell, Tommy Turnquest, Sidney Collie and Desmond Bannister.
Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell also attended. Sir Arthur is married to
the former Joan Bullard. MCs for the evening were his son Brendan,
named after the Catholic priest of the same name and events planner Sonia
Cox. Sir Arthur is shown above at his birthday party. Please click
here for more photos from the affair by Peter Ramsay of the Bahamas Information
Services.
TAMMY
FERGUSON MARRIES JOHN CULMER
For Fox Hill, it was almost certainly the wedding
of the year. One of the beautiful daughters of Essie and the late
Sam Ferguson was married on Saturday 10th May to John Culmer, a son of
the Valley. Fox Hill turned out in all its splendour to see the beautiful
Tami Ferguson marry Mr. Culmer. The bride was radiant and beaming
as she was taken up the aisle first by Fred Mitchell, Fox Hill MP as father
giver who handed her off to former Prime Minister Perry Christie, who handed
her off to husband John. When called upon Mr. Christie and Mr. Mitchell
answered “We do on behalf of Sam Ferguson.” The ceremony which started
bang on time and lasted one hour was conducted by Pastor Warren Anderson
of the Mt. Carey Baptist Church, home church of the new Mrs. Culmer.
The reception was held at the British Colonial Hilton. The couple
is to take a Caribbean cruise honeymoon. The photos are by Lorenzo
McKenzie.
COLEBY
SPEAKS ON ECONOMIC HARDSHIP
PLP Elcott Coleby has issued a news release on things
that the FNM could do during this economic downturn. In his release,
Mr. Coleby's said:
"If current economic trends continue, and all
indications are that existing trends will continue, the government will
have little choice but to place its operations in a state of fiscal austerity.
Additionally, there are some other innovative measures the government can
take that will offer relief to many overburdened working Bahamian families.
To date the government has not presented a comprehensive relief plan to
the Bahamian people. I charge that a vacuum in leadership and the absence
of political will within the government are the reasons why this has not
happened. This plan is necessary as it gives the Bahamian people a reason
or reasons to continue to repose its confidence in the government. There
are at least three proposed areas that the government may focus on:
"In times of crises, it is normal for the political
directorate to request ministries to reduce operating expenses by a modest
5%, or $70 million. Ministries usually defer discretionary spending in
areas such as travel, launching of new government programs, and in some
cases, hiring of additional staff. These cost savings can be passed on
to consumers in the form of lowered duty rates on breadbasket staple food
items. This will bring measurable relief to literally thousands of Bahamians
in the form of improved consumer confidence. This confidence stimulates
consumerism, which buoys the Bahamian economy. I caution the government
to be vigilant in enforcing its price control regime so as to minimize
profiteering by unscrupulous businesses.
"Both the government and the media have said
that the government is powerless to do anything about rising fuel prices.
I disagree. If the government has the political will, it can make taxes
on imported fuel variable instead of fixed. This tax option will eliminate
shock in the market place that causes consumers to panic. If the government
makes a policy decision to cap the price of gasoline at the pump at $5
for example, then if and when gasoline prices are hiked by five cents,
the government can lower its taxes on that batch of fuel by five cents.
The net effect is that the price at the pump remains unchanged and shock
and panic in the market place is avoided. It is the shock in the marketplace
that creates the panic that adversely affects consumer confidence and impacts
spending habits.
"Bahamasair’s fuel last year was just under $20
million and BEC’s fuel bill is much higher. Bahamasair has announced a
$10 hike on ticket prices to cope with ever increasing fuel costs. BEC
uses a fuel surcharge formula to pass on increases to the consumer. As
for Bahamasair, it should implement the practice of fuel hedging. History
has proven that the high fuel prices have dealt a much milder blow to carriers
that have used the practice of fuel hedging; which most often involves
purchasing futures contracts that allow airlines to fix or cap the price
they'll pay several months or years in advance. I encourage the board of
directors of Bahamasair to closely examine this alternative cost reduction
measure. If Bahamasair, through the purchase of futures contracts, can
cap the ceiling on Jet fuel, and the market price continues to increase
by $2 per gallon above the cap by the end of the fiscal year, then Bahamasair
can realize cost savings of as much as $9 million in the coming fiscal
year. This reduces the government’s subsidy to Bahamasair by as much as
$9 million. Further, this initiative gives Bahamasair the option to reverse
or reduce the $10 hike on ticket prices. Thirdly, the cost savings can
compensate for the loss of tax revenue from a variable tax regime on gasoline.
This initiative will improve market efficiency.
"The same principle holds true for BEC because
Diesel and Heavy Fuel Oil prices continue to rise and this adversely impacts
electricity costs and the cost of goods and services in the economy at
large. I also encourage the board of directors of BEC to consider the option
of fuel hedging through the purchase of futures contracts. Cost savings
realized by BEC can allow the government to roll back the 10% tax on BEC’s
fuel. It would also significantly reduce the surcharge passed on to the
consumers. This reduction in energy cost will reduce the cost of goods
and services in the general economy in addition to increasing the level
of disposable income among the many thousands of BEC consumers. There is
no doubt that this disposable income will be spent in the economy and will
buoy the Bahamian economy through increased consumerism. This too will
improve market efficiency.
"The price of fuel is dictated by international
financial markets, therefore, the government should not be afraid to engage
and exploit the financial instruments of these markets for the benefit
of the Bahamian people. The external environment is filled with uncertainty
and risk, so risk management has to necessarily form a major component
of government’s public policy. I remind Bahamians that the government,
not the private sector, is “the legal guardian of market efficiency”.
FOX
HILL YOUTH AWARDS PHOTOS
Last week, we reported on an awards ceremony
for outstanding Fox Hill area students staged by the newly formed Fox Hill
Youth Association at the Fox Hill Community Centre. Please click
here for the promised photos of the award recepients. The event
was under the patronage of Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell.
The awardees’ of the evening were: Mr. Devin Ferguson
of St. Marks Native Baptist Church: Outstanding Church Service and Leadership;
Ms. Deandra Deveaux of St. Marks Native Baptist Church: Outstanding Church
Service and Leadership; Mr. Valentino Rahming of Macedonia Church: Outstanding
Church Service and Leadership; Ms. Iesha Rahming of Macedonia Church: Outstanding
Church Service and Leadership; Mr. Shannon Burrows of Church of God: Outstanding
Church Service; Academic Excellence and Leadership; Ms. Melissa Rahming
of St. Paul’s Baptist Church and Doris Johnson Senior High School: Outstanding
Service; Academic Excellence and Leadership; Mr. Breon Cox of St. Paul’s
Baptist Church: Outstanding Church Service; Leadership and Academic Achievement;
Mr. Jabari Wilmott of St. Augustine’s College: Academic Excellence and
Leadership; Mr. Deangelo Ferguson of Doris Johnson Senior High School:
Academic Excellence and Leadership; Mr. Rashad Rolle of Doris Johnson Senior
High School: Academic Excellence and Leadership; Ms. Riclisha Kelson of
Doris Johnson High School: Academic Excellence and Leadership; Mr. Davin
Hutchinson of Doris Johnson Senior High School: Academic Excellence and
Leadership; Ms. Delronique Stuart of L.W. Young Jr. High School: Outstanding
Service and Leadership; Ms. Marva Etienne of L.W. Young Junior High School:
Outstanding extracurricular activity and Most Gifted Athlete; Ms. Macy
Elean Suazo of L.W. Young Junior High School: Academic Excellence and Leadership;
Ms. Claudia Russell of Sandilands Primary School: Academic Excellence and
Leadership; Mr. Kareem Rolle of Sandilands Primary School: Academic Excellence
and Leadership.
IN PASSING
One Angry Judge
The report is that Justice John Lyons, who many credit for helping
to bring down the PLP government, by his unusual rulings just prior to
the last election, has been passed up for Senior Justice by Jon Isaacs.
His friends are saying that this does not sit well with him. Some
of them are urging the good judge to go on strike. There is of course
one solution to discomfort about the place in which you live and work and
that is to leave and go to another jurisdiction. There’s a thought.
Get that man a ticket to Canberra.
Rudy King In The News Again
The press reported during the week that the inimitable and irrepressible
Rudy King was back before the Bahamian courts, this time trying to appeal
a bankruptcy order before the Court of Appeal. He failed in his bid
to set it aside because the Court of Appeal claims that it does not have
jurisdiction to hear an appeal in bankruptcy. This is notwithstanding
a ruling in the case of Sidney Stubbs that they do. Mr. King was
told to go away and try another way. The press also reported Mr.
King as saying that he intends to go back to the U.S. to face charges of
defrauding the Internal Revenue Service of the United States where he,
it appears, skipped out of the jurisdiction and is now wanted for doing
so. Mr. King says first things first though: the bankruptcy court
and then the IRS.
Star 106.5 Is On The Air
Ken Perigord and the Nassau Guardian’s joint venture Star 106.5 FM
is now on the air officially. Mr. Perigord is the host of KP’s Golden
Oldies each Saturday night from 8 p.m.
Stephen Russell To Head NEMA
Lt. Commander Stephen Russell, a 17 year veteran of the Royal Bahamas
Defence Force, has been seconded from the RBDF to the public service to
head the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). He replaces
Carl Smith, who is now Consul General for The Bahamas in New York.
Exuma Meeting A Bust For FNM Ministers
FNM Ministers Earl Deveaux and Neko C. Grant I ran into heavy weather
with the people of Exuma at a town meeting in Exuma on Thursday 8th May.
Exumians are incensed that their settlements are being overrun by illegal
Haitian immigrants and the government seems powerless to do anything about
it.
Apology Demanded by FNM politician
The owners of City Markets have reportedly paid the sum of $5,000 in
damages and $3000 in legal costs because an FNM politician was offended
when she went to the food store and the food store refused to take her
cheque for 75 dollars. When the refusal took place she left with
the goods anyway but had her lawyer write a letter demanding an apology
for refusing her cheque and seeking damages of $5,000. The company
offered the apology but no damages. The FNM politician demanded the
$5,000 or else and $3,000 in costs. Fearing retaliation from the
Government, the company capitulated. Not bad for a days work, even
though the law clearly says that leaving a food store with goods unpaid
may well be taking property belonging to another with the permanent intention
to deprive. Perhaps Mr. Slime, John Marquis, The Tribune will investigate
and report on that.
Celeste Mitchell Recovering
Celeste Mitchell, the wife of Robert Ian Mitchell and daughter of Edward
and Esther Williams, sister-in-law to Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell, teacher
at St. Anne’s, is recovering in hospital in Miami following a stroke three
weeks ago. Mrs. Mitchell was airlifted to Florida last week.
Where Oh Where Is Brent Symonette?
Brent Symonette, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was missing from
the House of Assembly. Not a word on where he was. It may well
be that he was attending a Caricom Foreign Minister's meeting in Antigua.
No one knows. That is the FNM way, hiding from the public the fact
that their Foreign Minister is travelling.
Mitchell on GEMS
Fred Mitchell MP visited the GEMS radio studios this past week.
Mr. Mitchell was a guest of guest host Lester Cox, sitting in for Michael
Pintard. Mr. Mitchell talked with the guest host about his time in
politics.
Click on a heading to go to that story; press ctrl + home to return
to the top of the page.
|
| MOURNING KHODEE DAVIS:
Sixteen
year old Khodee Davis, the son of Sonia Dill of Fox Hill and Derek Davis
of Fox Hill is dead. He died at the hands of other youths his age,
reportedly trying to stop a fight on Cabbage Beach at Paradise Island.
Again a community is in shock. There is unspeakable grief.
The mother sobs and sobs. The children in his 11th grade class must
not know what to do. In the midst of life there is death. The
murders are now up to 27 and counting, each week some other unspeakable
horror. Our photo of the week then is the photo of the outpouring
of grief at the service on Cabbage Beach held for his fellow students at
Paradise Island on Wednesday May. The photo was originally
published in the Nassau Guardian and is by Letisha Henderson. |
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
DEATH IN THE AFTERNOON
When Ernest Hemingway wrote the words we use as this editorial’s
headline, he had in mind much grander themes and subjects: the bullfight
as a metaphor for the meaning of war and death. Nothing so mundane
on the face of it as the death of a 16 young man from The Bahamas in the
afternoon at Paradise Island in 2008. And yet, we in the country
struggle to find ways to describe the horror on the one hand, the shock
on the other, and the gravitas of the issue of the murder of young children
in The Bahamas at a rate that seems alarming and random. It leaves
adults helpless, and wanting to know just what these children are into.
The death took place on a public holiday. That is the usual
pattern of these tragedies: a Saturday night, a Friday night. A holiday
weekend, a party. It is usually a fight, a traffic accident.
It is usually young men fighting, smashing up in a car or on a motorbike.
Whatever -- it is during an activity that was designed for fun and leisure,
the scene simply turned ugly and death in the afternoon is what we have.
Khodee
Davis is this boy’s name. There have been others before him this
year and in the years before. Most of the names are not even remembered
in the carnage that has followed in the years that have gone by.
They have passed into history. The stories cause a temporary memory
of the pain, largely for the families concerned, but in the press of the
times that too is gone.
Some we remember: the young girl who was returning home after a night
of partying and ended up in the mid seat of the car, without a seat belt
and going too fast, death in the early morning. The fight that took
place outside a club in Fox Hill where a young man was set upon by other
young men with a baseball bat, some slight taken because someone had said
the wrong thing to someone’s girlfriend: death in the evening.
The fact is there is too much death amongst young people. The
numbers are not absolutely high but the randomness, the same pattern that
occurs; you think that in a logical country and in civil polity, with an
educated population, someone must learn the lesson and stop.
The deaths are one thing but underlying them is a series of largely
unreported fights in schools that are frightening. You need only
go to youtube to see them. Even in the private sector schools,
the students fight. One Baptist academy can’t hold a proper baseball
game with another Pentecostal institution. They are right across
the road from each other, but as soon as the basketball game ends, the
side that loses does not like it and they then take to the streets with
rocks and stones and inevitably one day it will be bullets and guns.
The leaders of the schools do not know just what to do about it.
They can see it coming down the road but what do they do?
We said something in that previous paragraph about an educated society.
We remember in the days not so long ago when there were school plays, even
musicals. The kids were required to study Shakespeare even.
Do they do it today? We mention that because you have the story of
Romeo and Juliet. You also have the story of Tony and Maria in West
Side Story. All of these plays are instructive to young people about
the consequences of taking umbrage at things that don’t really matter in
the scheme of things. They lead to personal destruction, death, sorrow
and unspeakable grief. Perhaps that might be a start to try to get
the message through in ways other than simply speaking from a public platform.
Fred Mitchell, the Member of Parliament for Fox Hill where the murdered
young man lived and where those who are accused of the murder also live,
was furious. From his annual physical at the Mayo Clinic, he issued
a statement recalling how he had brought the Urban Renewal programme to
Fox Hill to try to deal with these issues. Mr. Mitchell has said
before that when Urban Renewal was in Fox Hill, the situation had calmed
down because of the direct intervention of the police and the community
leaders and their interaction with the children. But, for political
reasons, all of that has gone. The FNM scrapped the programme and
tried to reinvent the wheel. In doing so, they stopped the programmes
that were usefully giving young people a sense of their self worth and
a sense of their history.
We extend condolences to Sonia Dill, the mother of Khodee.
We extend condolences to his father Derek Davis and to the extended family
of Fox Hill over this senseless tragedy. But we cannot leave it there.
This is a time for the society to take stock again. It is a time
to determine how we are going to learn from this tragedy.
One issue is that this is not simply a matter for the police.
It is a matter for the whole society. What should be happening in
Fox Hill is that a team of social workers ought to be going through the
community and finding out who these people are and what they were doing.
Leisure time activities and the lack thereof are issues that have to be
examined. Why were they on the Paradise Island beach? What
were they doing there? What was the nature of the argument?
And then what must then be put into the mix is a design of sensible public
policy to seek to stop deaths in the afternoon from occurring again.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 17th May 2006 up to midnight:
246,361.
Number of hits for the month of May up to Saturday 17th May 2006
at midnight: 616,597.
Number of hits for the year 2008 up to Saturday 17th May 2008 at
midnight: 5,401,885.
Deceased youngster
Khodee Davis is pictured with his mother Sonia Dill
CONTACT US AT E-MAIL:placid_point@yahoo.com
MELANIE
GRIFFIN PLEADS FOR CHILDREN
The PLP’s spokesperson on Social Services, the former Minister of Social
Service Melanie Griffin held a press conference on Wednesday 14th May to
call for the Acts that she left on the books on child protection and domestic
violence to be brought into force. The laws were passed but they
sit languishing without the authorities having the power to do anything
about it. The Government’s Minister Loretta Butler Turner cannot
say why she will not bring it into force despite herself being an advocate
for the rights of children and women’s rights. One thing the Child
Protection Act will do is to provide access for men as of right to apply
to the courts to have access to their children that are born out of wedlock.
The perennial social critics and father’s rights advocate Cleaver Duncombe
seemed to take exception at the former Minister’s intervention on the matter
but in doing so he risked discrediting himself because he came off as an
apologist for the FNM. Rather than thanking Mrs. Griffin for the
progress that she made with the legislation, he was busy supplying excuses
for the Minister Loretta Butler Turner. You may click
here for the full statement of Mrs. Griffin.
Melanie Griffin speak to the media: Nassau Guardian photo
SIMEON
HALL RESPONDS TO DAME JOAN
We thought that maybe this site was the only one to take on the eccentric
and odd pronouncements of Dame Joan Sawyer who is the President of the
Court of Appeal. At a talk she gave at her church St. Barnabas on
Saturday 10th May, Dame Joan was quoted by the Bahama Journal on Tuesday
13th May as saying on that occasion that freedom of speech and freedom
of religion were the worst things to have happened to The Bahamas.
She has a way of saying things that is really quite unfortunate.
She just does not know what to say and clearly does not know how and when
to say it. Anyway it appears that Bishop Simeon Hall decided to take
her on and issued his own press release in response to it. We agree
with him. Here it is in his own words:
“I refer to the story in today’s edition of the
Bahama Journal, under the headline – ‘Dame Joan On Attack’.
“With the greatest respect, the remarks
attributed to the Chief Justice (sic) Joan Sawyer that “freedom of religion
and speech are the worst things that ever happened to the Bahamas” are
in my humble opinion frightening and silly. It is clearly the product of
a mind bordering on senility.
“The irresponsible behavior of some cannot
negate the right of others for freedom of faith and speech.
“If it were not for freedom of religion
and free speech in the Bahamas, indeed the world, the revered Chief Justice
(sic) would not be sitting where she does.
“The evil behavior of some cannot induce
us to return to the dark ages of the 15th Century when persons were burnt
to the stake or sent to gas chambers because they exercise personal faith
and freedom of speech.
“We cannot remediate the many social problems
in our country by engaging in sweeping generalizations and backward thinking.
“Freedom must be free even when some use
it for excess and wrong.
“All well meaning and good thinking persons
in our society agree that “we are adrift.” But it ought to be clear that
the greatest area of concern has always been ‘leadership’, and I personally
find it interesting that the vast majority of our leadership has been “lawyers”
of which the Chief Justice (sic) is one.
“I firmly and fiercely beg to differ with
the Chief Justice (sic).”
SEA
HAULER PAYOUT BACKFIRES
We have been silent on this matter of the payouts to the victims of the
Sea Hauler disaster. These are the facts, the government has decided
to make an ex gratia payment to the people who were injured or killed as
a result of the accident at sea in 2003 when on an August Monday excursion
to Cat Island, two boats collided in the night causing the death of four
and injuries both physical and psychological to others. The passenger
boat was the Sea Hauler. The victims filed actions in the courts.
They received social services help and financial assistance with their
medical bills. That was not enough and they have been running a high
profile campaign in the press to force the government to give away the
Treasury’s money to them. At one point, they chained themselves to
the gate of the home of former Prime Minister Perry Christie.
The PLP lost office. The FNM has now come
in and while Hubert Ingraham's instincts were to ignore it and let the
law take its course, his Cabinet has decided that one million dollars of
the public money would be spent to settle a private grief, a private breach
of contract without admission of liability on the part of the government.
The advice of the government’s lawyers is that the
government was not at fault in any way. The scenario: you decide
that you are going to have a weekend of fun in Cat Island. You know
the condition of the boat. You also buy a ticket. The ticket
is a private contract between you and the people who carry you to the boat.
It is like getting in your car. It is like riding on a plane.
How does it get to be the government’s business other than the search and
rescue or if you are indigent that the government should repay you for
a private injury arising out of a contract?
The government has done this before under the FNM,
giving away money to straw vendors after the straw market fire. The
FNM wants to argue that the PLP did it as well to the people of Freeport
when they lost their jobs at Royal Oasis. That case must be distinguished
because in that situation the money was to be repaid to the Treasury once
the insurance payout took place following the storm. But it begs
the larger question, this feeling in The Bahamas that the Public Treasury
is just an open well for anyone to dip into it when they feel that they
are wronged.
Minister of Labour Dion Foulkes who oversaw the
payouts announced the terms, which include that even if the victims continue
their lawsuits, and the government is found further liable to pay they
will pay the additional sums as well. That is quite a deal and quite
an incentive to continue to go to court and get some more. The figures
the Minister said were paid as follows: 29 cheques totalling one million
dollars; 23 were collected; the four families of the deceased received
$385,000 each; 16 with minor injuries received $16,000 each; 7 with compound
fractures received $280,000 each; 5 with fractures received $50,000 each;
$50,000 for an amputee.
Sophia Antonio, speaking for the Sea Hauler Victims talks to news
media in this Nassau Guardian photo by Edward Russell III
WHAT
GIVES IN THE POLICE FORCE?
The police were ordered to appear at a function to perform duties according
to law. By the reports in the press, some 13 of them decided that
they would engage in a sick out. They were protesting the engagement
saying that the matter was a private function, the ‘Step Show’, two weekends
ago and that the rule says these functions ought to go to the Police Staff
Association and the person holding the function should pay for the police
officers.
Fine and good you say, except that the Police Force
is a disciplined force and must follow orders. They are exempt from
the general rules on discipline, which allow some democracy in the usual
employer/employee relationship. Enter the Chairman of the Police
Staff Association, (Bradley Sands, pictured) a politician in all but name
and he supports the sick out by the police. His view is that the
police are being mistreated and that these kinds of actions will not stop
until the mistreatment ends. This is interesting.
The PLP made a mistake when it was in office by
allowing the prison staff association to get away with insubordination
without any action. Now the police are taking industrial action.
The next thing you know it will be the Defence Force. But the PLP
can take some satisfaction in that this is all FNMs fighting together.
The neutrality of the Force was compromised in the last general election,
with the Force presently compromised politically and so what can you expect?
But there is a saying when thieves and rogues fall out, good men come by
their rights.
In the last month, there have been other sickouts
in the public service: engineers at the Ministry of Works, immigration
officers and nurses. No high profile threats though from John Pinder,
the Bahamas Public Services Union President, who continues to support the
dismissal of workers from the public service saying that the PLP did not
hire them properly. This comment is based on a report in the Nassau
Guardian of Wednesday 14th May.
JUSTICE
LYONS’ ROLE IN RUBY’S CASE
The Bahama Journal reported in its 2nd May edition that in the matter of
Ruby Nottage and the question of whether she was a “fugitive” from the
United States was one in which her now fellow Judge John Lyons (pictured)
was very interested. The Journal claimed and it has not since been
refuted that Mr. Justice Lyons wrote a letter to the Justice Department
of the United States to determine whether or not there was still an outstanding
warrant against Mrs. Nottage.
We found this rather curious that no one seemed
to think it odd. The question one must first ask is, assuming it
is true and it is for the Justice to say otherwise, what business of it
was his? It is also clear now that the appointment is history that
the letter was used to help sully and sabotage any chance that Mrs. Nottage
had of making a clean break with the past. Given what his friends
are boasting about how he helped by his rulings to bring down the PLP and
is threatening to do the same with the FNM, one cannot help but think that
perhaps there was some design in this matter with Mrs. Nottage as well.
His friends are openly expressing their unhappiness with the Chief Justice
Sir Burton Hall because he did not support Mr. Justice Lyons for a position
as a judge of the high court in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Mr. Justice Lyons is also reportedly unhappy about
his salary. The claim is being made by some that he is returning
that portion of his salary, which was raised under the PLP on the ground
that it was illegally given to him, and so he is writing a cheque back
to the Treasury. His friends at the same time are complaining that
he is not getting an adequate salary. His financial issues are made
worse by what was reportedly a difficult divorce settlement.
Justice Lyons has been quite a card since he came
to The Bahamas. He first sat in Freeport and made a decision that
because the Grand Bahama Port Authority built the Court he could not sit
and hear cases impartially involving the Port. He came to Nassau
and we all know what has happened since he came here making political attacks
in his rulings. Now this matter with Ruby Nottage, who is now a judge.
What will he do, this man of such great principle and integrity?
If the matter of her appointment is so egregiously wrong and if this society
is so deficient and disappointing, there is a solution and that solution
is to leave. But life here must be pretty sweet, some lawyers maintain
that despite his predilection to talk too much, he is a good judge and
he works hard. One guesses that must be the reason he continues to
stay. He just likes hard work and it agrees with him.
THE
PLP - THE WAY FORWARD
Let’s put it this way. The Tribune writes
one of those unsourced stories, story where everyone is pronouncing on
the future of the PLP but no one wants their name called. The story
said that there were certain unspecified individuals who will not run for
office if Perry Christie (pictured) is the leader of the PLP in the next
general election.
The next day, the Nassau Guardian that has a joint
operating agreement with the Tribune and which some people suspect is run,
operated or even owned by the Tribune writes an editorial, which relies
on the unsourced story in The Tribune, to say that the PLP is in trouble
with Mr. Christie's leadership. It also suggests that Dr. Bernard
Nottage is upset at the statements made three weeks ago on the radio programme
Parliament Street in which Mr. Christie seemed to suggest that he would
not step down before the next election. The editorial also claims
that there is a fight between the Leader of the Party Mr. Christie and
the Chairman Glenys Hanna Martin over many things including whether there
ought to be a convention in November of this year. The editorial
claims that Mrs. Hanna Martin is supporting Dr. Nottage for leader of the
PLP. It also claims that Obie Wilchcombe and Dr. Nottage have an
agreement between them for Leader and Deputy Leader.
All of this was based on no known sources and is
entirely speculative. Yet on the basis of speculation, a national
newspaper of record prints this stuff as if it’s the truth, and the paper
wonders why the PLP does not have a high regard for it.
BRADLEY
ROBERTS ON THE ATTACK
Bradley Roberts, the former MP for Bain and Grants
Town for the PLP and the former Minister of Public Works (pictured in this
file photo) is still on the warpath. Mr. Roberts addressed the Progressive
Action Liberal Network (PLAN) at its meeting in Freeport on Tuesday 13th
May. He was his usual fiery self. He called for an investigation
into what is said to be a video tape of the son of an FNM politician’s
child having sex at Queen's College with allegedly a 13 year old, going
so far as to name the names. The matter has received wide coverage
in the press without any comment from the government. The police
have said that no complaint has been filed. Melanie Griffin, the
spokesman for the PLP on Social Services has also said that there is a
mandatory reporting requirement of this matter to the police authorities.
You may click
here for the report on Mr. Roberts' address from www.myplp.com.
IN PASSING
Ingraham and the EULAC Summit
The Mona Vie Man Zhivargo Laing will probably get some relief from
the scandal that has descended all around him while he is in the rarefied
air of Lima, Peru. He is there with Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham
for the biennial summit of Heads of Government of the European Union, Latin
American and the Caribbean. Since the last summit ended in acrimony
and disharmony between the European and the Caribbean leaders, let us hope
that this summit comes out much better. After all the EU has initialled
an Economic Partnership Agreement with the Caribbean countries that is
to be signed in July of this year. This is supposed to open up European
markets in services and in goods completely to the Caribbean and vice versa.
The Caribbean business and intellectual community is certainly decidedly
against the agreement. With Bernal of Jamaica who negotiated the
pact safely packed off to the IDB in Washington, there is no intellectual
voice to defend it. The feeling is that it was a badly negotiated
text that is too lopsided in favour of the Europeans. Mr. Ingraham
and his hapless Minister of State Zhivargo Laing would know no better.
It was all smiles as they went off to the high air.
BIS photo: Peter Ramsay
Our Ratty Airport
All of last week, the air conditioning in the Lynden Pindling International
Airport’s U.S. Departure Terminal was out of commission. The building
has no natural ventilation and so the airport authority was reduced to
bringing in giant fans. The place was sweltering. Now remember
the airport is undergoing redevelopment by a company called NAD, which
is owned by a Canadian firm from Vancouver that was supposed to have brought
this kind of thing to a stop. One particular sight was after a vendor
complained about the heat and was getting nowhere, she made enough noise
that along came a young man dressed in a tie, a nice enough fellow, who
was followed by six other young men with a giant fan. Two came at
first to bring the fan. When the fan was plugged in, it made so much
noise they had to call another set of four to come to see what was causing
the noise. In the end, they abandoned the effort and just let it
make the noise. It reminded you of that bad taste ethnic joke about
many it takes to change a light bulb. Add the irritation of the heat
to the irritation of going through security in this U.S. terminal.
U.S. tourists complain and complain loudly that they are being searched
three times. What we cannot understand is why in Caribbean airports
this stupid practice continues to happen; where you get searched through
electronic means and then searched again at the gate; and in The Bahamas
add an additional search before you reach the U.S. authorities. It
is quite ridiculous. Then of course, there are the usury rates for
parking at the airport that are such a rip off with no improvements in
sight. This was supposed to be the private sector bringing about
change. The authorities tend to ignore websites like these but it
is clear that these sites are becoming increasingly more powerful in influencing
public opinion and getting the news out. The Lynden Pindling Airport
does not now live up to the reputation of the man after whom it is named.
It is still very much a disgrace. On Saturday 17th May afternoon
at approximately 5 p.m. two rats ran across the entrance of the airport
unimpeded by man or beast and unconcerned as well.
Supt. Keith Bell Resigns
He is as smart as they make them these days. He is a powerful
intellect and was an important influence in the design of public policy.
Truth be told, he is probably the true architect of the Urban Renewal programme.
More importantly, he is a police officer who came from the rank of constable
up through the ranks, got a first class honours degree in law at the University
of the West Indies and is now after 23 years a Superintendent in charge
of prosecutions on the Force. Since the PLP lost office and Paul
Farqhuarson, the ex Commissioner left the Force, he has been twisting in
the wind. Last week it became known that Keith Bell (pictured in
this Nassau Guardian photo) has decided to throw in the towel, 7 years
short of his thirty and join the private sector as legal counsel for Arawak
Homes. Mr. Bell will leave the Force effective 1st July. Someone
must tell us the story behind this. The Commissioner of Police Reginald
Ferguson, appointed by the FNM over the objections of the PLP, was caught
flat footed. He had little to say other than that while he was away,
he was told that the resignation had been received. It was left to
Assistant Commissioner Glen Miller to express regrets that Mr. Bell is
leaving.
Click on a heading to go to that story; press ctrl + home to return
to the top of the page.
|
| FOX HILL MOURNS KHODEE DAVIS:
The
murder of Khodee Davis on the day of the Whit Monday holiday on a beach
at Paradise Island was a cataclysmic event for the Fox Hill Community.
The death shocked the nation, a 16 year old brutally and senselessly stabbed
to death. No one can answer the question why. It also had the
affect of drawing the community together. The young and the old came
by his mother’s house and sang songs, cooked, and comforted. On Friday
evening 23rd May, the community met at the Fox Hill Community Centre to
pay tribute in song at a setting up. The funeral service was held
on Saturday 24th May, with a record Fox Hill crowd at the Joe Farrington
Road Auditorium of the Church of God. The police kept a watchful
but wary distance. Then the funeral processed from Prince Charles
Drive to the cemetery of St. Marks where he went to church and where under
the tutelage of its pastor Rev. Carrington Pinder, young Khodee took Christ
as his saviour. Our photo of the week then is the funeral of Khodee
Davis 16 years old, gone too soon. The photo is by Dennis Fountain. |
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
WHAT DO YOU DO?
It
is rare these days that we actually bother to refer to the foolishness
that The Tribune prints in its editorials. Eileen Carron and John
Marquis are incorrigible. They lack logic. They are hateful.
Their writing is slimy. They are not be to be believed. We
have told our readers and PLPs not to buy or read The Tribune. Their
circulation has been suffering as a result of it. Under their direction,
The Tribune has become a worthless down market rag that lacks credibility.
Yet some PLPs continue to read it and were concerned about an article in
which Mrs. Carron, filled with her usual racist self righteousness, accused
the PLP of having no moral authority to pronounce on a matter involving
the sexual peccadillo of a child of an FNM politician. We in this
column have been quite circumspect ourselves about dragging a child into
an issue of politics. A child is a child and should not have to be
dragged into a matter concerning the sins of the fathers. But at
the same time, we feel no sorrow for Eileen Carron, John Marquis or the
FNM for their predicament. This situation could not have happened
to a finer group.
Let us say from the start The Tribune has no moral authority to make
any pronouncement about morality or ethics. It is almost laughable
that Eileen Carron would think that in this day and age she could get away
with that. There are many PLPs around who remember how the Grand
Bahama Port Authority tried to bribe her father the late Sir Etienne Dupuch
to stop his opposition to casino gambling by offering him a $10,000 consultancy
fee. Incredibly the fee was accepted by the then Editor of The Tribune
and the Opposition to gambling ceased in its columns. No doubt, Sir
Stafford Sands engineered the whole gambling coup for the Port and was
instrumental in having the money offered.
There was always a difference of opinion between the PLP and Sir
Etienne on this point. He went to his grave protesting his innocence.
He claimed that he did not take the money; he gave the money to his favourite
charity, which was the Crippled Children’s Fund. But as A.D. Hanna,
now Governor General, pointed out at the time, in giving $10,000 to his
favourite charity that was $10,000 that he, Etienne Dupuch, was relieved
of giving. It was therefore a benefit to him.
The Tribune has no moral authority to pronounce on anything.
We know what motivates them and that is money.
Again, Sir Etienne Dupuch accepted money and kind from the South
Africa Foundation, an arm of the apartheid regime of South Africa.
They took him on a plane ride to apartheid South Africa, where as an honorary
white, he was wined and dined and then did their bidding by coming back
to The Bahamas and writing favourable articles about the racist regime
in South Africa and why they were not so bad and should be supported.
That is The Tribune and they have the same views about black people today.
Mrs. Carron being of mixed ancestry has a hatred of all that his black
within and without her.
We see that again at work today, where they are in the back pocket
of Sol Kerzner at Paradise Island. He just has to say jump and The
Tribune is on the attack, even though the heir at The tribune is in a little
trouble with Sol Kerzner for overstepping his mark and becoming overly
familiar with one of the distaff side of the Kerzner family.
Who can blame those PLPs who take the position that there must a
scorched earth policy even if it involves a minor? Their argument
is that the matter is not about a minor at all but about the rule of law
and about hypocrisy. If the PLP had been involved, the FNM would
have been scorching the earth; they and their media including The Tribune
would have been slashing and burning.
We report today how Shane Gibson has indicated that he has had private
detectives shadow each Minister of the government and he has a record of
all of their assignations and he intends to publish them. That is
something of great interest to the public.
Frank Watson (see report below) was being
absolutely disingenuous when he said that this was a new low in Parliament.
Who is he kidding, when the FNM ran the nastiest, slimiest campaign in
the history of The Bahamas in 2007 with their gutter attacks on Shane Gibson
himself? What do they expect from Mr. Gibson? Is he to be silent
in the face of an attempt to destroy him and his family? Yet now
they want to cry foul and say that the PLP should leave Zhivargo Laing
alone because his wife is distressed about what is being said about her
husband and the Mona Vie scandal; that the PLP must leave the present issue
of the minor at school alone because family members, especially children
should be kept out of politics.
The FNM started this stuff. They won the government because
of poisoning the well. So what you have is such bitterness amongst
those who feel that the government was unfairly stolen from them, that
it is going to get worse. And the propriety of sites like this will
be washed away in the rush of other sites that have no such strictures.
Their view is truly publish and be damned.
On Tuesday 19th May, The Tribune published a story in which there
was no source just some unnamed PLP source that said that the PLP was going
to raise the issue of a sex scandal involving a youngster of an FNM politician.
No basis for it, no name called. No PLP leader or spokesman was called
to find out if this was true. The next day, Bernard Nottage (pictured),
the Leader of Opposition business in the House said no such thing would
happen and no such thing was planned. Easy enough for The Tribune
to have clarified this themselves. But their standards of journalism
are so low, and they are so busy trying to compete with the down market
rag The Punch that they had to go to press with the nastiness they had.
Anything to sully the PLP. Dr. Nottage’s clarification came in the
Nassau Guardian.
The next day, though, without anything from Dr Nottage, The Tribune
publishes a story in which an FNM source, again unnamed claimed that if
the PLP went ahead with its story about the FNM politician’s son, then
the FNM would reveal a “blacklist of names” of PLPs who are connected with
the late Harl Taylor and Dr. Thaddeus McDonald who were both brutally murdered
within days of one another. Their murders remain unsolved. According
to The Tribune - and again they have no sources for this - the two are
now said out have had a sexual relationship during their life time and
that there is a secret community of homosexuals in the country who are
conspiring to suppress the investigation and if the names of these homosexuals
are released, the names would “rock Nassau society to the core”.
Foolishness! An attempt to blackmail the PLP into silence. They did
not even bother to get a quote from the police or the National Security
Minister as good journalism practice would demand to find out what their
position was on this conspiracy.
Shane Gibson showed them that no one is cowed by that. Glenys
Hanna Martin, the PLP Chair, called them out on it and forced FNM House
Leader Tommy Turnquest to deny that the FNM had anything to do with the
article. But that is where The Tribune is. Eileen Carron and
The Tribune have the morals of snakes. They have no more moral authority
than a pig in mud. Just a lousy group of people who are in the muck
and the mire for profit.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 24th May 2008 at midnight:
337,366.
Number of hits for the month of May up to Saturday 24th May 2008
at midnight: 965,860.
Number of hits for the year 2008 up to Saturday 24th May at midnight:
5,739,251.
Leader of Opposition
Business in the House of Assembly Bernard Nottage as Fort Charlotte MP
Alfred Sears looks on. Photo: Peter Ramsay
CONTACT US AT E-MAIL:placid_point@yahoo.com
MINISTER
IN HOSPITAL
Carl Bethel, the Minister of Education, checked
himself into the hospital on Friday 23rd May after feeling faint at a public
service function that morning. It is said that he has been diagnosed
with an elevated blood sugar level. He is expected to be released today.
SHANE
GIBSON TO NAME NAMES
On Wednesday 21st May, Shane Gibson rose to defend the position of the
PLP with regard to Housing. But it was not his stirring defence of
the housing programme of the PLP that got the most attention from the country.
What did get attention was a promise by Mr. Gibson to publish a list of
the assignations of FNM Cabinet Ministers.
Mr. Gibson said that he had obtained the services
of a private detective who had followed the Ministers around and since
they had a prurient interest in who was going with whom, after what he
called the “ridiculous” suggestion that there was a relationship between
Anna Nicole Smith and himself last year, he would publish the list at the
time of the budget statement. There was a stunned silence.
We think it is about time someone strikes back at
the silliness that has been going on this country, perpetrated by the nasty
press in the country and their FNM allies. If the list is published,
we would be the first to bring it to you.
WATSON’S
HYPOCRISY
Former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson under
the FNM is upset because Shane Gibson has threatened to expose the hypocrisy
of the FNMs who led a nasty and vicious campaign against Shane Gibson.
Mr. Gibson told the House of Assembly that he was going to expose the assignations
of a number of FNM MPs. Speaking on a radio programme hosted by Jeff
Lloyd on Ken Perigord’s Star 106.5, Mr. Watson said that Parliament has
sunken to a new low. “That is a new low. I’ve never heard such a
thing in my life. One of the things that has always been traditional
in Bahamian politics is that you fight the members of Parliament, not their
family or their friends. They are off limits. Now I hear that
they are going around seeking to find skeletons in members of Parliament’s
closets. They have little to do and should not be paid at this rate.”
No FNM can talk about new lows. They have
lowered the bar so low that it is below the ground with their campaign
of nastiness and innuendo. Mr. Gibson’s position is purely defensive.
Mr. Gibson told the House on Wednesday 21st May: “Since this issue with
Anna Nicole seemed to be a big issue with morality and they thought something
was going on, I took the liberty of having private investigators check
on various persons in office, just to determine what it is they are doing.
“I have a list that I will be tabling just on information
I have, since they are interested in finding out who is doing what, who
is going with whom, who is married and all that kind of stuff. That
seems to be a big interest. So I’ll table it so everybody would know.
And then the public can decide if this big thing with Anna Nicole - if
maybe we are on to something here. I saw [Tribune publisher] Eileen
Carron wrote a whole editorial on this, so I will table the list and let
the chips fall where they may.”
GUARDIAN
FORCED TO ALLYSON APOLOGY
The PLP in the person of Senate Leader Allyson Maynard
Gibson continued its policy of exposing bias and holding the media's
feet to the fire. Mrs. Maynard Gibson’s efforts resulted in a front
page story in The Nassau Guardian headlined SENATOR TAKES ISSUE WITH STORY.
True to form, the niggardly Guardian contrived to publish the apology in
its least read Saturday edition and buried the word ‘apology’ at the end
of the story, but the point was made. Here is the text of the apology
from the Saturday 24 May, 2008 edition of The Nassau Guardian.
Senator Allyson Maynard-Gibson has taken issue
with the lead story in the Friday, May 23rd edition of The Nassau Guardian
published under the headline: “Maynard-Gibson initiates heated Senate row”.
Senator Gibson took issue with the first two
paragraphs of the story which stated that she “attempted to level heavy
accusations against Senate Vice President Johnley Ferguson, the Acting
Commissioner of Police and the Attorney General.”
After sending a copy of her text to The Guardian,
Maynard-Gibson clarified that she said the following: “In law abiding societies
when citizens have information about crime, they report it to the police.
I urge the chairman of the FNM Senator Johnley Ferguson to report any information
the FNM has about this or any other crime to the COP CP Reginald Ferguson.”
The PLP Senator said she failed to see how
those words could lend to “an attempt to level heavy accusations against
Senate Vice President Johnley Ferguson, the Acting Commissioner of Police
and the Attorney General.”
The Guardian apologizes for the error.
File photo
OSWALD
BROWN FNM PROPAGANDIST
It would take a buffoon like Oswald Brown to write
in his weekly column in the Nassau Guardian something that does not arise.
Mr. Brown was apparently a guest at a party held to celebrate the 80th
birthday of Sir Arthur Foulkes, Deputy to the Governor General and Head
of the Bahamas Information Services. Also there were former Prime
Minister Perry Christie and now Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham. Mr.
Brown, the clown, decided that this was something of political significance
that showed that the two were friends after all despite the barbs thrown
by Mr. Ingraham at Mr. Christie. No such conclusion should be drawn.
The fact is they both know Sir Arthur and they both were invited to the
party and they were both civil to each other. That is it.
Mr. Brown is an FNM propagandist and the column
was designed as usual to cause mischief where there is none. We are
tired of calling him Jackass of the Week, so this week we just say he is
simply a clown and a dishonest one at that.
FNM
BLAMED IN GB ECONOMIC TSUNAMI
The PLP on Grand Bahama has blamed the FNM government
in what it describes as an economic tsunami on the island that has left
hundreds of families unable to "meet their daily essential and financial
obligations due to this tsunami that is threatening to wipe out many.
Families are telling us that they cannot pay increased power bills, mortgages,
school fees, and in fact are barely able to buy a little grocery and a
little gas for their vehicles." Please click
here for the full statement.
CUBA
RESPONDS TO THE US
The war of words between the United States and Cuba
has once again reached into The Bahamas. The Cuban Embassy in Nassau
issued a statement last week in which it charges the U.S. Interest section
in Havana with acting outside the scope of its diplomatic duties by using
U.S. Federal monies to destabilize Cuba, a situation the statement described
as “scandalous and indignant”. It charged that “diplomats from the
(U.S.) serve as emissaries or links between a terrorist and the mercenaries
in Cuba. Cuba wants to ask if the government of the U.S.A., which
has declared the fight against terrorism as a cornerstone of its foreign
policy, has knowledge that its main diplomat in Havana collaborates with
the terrorist Santiago Alvarez to destabilize the internal order in Cuba.”
The Cuban Ambassador to The Bahamas Juan Luis Ponce
said, “[the U.S. Interest Section] has been violating the diplomatic code
that they are supposed to follow when in the country. All the evidence
has been gathered in order to prove and to show that they have been doing
this. Since Monday Cuban television has been showing different evidence
proving this.” A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in The Bahamas Dan
O’Connor rejected the criticism saying that Cuba could not give advice
to the United States.
IAN
STRACHAN’S RANT
The playwright Ian Strachan who has just come back
from a stint in Canada, relaxing away from the pressures of the vigorous
intellectual life at the College of The Bahamas is back in the newspapers
again. The columnist this time is in his usual rant. Nothing
learned from Canada apparently. Picking holes in this and in that
but just not engaging in anything. The act is getting a bit tired.
Mr. Strachan is getting old and cynical.
In his column of Monday 19th May, Mr. Strachan said
that people are lying to Perry, a play on ‘PLP’, get it! He claims
that the PLP knows that Mr. Christie is finished but won’t give him the
final push. He has a harsh word for so many. What he needs
is a harsh word for himself about why after all this time he just can’t
be a grown up, well mannered individual who has respect for the country
and who should honour the memory of his dear ancestors and
help the PLP instead of trying to savage it. How tiresome.
FNM
HOUSING FAILURES
Shane Gibson, the PLP’s Minister of Housing, was
blistering in his attack on now Housing Minister Ken Russell aka ‘the Palm
Sunday Cadillac’ as a reference to the transportation that Christ rode
on the first Palm Sunday.
Mr. Russell is even reportedly the butt of jokes
in his own cabinet, where the Prime Minister has warned him to at least
build one house before the end of the fiscal year or “the PLP will kill
you.” Mr. Ingraham was seen laughing at Ken Russell as the PLP put
it on him on Wednesday 21st May in the House. Mr. Russell came to
the House and in his presentation boasted that he did not build one house.
“No not one,” he said. Is that anything for a Housing Minister to
boast about? He claims that he could not build a house because he
was busy checking on the repairs of the houses built by the PLP.
Mr. Gibson told the House: “In the last year, yes,
365 days plus, not one house has been built for those citizens who seek
to become home owners. Now, by some supernatural intervention, the
people say this most incompetent housing minister - I don’t think he’s
incompetent; that is what the people say - now has a revelation that he
will be able to build 15 houses every three months and will bring down
the cost in the process. The thousands of home applicants are anxiously
waiting to see this happen.”
Mr. Gibson said that he understood that the minister
of housing had now decided to sell partly completed homes as is, placing
the burden of completion on the already-financially-challenged, would-be
homeowners.
“This housing minister is now not only expecting the would-be home
owners to come up with a down payment, but is now asking that after securing
a mortgage; they will be more likely to reach into their pockets to complete
their homes.
“What kind of warped, unintelligent, inconsiderate
logic is that? This shows that this housing minister does not have the
capacity to successfully fulfil his mandate of building affordable homes,
and will go down as the worst housing minister in the history of The Bahamas.
I pray that this will not be the case.”
OPPOSITION
OFFERS CONDOLENCES TO CHINESE
Opposition Leader Perry Christie, Members of Parliament
and Senators of the PLP signed the book of condolences at the Chinese Embassy
on Village Road in New Providence on Wednesday 21st May. The book
was open to mark three days of official mourning for the victims of the
earthquake in China that struck on earlier this month, killing at last
count some 50,000 people or more. The photo is by Dennis Fountain
of the PLP group outside the Chinese embassy.
DR.
GILBERT MORRIS
Gilbert Morris, a social and political commentator
and former head of the Nassau Institute and now consultant to the government
of the Turks and Caicos Islands, recently returned to the Turks following
a tour of the Spanish speaking Caribbean. He shares his reflections
on the growth of Spanish speaking countries and the increased importance
and dynamism of their economies in the region compared to the English speaking
Caribbean. You may click here
for the full statement.
MITCHELL
ON GLOBALIZATION
Fred Mitchell, the Member of Parliament for Fox
Hill and the former Foreign Minister of The Bahamas, spoke to The Bahamas
Nation Youth council headed by Tyson McKenzie on Thursday 22nd May.
They meet at the Ministry of Education’s building. The theme was
Globalization. His fellow panellist was Hank Ferguson, an economist
and specialist in international trade who is also a consultant to the Bahamas
Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Mitchell said that he embraced globalization
and said that sometimes, small societies need outside pressures to change.
He said that there are those who have a mistaken view of Bahamianization,
using it as an excuse to stop all change. You may click
here for the full statement.
THE
KHODEE DAVIS FUNERAL
The funeral service for the late Khodee Davis at
the Church of God Auditorium in Joe Farrington Road was a wonderful tribute
to the young man. Thousands of young people and the Fox Hill community
showed up to pay their respects to the young man and to his family, his
mother Sonia Dill and his father Derek Davis. The funeral service
was well policed, given the threats that have been issued since the death
took place. No chance was being taken.
A police officer was injured when someone doing
a wheelie on a trail bike appeared to deliberately run into the officer.
He was taken by ambulance to hospital. Otherwise the event moved
smoothly save for an irresponsible statement made within the church service
by political activist Rodney Moncur.
Above, Khodee's father Derek Davis (sunglasses)
mourns at the graveside. Also above Rev. Dr. Carrington Pinder who
counselled Khodee, commits his body. Above right, two villagers are
shown joining the funeral in memorial t-shirts. Below, the marching
band from St. Paul's Baptist Church in Fox Hill leads the funeral parade;
hundreds of mourners on the march; and family members in the church..
Fred Mitchell, MP for Fox Hill, made an impassioned
plea for young people to choose life, to use the death of the young man
as a reason to choose life. He said that the life expectancy at birth
of men in The Bahamas is now 71 and for women 76 and the difference can
be accounted for by the fact that men die of accidents, fights and self
inflicted diseases from alcohol and cigarettes. You may click
here for the full statement.
Photos - Dennis Fountain
MR.
FRANK CELEBRATES HIS 70 YEARS ON EARTH
Franklyn Augustus Butler is the son of the late
Sir Milo Butler and Lady Butler. He is the Managing Director and
President of the family company Milo B. Butler & Sons Ltd, one of the
nation's premier wholesale establishments and a major shareholder in Commonwealth
Bank. Mr. Butler who was honoured by Her Majesty the Queen with an
O.B.E. in 1998 celebrated his 70th birthday at a gala banquet for his friends
and family at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church activity centre in Stapledon
Gardens on Saturday 24th May. The event was attended by leaders from
the business, civic and political community in addition to his friends
and family. Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, Mr. Butler’s niece
Loretta Butler Turner, Minister of State for Social Development; former
Minister of Education Alfred Sears, former Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fred Mitchell, former Works Minister Bradley Roberts, Mr. Butler’s rector
at St. Agnes Archdeacon Ranfurly Brown, Mr. Butler’s first cousin Justice
Ruby Nottage were amongst the guests. Mr. Butler was described by
Arawak Homes Chairman Franklyn Wilson as man with remarkable insight who
embraced change. The cover of the birthday booklet is shown.
Happy birthday Mr. Frank.
IN PASSING
Norma Dean Honoured
The staff and students of Sandilands Primary School in Fox Hill Friday
honoured former Principal Norma Dean (pictured centre, dressed in gold
in the photograph at right) for her years of service at the School.
Mrs. Dean served as the Principal at Sandilands for two years, following
in the footsteps of her legendary father, the former representative for
Fox Hill Frank Edgecombe. Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell was among the
community leaders who attended the Sandilands School event to join in the
tribute to Mrs. Dean.
‘Ace’ Newbold Marries
Mr. Anthony ‘Ace’ Newbold & Ms. Barbara Ann Rodgers tied the knot
at St. Barnabas Anglican Church Wulff & Baillou Roads Saturday May
24th. Mr. Newbold is on the staff of the Broadcasting Corporation
of The Bahamas. Congratulations to the newlyweds.
Photo: Peter Ramsay
Charles Maynard Married
Word is that FNM Minister Charles Maynard was married over the weekend.
We have yet seen no photographs, but we are told that it was a "costume
wedding", complete with the bridal party decked out in Roman togas.
Congratulations to the happy couple.
File photo
St. Lucia Govt. Faces Collapse
Less than a year since the death of Sir John Compton, the octogenarian
former liberation leader of St. Lucia who came back into politics to win
a landslide in government, his successor Stephenson King appears to be
in big trouble. Two of his Members of Parliament have gone to the
Governor General there and indicated that they no longer have confidence
in his leadership as Prime Minister. Another two are said to have
the same sentiments but have not yet gone to the Governor General.
The Prime Minister went on national radio and TV to denounce his colleagues.
Former Prime Minister Kenny Anthony wants a general election called to
solve the crisis. He is expected to win it.
Government On Zimbabwe
The Government of The Bahamas has finally awakened from its torpor
with regard to Zimbabwe. One month after Opposition Spokesman Fred
Mitchell indicated the PLP’s concern that there was no statement by Caricom
on Zimbabwe and the deteriorating electoral situation in that country and
one day after making the point again in the House of Assembly, the government
published a statement on the situation in Zimbabwe calling for free and
fair elections. They adopted the position taken by Caricom Foreign
Ministers at their annual meeting in Antigua two weeks ago. A run
off election is to be held in Zimbabwe on 27th June. The government
there has been accused of seeking to reverse the election result that favoured
of the Opposition candidate by fomenting violence and intimidation of Opposition
supporters.
Jamaican PM – No Gays In My Cabinet
Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding renewed his pledge that there
will be no gays in his Cabinet in Jamaica when he appeared on the BBC Talk
Show Hard Talk during a recent six day tour of the Jamaican community in
the United Kingdom. Mr. Golding is also under pressure from the Opposition
PNP that in an election court challenge in Jamaica following last year’s
general election, got the court to disqualify one of his Members of Parliament
because he was a dual national. There are said to be others.
The Court ordered a bye election but the PNP is seeking on appeal to have
their candidate declared the winner from last year’s general election.
The governing party in Jamaica the JLP now has 32 and the PNP of Portia
Simpson Miller 32. Mr. Golding has said that he will not allow a
court to overturn the election results and with others said to have the
same dual citizenship problem, he is threatening to call a general election
once more.
Cyril Saunders Out At CAD
Cyril Saunders, the Director of Civil Aviation is now out of the post.
The press reports that Pat Rolle, former Bahamasair pilot and once head
of the Flight Inspectorate is in. Ivan Cleare is the Deputy Director.
Mr. Rolle’s appointment is not an acting one but is effective immediately.
Two Labour Day Parades In Nassau
Labour Day takes place in The Bahamas on Friday 6th June. It
falls on the first Friday in June. Labour week begins on Saturday
31st May to Friday 6th June. The National Congress of Trade Unions
(NCTU) has indicated that they will honour former Senator and its first
President Leroy “Duke” Hanna in this year’s celebrations. The rival
Trade Union Congress (TUC) headed by Obie Ferguson will not join the NCTU
in one, joint Labour Day march. The date for Labour Day was chosen
by the late labour leader Sir Randol Fawkes to fall near to the date of
the Burma Road Riots of 1st and 2nd June 1942.
Load Shedding For The Summer
BEC, the power company that has a monopoly in The Bahamas to supply
power, and that lost 30 million dollars its last reporting period, will
be unable to meet the power requirements of the Island of New Providence
this summer. There is a shortage of electricity to meet the demand.
Look for blackouts through the summer months.
Disturbing Divine Worship
There is a time for every purpose under heaven, and people who have
a sense of their public influence or just plain common sense should know
when it is appropriate to speak and appropriate to stay silent. Rodney
Moncur, the political activist abused his position as a family member at
the funeral of Khodee Davis on Saturday 24th May to make a political attack
inside the church and sought to incite the congregation to violence and
taking the law into its own hands. He claimed that he has now reversed
his life long opposition to the death penalty and wants all murderers executed.
Hang them! He screamed. The only problem with his new position
is that it tends to confirm what most people think of his views that he
is a political opportunist who changes his views with the wind and who
is his latest sponsor. To make the comments in church was wrong and
worse in a tense social situation where the issue can cause incitement
was improper. It was irresponsible of him but not surprising.
When you are a leader one has to take extraordinary steps to ensure that
what you say does not inflame a situation.
Funeral For Lady Dorothy Cash
The widow of the late Governor general Sir Gerald Cash has died following
a bout with pneumonia. She was 82 years old and been hospitalized
prior to her death. Funeral Services for Lady Cash took place on
Saturday at the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart, a denomination
to which she converted following the death of her son Gordon. Lady
Cash was cremated and her ashes are to be taken back to her native Jamaica.
She is survived by her sons Gilbert and Gerald Jr., a daughter Sharon.
Former Prime Minister Perry Christie extended condolences on behalf of
the PLP to the family.
