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FELIX SANDS WRITES FROM GRAND BAHAMA

The leader off the opposition, Michael Pintard has first hand experience of storm surge and its effect to life and property. During the passage of hurricane Dorian in 2019, Mr.Pintad and his family was among the families that had to be rescued by watercraft which brought out many survivors; and, regrettably, some souls perished. High water levels rose to 15 ft. in the area known as over the bridge on The Grand Lucaya Waterway of East Grand Bahama where he lives.

Outside of parliament on Wednesday, 16th September, Pintard was asked by news reporters his position on the proposed mining of limestone on the old Bahamas Cement site by Bahama Rock that borders Hepburn Town, Eight Mile Rock.
Mr. Pintard, the word Smith, gave an unclear answer that left observers scratching their heads, to put it in polite terms. It was a word salad, on one hand he was for it, and on the other hand, he was against it. He clearly could not choose a side. To be certain, Mr. Pintard and the FNM always when faced with a choice of choosing between the people who elected them and people with big money; the big money people wins.
Sadly, he could not bring himself to a logical conclusion that it was a dangerous thing given his experience to bring that expanse of water into the Eight Mile Rock Community because people are more important than profits and the potential for loss of life was not worth the risk. That should have been the simple answer.

I believe that the oligarchs who own the Free National Movement (FNM)would not have approved such statement, therefore, he had to give a non answer. The oligarchs, in any event, have determined that it is time for him to go. Even though he has proven to be is nothing more than a puppet, on a string doing rich people’s bidding: Consistently choosing the Wrong Side.

Clearly, we have Bahama Rock exercising “classism” on the people of West Grand Bahama. They wrongly calculated that the people of Hepburn Town does not matter calculating that the people of this area cannot afford expensive lawyers. This is the reason they never made good on repairing the homes that were damaged because of the company’s blasting at Freeport Harbor when they widened and made the harbor deeper.

To be clear, Grand Bahama is a flat Island and the digging of an ocean hole in the middle of a population Center is reckless, and pure Madness, even if Pintard and the FNM supports it.

Finally, when the government consultative process is completed, and, if the project is not approved; let us make certain that this company does not steal away abandoning the jurisdiction without living up to its Financial obligations to its employees.

FELIX SANDS

ABAGAIL CARTWRIGHT WRITES FROM DEANS BLUE HOLE

In education, teachers use Bloom’s Taxonomy to assess how deeply students think. At the lower levels are remembering and understanding. At the higher levels are analysing, evaluating and creating. Good teachers do not remain at the bottom—they ask questions that require deeper thought.

Perhaps our politics could use some Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Last week, Opposition Leader Michael Pintard again raised concerns about the National Investment Fund (NIF), describing its handling as “grand fraud.” Minister Michael Halkitis subsequently accounted for $310.9 million in NIF proceeds used for infrastructure, while questions remain about the balance of the approximately $700 million previously identified as transferred to the Fund.

Those questions deserve answers.

Government is accountable to the Bahamian people. Public money requires public accountability, and the Government should provide, in plain English, an itemised accounting of where the money went.

But accountability also requires responsible questioning. The absence of a complete accounting, by itself, does not establish fraud. Allegations of criminal wrongdoing require evidence.

Instead of the Opposition beginning with recklessly accusing the PLP of “fraud,” they should ask the higher-level questions: Why was Island A not selected for airport development or dock upgrades? Why was Island C prioritized over Island D for clinic repairs? What criteria determined which infrastructure projects received funding? How much was allocated to each project? What provisions exist for Island B, which also needs water improvements?
Those questions scrutinise decisions made by the government while giving Bahamians information with which to judge those decisions. The FNM, as the government-in-waiting, must not be seen to be resistant to modernization of critical infrastructure where the Bahamian people benefit.

The PLP was returned to office for a second consecutive term in May. That election result does not exempt the Government from scrutiny, nor does losing prevent the Opposition from providing it.

But opposition should be more than a vocabulary of “crooks,” “thieves,” “lies” and “fraud.”

Bloom’s Taxonomy teaches us that the quality of thinking improves with the quality of the questions.

Perhaps our political discourse should move from lower-level thinking—name-calling, accusations and repetition—to higher-level thinking—analysis, evidence, evaluation and substantive questioning.

To the leaders of the FNM, its advisors, and social media analysts, stop asking questions designed merely to accuse. Start asking questions designed to uncover answers.

-Abigail Cartwright