BahamasUncensored.Com Archive

ARTHUR HANNA REACH

Arthur Dion Hanna Sr. is now the Governor General. His son Arthur Hanna Jr., aka Dion and also ‘Boomshack’ spoke on the radio to say that while he was proud of what his father had accomplished, he was disappointed that he had accepted a colonial office. He added that he hoped that he would not further disappoint him by accepting a knighthood. Of course, only your first born could speak about a father in that way and everyone understands. We are unabashed in our congratulations to our man in Government House. The Governor General’s post should be abolished and replaced by that of President but right now that is what we have, and we can think of no finer occupant for that house at this time than Arthur Dion Hanna.

As for the knighthood, it is not necessary to hold the office and the matter is entirely up to him. If he wants it, he can have it. If he doesn’t want it, he doesn’t have to have it. All the same to us! It seems to us that the reaction of the country from both sides is that we now have a man in Government House who is a man of the people. The Prime Minister in his remarks at the swearing in on Wednesday 1st February said that it was a long way from Pompey Bay, Acklins to Mount Fitzwilliam (the hill where Government House stands). That brought loud and thunderous applause, particularly from those in the ballroom who represented Arthur Hanna’s beloved constituents from what was known as Ann’s Town. In Arthur Hanna, Kemp Road, the main street in the former constituency disassembled by the wicked work of Hubert Ingraham, and known for its working class African Bahamians, and intermittent social trouble with a host of “bad boys” coming from there, had reached Government House.

A.D. Hanna was the late Sir Lynden Pindling’s confidant. He served as Deputy Prime Minister of the country, Deputy Leader of the party, and Pindling’s alter ego for nearly a generation. They parted ways following the Commission of Inquiry report in October 1984 and Pindling’s move to reorganize the Government, moving Mr. Hanna from the post of Minister of Finance. Mr. Hanna thought it was slap in the face to his integrity and he resigned. That resignation precipitated the dismissal of Hubert Ingraham and Perry Christie from the Pindling Cabinet, and the resignations of George Smith and Kendal Nottage. The PLP was never the same again. Mr. Hanna was elected unopposed to the House in 1987 but five years later, he was defeated and left active politics.

He did not leave the PLP. This was the same man who ran in Cat Island in 1956 when he had to walk from settlement to settlement; who came into the House in 1960 following the constitutional revisions as the representative for the Far East including Fox Hill; who threatened to go with Pindling in 1977 in what is described as the night of the long knives; who told Pindling in 1984 at the convention “right is right and wrong is wrong!” He could not bring himself to betray all that and continued to serve the party behind the scenes with distinction as an elder statesman of the PLP.

With the years of the PLP back in power, with Pindling dead and gone, Arthur Hanna became a cosy type avuncular figure, who recalled the history of the party, who made great jokes in his speeches and gave the PLP a sense of comfort. In one of his interventions last year, he debunked what he called the myth that Stafford Sands was the father of tourism and of the financial services sector in The Bahamas. Arthur Hanna is down in history as the catalyst for Independence, the radical who followed Sir Milo by getting himself thrown out of the House of Assembly in 1965. He goes down in history as the man who invented Bahamianization, the policy of ensuring that Bahamians came first in the new economy of the country.

All of this came flooding back to the memories of the collective ruling class as they sat in Government House waiting for the ceremony to begin. Even in the ceremony, with the pages getting stuck and mixed up during his speech; that too was vintage “Midge” as he is affectionately known: glasses sometimes missing, speaking like he would forget what he was going to say, but getting there.

You may click here for the full statement by Mr. Hanna. All the former Governors General who are alive were there: Dame Ivy Dumont, Sir Orville Turnquest, and Sir Clifford Darling. The entire Cabinet was there.

We like this story. It beats even the fact that a domino table has to be ordered for the first time at Government House. A woman is leaving the food line, her plate overflowing with food, following the reception. She looked positively delighted at the choices she had made. Someone asked her about the food: “What they gat?” “Chile ,” she said, “they got stew conch, pig ears, pig foot and johnnie cake. Hanna reach!”

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 4th February 2006 at midnight: 99,304.

Number of hits for the month of February up Saturday 4th February 2006 at midnight: 48,006.

Number of hits for the month of January up to Tuesday 31st January 2006 at midnight: 407,738.

Number of hits for the year 2006 up to Saturday 4th February 2006 at midnight: 455,744.

TOP RIGHT - The newly appointed Governor General His Excellency the Hon. Arthur D. Hanna signs the Oath in the Oath Book as Chief Justice Sir Burton Hall looks on during the ceremony on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 at Government House. (BIS Photo: Patrick Hanna)
ABOVE LEFT - Flanked by Prime Minister and Mrs. Christie, Chief Justice Sir Burton Hall and members of the Cabinet, Governor General His Excellency the Hon. Arthur D. Hanna stands on the review dais. (BIS Photo: Tim Aylen)

THE GENERATIONS TALK ABOUT RACE
It is clear that when W.E.B. Dubois said in 1903 that the question of the twentieth century would be the question of the colour line that he was on to something. This is the twenty first century and it is still the question of the century. Race dominates the politics of The Bahamas, and try as the other side (the FNM) might to exorcise the demon or rather cover the whole matter up, the issue of race keeps coming up. We explained racism as an invidious sickness that infects some people so badly that they self-hate. But there are three articles which appeared in the Bahamian press this week that we thought ought to be brought to your attention. Two we think ought to be read in entirety.
One letter is by HELEN KLONARIS and appeared in The Tribune of Friday 3rd February. She is a white Bahamian woman and says that she is embarrassed by some of the comments of white Bahamians on the subject of race. It was very brave of her. You may click here for that article; page 1; page 2.

ANDREW EDWARDS is a former Chair of the Young Liberals. He has the makings of someone who will be prominent in our country one day. He is slowly emerging as a full public persona it seems, having finished his course of study to become a lawyer. He published a two part piece on racism in The Bahamas in the Nassau Guardian’s Weekender Magazine, entitled 'Race' in The Bahamas - A perspective from the nation's youth. The central theme of it is that the young people of The Bahamas have felt the direct effects of racism in The Bahamas and still feel it.

    Finally we share with you the words of NICOLLETTE BETHEL, the Director of Culture, who had an interesting observation to make about black men in uniform on a foray over to her old stomping ground at Paradise Island. We share some of her thoughts in her own words:
    “… What struck me about most of the faces that I saw there, on Kerzner land (Paradise Island and Atlantis) was this: either they were white, or they were black and uniformed…
    “… It’s not the fact that people are required to wear uniforms on Paradise Island that piqued my interest enough to write an article about it. I get the concept of the uniforms, and I even like it in certain times and places. No; what arrested me was the fact that virtually the only black people I saw loose on Paradise Island – not driving cars, or sitting eating in the Hurricane Hole Plaza, or behind the counters in Marina Village – were uniformed. Almost all the other faces were white.
    “I can only presume that there’s something very comforting about black people in uniform. Uniforms make black faces look as though they fit in. They allow for categorization, and for control; each uniform tells you where this person is supposed to be and who’s responsible for this person. All very comforting…
    “… Because the relegating to the black face to its appearance above a uniform smacks to me of a structure of class and race that Majority Rule was supposed to dismantle… What it really suggests to me is that we have moved from an era where black faces were confined to uniforms because they were considered inferior to an era where black faces are confined to uniforms because it’s better for the bottom line.”

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROROGUED

The House of Assembly has been prorogued by the Governor General. The new session of the House will begin on Wednesday 15th February. The Commissioner of Police Paul Farquharson read the proclamation of the Governor General from the steps of the House of Assembly. This will be the final session of the Parliament before a general election next year.
Provost Marshall Commissioner Paul Farquharson is shown reading the proclamation proroguing the House of Assembly on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 flanked by senior police officers in this Bahamas Information Services photo by Patrick Hanna.

THE PRISONER IS CAUGHT

    In the end Corey Hepburn surrendered quietly in the late hours of the evening on Wednesday 1st February. Mr. Hepburn may have been the mastermind behind the prison break on Tuesday 17th January from her Majesty’s Prison that resulted in the death of Corporal Dion Bowles. He was described by the former prison Superintendent Edwin Culmer as an escape artist. The “artist” is now back in custody. He was captured in Coral Harbour under the direction of a police team headed by Chief Superintendent of Police Marvin Dames. Congratulations on the fine police work. He was found with a small quantity of drugs. The police reported that he was retaken without any trouble at all.
    The capital punishment lobby was reportedly hoping that the police would simply kill the escapee and not bother with custody, but either God is working in a mysterious way or we have to thank police officers that continue to believe in the rule of law and not the law of the jungle. On the capital punishment issue, one sane voice in the whole debate has come forward from the church, Bishop Simeon Hall has warned the country not to let emotions override the law when it comes to the issue of capital punishment. Deacon Geoffrey Lloyd, the MORE FM Talk Show host makes the same point. Good for them! Let’s hope that now that the escape artist is back behind bars, they can now manage to keep the man safely behind bars.
    On Saturday 4th January, The Tribune published photographs of two of the prisoners who had tried to escape with Mr. Hepburn but were recaptured. They appeared to be lying naked in what the newspaper described as “a blood smeared” holding area in chains. The Ministry of National Security has ordered an investigation into the photos.
Police officers are shown taking recaptured escaped prisoner Corey Hepburn out of a mini van outside the CDU’s Thompson Boulevard headquarters. Bahama Journal photo by Stephen Gay.

ADDERLEY PREDICTS A REPUBLIC
On the day that Arthur Hanna was being sworn in as Governor General, Paul Adderley who had acted in the job up to Mr. Hanna’s appointment, was holding forth on what now, with regard to constitutional development. Mr. Adderley told The Nassau Guardian of Thursday 2nd February that he thought that Mr. Hanna would be the last Governor General. Oh really? Yes really!
We think it makes eminent sense for The Bahamas to get rid of the Queen and proceed to a republic. The whole present state of affairs is so anachronistic. Independent for 33 years and still talking about The Queen being the Head of State of The Bahamas. What a joke. Republic here we come! But let’s enjoy Mr. Hanna’s tenure (see ‘Arthur Hanna Reach’ above).

RIGBY SMACKS INGRAHAM’S NONSENSE
    Raynard Rigby, the Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party issued a statement to the country on Thursday 2nd February in response to a foolish statement by the former Prime Minister and now Leader of the Opposition Hubert Ingraham. Mr. Ingraham in congratulating the new Governor General sought to pollute the waters by suggesting that he needed to be consulted on matters of national importance, the underlying charge seemed to be that he was not consulted on who should be Governor General.
    Curiously this is a charge that came up as well in Jamaica where the Leader of the Opposition while not objecting to the choice of UWI Professor Kenneth Hall as the new Governor General of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, the Leader of the Opposition there said that the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party had not been consulted on the matter.
    The first thing is that Mr. Ingraham is being misleading because we are certain that he was consulted. The second thing is there is no constitutional requirement for consultation. The third thing is when he appointed Dame Ivy Dumont to be Governor General; he did not even consult his Cabinet much less the Opposition. What is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. You may click here for the full statement of Mr. Rigby. Party Chairman of the FNM Desmond Bannister tried to rise to Mr. Ingraham’s defence but he needs to find out from Mr. Ingraham what the truth is before he speaks.

NO EARLY ELECTION
Paul Adderley, former Acting Governor General and Head of he Constitutional Commission, was on a roll at Government House on the day that Arthur Hanna was sworn in as the Governor General. Not only did he tell a Guardian reporter on Wednesday 1st February that he thought that Arthur Hanna would be the last Governor General and predict the coming of a republic (see story above), but he also pooh poohed any talk of an early election. Mr. Adderley described it as nonsense and propaganda. He said that no Bahamian Prime Minister was going to call an election after four years when there was no need to do so. He said that the state of registration and boundaries were simply not set for an election to take place, so those who were talking about an early election were simply verbalizing wishful thinking. Amen!

MITCHELL IN JAMAICA AND HAITI
    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the following statement with regard to the travel of the Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell, under the caption 'FOREIGN MINISTERS IN PRE-ELECTION VISIT TO HAITI':
    "Foreign Minister the Hon. Fred Mitchell is off to Port-au-Prince on Friday 3rd February, 2006, on a fact finding mission to the Haitian capital. The Minister will join foreign ministers from Caricom countries Trinidad & Tobago and Dominica in the pre-election visit to meet with Haiti's President, Prime Minister and officials of the Haitian Provisional Electoral Council as well as representatives of participants in the upcoming election.
      Minister Mitchell is expected to return to The Bahamas on Saturday 4th February. Caricom will be sending official observers to the election in Haiti, scheduled for 7th February. The Bahamas is expected to contribute three to that team of observers.
    The meeting in Haiti was mandated by the Chairman of Caricom on Monday, 30th January, when Heads of Government gathered in Kingston, Jamaica. Foreign Minister Mitchell attended that meeting as the representative of Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie.
    Mr. Mitchell returned to the country on Saturday 4th February.

ZHIVARGO LAING SHOWS HIS IGNORANCE
The former Minister of (un) Economic Development is at it again in his column in The Tribune dated Thursday 2nd February. This time Zhivargo Laing says that Perry Christie was somehow not being forthright with the public when he said that he supports hanging. Mr. Laing in his column asked how Mr. Christie could speak about hanging and supporting hanging when he has executed no one on his watch. Silly comment! The courts have injuncted the Government from executing anyone until they have pronounced on the legitimacy and constitutionality of the death penalty. The next case will be heard in May 2006. Until then no hanging! Some people! Sheeesh! Anything for politics!

LARRY SMITH GETS IT WRONG ABOUT THIS COLUMN
    Talk about not being able to rise above the politics of race, we visit again some of thoughts of Larry Smith, The Tribune columnist who over the past week described this column as Fred Mitchell’s surrogate. It is probably lost on Mr. Smith but we repeat it anyway: this is not a surrogate for Fred Mitchell or anyone else. The disclaimer on the column clearly states that this column does not represent the opinions of Fred Mitchell, the Government or the Progressive Liberal Party. Larry Smith and the others, get over it! Mr. Smith claimed that Fred Mitchell sought to answer the U.S. Ambassador through this column about his comments about The Bahamas human rights record of The Bahamas. How he jumps to that is a small miracle. You may click here for last week’s Letter to the Editor in this regard.
    What is clear is that Mr. Smith doesn't know what The Bahamas’ record is on human rights. He is involved in the same knee jerk propaganda emanating from much of the western press where The Bahamas is supposed to vote in the United Nations against every cause which the developed world thinks is against their (the developed world’s) interest. He has also fallen into the same trap of anything the U.S. says is correct syndrome by assuming that because it was said by the U.S. Ambassador it must be correct, akin to God speaking from the throne.
    The question any right thinking Bahamian must ask themselves is how in God’s name do we get up in the business of Iran and nuclear energy and their human rights record? What in the name of heaven does it have to do with our national interest? It is clearly the sensible course to stay out big people’s business. It is not that we do not care what happens to the people of Iran. When it came time to condemn Cuba for its human rights record two years ago, The Bahamas did so, telling them that they were wrong to execute the dissident group that was returned by the United States Government to their shores. That was within our sphere of influence.
    As the Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell often says, The Bahamas is not in a position to lecture other countries on their internal politics. Larry Smith is, and he can do so but he should leave Fred Mitchell and this column out of his silly machinations.

THE CASE OF WHO KILLED MARIO MILLER ENDS
Earlier in this column, we reported that the case of who killed the son of Leslie Miller, the Minister of Trade and industry was finally in the courts. Mr. Miller’s son Mario was killed in June 2002 and the matter has finally come to trial. The evidence appears to place the two men, brothers Ricardo and Ryan Miller charged in the matter, on the scene. The evidence is circumstantial. The prosecution closed its case last week, and the Judge is expected to sum up the case and send it to the jury within this week. Let us hope that this brings successful closure to this tragic matter.

FALLOUT ON LARRY CARTWRIGHT
Last week, we reported that the then independent Member of Parliament for Long Island and Ragged Island announced at a rally in Long Island that he was joining or more properly rejoining the Free National Movement. This was not unexpected but it has had a sickening effect on the PLPs who supported Mr. Cartwright when he was dumped by the FNM in 2002 and who thought that he had the good sense and fortitude to remain an independent and continue to prevail.
The PLPs were particularly sickened to hear him say from the public platform with the wretched Hubert Ingraham hugging him that the PLP had done nothing for Long Island. The Ministry of Works and the Minister of Works Bradley Roberts had been personally involved in one project or another for and on behalf of Long Island including paving – as we write – the very road on which Mr. Cartwright lives. PLPs will be meeting in Long Island to plan their strategy for the future and to look for a candidate.

MORE CUBAN REFUGEES
    The Miami Herald reported on Friday 3rd February that eight Cuban migrants were found on the Cay Sal banks in the western Bahamas near Cuba. It appears that 14 had originally left Cuba and that six of them did not survive. One of the survivors was airlifted to Florida for medical treatment and the others are going to be brought to Nassau for processing.
    Under the terms of a treaty with Cuba signed between the two countries in 1995, the Government of The Bahamas must notify the Cuban Government that the migrants are in the country within 72 hours. The Cuban Government is to ensure that they are received back in their country within two weeks. We believe that the repatriation must be direct and vigorous. The numbers of people coming into The Bahamas threatens to overwhelm the country. You have here a country of just over 300,000 with ten million Cubans on the south west and eight million Haitians on the south. The Bahamas is relatively wealthy and a drawing card for those wishing to gain success up the economic ladder and go on to the United States. The immigration laws must be strictly enforced otherwise the floodgates will be opened.
    There are some elements in the United States who want to be selective about certain Cuban migrants coming into The Bahamas and taking some into the United States. The question that must be asked is who will take them when The Bahamas abrogates its treaty obligations and the Cubans then refuse to accept them into their country. The United States that vigorously sends Cubans back on the high seas directly to Cuba should say whether or not they will take all whom the Cubans refuse. We know that it is not politically possible for them to do so. In response to this situation, the country has to put up with the abuse of being called anti human rights, when the reality is we are only seeking in our small way to protect our borders. So we are back to our slave past as a country, shuffling and smiling in the face of the bigger boss, hoping that the bigger boss’ unreasonable requests will simply go away. All countries in the Caribbean face these issues.
    Jamaica recently described their foreign policy in response as being pragmatic. They tell the story of a U.S. Ambassador who came to them to complain that Jamaica votes against the United States 70 per cent of the time at the United Nations and demanding an explanation for why this was so. The Jamaican Foreign Minister reportedly drew himself up in utter shock: “What” he responded incredulously, “You mean the United States votes with Jamaica only 30 per cent of the time?”
    The double standards of how persons are treated from the Caribbean coming into the United States to spend good hard cash as tourists. The double standards between white Cubans and black Haitians who want to immigrate to the United States. For legitimate Caribbean tourists it is often like they are doing you a favour at the border. There is the rudeness of the Immigration and Customs officers, the preemptory decisions to close the lanes, the lack of manpower to man the lanes. The Brazilians had a response when the U.S. demanded the fingerprints of those coming into their country, Brazil responded in kind. No Caribbean country can do that.
    Our purpose here is simply to show what a complex time in which we live and how difficult it is for a small country to maintain its independence, its thoughts and views in the face of a larger power. The only response we have is our dignity, our voice, our principles. If we are crushed so be it but our voice should be heard but this is not the kind of discussion that any Caribbean country needs to have. Every Caribbean country is a friend of the United States, tied inextricably to the United States, has never acted against U.S. interests. That apparently is not enough. It appears that at every turn, one must simply do as one is told or be embarrassed.

TRIBUNE UP TO MISCHIEF
Suddenly to be the daughter of the Governor General is a conflict of interest if you are a Cabinet minister. If we follow that logic, it means that we ought to dock the pay of Sir Orville Turnquest ex post facto because he was improperly GG while his son Tommy Turnquest was in the Cabinet. Foolishness! Yet that is the case that The Tribune is seeking to make by suggesting, asking whether or not Mrs. Hanna Martin is going to resign as a Cabinet minister because her father is now the Governor General. Too stupid to comment further!

MOTHER PRATT SUES THE PUNCH
The Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt is suing The Punch for libel. The down market rag is at every week, and it appears that this time someone has had enough. The Punch had to apologize to Fred Mitchell, the Foreign Minister for lying on him, now let’s hope that in addition to their apology, they are socked for big money for lying on the Deputy Prime Minister.

CONGRATULATIONS TO SYLVIA SEALY

The song says “Love is a many splendoured thing” and to those who find it twice in life, they are very lucky. That is the fortune of Sylvia Sealy, PLP Stalwart Councillor, who married Dr. John Godet at a church ceremony at the Roman Catholic Holy Family Church on Robinson Road on Saturday 4th February. Congratulations to the happy couple. Dr. Bernard Nottage was the father giver. Fred Mitchell, the Foreign Minister was to be the ring bearer but had to send apologies as he was travelling on behalf of the country in Haiti. The happy bride and groom are pictured with Roman Catholic Archbishop Patrick Pinder.

NATIONAL CHOIR CONCERT

The National Choir of The Bahamas presented its inaugural concert 3rd & 4th February at Christ Church Cathedral. His Excellency Arthur Dion Hanna is pictured at the end of the concert with Minister of Culture Neville Wisdom, Choir Director Cleophas Adderley and Nancy Strelau, Conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of Nazareth College Rochester, New York. The Choir was established and is supported by the Government of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Bahamas Information Services Photo: Peter Ramsay.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Everything is significant
I read with much interest the points you made about young men riding the streets of New Providence on dangerous bikes. At the end you mention that the subject may not seem significant compared to other things discussed in your column, but I am one to believe that everything is significant.
Whether great or small, if something can have an adverse affect on the lives of others, then it is indeed significant. I am very impressed with the many issues discussed in your column and I look forward every Sunday to reading it. Keep up the good work. It is good to have read a lot of the things mentioned. I thank you for your concerns. There is a saying that evil flourishes when good men do nothing. I say thank God for Bahamasuncensored.com
Sharmaine Nottage

DOCKENDALE SHIPPING HQ IN THE BAHAMAS
In our 29th January, 2006 edition, in a report about the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, we wrongly identified the office of Dockendale Shipping in Mumbai, India, as its headquarters. Dockendale Shipping is in fact headquartered in The Bahamas, with branch offices in Mumbai and Durban, South Africa.

Ministry of Health National Healthy Lifestyles - Prime Minister Perry Christie and Minister of Health Dr. Marcus Bethel at the podium Saturday for the official opening of the Ministry of Health's National Healthy Lifestyles Walk, Rally & Fair. The event was staged at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre and featured many prominent and not so well known Bahamians committed to helping the Ministry promote a healthy lifestyle. At right, this group, including Mrs. Bernadette Christie and Minister of Labour & Immigration Vincent Peet, races to catch the Prime Minister on the walking course. Mr. Christie promised to be the Ministry of Health's "Poster Boy" for its healthy lifestyle campaign.

Courtesy Call

GERMAN AMBASSADOR CALLS - His Excellency Volker Schlegel, Ambassador of the Republic of Germany, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Perry Christie on Friday, February 3, 2006.

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P.I. JOBS SITUATION

When the Minister for Immigration and Labour visited the site of the Paradise Island Kerzner International, Atlantis apprenticeship programme to launch it officially, he was asked about the unemployment figures in the country, pegged at 10.2 percent of the labour force. He reacted with exasperation that the figures were nonsense. This set the cat amongst the pigeons, and all the FNM critics started after the Minister saying that he had insulted the Department of Statistics. We can see the Minister’s concern, because project after project has been announced by The Bahamas government, and yet the stubborn statistics don’t seem to move. Something must be wrong with the data or something is not right in the economy.

We would not join the likes of Zhivargo Laing who talked foolishness about insulting the Department of Statistics. All we say is that the unemployment figure collected by a department leaves out those who have given up looking for work. In Barbados, they consider ten percent virtual full employment because it includes those who have no skills and who are unable or unwilling to find work.

What the controversy invited us to do was to look at what is happening in our economy and suggests that we ought to do something more radical to effect change in the economy so that those who are unemployed and presently unemployable can find work to do. The Minister’s apprenticeship scheme at Paradise Island is a start in the right direction. Another worthy project is the reorganization and redevelopment of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Training Institute (BTVI). BTVI simply does not do enough to prepare the less academically inclined for useful work.

In our economy the lower level jobs are going to Filipinos, Haitians and Jamaicans. You visit a gas station, you call the homes of the rich and famous in The Bahamas, you visit a construction site, and increasingly you will hear the lilted French tinged accents in the yards and at the pumps. On the telephones, it is sometimes annoying to call the homes of middle class Bahamians and find you are speaking to the live in Haitians with very little English or Filipinos or Jamaicans who have no clue who they are talking to, and barely can take a message. The question is why won’t Bahamians take these jobs?

The conventional wisdom is that Bahamians don’t want to do the menial work in the economy. However there is another thought that Bahamians are simply not willing to take the jobs in households and other entry level manual or semi skilled jobs at the price at which is being offered for the labour. The businessmen and the middle class ladies of quality respond that they cannot afford to pay any more, otherwise they price themselves out of the market. The economic migrants, whether Haitian or otherwise, are here then because in this society, they fill a void which is not and will not be filled by Bahamians.

Quite apart from the willingness to work though is the question: are the unemployed able to perform any jobs in the market? Can they be sales clerks, or gardeners, or entry level clerks in the public service or janitresses or domestics in households or waiters or waitresses? This turns to the question of training, and increasingly the reply from many in the society is that those who say they want to work, and are not working are simply not trained to do anything. Their grammar is poor, their social skills negligible, their deportment and physical hygiene questionable; indeed some can hardly read, and they resist training. It sounds like a poor state of affairs indeed.

There is one further thing about this economy though and that is whether or not investors like Kerzner at Paradise Island and the new Bahamar Project in The Bahamas are helping the economy in any way other than with employment. In other words, they hire several thousand people at the lower levels in construction or as waiters but the bigger stake in the economy is still going to foreign management labour and to foreign companies. Indeed that is the cry today from Bahamian contractors and businessmen. They believe that they are being given the cold shoulder at Kerzner. They indicate that on the labour front Bahamians are being paid different and lower wages than foreigners on the job, the stuff which caused a riot at Burma Road in 1942. They indicate that Bahamian contractors are being discriminated against, and are forced into joint ventures which are not joint ventures but sophisticated fronting exercises. That the foreign contractors abound. When the projects are finished then, no businesses or skills transfers take place, only the jobs. The natives remain hewers of wood and drawers of water.

Further, an investigation must be done about the treatment of Bahamian professionals at Bahamar and at Kerzner. Are they getting a fair shake, since the report is that every time you go over there, there is a new face of foreign management while Bahamians are being pushed down and replaced to lower levels?

The Prime Minister Perry Christie has prorogued the House, and the country expects some new initiatives from this new session. One hopes that as Arthur Hanna, the architect of Bahamianization and now Governor General, as he reads the Speech from the Throne on Wednesday 15th February, will be reading about initiatives that will force more into this economy both in terms of employment and Bahamian businesses as we have described. It makes no sense to us that you have these billion dollar figures tossed about and Bahamians are not benefiting proportionate to their size and interest in these investments.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 11th February 2006 at midnight: 103,664.

Number of hits for the month of February up to Saturday 11th February 2006 at midnight: 151,670.

Number of hits for the year 2006 up to Saturday 11th February 2006 at midnight: 559,408.

Minister of Labour and Immigration Vincent Peet, left, shown being greeted by Vice President of Kerzner International Development Rick Bodge during a tour of the Atlantis Phase III construction site. Bahama Journal photo by Quincy Parker

   Prime Minister Perry Christie returned to the country on Saturday 11th February from the intercessional Heads of Government meeting of Caricom leaders. Mr. Christie held a press conference at the airport upon his return and reviewed the matters of interest to The Bahamas.
    Mr. Christie said that he had signed and signalled the consent of The Bahamas to allow the 12 nations who wished to proceed to the single market to do so without the participation of The Bahamas. He said that Haiti is to be re-admitted to the Councils of Caricom once the elections are pronounced as free and fair by the international community. He said that he had briefed his colleagues on the Cuban American protest against The Bahamas which he described as unjustified and unfair.
    Also during the news conference, Mr. Christie said that he expressed the thanks and appreciation on behalf of The Bahamas to Prime Minister P.J. Patterson of Jamaica who is demitting office on 11th March 2006. Mr. Christie said that when his time comes the P.J. Patterson model would be one which he would follow in that it will be a final decision. No doubt it was a clever dig at the fact that Hubert Ingraham reneged on his promise to retire from active politics and is now back as the Leader of the Free National Movement. You may click here for the full prepared statement by the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Christie and Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell at a Nassau International Airport news conference upon their return from Trinidad. Bahamas Information Services photo: Peter Ramsay

THE RESULTS ARE IN FROM HAITI

    On Sunday morning 20th February 2004, the world learned that Jean Bertrand Aristide, the beloved President of Haiti had been ousted by a violent rebellion aided by the unwillingness of the international community to live up to their principles and support an elected President. He was run out of the country. The United States put him on a plane and packed him off first to the Central African Republic and then to Jamaica and then to South Africa where he now lives. The Caricom leaders were disrespected and duped in the process and the result was that since then Haiti has been suspended from the Councils of Caricom.
    Despite the ouster of Mr. Aristide, the arrest and detention of many of his supporters including former President Yvon Neptune, the verdict is now in and to no one’s surprise Haiti’s people have elected an Aristide ally. It only goes to show that Mr. Aristide is still the most popular man in Haiti, and that his Presidency having been truncated by violent revolution still has the support of the Haitian people. There was no word from Mr. Aristide about election results, the first round of which took place on 7th February. His ally Rene Preval looks set to win with half the ballots counted with just over fifty per cent of the vote. If that is so there will be no second round of Presidential voting.
    Mr. Preval has said that he will allow Mr. Aristide to return home. The United States Department spokesman was reported to have said that they expect Mr. Aristide to remain in South Africa. The South African Foreign Minister said that Mr. Aristide will not be pushed out of South Africa but is expected to return home when conditions permit.
    Prime Minister Perry Christie said at his press conference at the Nassau International Airport upon his return from Port of Spain and the Heads of Government meeting that The Bahamas led the way in saying that Haiti ought to be returned forthwith to the Councils of Caricom once the elections are pronounced free and fair by the international community including our own Caricom observers. He paid tribute to Corporal Kevin Louis for his work on the observer mission of Caricom to Haiti. A supporter of Presidential candidate Rene Preval reaches towards a flag showing Preval's image as he and thousands of others march towards the Presidential palace in Port-Au-Prince. (AFP/Walter Astrada)

BRAIN DRAIN IN THE BAHAMAS
    Bahamians have been telling themselves for years that they are different from the rest of the Caribbean region, including Haiti. You often hear that Bahamians don’t leave their country. Turns out that the facts do not support it. At least if you are to believe a report by the International Monetary Fund about Bahamians and their work habits. The Tribune of Monday 6th February reports that of all those people who were educated to the college level between 1965 and 2000 some 58 percent of that group has migrated to the United States.
    Shock all around. Not so us. We maintained during the foolishness spun by the not so intelligentsia of The Bahamas last year during the CSME debate that Bahamians were emigrating to the U.S. just as the Haitians were emigrating to The Bahamas. We also know anecdotally that Bahamian women have been going to the United States to have their children. But the hallmark of that debate was; don’t let the facts interfere with a good story.
    These latest statistics appear to confirm that Bahamians are just like others if the economic opportunities abound in other countries; they will follow that opportunity. We are not alarmed. We think that this helps the country but it also imposes an obligation on the United States to assist in the support and development of education in this country and the region. We think that there ought to be a free market for labour, and that if the FTAA comes into fruition, the United States ought to be forced to allow a free labour market. We would support that cause wholeheartedly.

CUBAN AMERICANS ATTACK THE BAHAMAS

    The Bahamas got a double whammy this week from the Cuban American community in South Florida. There is a very public campaign now to boycott The Bahamas because it is alleged that on Tuesday 7th February, a reporter from a Cuban American news station in Miami was beaten up by a Bahamian detention centre official. The Minister for Immigration Vincent Peet who is in charge of the Centre has said that an investigation will be done. Nevertheless, the predictable started. The U.S. Government with banner headlines in the country expressed their concern and that they are awaiting the results of the investigation. Of course what the Cuban American reporter alleges is that he did nothing and he was simply set upon by a Bahamian official for nothing, and of course whatever he says we must believe. For our media, it must be the truth after all he is an American. Let’s not wait on the facts.
    The Cuban Americans immediately set upon us with their friends threatening the consulate in Miami which led to one person being arrested for making a bomb threat to the consulate. There were pickets and demonstrations by a small group of Cuban Americans outside the mission in Miami. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell asked for Bahamians to be cautious in Miami as they went about their business.
    Meanwhile up in Washington, the U.S. Congressman Connie Mac went on the floor of the Congress and denounced The Bahamas for not allowing two dentists in Bahamian custody at the detention centre to be released to the United States. Lots of invective and threats from that quarter about what will happen to The Bahamas. No understanding that The Bahamas is not some joke country, that is has treaty obligations and that the rule of law applies here as it is supposed to apply in the United States. But you know we are the wrong colour and all that and come from the island so you know: do as you are told.
    The Cuban Ambassador to The Bahamas Felix Wilson described the policies of the United States as being driven by an extreme right wing. John Rood the U.S. Ambassador has criticized the country's human rights record and said that we must tell the Cuban government to provide freedom and democracy. Quite frankly in the middle of all this geopolitical debate, it would be helpful if all sides would simply leave The Bahamas to make its decisions without public comment. The problem with what is being done in South Florida is that it is hardening Bahamian public opinion and making their cause most unsympathetic.
    As for the call for a boycott: how in the name of heaven that helps them is another matter? Most of the businesses in Miami profit from Bahamian businesses. There is a billion dollars of business from The Bahamas to South Florida every year; a drop in the bucket one supposes is their argument. When they succeed in wrecking The Bahamas by their boycott, one supposes they will happily welcome all the economic refuges that pile in from Nassau to find work in South Florida. Fat chance, one sees how the Haitians are discriminated against.
    We simply believe that U.S. policy ought to be adjusted to prevent what is happening in Cuba, recognizing the reality of the present Government of Cuba and that the people in South Florida ought to act with proportionality and rationality and not jump to irrational conclusions before the report is in on what actually happened.
    The Bahama Journal cartoonist 'Shuteye' on Friday 10th February expresses the feeling that Bahamians have in this matter about what has happened.

MURDER TRIAL STOPPED TO START AGAIN
    Mario Miller died in a brutal murder in June 2002 shortly after his father Leslie Miller became a Cabinet Minister. It has been a trying time for his father and for his mother and his sister. The trial started after many fits and starts in January of this year. It was coming to a conclusion but just as the matter was coming to be sent to the jury alarm bells went off. The word was that a juror, a female was a friend of a brother of one of the defendants. She did not disclose this fact notwithstanding the Judge’s repeated questioning on the subject to all jurors at the start. The matter was investigated and the jury was discharged.
    On Thursday 9th February Lenora Duncombe, former juror, was sent to prison for 14 days for contempt of court for the failure to disclose her connection. Thousands of dollars have gone down the drain and the matter has to be tried again before a different judge or perhaps the same judge in the next session.
    Mrs. Miller, Mario’s mother, said that she was disappointed but will trust in God. Mr. Miller was incensed and all the more so against the background of an allegation during the trial which he said was made by a pastor from the pulpit about his son and their relationship.   The contemptor has appealed the case to the Court of Appeal. Disappointing but better safe than sorry.

A year or more ago and during the last general election campaign in Jamaica, the 13 year serving Prime Minister of Jamaica P. J. Patterson announced that he had enough and that he would demit office. The date is now set with elections for a new leader of his party set for 25th February and the swearing in of the new Prime Minister of Jamaica on 11th March. Prime Minister Patterson was lauded by his colleagues at the Heads of Government conference in Port of Spain, Trinidad on 10th February. It would be the last time he would attend the meeting as a Head of Government. We salute P.J. Patterson for his contribution to the region, and his assistance to The Bahamas over the years. In this we join the Prime Minister. The Caricom photo shows the Prime Minister Patterson during the Heads meeting in Port of Spain.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Diets of Bahamians
In our column of 8th January, in a piece entitled 'Some Shops Are More Equal Than Others', we held forth on the need for healthy foods to be available wherever Bahamians shopped. Lost in the e-mail box was this interesting diatribe, which we now present.

    Your commentary on the unequal quality of local food store content misses the point.
    All that is happening in the supposedly ‘upmarket’ outlets is that they are reflecting the continued and unchecked Americanisation of local tastes and priorities.
    Ultra-processed, diet-fad foods of the kind that litter American foodstores are an example of a low quality culinary culture that continues to bedevil our northern neighbour. High quality food is food that is unprocessed, fresh, organic and preferably local. Go into a European or a Japanese supermarket and you will see what I mean: canned and packaged foods make up one tiny corner of the store, with fresh foods dominating. Of course, these are countries that take agriculture seriously.
    Since your PLP idols still have a subsistence notion of local agriculture that centres around Potters Cay and packing houses, ALL Bahamians, rich and poor, are subjected to low quality processed American foods when they visit their local supermarkets.
    As for marine products, the story is even worse. It is not even possible to buy fresh conch or a fresh jack in the Cable Beach foodstores (just one minute away from the sea!), but they both have old, moldy packages of frozen salmon. For most Bahamians, rich and poor, the word ‘tuna’ invokes an image of that horrendous canned stuff, while foreign anglers know the Bahamas as a place teeming with real tuna.
    So your apparent preference for diet junk over just regular junk simply misses the larger issue. Your friends in government are the ones you should be criticizing, for allowing an import mentality (which says anything from the US is better) to stifle local productive energies and subject us all to a sad second-hand American lifestyle.
Andrew Allen

The writer of this letter, himself, misses the point of the article entirely. The point is that proper foods of nutritional value are generally available at the upmarket stores but not in the poor neighbourhoods. He also misses the fact that partisanship has little to do with what is available - or not - in grocery stores in The Bahamas. Of course, this betrays his natural mindset. If the truth be known - packing houses, however limited in utility they may have been, were an invention and protectorate of the PLP, abandoned by the FNM, and a device to benefit Bahamian farmers without which many Nassuvians would never have known the taste of Eleuthera's pineapples, Cat Island's cassavas or Abaco's oranges. Still, before we all descend into hopelessly partisan behaviour, let's agree that we should all try as best we can to eat a healthy, balanced diet and hit those fruits and veggies. -- Editor.

Stop Bashing the GG system
    I am a weekly visitor to your site, and I am very active in Bahamian politics. I am disappointed however, in the way you bash the Queen and the Governor General.
    I support our current system, and we shouldn't abolish it. I am very patriotic and very proud of our INDEPENDENT nation, but I still believe that this system works the best and shouldn't be changed or altered. The Queen does not have say in our decisions, despite what you say or believe.
    I am a PLP, but I am tired of politicians on both sides, over the last 15 years or so, trying to make The Bahamas, like the United States, if we become a republic, we might as well join them as their 51st state. The Governor General and our government system, keeps us distinctly separate, and we enjoy our unique system of governance. Most of them envy us, in the fact that we still hold fast to our British traditions, but let them.
    Finally, it is time for people in The Bahamas, including the politicians to start RESPECTING ALL BAHAMIANS. I am white, and I am from Abaco. I respect many traditions that are regarded as Bahamian culture like Goombay, Junkanoo, etc. (I am a big fan of Junkanoo.... Valley Boys are da best!!!!). But at the same time, a lot of white Bahamians, particular Abaconians, still are passionate and still want our British traditions, remained intact. No, we are not saying that we wish that the Union Jack fly here, but there are traditions, such as the judicial, and government systems (Westminster and Governor-General) that should stay the same, if only to respect our culture.
    I think most culture should represent black Bahamians, but some should represent the rest of the population, and this is really the only thing left that is a part of our heritage. This system can stay in place and we will still be sovereign.
    If our heritage and traditions are not respected, then maybe it is time, with a new generation in Abaco to begin the Abaco Independence Movement. I don't wish for this to happen, but we need to be respected, and our culture needs respect.
Jeremy Sweeting
Deputy Chief Councillor
Hope Town District Council, Abaco

FOOTNOTES TO HISTORY
Michael Pintard gets the Boot
Michael Pintard the satirist, poet and lately talk show host at Love 97 has been given the boot by his latest employer. It was a risky strategy of Wendall Jones who is quite politically adroit to put the former FNM candidate and political activist on his radio station in a position where he essentially had to have no opinion. Mr. Pintard replaced the popular Jeff Lloyd on the programme ‘Issues of the Day’. It did not work and it wasn’t long before the political ideologue in Mr. Pintard came out and he is alleged to have defamed the Prime Minister. Mr. Pintard was fired according to Mr. Jones. Mr. Pintard held a press conference on Thursday 9th February to say that he had parted company with Mr. Jones because political pressure and business considerations had caused him to part company. Mr. Jones rejected that and said that Mr. Pintard had simply not told the truth and his logic did not add up, thus he had to go. After the Nassau Guardian ended up paying tons of money to settle a law suit with the Prime Minister for the same offence last year, Mr. Jones had to move quickly to mitigate his damages.

FNM Chairman whose side are you on?
The Prime Minister Perry Christie came back to Nassau on Saturday 11th February to find a headline in The Tribune based on a statement by FNM Party Chair Desmond Bannister Mr. Bannister accused the Prime Minister and key Ministers of leaving town while the Cuban American reporter had been attacked without addressing the issue. The Prime Minister dressed Mr. Bannister down. He listed all that had been done while he was away. He told him that when a Prime Minister travels he takes the business of the country with him. We only say to Mr. Bannister whose side are you on brother: the Cuban Americans or the Bahamians?

Paying a Nine Million Dollar Bill
The Colina dispute with James Campbell has reached another low point or high point spending on whose perspective you have. The Supreme Court ordered that 9 million dollars be paid forthwith by the two lead partners Anthony Ferguson and Emanuel Alexiou to Mr. Campbell who was ousted last year. They appealed last week the Court of Appeal and that Court led by Emanuel Osadebay told them to pay the money forthwith. They were given leave to appeal to the Privy Council.

The Speech from the Throne
Arthur Hanna will be reading his first speech from the throne as Governor General on Wednesday 15th February. The speech is written by the Prime Minister and tells what the Government’s policies are going to be leading into the next General Election. Mr. Hanna has always been on the writing end, now it will be interesting to see him on the reading end. We don't agree with the thing being held in the public square and we hope that the ceremony is not more than an hour with the speech being not more than fifteen minutes. Knowing us Bahamians: not in this life!

THIS WEEK WITH THE PM

A Beloved Pastor is Eulogized
Keith Albury, the late President of the Bahamas Conference of Seventh Day Adventists Northern Region, is to be buried today in Freeport, Grand Bahama where he last worked. Pastor Albury was eulogized at a five hour service in Nassau on Saturday 11th February but the funeral was held in Grand Bahama today. The Prime Minister Perry Christie eulogized Pastor Albury at the service in Nassau. You may click here for the Prime Minister’s eulogy and here for previous comments on this site about Pastor Albury. Rest in peace brother!

Click on a heading to go to that story; press ctrl + home to return to the top of the page.

INGRAHAM DOES NOT SHOW UP

Whatever are we to do with Hubert Ingraham? He got a cut behind from the Prime Minister in Parliament, the likes of which we could never repeat in this column after Mr. Ingraham’s conspicuous absence from the state opening of parliament on Wednesday 15th November. The Prime Minister said that he had never witnessed anything so scandalous. He said that he qualified his remarks to allow for the possibility that there was some health problem for Mr. Ingraham or his family. Apart from that though, he said that this was contempt and disrespect for the institutions on the part of Mr. Ingraham.

Mr. Ingraham for his part was unrepentant. The Tribune found him in Florida at the famous Cleveland Clinic where he said he had had a previously scheduled check up which took him two weeks to get, which he had had to cancel several times before and he was not about to cancel again. He said that he wanted to be sure that as he was offering himself to the Bahamian people for service that he was in tip top shape to do so. A fine time to think about that after having offered for service.

He then sought to deflect the argument by saying that Mr. Christie had set the prorogation of the House of Assembly without reference to him. This is an amazing arrogance. Without reference to whom? Mr. Ingraham is not the Prime Minister. This argument is the same tack he was taking about not being consulted on the Governor General a few weeks ago. There is no constitutional requirement to do so. He never consulted anyone when he executed executive authority, even in the case of the last Governor General his own ministers much less the Leader of the Opposition. The arguments are therefore pure red herrings, said out of his misplaced sense of importance and of course his embarrassment.

The public did not react kindly. On the radio talk shows they ate him alive. The FNMs who were already disgruntled about his having treated former Leader Senator Tommy Turnquest with such disrespect when Mr. Ingraham communicated to Mr. Turnquest that he was not going to run against him and then changed his mind without notice, said that this confirmed that they would not be supporting Mr. Ingraham in the next election. It was a hell of a time in the House as Prime Minister Christie scorched him up and down.

The same disdain was aimed at Brent Symonette, the Deputy Leader of the Party. Alvin Smith, the former Leader of the Opposition stood up to explain the inexplicable. He said that Mr. Ingraham had a previous engagement which he could not postpone. The talk in the press was that Brent Symonette and Mr. Ingraham had gone together to see the AES LNG group to solicit money for their campaign and to promise them an LNG licence. The FNM denied this on Saturday 18th February in The Tribune. Mr. Ingraham gave the clinic excuse. Mr. Symonette’s office said only that he would not be returning to the country until Tuesday.

But the speech from the throne went brilliantly. One monkey, in this case two monkeys don’t stop no show. Mr. Ingraham’s bench, increased by one Larry Cartwright of Long Island, had nothing to say. Larry Cartwright himself had a problem explaining to his constituents how on the day he was coming back to Parliament as an FNM, the leader and the deputy leader did not think it important enough for them to appear and welcome him back.

The FNM members including Larry Cartwright sat there in the house silent, glum and embarrassed for themselves as Tennyson Wells, the Independent MP for Bamboo Town rose and put it succinctly. The two leaders of the Opposition were missing. They were neglecting their duties to the constitution and to the country on this occasion, and that while there is no problem with them being absent as such, they should have at least had the courtesy to notify the Speaker that they would not be able to attend.

The speaker added that he had no such notice. We really have to
stop Ingraham from ever becoming Prime Minister of this country again.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 18th February 2006 at midnight: 88,972.

Number of hits for the month of February 2006 up to Saturday 18th February 2006 at midnight: 240,642.

Number of hits for the year 2006 up to Saturday 18th February 2006 at midnight: 648,380.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE THRONE SPEECH

    The Speech from The Throne is one of these traditions that began with the British. We have inherited this monarchist constitution which has the Queen as the Head of State of The Bahamas. Her representative in The Bahamas is Arthur Hanna, the Governor General. He carries out the executive functions on her behalf in The Bahamas. The reality is that both of them, the Governor General and the Queen are simply surrogates for the elected Government. Perry Christie, the Prime Minister actually writes the Speech from the Throne.
    The Throne speech lays out the policies of the Government over the next session. The cold hard fact is that this country will face a General Election by 10th May 2007. The election is probably likely to take place this time or so next year. These matters in the Speech then are the final sets of plans and programmes for this term. The agenda is a very limited one, trying to boost the economy, promote the welfare of the people, including promoting jobs and training.
    The occasion of a state opening of Parliament is full of symbolism. The Governor General, the Queen’s representative, sending for the House, and the House closing the door in the face of her representative, and then opening it after his knocking. This to record who has the power in history, the Parliament is superior to the monarchy. You may click here for the full speech from the throne 2006 as posted on The Bahamas Government website.
His Excellency the Governor General the Hon. Arthur D. Hanna delivers the Speech from the Throne at the Opening of Parliament on Wednesday, February 15, 2006. (BIS Photo: Derek Smith)

CUBAN AMERICANS PILE ON THE PRESSURE

    The Cuban American lobby in the United States can be vicious, and it is often not rational. The lobby has such hatred for the Cuban regime headed by Fidel Castro that it is hardly possible at all to have rational dialogue.
    In the past two weeks, The Bahamas has been subjected to one of these periodic onslaughts by the U.S. Congress and media to do two things. One they were upset because a Cuban American reporter came to Nassau and was injured in some sort of fracas at the Detention Centre where Cubans who are illegal émigrés from their country are housed. Secondly, there is another crew that want two Cuban dentists released. The two dentists are said to have been granted U.S. exit visas in Cuba but the Cuban government refused to let them leave.
    The American government has now entered the fray and wants The Bahamas to release them to the United States. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell has said that under the terms of a treaty with Cuba, they ought properly to be returned to Cuba, but their status is being reviewed having regard to their claim for political asylum.
    Stan Burnside, the cartoonist on Friday 17th February in The Nassau Guardian, described it best as a decision between two countries that dislike each other, and The Bahamas in the middle. It would seem that The Bahamas is trying to get the best of all worlds. Our take on it, is if they don’t qualify for refugee status they should be put on the boat and sent home forthwith. What complicates matters further is that the Governor of Florida Jeb Bush is to visit The Bahamas on Monday 20th December.
    The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell issued a statement during the week in response to two biased editorials by The Wall Street Journal and the Miami Herald on the matter. You may click here for the text of that release as posted on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

HAITI SEEMS TO HAVE A RESOLUTION

Rene Preval, the ally of former Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide, has been declared the winner in Haiti’s recent presidential election. It was a cliff hanger which led to the usual confusion that is Haitian democracy. Mr. Preval said that the elections were the subject of a massive fraud because he was not declared the winner outright within days following the election. Some burnt ballots were found on a rubbish dump in Haiti. It appeared that there was going to an explosion. In the end all the candidates agreed to the formula and Mr. Preval was declared the winner. The follow up second round for presidential elections will not now need to take place but there is to be a second round for legislative elections on 7th March. The inauguration will take place on 29th March.
A team of Caricom Prime Ministers is likely to go to Port-au-Prince for the inauguration. Mr. Preval is almost immediately going to be at odds with the Americans who have issued an edict that the ousted President Aristide is not to come back to Haiti. Mr. Preval has said that as a Haitian citizen he is entitled to return. We shall see. We shall also see whether the Haitian elites respect the result. After disrespecting Mr. Aristide and being in complicity with violent revolution that overthrew him from power, the election of Mr. Preval shows that all the manipulation by the international community and the local elites stood for nothing. Mr. Aristide is still the most popular man in Haiti.
Haitian president-elect Rene Preval smiles at his residence in Port-au-Prince on 17 February. (AFP/File/Roberto Schmidt)

SPECULATION ABOUT CABINET CHANGES
    On Tuesday morning 14th February, Valentine’s Day, the Bahamian people woke up to the headline in their newspaper the Nassau Guardian: CABINET SHUFFLE TODAY – NOTTAGE EXPECTED TO JOIN CHRISTIE’S REVISED TEAM. The paper speculated about who was going to move from where with a drop line on the front that only Fred Mitchell was going to remain unchanged. That was a sure piece of mischief making to get Mr. Mitchell into trouble with his colleagues. But never mind. At the end of the story, they also claimed that Obie Wilchcombe the Minister of Tourism would not change either. But according to The Guardian, change was on the way that day, with Shane Gibson losing Housing and going to Marcus Bethel or Melanie Griffin, and Leslie Miller getting Agriculture, and on and on.
    Nothing happened that day and nothing has happened since the Prime Minister upon his return to The Bahamas from the Caricom meeting on Saturday 11th February indicated that he would, be making some adjustments to portfolios. The Nassau Guardian, not to be undone, came back the next day to say it was not that day they predicted after all; it would be tomorrow, the 20th February. Our bet is that it won't take place at all. Many people wonder what would be the point at this late stage in the game.
    Some speculate that the Prime Minister has to find a way to bring Dr. Bernard Nottage into the Cabinet. He and his supporters are getting restless and wonder if this implied promise is ever to be fulfilled. In the meanwhile, it appears that Dr. Marcus Bethel, the Minister of Health who is the Leader in the Senate for the PLP has thrown in the towel. He indicated to the press that he will not be running again. Dr. Bethel was defeated by the FNM's Ken Russell in the last General Election. Hmmm!

A STRANGE AD FOR BOND MOVIES
    The new Bond move with a new Bond actor is being shot in part in The Bahamas. This week on Tuesday 14th February a piece appeared in The Tribune asking for people to show up to be hired as extras for the movie. We thought that you would find the list interesting. It asked for various descriptions of people: Caucasians, blacks and others. We thought a couple of things. The order of how they asked for the people. Caucasians came first of course. And then there were the descriptions of the people. They wanted skinny black people. Interesting. But of course you say it’s just a movie. Anyway those who are interested in being an extra in the Bond move this is for you:
    “Caucasian males both rugged and clean cut (any Caucasian rastas very welcome) aged 25-60+
    “Caucasian Females to be tourists/beach goers/Ocean Club patrons aged 25-60+
    “Black Males should be slim/slender/skinny and rugged or African looking (non Bobo rastas needed); at least 100 more French /Creole speakers needed ages 18+
    “Other ethnic males all needed and welcome aged 18+
    “Black females should be slim/slender/skinny with non processed hairstyles/colour ages 18+
    “Rates for extras are $100 per day and $150 per night. A shooting period is generally 12 hours and meals/snacks are provided on set.
    “For people without transportation, the company will be arranging pick up points throughout the island for major shooting days.
    “Wardrobe fitting will be arranged as all wardrobe is provided.
    “Anyone interested should provide a photo, their age/height/weight and all contact information (phone/email etc) Email: thecastingcompany@gmail.com. Mail: The Casting Company Box CB 12762 #290, Nassau, The Bahamas. Shooting begins on 20th February.
    “Once your information has been submitted to the company, the company will contact you closer to shooting time if you fit their profile.”

MORE AGGRESSIVE IMMIGRATION POLICIES
Last week, we wrote in an editorial comment about the practices of Kerzner at Paradise Island and their discrimination against Bahamian labourers and contractors. There has been no reply or denial of this by the Kerzner people. We assume therefore that this is a practice that is done and is acceptable. No one responded to the column with any sense of discomfort of disquiet. We say here that the Minister of Immigration must cause an investigation to be done at Kerzner and all the other properties in this country in this age when mega developments are being put in across the islands.
You can see what is happening before our very eyes under a PLP government. The land is being eaten up by Americans, Brits and Europeans. We silly minions are worrying about Haitians taking over but we have a more powerful and potentially explosive problem with a set of well heeled whites from the United States and Europe and Canada who can be the source of a great political problem in the future. Immigration must get on top of this problem now to the extent that they can to ensure that there is equity for Bahamians to the jobs, to the contracts and to the economic benefits which will accrue as a result of the investments. There is a similar complaint in Exuma at the Four Seasons Resort.

HOTEL UNION’S INTERNAL BATTLE

Pat Bain, the President of the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union is under fire from his predecessor Thomas Bastian. Mr. Bastian held a press conference during the week to say that the Union is being destroyed by Mr. Bain and his team. He said that members of the Union were asking for him to come back and save the Union, particularly as a result of the allegations of mismanagement surrounding a loan for five million dollars which Mr. Bastian’s supporters say was unauthorized.
Mr. Bain for his part has been running long ads on the radio challenging Mr. Bastian and telling the Union members that Mr. Bastian must be stopped. Elections are to be held in May. Mr. Bastian has joined up with his former nemesis and head of the rival Trade Union Congress Obie Ferguson who could not stand each other when they were both Union leaders. It is believed that Mr. Bastian’s comeback is supported by Mr. Ferguson who allegedly does not like Mr. Bain either. Nothing like personalities to drive a fight.
File photo of Pat Bain

OPBAT COMMISSIONS NEW HOUSING
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell flew to Exuma on Friday 17th February to help to commission new housing for the American personnel who work in the Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) facility in Georgetown, Exuma. OPBAT is a tripartite arrangement with The Bahamas, United States and United Kingdom Governments for surveillance and interdiction of drug traffickers on the high seas in the islands of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. U.S. Ambassador John Rood represented the United States. The facility is said to have cost 1.5 million dollars. The housing is only for the Americans, and The Bahamas government ought to look at the housing for the Bahamians on the base. There is an obvious difference.

WHAT’S WITH THESE FOLK AT COB?
You remember last year that Dr. Rodney Smith, the President of the College of The Bahamas (COB) who served less than a year resigned in disgrace following an allegation of plagiarism of another College President’s speech. At the time we were flabbergasted that lecturers and students were rallying up save his job when what he had done seemed such a flagrant beach of an academic tenet. Well now long after he has gone, the group is at it again urging the College to reinstate him since they have not found a new President. This continues to give us pause, and say again whether these people are living in the real world. Their irresponsible actions are the very reason why none of them can actually lead the College of The Bahamas into University status. Could you imagine where we would be if these are the standards they are going to maintain? It is simply shameful and they ought to desist. It is embarrassing the College. It is not good for the reputation as a College and it is quite simply disgraceful.

LARRY CARTWRIGHT MP EXPLAINS

    The Leader of the Free National Movement Hubert Ingraham and his Deputy Leader Brent Symonette did not have the common decency to be present on the day that their newest member Larry Cartwright late an Independent of Long Island was announcing the shift of political alignment to the FNM. Their chairs were vacant. But Larry Cartwright went ahead anyway saying that he had consulted his constituents that he wanted to give his opponent time to be able to fight a good campaign.
    That said the Prime Minister responded that while he accepted that these things happen and it must have been a difficult decision, he took issue with what he said must have been a misquote of Mr. Cartwright. The press had reported that Mr. Cartwright said that the PLP had done nothing for Long island. Of course, the road in front of Mr. Cartwright’s home was only recently paved by the Government. The Prime Minister said that some four million dollars are to be invested in Ragged Island which is part of his constituency with only 70 people. A sheepish Mr. Cartwright simply sat there and said nothing.
    On Saturday 18th February, Mr. Cartwright issued a statement saying that while it was true there were plans for Ragged Island, they remained only in the developmental stages. That is not quite true either. The water is already down, the pipes are being laid down to replace old pipes in Ragged Island. The same is so in the Deadman’s Cay area of Long Island. Meanwhile Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell went to Long Island on Thursday 16th February and while there visited with the party leaders there to ferret out opinion on whether or not the PLP will field a candidate in Long Island. We think the PLP should run in every seat in 2007.

GOMEZ APPOINTED CHAIRMAN

    Jerome Gomez has been appointed Chairman of the Hospital and Health Care Facilities Licensing Board by the Minister of Health. Established under the Hospitals and Health Care Facilities Act, 1998, the Licensing Board is responsible for issuing licenses for the use of buildings as hospitals or health care facilities, to regulate and inspect these facilities and to initiate investigations into any matter affecting the management, diagnosis or treatment of a person within these facilities. Mr. Gomez, 41, succeeds Dr. Kirkland Culmer.
       A graduate of St. Augustine College, in Nassau, Mr. Gomez holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Finance from Barry University. He presently serves as Managing Director of Gomez Corporate Management Ltd., a licensed financial and corporate service provider and management consulting firm. Mr. Gomez began his career as a banker spending some five years in various positions at Barclays Bank before joining Shell Bahamas Limited where he spend just over eleven years before leaving the company in June 2001 to start his own business. Mr. Gomez also serves as Deputy Chairman of the Town Planning Committee and is a member of the Bahamas Real Estate Association Disciplinary Committee.
    Other members of the Board are Dr. Locksley Munroe who serves as deputy chairman, Dr. Merceline Dahl Regis, ex-officio member, Dr. Sparkman Ferguson, Mrs. Ampusam Symonette, Rev. Timothy Stewart, Ms. Beverley Archer, Mrs. Gilbertha Gaitor and Ms. Inell Collie.

SCORES SUPPORT GUANA CAY DEVELOPERS
    As the case of the Save Guana Cay Reef Association versus Baker’s Bay resumed in the Supreme Court this past week, supporters for the developers packed the courtroom in Freeport, Grand Bahama. A statement from Baker’s Bay said during court breaks, Baker’s Bay employees and other Abaco residents voiced their support for the proposed multi-million dollar project.
    Human Resources Manager, Indira Edwards said that since the arrival of Baker’s Bay, other Abaco businesses have been forced to improve working standards of their employees due to numerous compensations offered by Baker’s Bay, including health and dental coverage and end-of-year bonuses.
    The statement said that, boosted by the scores of supporters, Steve Adelson, a developer of the project, embraced and shook hands with the crowd “We are encouraged by their presence,” he said. “They left jobs and families to travel to Grand Bahama for these few hours in support of something they strongly believe in. It puts to rest the arguments of the nay sayers. In court today, supporters outnumbered opposers 12 to 1… the satisfying working conditions that these present employees enjoy will be multiplied hundreds of times over as even more Bahamians are employed as the project progresses.”

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Governor General System

I have to respond to Mr. Jeremy Sweeting’s letter which accuses BahamasUncensored of Queen and Governor-General bashing.

I have to recite a few facts to him and other persons of like minds. The Queen is The Queen and Head of State of The Bahamas and the Governor-General is the Queen’s representative in The Bahamas, not the Head of State. The Parliament of The Bahamas consists of The Queen (as Head of State), the Senate and the House of Assembly.

The Queen is also Head of the Commonwealth of 54 members, (not “Queen” of the Commonwealth), and as such is owed no allegiance and performs no constitutional functions. “The Commonwealth” means the voluntary association of Independent Sovereign States which recognizes “The Queen” as the symbol of their free association, most of which were colonies of the British Empire. Members of the “Commonwealth” consist of 16 Independent Countries within The Queen’s Dominions (including The Bahamas), and 38 Members the majority of which are Republics, (including Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica in the Caribbean) Independent Monarchies outside The Queen’s Dominions and other Independent States. I do not imagine The Bahamas not wishing to be a Member of the Commonwealth.

So far as I am aware, Bahamians both white and black (why on earth does Mr. Sweeting introduce colour as if some how they are different people) have respect for and have shown that they prefer British traditions and culture such as Common Law, the Judicial System, Parliament, the Westminster system of Government and the Rule of Law. By some peculiar process Mr. Sweeting suggests that only white people prefer these traditions as part of their culture, and this is peculiar to them which makes them distinctly separate and unique.

Fortunately there are scores of Countries in the World which adhere to the British traditions that matter to their governance, and will not abandon these traditions in the interest of their peace and good order. None of these Countries are today what we would call British no more than any Bahamian is British, but have adopted British traditions which are the British people’s legacy to civilization.

But this must not mean that The Queen or King must forever be the Head of State of The Bahamas, be a Constitutional Component of The Bahamas’ Parliament, for those who want to be a Knight have The Queen impose a limit on the number of Bahamians who The Bahamas Government may reward, or where a Bahamian born could never qualify to be Head of State of The Bahamas.
Hon. Paul L. Adderley

Bahamians Should Boycott Cuban Business In Florida
I would like to suggest that Bahamians should reciprocate and boycott Cuban/American business in South Florida. As you pointed out the business between Florida and the Bahamas is estimated to be over 1-billion dollars with the majority of that money being spent with Cuban Americans.
When I now visit Florida for shopping I will make sure that I do not spend any of my money in a Cuban American store.
Calvin Greene

SOME FOOTNOTES
Anglican Election Friday
A reminder that the election of a co-coadjutor Bishop for the Anglican Church in The Bahamas will take place on Friday, 24th February. The person who wins that election, which we commented upon when it was announced by His Grace the Archbishop Drexel Gomez at Synod last October, will almost certainly take over the church when he leaves in three years time.

Lindy to Retire

The Nassau Guardian quoting from the FNM website has said that Lindy Russell the MP for Eight Mile Rock has announced that he is retiring from politics. This brings to an end speculation that he was leaving for a full time career as a pastor. Mr. Russell was generally regarded as a decent man and a good politician. We wish him well.

U.S. Visa System
    The U.S. has announced what they say is a new system in The Bahamas which will eliminate the shameful lines of people waiting outside in the sun and the rain to have their visa applications processed. It requires contacting the Embassy online and making a scheduled appointment for an interview. Applicants can be scheduled as early as 7 a.m. to about 10:30 a.m. on Mondays and Fridays. The system is expected to take full effect on 22nd February.
    Potential applicants will need to purchase a scratch card at $14 dollars with a pin number. The callers will have about eight minutes to call the visa information service to get the right information for the type visa they would need. During the phone call the appointment will be set up. Once in the office the applicant will be promptly processed and leave within 45 minuets to an hour. That’s the promise of the local embassy.
    The passports will be available for collection at 5 p.m., assuming the visa is granted. If you are a MasterCard or Visa Card holder you can access the service by calling 1-800-763-6812 and using the credit card number as opposed to the pin number from a scratch card. No word on where you buy the scratch cards.

Jailed Juror is Freed
The juror Lana Bain who was found in contempt of court by Justice Anita Allen because as a juror who sat in the murder trial of those alleged to have killed Mario Miller, she did not disclose a relationship with a relative of one the defendants, has been freed by the Court of Appeal. The deceased Mario Miller was the son of Minister of Trade Leslie Miller. The decision came on Tuesday 14th February. She served just less than one week. (Click here for last week’s story).
The Appeal's Court headed by Justice Emmanuel Osadebay said that the juror had been denied a constitutional right to a fair hearing when she was not given an opportunity to appear on the stand and be cross examined. This seems to cut new ground. No one knew there was an appeal from a contempt of court finding in the Supreme Court. Some were concerned that the juror did not get a chance to properly explain herself. Anyway, the point has been made by the judge: don’t fool around when you are on jury duty.

The Nassau Institute
The armchair economists and we don't know what else insulting to call them who fill our newspapers weekly with claptrap and obeah economics were at it again this week. On Friday 17th February they published a rebuttal to the letter of Helen Klonaris that was published on this site (You may click here for that letter page 1; page 2). Trust the Nassau Institute to be the apologists for slavery. They even had a black economist to quote. Their view is that it was not race that was at the root of slavery but the disequilibrium in economics, military technology and profit, as if these operate outside the human mind and culture. Perhaps so, but the important point of Helen Klonaris is that in the contemporary Bahamas it is race that dominates the politics of the country, racism by some, too many in fact, white Bahamians, and their inability to understand, appreciate and accept African culture in the country except in a subservient position. There can be no moving on in The Bahamas until the racism is dealt with by those like the Nassau Institute who seem to continue to want to cover up this Bahamian scandal including the racism that emanates from the Institute.

Treasure Hunt in San Salvador
The Watlings Archaeological Company was challenged this week on Tuesday 14th February on the right to excavate land in San Salvador, called Watlings up to 1926. The company has a licence for an archaeological dig. Some of the local families believe that their land is being trespassed upon, and are challenging the right of the company. The headlines also say some believe there is buried treasure on the land. A fight looks like it is coming if gold is in them there hills. It has fascinated the public imagination.

Why, Whitney MP?
    Tennyson Wells, the MP for Bamboo Town, made an innocent and half serious comment that when he challenged Hubert Ingraham's absence in the House he hoped that he was speaking on behalf of all of the independents in the House. He was immediately interrupted by Whitney Bastian, the MP Independent for South Andros, who said “You do not speak for me.” He went further and rose after Mr. Wells spoke to dress down Mr. Wells for saying it. We thought that this was rather curious and ill advised.
    Mr. Bastian needs one other person to second his motions in the House. So if he offends Tennyson Wells who is he going to get to have matters put forward in the House? Further, when he is not there and his notices need to be renewed, who is going to do it for him? Seemed like an unwise comment to make and unnecessarily ungracious in the circumstances. It was a point he could have discreetly made to Mr. Wells if indeed it needed to be made at all.
    Mr. Bastian may be getting nervous as the sides line up for the next election. Independent Pierre Dupuch is leaving politics. Larry Cartwright is now an FNM. Tennyson Wells may also be leaving. What is Mr. Bastian to do? There is little future in being an independent.

THIS WEEK WITH THE PM

$500 Million Project for Rose Island
Prime Minister Christie officiated at the signing of a Heads of Agreement Monday for a new $500 million Ritz Carlton hotel to be constructed at Rose Island, off New Providence. Minister of Financial Services & Investment Allyson Maynard Gibson announced during the signing that Bahamian real estate agents would be protected as an integral part of the agreement. Seated from left: Ritz-Carlton (Florida and the Caribbean) senior vice president Ezzat Coutry, Secretary to the Cabinet Wendal Major and Director of Legal Affairs Debbie Frazier are shown along with Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie and Minister of Financial Services and Investments the Hon. Allyson Maynard-Gibson, standing centre, and representatives for Ritz-Carlton at the contract signing between Ritz-Carlton and the Bahamas Government on Monday, February 13, 2006 at the Cabinet Office. (BIS Photo: Tim Aylen)

New Landfill for Andros
MASTIC POINT, Andros – Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Perry Christie (front centre) listens to Project Director for The Bahamas Solid Waste Management Programme Mr. Henry Moxey (front right) at the Commissioning of the New Sanitary Landfill in Mastic Point, Andros, on February 17, 2006. Also pictured are Minister of Labour and Immigration and Member of Parliament for North Andros and the Berry Islands Hon. Vincent Peet (front left) and Minister of Health and Environmental Services Senator the Hon. Dr. Marcus Bethel (behind Prime Minister at right). Also present, among the senior government officials, was Representative of the Inter-American Development Bank Mr. Jorge Torres. (BIS photo: Eric Rose)

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THOSE CUBAN AMERICANS
Last week, we wrote a brief piece about the increasing pressure that the Cuban American lobby in the United States is putting on The Bahamas to release two dentists who have been in custody since April of last year. The fact that they are still in the detention is the fault of the Cuban lobby. That seems to have escaped them. They would have been repatriated to Cuba back in June 2005 if there had not been the intervention by that lobby. But as the Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell observed wryly in Parliament again last week, there are many that don’t let the truth interfere with a good story.

To add insult to injury two U.S. Congress representatives from South Florida held a press conference on Thursday 23rd February saying that unless these two individuals were turned over to the United States, they would seek to have sanctions imposed on The Bahamas. The Foreign Ministry responded right away saying that wiser counsel would suggest that it is not in the best interest of South Florida to adversely impact the Bahamian economy. The Ministry promised that the issue would be resolved in as timely a fashion as the exigencies of the matter permit. You may click here for the full statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This is clearly not a rational issue. The only question really should be one in law. The Bahamas Government has an agreement with Cuba on migration. It says that all Cubans who come to The Bahamas should be returned within 15 days of the notification by The Bahamas. The Bahamas should notify the Cuban government within 3 days. Why then are these people still here? They should be sent back to Cuba. That is the pure unvarnished, legal position.

Law however means, nothing in South Florida, or it appears to some other elements in the U.S. Government. It only counts when they say it counts. So in this situation everyone is ignoring the treaty obligation between The Bahamas and Cuba. The U.S. interests say that the agreement can be ignored because this is Castro that we are dealing with. Mind you, they themselves have a migration accord with the Cubans that permits them to catch people in international waters who are Cubans and take them directly back to Cuba. That’s right; U.S. Coast Guard vessels go into Cuban Harbours. Can you believe it! Can you also believe that with all the rhetoric that American Eagle flights on a charter basis also go into Cuba?

It is important to note that it is not the U.S. Government that has been making the threats against The Bahamas but certain Congressmen and women who have Cuban American constituents. These people have such a hatred for Fidel Castro that they are completely and utterly irrational when it comes to relations with their former home. This has resulted in them imposing on U.S. policy, strictures which have helped to cripple Cuba economically. And yet when you travel to Cuba, there is a sense that this is a country that is strong, and is proud of its traditions of independence. How these people in the U.S. participate in the damaging the lives of the people who live in their former home simply defies logic.

Of course the point here is really not what the history is but the fact is we are where we are. This means without doubt that in the contest between Cuba and the United States for our attention, the U.S. wins hands down. There is no circumstance in which the Bahamian people will openly defy the United States. The Government, especially a PLP one, would not survive. The fact is the two dentists will have to be sent to the United States.

Strangely enough the usually mealy mouthed Nassau Guardian says that they disagree. See their editorial of Saturday 25th February. They think that there should be no exception and that the dentists should be sent back to Cuba. Fair enough! But when Bahamians feel they are being victimized by the United States with trouble getting visas to Miami, what will the Guardian say then? In the present climate in the United States, most Bahamians think anything is possible. Whatever the U.S. wants, the U.S. gets. Isn’t that so?

Sending them to the States is not fair. It is not right. It is quite simply wrong and legally indefensible, but the U.S. has demanded it. So be it! Amen.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 25th February 2006 at midnight: 94,790.

Number of hits for the month of February up to Saturday 25th February 2006 at midnight: 335,432.

Number of hits for the year 2006 up to Saturday 25th February 2006 at midnight: 743,170.

LAISH BOYD IS NEW ANGLICAN BISHOP

    We congratulate Rev’d. Fr. Laish Boyd, the Rector of Holy Cross Anglican Church in Nassau who was elected on Friday 24th February as the Bishop Coadjutor elect of the Anglican Diocese of Nassau, The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Fr. Boyd is believed to be 44 years old. He is married and has three children. His wife is the former Joanne Gray.
    The choice of Fr. Boyd took the Anglican Communion by surprise since he was not thought to be amongst the more prominent high fliers vying for the job. Others who ended up being eliminated were Dean Patrick Adderley, Archdeacons Etienne Bowleg, I. Ranfurly Brown, Keith Cartwright, Cornell Moss and James Palacious, Canon Basil Tynes and Fr. Harry Ward. Fr. Boyd out did them all with a final tally of 95 votes for him and 71 for Archdeacon Cartwright. This was Archdeacon Cartwright’s second try at the job. He was defeated previously by now Archbishop Drexel Gomez.
    The Anglican Church will be headed in three years by a man who will then be 47 years old. This is close to the age of the Archbishop of the Catholic Church Patrick Adderley who is now 51. It means that the new Anglican Bishop is likely to be around for some time. That has both benefits and pitfalls, but in the short term, it is breathing new excitement and vigour into the church. It will be up to the new Bishop when he assumes office to change the direction of the church into a more dynamic force for good in The Bahamas. You may click here for our previous comment on what an Anglican Bishop should be.
    It appears to us that Fr. Boyd has the right combination of evangelism, and traditionalism to make it work. He has been a builder, and has the respect of the clergy and laity for being sound and stable, and not a part of any extreme.   We wish him well.

JEB BUSH VISITS

    The Governor of Florida Jeb Bush visited The Bahamas on Monday 20th February. He was here for the daylight hours, and got a chance in that time to meet with the Prime Minister Perry Christie and some members of the Cabinet. He met with the press, and then went on a tour of the Woodcock Primary School which is the subject of the special attention of the U.S. Ambassador here John Rood. Mr. Rood hails from Florida and is a personal friend of Governor Bush. There was a speech at a lunch hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. Minister Allyson Maynard Gibson represented the Government at the lunch. In welcoming Governor Bush, Minister Maynard Gibson took the opportunity to detail the depth of the relationship between The Bahamas and South Florida. You may click here for her remarks. Later in the day, there was a reception held at the Ambassador’s residence and then off to Florida.
    The visit of Governor Bush came at a sensitive time. The Cuban American community is exercised about the fact that two Cuban Dentists that they want to come to Miami are in the detention centre in Nassau. The Governor side stepped the issue publicly by saying that he had raised the matter and believed that it would be resolved.
    Governor Bush also raised the issue of LNG and the proposed pipeline to Florida from The Bahamas. It appears that the Prime Minister’s position has shifted and that LNG is coming once all the environmental and regulatory provisos are in place.
    The Governor impressed the Bahamian people as politically adept, sophisticated and adroit and it was a good visit overall reaffirming the relationship between Florida and The Bahamas. All the more reasons why a loony fringe should not be allowed to scuttle the relationship of such longstanding, with one billion dollars of trade between the state and The Bahamas each year.
Florida Governor Jeb Bush chats with Deshawn Adderley, 8, about the crest on his uniform as he spoke to the third grade class at Woodcock Primary School on Monday, February 20, 2006. (BIS Photo: Tim Aylen)

THE CABINET CHANGES ARE MADE

Prime Minister Perry Christie announced the changes to the Cabinet on Tuesday 21st February. Here are the principle changes: Dr. Bernard Nottage becomes Minster of Health and National Insurance, replacing Dr. Marcus Bethel (Health) and Shane Gibson (National Insurance); Shane Gibson becomes Minster of Immigration, Labour and Training, replacing Vincent Peet. Vincent Peet becomes Minister of Financial Services and Investment, replacing Allyson Maynard Gibson. Allyson Maynard Gibson becomes Attorney General replacing Alfred Sears who remains at education but who is now styled the Minister of Education, Science and Technology. Leslie Miller’s Ministry has been dismantled and he now becomes Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, after his stint as Minister of Trade and Industry. International Trade from that former ministry now goes to the Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell. Consumer Affairs goes to Alfred Gray who leaves the disbanded Agriculture and Fisheries and becomes the Minister of Local Government and Consumer Affairs. Marcus Bethel becomes Minister of Energy and the Environment. The Prime Minister has taken Bahamasair from the portfolio of the Minster of Works unto himself. Urban Renewal has been moved from Housing to the Prime Minister’s portfolio. Culture has been moved from the portfolio of Minister Neville Wisdom to the Prime Minister. Housing is now a part of Mr. Wisdom’s portfolio. Leslie Miller will take the LNG project with him to his new Ministry. All other Ministries remain unchanged. You may click here for the full announcement by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister suggested that there will be other changes coming in the months ahead of the General Election set now for next year.
Prime Minister Christie faces the television cameras in preparation for his national address Tuesday 21st February, 2006. Bahamas Information Services photo by Peter Ramsay.

WHAT THE CABINET CHANGES MEAN
    The Prime Minister’s Cabinet changes signal to the country, the first of a series of preparations for the General Election which is likely to be held in February of 2007. It is hard to believe that four years have almost passed. It seems like yesterday that there was that joyous feeling that the PLP was back in power. However, it is no time for the PLP to rest on its laurels.
    Hubert Ingraham, the Leader of the Opposition, is set upon upsetting the apple cart. He is going around now trying to choose candidates. The one fact that we know is that he has upset his own party with his tactics. The overthrow of Senator Tommy Turnquest has still not gone down well with some of his party members. He has taken the view that all 40 candidates will be chosen exclusively by him and he wants a straight up and down vote in his Council on the candidates: take it or leave it. This is the same biggetty Hubert Ingraham that we have known over the years. He has not changed.
    There are a few things that PLP must get done before February 2007. It must demonstrate that it has control over the public service. That is essential. It must also get the National Health programme initiative in a position to be saleable to the Bahamian people. So far, while a case has been made, it has not been made in a clear an concise fashion, appealing to the PLP's core base. We are seeking to sell a programme to people that don’t need it and even if they did will oppose it because it is a PLP programme. We need to go over the hill and sell the programme to those who need it and seek their support.
    Immigration in our view is the number one issue. Now that Shane Gibson is the Minister, we expect to see a vigorous enforcement programme of the law on the issue as well as changes in the law to allow for additional powers to deal with those who breach the immigration laws. Changes were overdue. But change is not good simply for the sake of change. Let us see some improvements in the work of the Government. Let us get ready to meet the devil in 2007 and be ready to defeat him and his forces of evil.

MITCHELL SLAMS INGRAHAM

The House of Assembly went deadly quiet on Wednesday 22nd February as the Foreign Minister launched a full scale attack on Hubert Ingraham as he used to in the days of opposition. His colleagues described it as bloodless surgery on Mr. Ingraham. Mr. Mitchell read at a clip, without looking up, Hubert Ingraham sat there and took it. Mr. Ingraham let out a huge sigh and held his head up looking into the ceiling. It was a beating the like of which he had not seen since Keod Smith savaged Mr. Ingraham just before Christmas.
The next day Mr. Mitchell was back again to attack Mr. Ingraham on the question of his criticism of the changes in the Cabinet. Mr. Ingraham said that the changes were done without thought for the administrative costs that would be associated with making new ministries. Mr. Mitchell, in a statement entitled 'GussieMae Ingraham Ain Serious' pointed out that Mr. Ingraham himself had made three changes in the Cabinet in the years between 1997 and 2002. You may click here for the full statement of Mr. Mitchell in the House and the statement in response to Mr. Ingraham on the Cabinet.
Bahamas Information Services photo of Mr. Mitchell on his feet in the House of Assembly, Wednesday 22nd February, 2006.

INERTIA IN THE CIVIL SERVICE
The Minister responsible for the Public Service Fred Mitchell spoke in the House of Assembly on Wednesday 22nd February about what he called a national culture of inertia in the public service. Mr. Mitchell was seconding the Resolution to thank the Governor General for delivering the speech from the throne. The first half of the address dealt with Hubert Ingraham's bad behaviour at the start of the Parliament. The second part dealt with the public service. Mr. Mitchell made it clear that reform must come in the service. He said that apart from the question of the inertia, he was concerned about the lack of execution in the public service. He thought that many public servants including permanent secretaries did not seem to know who was in fact in charge of the public service. You may click here for that part of the address.

INGRAHAM: MEAN, NASTY, CRUDE VIEWS
Ken Russell, Mr. Miserable, the FNM Member for High Rock, the perennial complainer sat down in his seat on Wednesday 22nd February. He was finished his presentation and was feeling satisfied with himself. He made an allegation of a serious nature that criminals were being hired on the police force. It is of course nonsense. No politician directs hiring on the force as he tried to suggest. The police are sure to say that Mr. Russell is sadly mistaken. The policies have not changed since he was a minister in the ill fated FNM government. Further, the Minister for the Public Service Fred Mitchell told him that he had better be prepared to co-operate with the police with the information he has on the matter.
Mr. Russell was irresponsible in the extreme for saying what he said and the press for repeating it. We thought that there was something instructive though abut what he did and said. His leader Hubert Ingraham was heard saying to him: “Very good Ken. Very good! All we need to do is attack, attack, attack. We don’t have to explain anything. We are the Opposition. All we have to do is attack. We don't have to explain.” That is the kind of Leader of the Opposition that you are dealing with. Time and again we see the crude nature of his views, the nastiness of his disposition and mean spiritedness with which he operates. It is important the PLP not allow him to get away with this. There needs to be a new spirit in the House of Assembly to smack back at this kind of nasty politics and put Hubert Ingraham and his evil brood in their places.

FOOTNOTES TO HISTORY
Larry Cartwright gets it wrong
Speaking in the House of Assembly on Wednesday 22nd February, Larry Cartwright, the now FNM Member of Parliament for Long Island, said that a certain website said that he could not change his political affiliation because the Government was fixing the road in front of his House. He then explained that the road was actually an access road for fishermen to the sea and was essential for the Long Island fishermen. If Mr. Cartwright would check, he would see that the point on this website is not that he could not change his party because the road was being fixed. Mr. Cartwright got on a public platform and said that the PLP did nothing for Long island. We merely reminded him that one thing they were doing right then was fixing the road on which he lived. There are none so blind as those who cannot see.

Tennyson Wells declares himself
The Independent Member of Parliament for Bamboo Town Tennyson Wells gave an impassioned speech in the House of Assembly. In it he lambasted the FNM and its Leader Hubert Ingraham. He said that he would most likely run in the next election as an independent. He still considered himself an FNM. He said that Mr. Ingraham was not fit to lead the FNM because he was dishonest and his word could not be trusted. He said for the rest of the term he will be revealing evidence of that perfidy by Mr. Ingraham. He gave as one example a time during his period in the Government when the Anglican Church was looking for land in the Gladstone Road area to build a church. The Government had land and could have given it to the church directly on terms. He said Mr. Ingraham instead suggested that the land be deeded to Alphonso Elliot, his friend known as Bugaloo, and then sold to the Anglican Church by Mr. Elliott. We await more information about Mr. Ingraham’s decisions in the Government.

Congratulations to the New Jamaican PM Elect

Portia Simpson is to become the first female Prime Minister of Jamaica. She won by defeating Omar Davis, the Finance Minister and Peter Philips, the National Security Minister in party election on Saturday 25th February in Kingston. She will assume office on 11th March when Prime Minister P.J. Patterson steps down.
Portia Simpson Miller addresses supporters after being declared the winner of the People's National Party presidential election Saturday, Feb. 25,2006. (AP Photo/Collin Reid )

Caribbean Unity in the Carnival
Bahamian MP and Minister Bradley Roberts is down in Trinidad for the annual carnival. This is a trip he makes annually with hundreds of Bahamians including the son of former Prime Minister Obie Pindling who usually takes his band with him. Also there for the Carnival is Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Ron Pinder. Carnival ends on Tuesday 28th February.

Ronnie Butler on the Radio on Cabinet Changes (For a laugh)
When asked by host Max Dean on the radio on Saturday 25th February what he thought of the Cabinet change of the Department of Culture to the Office of Prime Minister, Ronnie Butler, the leading Bahamian folk musician spoke up: “Now that my Prime Minister is in charge of culture, this means that I won't have to run in Delaporte any more in the next election.” For first time readers, we should explain that the parliamentary constituency of Delaporte is the seat of the former Minister of Culture with whom musician Butler has had 'run-ins' in the past.

SIDEBURNS
Stan Burnside, who does the editorial cartoon in The Nassau Guardian is usually good. The cartoons are always incisive and entertaining. But this past week was particularly so. We thought we'd share with you.

THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT [Photos]

In response to many requests, we present a major spread of photographs from the official opening of Parliament, Wednesday 15th February, 2006. You may click here for the photos. We hope you enjoy them.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Governor General System
    First, I would like to thank the Editor of BahamasUncensored for allowing me to print the few ‘Letters to the Editor’ since I have been visiting this site.
    Second, let me state that this should be the last time I will respond to this issue for now, for I wish not to get into a string of rebuttals, and so on.
    Let me also state, that I have the greatest respect for Hon. Paul Adderley, I think he is one of the smartest individuals in our country, and better understands our constitution than anyone else that I know.
    But I disagree with him on this issue, as do many, for I feel that the Governor General system is a much better system.
    I wanted to clarify a statement that I said in the previous letter. When I stated that “the Governor General and this system of governance keeps us distinctly separate", I was speaking about being separate from the U.S. with the Queen as Head of State, and when I said “most of them envy us, in the fact that we still hold fast to our British traditions, but let them”, I was speaking about the U.S. envying us.
    Now that I got that clear, like I said, I think that having the Queen and the Governor General is a much better system than a Presidential system. Every time that we have ceremonies of pomp and pageantry such as the Opening of Parliament, it brings much pride and excitement to see that these traditions still are carried on. Many tourists come to see something different, like the Speech from the Throne because it is not what they do.
    It is a system that works well, and I think most Abaconians anyway, greatly respect it and will be very disturbed and irritated if it is ever attempted to be altered.
    I know I for one, will greet it with much opposition.
    I love our INDEPENDENT country, as I said in the previous letter, but I like the fact that we enjoy these traditions that we have had for so long, and it ain't broke.
Jeremy Sweeting
Deputy Chief Councillor
Hope Town District Council

It appeared to us - and to Mr. Adderley, we dare say - that the "us" to whom the letter writer referred in his original letter was white Bahamians as opposed to all Bahamians. We are happy to know that was not the case. With regard to the choice between a Governor General and a republic, ultimately all the Bahamian people will decide. - Editor.

THIS WEEK WITH THE PM

B.J. Nottage Back in Cabinet
Prime Minister Christie is pictured above at Government House congratulating Minister of Health & National Insurance B.J. Nottage on his appointment. The swearing in ceremony represented something of a reunion for the Prime Minister and his former co-deputy leader of the Progressive Liberal Party, who recently returned to the party.

Cultural Conclave
Bahamian musicians, entertainers, writers and artisans participated in the First Annual National Cultural Conclave this past week. The event was held February 23-25 and brought together cultural artists and stakeholders from throughout the nation for open discussions that will be used to formulate reports and policy statements on Bahamian culture. Prime Minister Christie is pictured above addressing the conclave.

New Labour Office in Andros
SAN ANDROS, Andros, The Bahamas – Prime Minister Christie looks on during the ribbon cutting for the new Department of Labour office in San Andros, Andros, on February 17, 2006. Pictured, from left, are then Minister of Labour and Immigration and Member of Parliament for North Andros and the Berry Islands the Hon. Vincent Peet, Prime Minister Christie, Mrs. Andrea Smith and Clerks at the new office Ms. Mablene Bowleg and Ms. Cathy Martin. (BIS photo: Eric Rose)

Eleuthera Schoolchildren
While most Bahamians students may have been skylarking about in relaxation during their mid-term break, these schoolchildren from the island of Eleuthera were embarked on a cultural tour of New Providence. Among the highlights of the trip were visits to the various national sites of importance, including a trip to the Office of the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Christie is pictured above with the students.

5^th February, 2006 *Welcome to bahamasuncensored.com* *How do you do today? It's great to have you as a reader. We have the most incisive political news about and from The Bahamas!* *Please tell all your friends about us.*
THE GENERATIONS TALK ABOUT RACE...	HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROROGUED...
THE PRISONER IS CAUGHT...	ADDERLEY PREDICTS A REPUBLIC...
RIGBY SMACKS INGRAHAM’S NONSENSE...	NO EARLY ELECTION...
MITCHELL IN JAMAICA AND HAITI...	ZHIVARGO LAING SHOWS HIS IGNORANCE...
LARRY SMITH GETS IT WRONG ABOUT THIS COLUMN...	THE CASE OF WHO KILLED MARIO MILLER ENDS...
FALLOUT ON LARRY CARTWRIGHT...	MORE CUBAN REFUGEES...
TRIBUNE UP TO MISCHIEF...	MOTHER PRATT SUES THE PUNCH ...
CONGRATULATIONS TO SYLVIA SEALY...	NATIONAL CHOIR CONCERT...
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR...	DOCKENDALE SHIPPING HQ IN THE BAHAMAS...
	THIS WEEK WITH THE PM...



The Official Site of the Progressive Liberal Party...	The Official Site of the Free National Movement...
PLPs On The Web...	Interesting Places...
Bradley Roberts / PLP Grants Town	Bahamas Government Website
Neville Wisdom / PLP Delaporte	Reg & Kit's Bahamas Links
Alfred Sears / PLP Fort Charlotte	Bahamians On The Web
Melanie Griffin / PLP Yamacraw	Bahamian Cycling News
John Carey / PLP Carmichael	FredMitchellUncensored.Com ARCHIVES...
Grand Bahama PLP

12^th February, 2006 *Welcome to bahamasuncensored.com* *How do you do today? It's great to have you as a reader. We have the most incisive political news about and from The Bahamas!* *Please tell all your friends about us.*
P.M. AT HEADS OF GOVERNMENT...	THE RESULTS ARE IN FROM HAITI...
BRAIN DRAIN IN THE BAHAMAS...	CUBAN AMERICANS ATTACK THE BAHAMAS...
MURDER TRIAL STOPPED TO START AGAIN...	PATTERSON’S LONG GOODBYE...
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR...	FOOTNOTES TO HISTORY...
	THIS WEEK WITH THE PM...








The Official Site of the Progressive Liberal Party...	The Official Site of the Free National Movement...
PLPs On The Web...	Interesting Places...
Bradley Roberts / PLP Grants Town	Bahamas Government Website
Neville Wisdom / PLP Delaporte	Reg & Kit's Bahamas Links
Alfred Sears / PLP Fort Charlotte	Bahamians On The Web
Melanie Griffin / PLP Yamacraw	Bahamian Cycling News
John Carey / PLP Carmichael	FredMitchellUncensored.Com ARCHIVES...
Grand Bahama PLP

19^th February, 2006 *Welcome to bahamasuncensored.com* *How do you do today? It's great to have you as a reader. We have the most incisive political news about and from The Bahamas!* *Please tell all your friends about us.*
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE THRONE SPEECH...	CUBAN AMERICANS PILE ON THE PRESSURE...
HAITI SEEMS TO HAVE A RESOLUTION...	SPECULATION ABOUT CABINET CHANGES...
A STRANGE AD FOR BOND MOVIES...	MORE AGGRESSIVE IMMIGRATION POLICIES...
HOTEL UNION’S INTERNAL BATTLE...	OPBAT COMMISSIONS NEW HOUSING...
WHAT’S WITH THESE FOLK AT COB?...	LARRY CARTWRIGHT MP EXPLAINS...
GOMEZ APPOINTED CHAIRMAN...	SCORES SUPPORT GUANA CAY DEVELOPERS...
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR...	SOME FOOTNOTES...
	THIS WEEK WITH THE PM...





The Official Site of the Progressive Liberal Party...	The Official Site of the Free National Movement...
PLPs On The Web...	Interesting Places...
Bradley Roberts / PLP Grants Town	Bahamas Government Website
Neville Wisdom / PLP Delaporte	Reg & Kit's Bahamas Links
Alfred Sears / PLP Fort Charlotte	Bahamians On The Web
Melanie Griffin / PLP Yamacraw	Bahamian Cycling News
John Carey / PLP Carmichael	FredMitchellUncensored.Com ARCHIVES...
Grand Bahama PLP

26^th February, 2006 *Welcome to bahamasuncensored.com* *How do you do today? It's great to have you as a reader. We have the most incisive political news about and from The Bahamas!* *Please tell all your friends about us.*
LAISH BOYD IS NEW ANGLICAN BISHOP...	JEB BUSH VISITS...
THE CABINET CHANGES ARE MADE...	WHAT THE CABINET CHANGES MEAN...
MITCHELL SLAMS INGRAHAM...	INERTIA IN THE CIVIL SERVICE....
INGRAHAM: MEAN, NASTY, CRUDE VIEWS...	FOOTNOTES TO HISTORY...
SIDEBURNS...	THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT[Photos]...
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR...	THIS WEEK WITH THE PM...







The Official Site of the Progressive Liberal Party...	The Official Site of the Free National Movement...
PLPs On The Web...	Interesting Places...
Bradley Roberts / PLP Grants Town	Bahamas Government Website
Neville Wisdom / PLP Delaporte	Reg & Kit's Bahamas Links
Alfred Sears / PLP Fort Charlotte	Bahamians On The Web
Melanie Griffin / PLP Yamacraw	Bahamian Cycling News
John Carey / PLP Carmichael	FredMitchellUncensored.Com ARCHIVES...
Grand Bahama PLP

Compiled, edited and constructed by Russell Dames Updated every Sunday at 2 p.m.

Volume 4 © BahamasUncensored.Com 2006

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