Compiled, edited and constructed by Russell Dames Updated every Sunday at 2 p.m.
Volume 3 © BahamasUncensored.Com
A SAD DAY FOR COLLEGE OF THE BAHAMAS
The
press has reported that at a press conference on Friday 5th August, the
College of The Bahamas Council announced that Dr. Rodney Smith, the President
of the College of The Bahamas has submitted his resignation and that resignation
had been accepted. This brings to an end a wrenching and expanding
scandal that began with the address by the outgoing COB President to a
convocation at the College in May in which he quoted extensively from a
speech by Dr John Sexton of New York University but without acknowledging
that the speech was in fact not his own but that of Dr. Sexton. This
is known as plagiarism and is the ultimate sin of any academic. In
any other institution, once it was discovered and admitted, he would have
left the same day.
The drama played out a little longer, because the College decided that it would take a more deliberative approach to it. A special committee was convened under the chairmanship of retired Justice Joseph Strachan. Its other members were Anglican Archbishop Drexel Gomez with Ambassador Paulette Bethel of the United Nations, Vice Chancellor Emeritus of the University of the West Indies Professor Rex Nettleford, President-elect of John Carroll University, Cleveland, Ohio Fr. Robert Niehoof.
That Committee decided that in the circumstances Dr. Smith had to go.
Dr.
Smith has now crashed and burned. You may click
here for previous comments. The wounds are entirely self- inflicted,
and one wonders how such a brilliant man on the face of it, a Harvard Ph
D no less, could walk into such a situation with his eyes wide open.
Dr. Smith had been operating outside of The Bahamas for years, having left
disillusioned with life and its opportunities here. Before he came,
the present Council was concerned that the College lacked direction under
the previous president Dr. Leon Higgs. This column opposed Dr. Higgs’
removal. In the end, the Council had its way and from all accounts
Dr. Smith made a brilliant start.
But the speech was a serious error in judgment. It appears that even the offence of quoting the speech without attribution might have been acceptable but there appeared to be a series of missteps and misjudgments after that which sealed his fate. What was perfectly inexplicable, however, and some people have argued in public must give the College of The Bahamas serious cause for concern as it moves forward to University status, is how its faculty and staff could join in demonstrations to support someone who was so obviously wrong and in such a flagrant violation of academic principles. Those critics argue that it is strange world indeed this Bahamas; that it is not a question of whether you like someone; the integrity of the institution had to be protected.
This is why many people still say that a University of The Bahamas which will further capture young Bahamians in training within this country may not be such a wise move. Bahamians have an insular enough approach to life as it is, thinking that everything revolves around The Bahamas. There is a need to get our students off these rocks and into a place where they have to compete, and not have the easy life where some believe that hustling and lobbying might get you to pass exams or to get through your academics.
The question then for the College is: where exactly does it go from here? There are stories abounding about the choice of the successor pro tempore not being so obvious and clear cut. There is well known opposition to any of the existing officers of the College. Some argue it may be wise to call back Dr. Higgs or even go further recall Dr Keva Bethel if she would do so in order to get the College to settle while a permanent successor is sought.
We have confidence that Chairman Franklyn Wilson will find a way forward.
We have no mean spiritedness in this. We think that one of the lecturers who himself has been shown mercy has been especially cruel in this matter in his public comments in the press about it. It seems most ungracious given the exercise of mercy in his matters recently. That cannot be the way. We are simply saddened that it has come to this. There is obviously a hard time in store for Dr. Smith in the future. Can he face Bahamians ever again? What will happen to his career in the academe? It is likely to be over. But life is never over, and no doubt if he learns the lessons of this tragic event, someone somewhere will help him to pick up the pieces and put his life back together again. In this respect we wish him well.
As for the College of The Bahamas, it needs some time for prayer and reflection and then should move on quickly to find a successor and hope that this time, they get it right.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 6th August at midnight: 83,401.
Number of hits for the month of July ending Sunday 31st July at midnight: 296,008.
Number of hits for the year 2005 up to Saturday 6th July at midnight: 2,237,914.
THE
FNM FIGHT FOR LEADERSHIP
The FNM Leadership must be the most popular post
in town. When it has so many people fighting to get it, a party that
seems so much in disarray, it is hard to see how and what their immediate
prospects are, you have to ask yourself, what do these people see that
we do not see? Such is the situation where you have an existing Leader
Senator Tommy Turnquest, a convention coming in November to choose a new
leader.
You have already announced Dion Foulkes, a former
MP and Deputy Leader who is running an active campaign for leader.
You then have waiting in the wings some persons who say they have not quite
decided but are likely to mount a challenge. You have the great white
hope Brent Symonette. You have also Carl Bethel and Loretta Butler
Turner, who are former a MP and former candidate respectively, the latter
being the granddaughter of the Sir Milo Butler, of whom Carl Bethel said
on radio on Sunday 31st July on the Island FM programme Parliament Street
that he would not rule out a run for either of them. The dream team!
Hovering over them all the shadow of the great one
who is on a listening tour of the country which will continue once he recovers
from his Russian and Hungarian vacation, the former Prime Minister Hubert
Ingraham. He was seen shepherding his candidate for the Delaporte
seat Dr. Hubert Minnis in Gambier on Emancipation Day. Looks like
it is lining up for an interesting time indeed!
BRAN
MCCARTNEY STARTS HIS CAMPAIGN
He has been in the newspaper on two occasions in
the last two weeks. It is the makings of a launch of a campaign for
a seat in the next House of Assembly. He is Bran McCartney, the son
of Willie McCartney, the well know pharmacist who owns Wilmac’s.
He is an attorney and is no doubt in the money; the right age (40 something)
to stand for Parliament. So feeling his oats, he has announced that
he is off to the races. He is trying for the St. Thomas Moore seat,
now occupied by Frank Smith, nephew of former MPs George and Philip Smith,
and the son in law of former MP and former Senator Franklyn Wilson.
St. Thomas Moore is made up of PLPs in the Kemp
Road and Five Pound Lot areas, White’s Addition as well. Then there
are the mixed neighbourhoods of Pyfrom's Addition, the PLP stronghold Rolle
Avenue and the eastern half of Prime Minister Perry Christie’s former Centreville
Constituency and the white Bahamians who still live in Murphyville and
in Sears Rd - a marginal seat on the present lines.
Former Senator Pauline Cooper Nairn was defeated
by Mr. Smith in 2002 and the talk is that she is still working the area
so Mr. McCartney may have an internal fight for the job. That did
not stop his high profile campaign of going into Rolle Avenue, the heart
of the PLP beast and seeking to destabilize Mr. Smith’s foothold there.
Not likely though! Election must be coming.
WESTERN
AIR GETS ITS WORK PERMITS
The Tribune of Tuesday 2nd August claimed that after
negotiations between the attorneys for Rex and Shandrice Rolle, owners
of Western Air, four of the work permits which were revoked by the Department
of Immigration have been granted. All seemed hunky dory and hush
hush with Desmond Banister, the former FNM Senator, working as the lawyer
for the Rolles, saying that the matter was at too sensitive a stage to
comment. You may click here for previous stories (Burning
the North Andros Airport) (The
North Andros Airport) on the issue.
A day later The Tribune ran a speculative story
wondering whether or not the debt which the Rolles said that the Minister
owed the airline amounting to $95,000 had been paid. It turns out
that has been settled as well. So The Tribune put two and two together
and made five asking whether or not the work permits granting had to do
with the settling of the debt. No telling where the evil minds of
the press will go these days. We are happy that the matter is settled.
Vincent Peet needs to have that seat in the win column and it is a marginal
seat for the PLP, always has been.
PRE
CLEARANCE AT NIA CLOSES FOR A DAY
On Saturday 30th July, the pipes in the 12 year
old U.S. pre-clearance building at the Nassau International Airport burst
and flooded the entire area. This shut down the entire operation
for the day. No public word on what caused the pipes to burst but
it does seem rather odd that you would have plumbing problems of that magnitude
in a 12 year old building. The delays caused the closing of the lounge
and were problematic.
People who expected to clear flights in Nassau and
make one hour connections, now had to clear customs in Miami. This
is a drag at the best of times. It fouled up the schedule of Bahamasair,
making many people late and angry. By Sunday 31st July, the lounge
was back in order again. But once again, it brought home the necessity
for the airport to get out of the hands of the Government and into the
hands of a management company so that the place can begin to look like
an airport befitting the leading tourism country in the region.
THE
EFFECT OF JUNKANOO IN FREEPORT
The Grand Bahama Port Authority can be forgiven for being a little euphoric
over the success of its Junkanoo parade in Freeport on Emancipation Day.
The Port spent a bundle, luring the big Junkanoo groups up to Freeport
in the face of their usual trek to Fox Hill for Junkanoo. The people
of Fox Hill were not amused and asked their representative Fred Mitchell
at a town meeting on Wednesday 3rd August to seek to get them not to do
it again next year. Mr. Mitchell said that he did not agree with
that but there should be a more vigorous marketing response from Fox Hill.
But the Junkanoo in Freeport turned out all of the big groups. The
Saxon Superstars headed by Percy ‘Vola’ Francis were the winners.
The talk was immediately that since some 20,000
people showed up to see the Junkanoo imported from Nassau that it should
be repeated next year. The question is whether or not the Grand Bahama
Port Authority is in a position to support the event to the same extent.
This after all was the 50th anniversary of the Port, and the Junkanoo was
part of marking the occasion with some $75,000 in prize money and each
group reportedly having 200 of their members brought up to Grand Bahama
all expenses paid. That is quite a whack. Also part of the
weekend activities was homage paid to Wallace and Georgette Groves the
founders of Freeport back in August 1955 and to Edward St. George who really
brought the dream to life. There were plenty of tears all around
it was reported. The Freeport News reported that tears streamed
down the faces of family members and associates of the late Wallace Groves
and Edward St. George as memorial wreaths were placed upon their mausoleums
marking the date 50 years ago that the city of Freeport was given birth
through the signing of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. Rev. Keith
Cartwright and Lady Henrietta St. George are shown leading family members,
friends, and former business colleagues of the late Wallace Groves and
Edward St. George to St. George's mausoleum at St. George Memorial Park
at Taino Beach in this Freeport News photo by Jeremy Francis.
THE
DEBATE OVER STAFFORD SANDS
Errington ‘Bumpy’ Watkins, Joe Darville, Craig Butler
all weighed in, together; to criticize the Government for not renewing
the visage of Stafford Lofthouse Sands on the ten dollar Bahamian bill
(click here for previous
story). They claim that this is reverse racism. Interesting of
course that it is the Queen, a white woman who has replaced him not a Black
person. Further, Stafford Sands rejected his country. Picked
up his georgie bundle and left The Bahamas and did not return. He
died of cancer in the Dorchester Hotel in London where he was holed up.
The Tribune as you can well imagine was in overdrive
with their special series on who was a racist and who wasn't a racist,
bringing up former Senator and PLP Chair Andrew ‘Dud’ Maynard and how he
got into trouble for cussing out a policeman whom he reportedly told “arrest
your big black stinking ma”. Then Eileen Carron brought out all the
bits about Sir Milo Butler and how he threatened mayhem against the white
oligarchy in racial terms and so if he can be on the note why can’t Stafford
Sands.
We think this is all a storm in a tea cup.
There is no reverse racism. It is not racist to take a man off the
note who did not want to be Bahamian and abandoned The Bahamas because
he did not like the race of the people who ran it. It simply does
not follow. And those who make the argument ought to examine their
own insecurities on the subject before going any further.
NEW
SUBMARINE CABLE FOR THE BAHAMAS
Minister of Works Bradley Roberts is on the move again. Bahamas Telecommunications
Corporation which is under is stewardship has signalled that it is involved
in a 60 million dollar upgrade of telephones services throughout the country.
A sixty million dollar contract has been signed between BTC and TYCO Telecommunications.
The contract was signed on Tuesday 2nd August. TYCO is to lay The
Bahamas Domestic Submarine Cable (BDNSi) which will facilitate high speed
internet (DSL) and digital telephone technology by cell (GSM) throughout
the country.
The project will be carried out in phases.
Phase I will connect New Providence with Inagua via Andros, Exuma, Long
Island and Ragged Island and Crooked Island to be completed by December
2005. Phase II will connect New Providence to Inagua via Mayaguana,
San Salvador, Rum Cay, Cat Island, Eleuthera, Abaco and Grand Bahama, due
to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2006. Phase III
of the project will facilitate International Telecommunications traffic
between The Bahamas and other Caribbean nations. You may click
here for the full statement of the Minister.
THE
STORY OF THE LOST CHILD
Following the end of the festivities in Fox Hill
on Emancipation Day, a small boy was found by the police who did not know
his name and who did not know his mother’s name. It took three days
for someone to come and claim the child and only after the police put the
child’s picture in the press. This seemed very strange indeed.
It turns out that two people have now been charged with events around the
lack of care of the boy. The boy was not lost but in fact deliberately
taken to the police by a man. The man called The Tribune on Thursday
5th August to tell them a tale of what happened. The child was left
with him by the mother some weeks ago. He thought he was being asked
to keep the child for a day. Instead it turned into weeks.
He could not get the mother of the child to come and collect the boy.
So in order to get the mother’s attention, he claims that he took the child
to the police and claimed that the child was lost. The mother tried
to claim the child from the police when she saw the picture. It now
appears that both the mother and the man have been charged by the police:
the mother with neglect; the man with lying to the police. What a
strange way to treat a small boy! The boy remains in the custody
of the police.
MITCHELL
IN BIMINI
Fred Mitchell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and
the Public Service visited Bimini to be part of the native fishing tournament
festivities and in particular to help to start the 38th annual Glenda’s
Road Race which was started by the late Glen Rolle. Mr. Rolle who
was a popular Bimini man died in December 2002.
The race brings out many of the little children
to the Bimini streets starting from the clinic and running south to the
Chalk’s ramp and then back to All My Children, the now defunct hotel property,
which was started by Glen Rolle. The overall winner of this years
race was John Saunders Jr.
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
About our views on the London bombings…
I continue to enjoy your weekly review of recent
events and, in so many cases, agree with the opinions contained therein.
However, I feel compelled to comment on the following:
“You already know how much we look askance
at the killing by the British police of the Brazilian who was an electrician
whose only crime one suspects was that he had swarthy skin and a heavy
coat. An investigation is being held as to why five to eight shots,
depending on whose account you read were put into the man’s head at point
blank range, even though he was laying on the ground. The officers
should clearly be charged with a homicide. What concerns us further,
is the response of official Britain on the subject. We apologize,
they said. Another said, we are very very sorry. But all of
them added but we must move on. It was like the man's life was absolutely
worthless. And then to start putting out information that his visa
to stay in Britain has expired. That‘s good! It justifies shooting
him dead one supposes.”
Whilst I agree that the killing of the Brazilian
was an absolute tragedy (I use that word for good reason as, in some ways,
the young man brought it upon himself) the reports did not leave me with
the impression that anyone felt that the shooting was justified. The point
is that they were perplexed as to why he ran away when asked to stop by
the police and then hurdled the barrier into the underground station. The
fact that his visa had expired lent some understanding as to why he reacted
as he did. A combination of his running away, along with the fact
that he had come from a building already under surveillance resulted in
a terrible mistake. Of course no one is saying they were justified in shooting
him and I have read nowhere any suggestion that his life was considered
worthless.
The police in London have an awesome responsibility
in bringing to justice, those persons bent on destroying lives of Londoners,
a term that includes people from all over the world, as can be seen from
the list of victims of the 7th July explosions. If the Brazilian had, in
fact, been one of the perpetrators and he had detonated a bomb, killing
goodness knows how many more innocent people, because of a slow response
from the officers who had been following him, then the tables would have
been completely turned and those officers would have been severely criticized
for not taking the necessary action to prevent such an incident. I do not
envy them their task and whilst I do feel the number of shots was certainly
excessive, I can understand their action, however regrettable now in the
light of the truth that he was innocent. My heart goes out to the
family but it also goes out to the officers who are probably anguishing
over their tragic mistake. Yes, of course, carry out an inquiry but to
say they should be charged with homicide is not appropriate. Remember,
the real responsibility falls on those who set out to place London under
an unprecedented state of alert.
Otherwise, regarding your comments on the likely
connection with the invasion of Iraq and the disastrous attempt at “liberating”
Iraqis, I am totally with you.
Thanks again for providing an interesting weekly
commentary on events here and abroad.
Alison Hamilton
Thank you for your balanced comments - Editor
FOX
HILL TOWN MEETING
The Fox Hill Festival continued after its great
start on Monday 1st August with a town meeting on Wednesday 3rd of August.
Residents of Fox Hill heard from the representative of the area reports
from the representative of the area Fred Mitchell on his ideas for the
development of the festival, and also an update on what is happening in
terms of public services in the constituency. You may click
here for a full statement of what he said.
PHOTOS
FROM FOX HILL FESTIVAL
We present a range of photos and scenes from the Fox Hill Festival
2005:
GREASY POLE – This group of young men is seen working together
to climb Fox Hill’s greasy pole during Emancipation Day celebrations Monday
on the Fox Hill Parade. The young men stand on each other’s shoulders
and, through a system of strapping themselves to the pole with cloth, slowly
make it to the top. The 35 ft. pole is slathered with heavy grease
just before the annual competition.
GREASY GROUP – No disrespect intended but this group is greasy
after triumphing over the infamous ‘greasy pole’ of Fox Hill that is climbed
twice each year as part of the historic village’s celebration of emancipation
from slavery. The group of young men is greasy, but pleased to collect
the $800 prize. Pictured with the winners of the greasy pole climb
are Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell (left), Fox Hill Festival Committee Chairman
Charles Johnson (second from left) and Community Leader Larry Wilmott who
oversees the greasy pole competition at right.
JUNKANOO ARMY - Dr. Emmanuel Francis, a dentist who also happens
to ‘rush’ with the ‘Redland Soldiers’ Junkanoo group greets the Chinese
and Haitian Ambassadors to The Bahamas as they are hosted by Fox Hill MP
and Minister of Foreign Affairs & The Public Service Fred Mitchell.
From left are Chinese Ambassador Li Yuan Ming, Minister Mitchell, Dr. Francis
and Haitian Ambassador Louis Harold Joseph.
96 YEAR OLD FOX HILLIAN – Eunie Davis Newton came out to the
Fox Hill Parade in the balmy weather ‘foreday’ in the morning on Emancipation
Day to watch the Junkanoo parade and stopped for a photo with Fox Hill
MP Fred Mitchell (left). Mrs. Newton (centre) never misses Junkanoo
in Fox Hill. She is accompanied by her niece Emily Burnside.
ALL HANDS PITCH IN – Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell helps to clean
up after a community luncheon staged by the Fox Hill Festival Committee
on Emancipation Day. Virtually the entire Village pitches in to host
Bahamians from other areas of New Providence and visitors to the country
during Fox Hill Festival week, which spans Emancipation Day, the first
Monday in August and Fox Hill Day, the second Tuesday in the month.
TROUBLEMAKER
RODNEY MONCUR IS OUT
It took a court action on the part of the Bahamas
Taxi Cab Union but finally this week, the attempt by Rodney Moncur, the
perennial gadfly of Bahamian politics to stop the Union’s business especially
the elections from advancing, was stymied. The Court ruled in favour
of the Bahamas Taxi Cab Unions President Leon Griffin, husband of the Minister
for Social Services Melanie Griffin. Mr. Moncur and his gadfly friend
Mark Sawyer are out and the elections went go ahead as planned for Thursday
4th August.
Mr. Griffin and his team were re-elected, and now
the sorry chapter in the history of the Taxi Cab Union is over. Mr.
Moncur had made himself a veritable nuisance in conjunction with a former
Vice President Cheryl Ferguson. Both of them sought to seize the
Union and direct it. At one point Mr. Griffin was locked out of the
Union’s property and was ‘dismissed’ by Ms. Ferguson. Now Ms. Ferguson
has been dismissed from the Union. That also was done as a result of a
court action.
Rodney Moncur is also now finally out of the way
by order of the court. Mr. Moncur told the Nassau Guardian that it
isn’t quite over since the judge only dismissed this application for judicial
review, telling him that he had to start his action by writ of summons.
Mr. Moncur claims that he will comply with that, and continue his allegations
of impropriety. One wonders how if he is no longer a member of the
union he has the standing to do that but that is for another day one supposes.
JAMAICAN
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Congratulations to the people of Jamaica on the
occasion of the 43rd anniversary of the independence of Jamaica.
The Jamaican community in The Bahamas will hold a service this year to
commemorate the event later today. Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell
will be represented at the event by the Parliamentary Secretary to the
Ministry of Health Ron Pinder.
POETRY FEATURE
This week, Giovanni invites us to share the verse
epic finale of: ‘The Deth of Ayana’. Please click
here. POET FEATURE, by Bahama recording & literary artist,
Giovanni.Stuart (www.nubah.com).
MAN
CHARGED FOR MURDER OF TOURISTS IN BIMINI
Several weeks ago, we reported a strange murder
in Bimini. Two Austrian tourists were found with their hands gagged
and shot at point blank range in their hotel. No one could quite
figure out what it was all about in a normally peaceful island resort atmosphere.
The police flew in and solved the crime within days. It turns out
that a man who was on bail on a charge of rape has been charged with the
murder. He is 22 year old Carlton Francis of Bimini. He was
also charged with being in possession of an unlicensed firearm and with
stealing a 12 gauge Maverick shotgun from the home of Hank Weech.
The shotgun is believed to be the murder weapon.
Karen Seymour of the Ministry of Tourism’s office
in the United Kingdom will present a personal letter from the Minister
of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe on behalf of the Bahamas Government to the family
of Bernhard Bolzano and Barbara Frellin von Perfall, the two victims.
The killing is a disgrace. However, Minister Wilchcombe pointed out
that Bimini is generally doing well and is stable. He said that most
people accept that the murder was an isolated incident. This report
is based on reporting by Tamara McKenzie of the Nassau Guardian on Wednesday
3rd August.
CRAWFISH
SEASON
If you fly over the banks in The Bahamas today,
you will find the seas littered with small fishing boats, their equipment
overhanging the seas. You guessed it. The seventy million dollar
a year industry for crawfishing has begun its annual season. The
season lasts from 1st August to 31st March, and they try to clean the crawfish
out. Some have argued that the season needs to be closed yet another
month. We think that is a suggestion that the Government should follow.
Fat chance, however, given the resistance the fishermen in The Bahamas
have to closing the grouper season. Grouper has almost been wiped
out in The Bahamas but the fishermen seem to have little care for that,
nor the public for that matter.
OFFICIAL
INDEPENDENCE SERVICE IN MIAMI
Bahamians living across the U.S. state of Florida
and neighbouring areas all gathered in Miami at the Anglican Church of
St. Agnes for the official service in recognition and celebration of Bahamian
Independence today, Sunday 7th August. Minister of Foreign Affairs
& The Public Service, the Honourable Fred Mitchell represented The
Bahamas Government. You may click
here for the full text of the Minister's remarks.
THIS
WEEK WITH THE PM
H.C.A. an economic, political, social landmark: Prime Minister Christie
By G.S. Christie
Bahamas Information Services
As the curtains came down on the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of
the ‘magical’ city of Freeport, patrons of the Celebration Banquet on Thursday
evening reminisced on the dream that became reality and looked with anticipation
to the next 50 years.
The event really celebrated the signing, to the
date August 4th 1955, of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, which, as noted
in Prime Minister Christie’s programme message, “highlighted one of the
most important economic, political and social landmarks in our country’s
history, and most certainly one of the great achievements for our people
over the last half century.”
In attendance were the who’s who in society, headed
by Governor General, Dame Ivy Dumont, K.C.M.G.; Prime Minister the Rt.
Honourable Perry G. Christie; the wife of the late Edward St. George, Lady
Henrietta, Co-Chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority; Sir Jack Hayward,
Chairman, Grand Bahama Port Authority Ltd., Sir Albert Miller, GBPA Co-Chairman;
Mrs. Willie Moss, Deputy Chairman; the son of the Late Wallace Groves,
Graham Groves and members of his family, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham;
former Governor General Sir Orville Turnquest and Mrs. Turnquest; present
and former Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, and port authority
business partners.
Prime Minister Christie’s message viewed as “pivotal”
the development of Freeport and the far reaching affects for the entire
island of Grand Bahama, and indeed The Bahamas as a whole.
In his message he contributed the growth and development
of Freeport to visionary leadership, sound planning, and the collective
effort of a willing and resourceful community that brought forth a modern
day miracle.
“It is fortunate that there are yet in our midst
many persons who would still have living memories of what Grand Bahama
was before the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, and it is a testament to the
collective will of Bahamians and those who came from abroad that we have
a vibrant model of a success story in our midst.”
The evening ended with the cutting of a birthday
cake by Prime Minister Christie, Governor General Dame Ivy Dumont, Sir
Jack Hayward, Lady Henrietta St. George, and a member of the Groves family.
BIS PHOTO by Vandyke Hepburn.
MEN
SMASH BAHAMAS 4X4 RECORD FOR SILVER AT WORLDS - PM SAYS 'AWESOME'!
Late
breaking story – Sunday night:
The Bahamas men’s 4x400 metres relay team stunned
the track world, smashed the national record and frightened their American
competitors as they earned a silver medal at the World Track and Field
Championships in Helsinki, Finland on Sunday night. The Prime Minister
called the performance “awesome” and said the medal effort "filled all
of us with yet another surge of national pride and jubilant celebration.
“It reminded us once again that small though
we are there is no limit to the greatness that Bahamians can attain on
the world stage when their God-given talents are harnessed to the timeless
virtues of discipline, dedication and hard work.” Please click
here for the full statement of Prime Minister Christie.
The team of Nathaniel McKinney, Avard Moncur, Andrae
Williams and Chris Brown ran 2:57.32 to erase the old record of 2:58.19.
The United States won the race in 2:56.91 and Jamaica was third in 2:58.07.
The American team, anchored by the outstanding Jeremy
Wariner was widely expected to win by a large margin, but throughout the
race, The Bahamas stayed close, surprising all onlookers. Bahamas
anchor Chris Brown ran his split in a personal best of 43 seconds plus
and undoubtedly the race of his life in chasing the American and ending
with the silver medal.
In this AP Photo/Martin Meissner from the Bahama
Journal, The Bahamas team celebrates their silver medal. From left
are: Andrae Williams, Nathanial McKinney, Avard Moncur, Chris Brown and
Troy McIntosh.
HIGH PRAISE FOR ARTHUR HANNA
The
Hon. A.D. Hanna was the first Deputy Prime Minister under the late Sir
Lynden O. Pindling. He served in that post from 1973 until his fateful
resignation in 1984 in the face of the report of the Commission of Inquiry
into drug trafficking in The Bahamas. He is known as a man of principle.
Together with Paul Adderley, Sir Clement T. Maynard, Loftus Roker, George
Mackey, he is known as one of the repositories of knowledge on the PLP's
golden era between 1967 and 1992. It was no surprise then that he
entered the debate on the question of whether or not Sir Stafford Sands
should be on the Bahamian ten dollar bill. You will have read here
that the Central Bank did not renew the image of Sir Stafford on that ten
dollar bill when the note ran out. The Queen is now back on the bill.
Some people have called it reverse racism. A letter writer to one of the newspapers in The Bahamas Marvin Lightbourne said there is no such thing as black racism. Well, we do not quite agree but we think we understand the political point that he makes. With so much historical discrimination against Blacks, black racism seems a contradiction in terms.
Arthur Hanna, however, rose to the defence of the PLP and his own legacy. This is in circumstances today when the PLP seems helpless or unwilling to help itself on the question of its legacy and beliefs. It allowed a low level employee of the Central Bank to slip out almost, that the image was taken off the ten dollar note. It was as if the PLP had to be apologetic about something which they vehemently opposed when they were in Opposition.
Mr.
Hanna in our view set the record straight. He said that Sir Stafford
abandoned his country. He chose not to live in The Bahamas because
he was afraid that he was going to be prosecuted for things disclosed about
his behaviour as a public official in the Commission of Inquiry report
into casino gambling which was commissioned by the PLP shortly after it
came to power in 1967. Mr. Hanna said that despite the assurances
given personally by Sir Lynden Pindling that Sir Stafford would not be
prosecuted, the man refused to come back home. This confirms what
we have said earlier in this column that Stafford Sands did not want to
be a part of us, and so in no way should he be honoured with his face on
any note.
The apologists like Eileen Carron and those with an Uncle Tom's mentality like a commentator on the matter on the staff of The Freeport News were quick to go to the defence of Stafford Sands. Eileen Carron claimed that after Stafford Sands lost the election that he was disrespected in the country, and that one young boy called him “Stafford”. She of course called the late Sir Randol Fawkes in one of her articles “Randol”, so we wonder if that was too a mark of disrespect. In any event, politicians should have thick skins and any petty disrespect would fade away in an entirely peaceful country like The Bahamas. As for the Freeport commentator, what can you say? His logic is incorrigible and not worthy of any time or effort except to say that he is wrong again.
Arthur Hanna made two further points which we think are worthy of consideration and praise. He debunked the idea that Stafford Sands was the father of the modern Bahamian economy establishing the financial services sector and the tourism sector. Mr. Hanna said that Stafford Sands created a segregated tourism industry and wanted to maintain it that way, and it was not until the PLP came to power that tourism actually expanded to the great heights it now has, and became a fully racially integrated sector of our economy. He argued the same thing with banking. He said it was legislation passed by the PLP, and the party’s insistence that Blacks had to participate in the banking sector that led to the kind of vibrant banking sector that we have today. He called the kudos to Stafford Sands propaganda.
What we like is that someone has at last put the other side. Someone who is a PLP, so at least some of the younger people might know what the other side of the argument is instead of the racist history as put by The Tribune. You may click here for the previous articles on this matter. Click here for further comment on the matter below.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 13th August 2005 at midnight: 77,710.
Number of hits for the month of August up to Saturday 13th August 2005 at midnight: 145,035.
Number of hits for the year 2005 up to Saturday 13th August 2005
at midnight: 2,315,624.
ANSWERING
JACK HAYWARD AND EILEEN CARRON
By Sharon Zoe Smith (in London)
The Tribune, Eileen Carron and friends of Jack Hayward
now have gone into overdrive to respond to an article that appeared on
this site on 3rd July on the ill considered outburst by Sir Jack Hayward,
one of the principle owners of the Grand Bahama Port Authority. The
response in an editorial by The Tribune shows how much the friends of Jack
Hayward do not understand the value of taking a hint, and how to conform
his peculiar behaviour accordingly. There is no need to get into
a row with the Bahamas Government over the matter of the funds donated
to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). You may click
here for the earlier comment by this column.
The first thing is the facts are very clear, incontrovertible
and indisputable. They are as follows. There was a one million
dollar gift accepted from Edward St. George and Jack Hayward by The Bahamas
Government without conditions. If they found this unacceptable, then
the gift should not have been given. The second thing is that substantial
sums in the millions have been spent on rehabilitating infrastructure in
Grand Bahama which really is the responsibility of the Grand Bahama Port
Authority. This is important since Jack Hayward claims that one million
dollars worth of repairs ought to have been done to Freeport schools as
a condition of his gift. The Government has indicated that in any
case that was done.
One of the outstanding questions which was asked
by some members of the public at the time of the storms was whether or
not the Grand Bahama Port Authority fully discharged its obligations to
the Bahamian people and to the people of the city of Freeport by the proper
investment in back up generation capacity for electricity, in proper emergency
water supplies and in a proper emergency supply situation for food and
other infrastructure in the city. The city is owned and operated
by the Grand Bahama Port Authority but had to be rescued by the Bahamas
Government because its infrastructure collapsed, and the evidence is there
that the infrastructure was not sufficiently redundant so as to avoid the
kind of almost catastrophe that occurred. For example, water had
to be ferried into Freeport in order for there to be drinking water there
after the hurricanes. Water was the responsibility of the Grand Bahama
Port Authority.
Eileen Carron has weeks after the fact now responded
in The Tribune of Friday 12th August with a vicious article in response
to the comment made here previously. Our original comment really
fell under ‘things that you should really take note of and leave alone’
but now it has been revived, six weeks after the fact. But no amount
of braying viciousness on her part can change the facts.
Quite insidiously and improperly, Mrs. Carron has
also in her article tried to tie in the name of Fred Mitchell, a Minister
of the Government, in her article, suggesting by positioning that he was
the author of the original article. To take an expression from her
book, this is total foolishness, and a wicked suggestion and she should
be roundly condemned for it. Always looking for a bogeyman somewhere!
What is fascinating however is that Jack Hayward
did not answer for himself. Instead, weeks after the fact, the little
woman at Shirley Street comes back with her mighty pen seeking to mount
a defence for the indefensible. Her defence is nonsense. She
did not even have the decency to attribute properly where she was quoting.
At the very least journalistic ethics and honesty require that you say
where you are quoting from: BahamasUncensored.com. No minister of
the government had anything to do with this. Take another tack.
There is no defence to what was certainly an ill
considered outburst by Sir Jack Hayward. We think that it is clear
now why Edward St. George kept him out of the operation of the company
and far away Freeport, in England looking after his football team, and
trying to rescue it from its losing record. It is because with a
company like the Grand Bahama Port Authority, there is no need to get into
a row with the Government. The Government, we are certain, does not
wish a row with Jack Hayward and the public reports are that the government
issued a statement fully explaining the acceptance and use of the gift.
No doubt in time the sanguine and sophisticated
Henrietta St. George will assert her control over the company in the like
manner of her husband, and settle the company down to the way it is known
to be. It is a company that is well managed, a good corporate citizen,
and whose principles market their product well, collect the well earned
dividends, and get along with everybody, not seeking to make cheap political
points when one can easily pick up the phone and call the Prime Minister
if there is a problem.
In this persons have always made a distinction
between the management skills, and political savvy of Edward St. George
and the bumbling bluster of his partner who until now stayed in England
and collected the dividends of Mr. St. George’s work.
The piece on Arthur Hanna in today’s editorial,
the piece on Raynor Arthur below and this piece all show that the spirit
of colonialism and racism is not dead. Black people are to know their
place. The rich man can say anything he likes and do what he likes,
tramp through his company, speak to his employees anyway they like, accuse
the Government of The Bahamas of being thieves, but you must not say anything
in return. Not in this life!
CARICOM
COMES CALLING WITH CSME IN DISGUISE
The surprise of the week had to be the announcement
by the Minister of Health Marcus Bethel that a team of Caricom would be
visiting The Bahamas to discuss the harmonization of legislation on health
with other Caribbean countries. The Minister was full of praise for
the effort and commending it to the country. Dr. Bethel said that
the idea was for Caricom countries to have the same standards in the health
care sector in areas which included pharmacy. We mention pharmacy
because it was the pharmacists who were amongst those who led the attack
against the Caribbean Single Market and Economy which effort led by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not supported by the Progressive Liberal
Party, the Free National Movement and the country at large.
We predicted after the debate was ended by the Minister
of Foreign Affairs that there would be CSME by stealth, and this is a clear
example of it. Later in the week, a team from Trinidad came calling
on the part of their government to offer loans of up to $100,000 U.S. each
to businessmen for support in their endeavours in The Bahamas. This
is a fund established by Trinidad to use its windfall from the oil monies
to help other Caribbean countries.
Looking at the Bahamians on television and all the
Bahamian businessmen gathered there lining up for free money, it seemed
astounding that this was the same crew who was saying that they wanted
nothing to do with “Broke ass West Indians” not even three months ago.
Oh well! CARICOM Secretariat deputy programme manager Timothy
Odle speaks to the media as the Minister of Health the Hon. Dr. Marcus
Bethel, right, looks on with Anthony Laronde, CARICOM Secretariat legal
advisor; and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Merceline Dahl-Regis during a press
conference held to discuss draft domestic legislation for the Health Sector
Monday, August 8, 2005 at the Ministry of Health's headquarters. (BIS Photo:
Tim Aylen)
JAMES
SMITH ON STAFFORD SANDS $10 BILL
The Minister of State for Finance James Smith is responsible for relations
with the Central Bank. The Government of The Bahamas is the sole
shareholder of the Bank and sets policy for the bank. The Minister
made these comments to the Nassau Guardian about the ten dollar bill and
the image of Sir Stafford Sands being removed from the bill. Here
is what he said in his own words as quoted in the Nassau Guardian Friday
12th August:
“All government notes were up for renewal.
This administration chose not to renew the $10 bill with Sir Stafford’s
image.
“Remember, when Sir Stafford’s image was proposed
by the former government, the PLP then in opposition, was vehemently against
it and made that quite clear publicly. When the time for reorder
came, the Central Bank then put the question back to the government on
whether to reorder the notes and the government simply decided not to renew
them.
“The Government would have been in an untenable
position if it had approved the renewal of the notes, considering it was
opposed to them being issued in the first place. Nobody is perfect
but Sir Stafford represented, particularly to the PLP, a bastion of cruelty
to Black people, segregation inter alia which was an affront to the people.”
Bahamas
Information Services photo of Minister James Smith by Peter Ramsay
THE
THRILL OF VICTORY, THE AGONY OF DEFEAT
Our photo of the week refers
to the victory of Tonique Williams Darling. Her victories at the
Olympics and at the World Championships this week are really remarkable.
This is a small country, and to have such a successful athlete is a testament
to the perseverance of the athlete and the talent of that athlete.
Quite apart from the physical side of things, there is a great psychological
hurdle that one has to overcome when facing American runners who feel that
they deserve the victory by entitlement, given the power of their nation.
The U.S. runners are very talented physically, and they have quite a psychological
machine that supports them, and a lot of money. None of it is to
use that as an excuse for not making it, but just to comment on how overwhelming
the odds are. Kudos then to Tonique.
To see how quickly things can fall apart, one has only to see that an experienced
runner like Chandra Sturrup, the Olympic gold medalist of 2000 was bumped,
it now appears accidentally by a U.S. runner, and fell to the ground, and
the whole Bahamian team effort in the words of the announcer collapsed.
But Chris Brown to our mind is the hero of the day. He certainly
does not have the stature, some would suggest the raw power or talent of
the gold medal winner, but what he has is stick-to-it-ness. We think
he deserves a medal just for his pluckiness.
We raise then the issue of what resources are put
behind these athletes in a society which loves to bask in their glow of
victory. Are the resources sufficient? Further where is the
farm team of athletes of the future? Today’s victories were assured
by programmes put in place years ago by Dr. Bernard Nottage and a talented
team at the Bahamas Association of Amateur Athletics (BAAA), the governing
body of the sport in Nassau. Is that BAAA doing the same today, as
we look not at today’s accomplishments but at what will happen in the year
2008 at the Olympic Games in China and beyond? Chris Brown, right,
is shown coming in ahead of Michael Blackwood of Jamaica, centre, in the
third semi-final of the Men's 400 meters at the World Athletics Championships
in Helsinki, Wednesday Aug. 10, 2005, but just Jeremy Wariner of the US,
left, who eventually won the gold medal. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Chandra Sturrup lies, fallen on the track as a team mate gasps in this
Tribune photo by Felipe Major.
RAYNOR
ARTHUR’S MESSAGE TO BAY STREET
The scene was the General Strike of 1958.
The Bahamas Taxi Cab Union and the labour movement of The Bahamas had combined
to bring the country to a virtual halt. The British West India Regiment
was again in Nassau for the first time since the riots of 1942, patrolling
Bay Street. The Bay Street Boys, led by Sir Roland Symonette and
Sir Stafford Sands refused to budge. The wider social and constitutional
reforms that had been called for in the 1943 Commission of Inquiry, following
the Burma Road Riots of 1942 had foundered on Bay Street’s obstinacy.
Raynor Arthur was the British Governor at the time. If you go to
the now Nassau International Airport, in the old section, you will see
his name on a plaque quietly in a corner commemorating the opening of the
then new airport. His dispatch to London now made public by the Nassau
Guardian on Thursday 11th August said:
“The point I want to put to you is: how long
should we back up Bay Street with British bayonets? What I should
like to be able to put before them but I don’t quite know how to set about
it, is some indication, which would have to come from the Secretary of
State to the effect that they cannot expect the United Kingdom Government
to keep troops here indefinitely to protect a constitution as morally indefensible
as theirs, and that if they want a British garrison they had better at
least start setting their house in order in the eyes of the world.”
During the General Strike of 1958, Alan Lennox Boyd,
then the Secretary of State for the Colonies visited The Bahamas and following
his visit the changes were initiated, which saw an expanded number of seats
in the House of Assembly with bye elections being held in 1960 to accomplish
that fact, and later the vote for women, and a properly constituted labour
office. Arthur Hanna was elected in the bye elections of 1960 for
the Far East New Providence constituency, having lost his first bid for
election in 1956 in Cat Island.
MRS.
CHRISTIE ADDRESSES POLICEWOMEN RESERVES
In a powerful address against the psychological
abuse of children, Mrs. Bernadette Christie, wife of the Prime Minister
on Wednesday, 10th August addressed Reserve Policewomen at a one day seminar
for female officers and civilians of the Police Reserve, marking the 40th
Anniversary of the organisation. The event took place at the British
Colonial Hilton hotel, Nassau. Please click
here for Mrs. Christie’s remarks. BIS photo: Peter Ramsay
THE
CRITICS JUMP ON COLINA INSURANCE
This week, the Bahama Journal launched a two part
series on the purchase of the Colina Insurance Company. The article
asserts that the Government was duped into agreeing to the Colina purchase.
Some have argued that the Government was not duped but that the Government
imposed conditions on the purchase of Colina which it could not enforce
either because there is not the competence to do so within the Government
or the fortitude to do so. We pointed out at the time of the approval
that some in the industry were saying that the company purchasing was contemptuous
of any conditions since they knew or believed they could not be enforced.
The Bahama Journal charged in its first in the series
that the company has a cash flow problem in that it is seeking to settle
a dispute with its 45 per cent shareholder James Campbell who was booted
out as CEO of the group just a few weeks ago. Mr. Campbell is said
to be owed $17 million dollars and was supposed to get $3.5 million as
the first instalment. The company couldn’t pay said the Journal because
it does not have the cash flow.
You may click here for earlier articles on Colina
on the question of the report of its auditors and the concern over related
party dealings. Colina Under Scrutiny
- 24th July, 2005. The auditors were concerned about the probity
of the related party dealings, that is dealing with sister companies and
with companies in which the principles of Colina also have an interest.
Two such firms would be Alexiou, Knowles and Co. the law firm which has
Emanuel Alexiou as Senior Partner, who is also the Chairman of the Colina
Financial Services Group, this parent company of the Colina empire.
This site was provided with an analysis of such related party transfers
and it shows that while public shareholders received some $800,000 in dividends,
the related parties got over twelve million dollars from the company.
Please click here for the chart.
The problem this presents is that there is a huge
issue that either is a real problem or a public relations one. Who
protects the interest of the policy holder? The company has not said
anything on the matter. There are friends of this column on both
sides of the divide but a word to the wise amongst them would suggest that
some fancy footwork has to be done here, if there is not to be a run on
the confidence in this company.
BRENT
SYMONETTE DUCKS OUT
The first born son of the United Bahamian Party
(UBP) Premier Sir Ronald Symonette has decided that he does not have the
stomach to run for the office of leader of his party. This is the
second time that Brent Symonette has wound up the Bahamian public with
a Hamlet like performance of “will I or won’t I”. He announced on
10th August that no, he will not enter the race this year for the leader
of his party. This effectively ends all prospects of him ever becoming
leader of the FNM and Prime Minister, posts equating to those which his
father once held. He did add that his race had nothing to do with
it, since he believes that a man of any race can be Prime Minister.
Of course it is not what he believes that counts on this matter.
It is whether his party believes what he believes on the subject.
He added also that he would not rule out running for some other post.
You may read previous week’s comments on the subject; 'Tribune
Talking Nonsense'; FNM Fight
for Leadership. Bahama Journal photo of Mr. Symonette announcing
his decision by Omar Barr.
JAMES
MINNS STALWART COUNCILLOR DIES
PLP Stalwart Councillor James Minns was buried on
Saturday 13th August after a funeral service at Transfiguration Baptist
Church. His body lay in repose at the PLP’s headquarters Gambier
House, Sir Lynden Pindling centre on Friday 12th August. Attending
that ceremony was the Prime Minister Perry Christie, Ministers Fred Mitchell,
Shane Gibson and Allyson Maynard Gibson. Fred Mitchell praised Mr.
Minns as one of the heroes of the golden age of the Progressive Liberal
Party from 1967 to 1992. Also giving remarks were the party’s éminence
grise the Hon. Arthur D. Hanna. Mr. Minns was 81 years old at the
time of his death.
A
CHILD’S MOTHER IS CONVICTED
Last week, we reported on a missing boy and the
strange behaviour of his mother and the adult in whose care he was left.
You may click here for last
week's story. This past week, a report that the man who took
the child to the police claiming that the child was lost was charged with
deceiving a police officer. He was brought before the courts and
Kenneth Nathan was bound over to keep the peace. The mother Eldrice
Gibson was remanded to jail for abandoning her child, pending a Social
Services report. God only knows what sending her to prison is going
to do. Meanwhile the child is in the custody of social services and
will not be allowed to be visited by members of the family.
POETRY FEATURE
This week, Giovanni soulfully reflects on 'mermaiden's'
charm in ‘My Love Mermaiden’. Please click
here. POET FEATURE, by Bahama recording & literary artist,
Giovanni.Stuart (www.nubah.com).
SINGING
BISHOP’S MIRACLE WATER: HE’S NOT GAY
Bishop Lawrence Rolle, known as the ‘Singing Prophet’,
is an immensely popular man on the singing circuit in The Bahamas.
Early in the week, he sent out a press release in which he claimed that
he would be selling “miracle water” which would cure amongst other diseases
AIDS. Clearly, this was trouble in the making. On Thursday
11th August, he was backing back. Wise man, since a claim in fraud
could have been led against him by the Attorney General. On that
night at the Golden Gates Ministries in Carmichael Road, he attracted some
700 people according to the Nassau Guardian well short of the 2500 he expected.
The reason they came was to receive some of the healing water.
The healing water turns out to be the water you
purchase in the shop ranging from Aquapure to Chelsea’s Choice and even
some foreign waters (Sorry no Perrier). He said that he did this
as a result of the Lord speaking to him in a dream, and that the miracle
water could not work unless you had faith. One woman obviously had
faith. The Tribune reported that a woman claimed she was cured of
paralysis by the miracle water.
Meanwhile back here on earth, the Singing Prophet
had to deal with a more mundane enquiry by a radio show’s telephone caller
who shall remain nameless who has ideas that are quite simply similar to
those of a nut case, and a loony tune who is always gad flying about in
matters that do not concern her. Is the singing bishop gay, she asked,
because people some people see him as soft and effeminate? Here is
what he said in his own words on public radio. He should have refused
to engage in such stupidity but such is the low level of public engagement
in this country that first you have to answer the ideas of a nitwit, and
then the press actually reports it. We are probably just as guilty:
“Sweet girl, this was never a gay and never intends
to be a gay. I love woman so much till I love woman next to Jesus.
“I have never been gay then, and will not be
a gay now. I preached so hard on sissyism until the police called
me and warned me and tell me not to preach so hard. Sweet girl you
need to come and visit in my service.
[He was asked why so many gays and lesbians come to his church?]
“Gays and lesbians can be found in every God
given church on the island and in The Bahamas. I love everyone because
that is something that my grandmother instilled in me when I was a boy.
Homosexuals often feel at ease around me, enough to share their deepest
problems and concerns with me. What could we do with them; we have
to love them with the love of God. We don’t condone it but we gatta
love them. We don't let them come on the pulpit. If we knew
somebody is a sissy, we can’t give them a position in the church.
But we can't get to a place where we scorn these people and say they are
no good. That’s why we need the word of God to preach that miracles
take place, that God will give them a miracle in their nature.
“I grew up in poverty in my hometown of Old Bight,
Cat Island. I have been saved since I was nine, and I married my
long time and only girlfriend at 22. I have been blessed with seven
children.”
BISHOP
ELDON’S JUBILEE
While retired Anglican Bishop Michael Hartley Eldon,
aged 74, rested in a coma at home, a mass was held by two of his faithful
adherents from the priesthood Delano Archer and Tyrone McKenzie.
There was also a public mass of celebration for his life, witness and work
at St. George's Anglican Church where he first worked as a parish priest.
The date was Wednesday 10th August and it marked the 50th anniversary of
Michael Eldon as a priest. The Bishop’s doctors said that he was
resting comfortably in a comatose state. He is on a ventilator.
The Bishop was the first Bahamian to head the Anglican diocese. File
photo.
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
Aim High!
Just a note to say that I enjoy the website and
I must say that the editor/writer is well versed in Local Government and
how it is supposed to work. Unfortunately, many are still not educated
about it.
Please encourage Minister Fred Mitchell
to keep on keeping on. Let him know that he is doing a fantastic
job and I am always moved by his speeches. He is an asset to the
Bahamian people and I will continue to pray that we realize what contributions
he has made and will continue to make to the Bahamas. Tell him to
“Aim High!”
Marva Moxey, JP, BA, MBA
Freeport, Bahamas
FOX
HILL DAY CELEBRATION IN PHOTOS
The people of Fox Hill have from time immemorial been celebrating Fox Hill
Day as a separate ceremony in honour of the emancipation of the slaves
on 1st August 1834.
On 9th August, the second Tuesday of the month,
the representative for the area Fred Mitchell was present for what is also
known as Party day with the Right Hon. Perry Christie, Prime Minister and
his ministerial colleague Allyson Maynard Gibson.
After the church services came to an end, Bahamians
from across Nassau and the Family Islands flocked to the village centre
at the Fox Hill Parade to dance the night away with the tunes of various
live bands. Fox Hill Day marked the end of the Village's week long
Fox Hill Festival.
Mr. Mitchell is pictured at top with entertainer
'KB' enjoying his rendition of the hit 'Civil Servants Song', much to the
delight of the crowd. MP Mitchell, left, and friends Zendal Forbes,
right, and Calvin 'Lady' Brown, second from right, join Fox Hill vendor
Dimitri Rolle at his stand for conch fritters. Photos: Fox Hill Festival
Committee
THIS
WEEK WITH THE PM
ENJOYING FOX HILL DAY - Prime Minister Perry G. Christie enjoys
himself on Fox Hill Day at St. Paul's Baptist Church as he gestures to
signify the apparent end of a power failure when the fans began to spin
during his address to the congregation. Mr. Christie has made a tradition
of visiting Fox Hill Village at its traditional 'Party Day' celebrations
at area Baptist Churches.
GOODBYE TO A FALLEN STALWART - In this photo, Prime Minister
Christie describes the measure of Progressive Liberal Party Stalwart Councillor
James Minns as he addresses mourners while the body of Mr. Minns lies in
repose at PLP Headquarters. Mr. Christie expressed the Party's condolences
to the family of Mr. Minns and described him as a hero of the organisation.
AN ATHLETE'S FITNESS - The nation's Chief Executive is caught
in this candid photo diligently pursuing the athletic fitness of his youth,
as an aide strides to keep pace. The Prime Minister has become a
regular sight in exercise along his Cable Beach neighbourhood.
BIS PHOTOS by Peter Ramsay.
CLEMENT MAYNARD, PAUL ADDERLEY
Councillors
were in their usual way quite concerned about the remarks made by the party’s
senior statesmen Paul Adderley, the former Attorney General (right) and
Sir Clement Maynard, the former Deputy Prime Minister (left) about the
state of the Government today. On a Jones and Co Radio programme
earlier in the summer, Mr. Adderley was quoted as criticizing the Prime
Minister for not making decisions quickly enough. Then came Sir Clement
Maynard during the past week in which he was quoted from the same radio
programme as saying that Ministers did not have a sufficient sense of direction
and philosophy and that the party may well be doing good things but that
its public relations was sorely lacking.
You can well imagine that the Free National Movement, happy to jump on any bandwagon that is passing was quick to jump on that latter bandwagon to say that this was confirmation of their view all along.
Dion Foulkes in his campaign to unseat the now leader Senator Tommy Turnquest claimed that it was clear that the PLP came to office without expecting to win, and therefore had no agenda to carry out. He claimed that you could see it all around.
Let us first separate out the comments of Paul Add
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