BahamasUncensored.Com Archive

AND THE WINNER IS...

Even naming the Junkanoo Parade of 2005 after Doyle Burrows, the quintessential Valley Boy and Junkanoo, did not stop the opponents of the Valley Boys who won this years parade from calling foul. A representative for one of the groups that did not win cried foul so to speak, describing the result as a sad day for Junkanoo.

Normally we stay out of this kind of carping, which is a usual part of our cultural life. But when intelligent people start repeating it, it is time for someone to say something about this feature of our culture. If the result was indeed a sad day for Junkanoo then there have been sad days for almost a generation for some one and for some group. We have never seen a situation in all our born days where there is ever acceptance of a Junkanoo result. Every year in one form or fashion, some performer or group says that the judges have cheated.

The Junkanoo Committee, the Ministry for Junkanoo, the Junkanoo Commission is what it’s called now; one time it was the Ministry of Tourism, have all tried every year to deal with this issue of judging Junkanoo. Every year no matter how it is changed; one time they even had the leaders of Junkanoo devise and pick the Judges; still the cry was cheating when one group or other lost. For Lord's sake, Junkanoo winning comes as the subjective judgment of the people that you choose as Judges. No one can say anyone was paid for a particular group to win or lose, so why not have fun and win lose or draw come back for the next year. The carping simply comes off as a bit petty.

The other place you find this sickening carping about judging is the myriad beauty contests that this country has spawned. There is never an occasion when you can simply go to one, have a good time and not have to endure in the result that someone cheated or that the result was somehow stacked in favour of the person who eventually won.

What we think that some of the newer groups are arguing about is the fact there is an inbuilt in bias they claim for the Valley and for the Saxons. They say that the newer groups can’t get a fair break in Junkanoo; that all the Judges think about is the Valley and the Saxons. How does that explain the fourth place for the Saxons this year, or the time when the Valley lost three straight, and everyone said they were finished. Before that it was the Saxons that was finished. News is that Percy Francis may indeed call it quits this year moving onto another phase of his life.

We would like to put in a plug to the Government to make a bequest to Percy Francis and to Winston Cooper, the undoubted kings of Junkanoo for their contribution to the nation, the sum of one quarter of million dollars each as an outright gift to them. That’s our view.

It is a sad day for Junkanoo when ten thousand seats are available to sit and 60,000 people want to come. And of course, we too are part of the culture of complaining, because here we are complaining about the complainers. But if they didn’t complain what would we have to complain about now? The truth is, Junkanoo is great and can’t be stopped no matter how we try.

Perhaps Nicollette Bethel, the Director of Culture might investigate or explain if she knows already what it is in our national culture that produces this kind of sour grapes mentality? No doubt, there will be yet another struggle over the next year to fine tune the judging and next year again; when the result comes it will be a sad day for Junkanoo.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 31st December 2005 up to midnight: 82,670.

Number of hits for the month of December up to Saturday 31st December 2005 at midnight: 335,995.

Number of hits for the year 2005 up to Saturday 31st December 2005 at midnight: 4,074,541.

GRIEVING FOR BIMINI

The year 2005 must go down in Bahamian history as a hell of a year. The year was just barely past its first quarter when suddenly, unexpectedly and a day after the anniversary of his coming to office, the nation’s Prime Minister was sidelined by a transient ischemic attack. That saw an extended, necessary and incredible rebounding but it frightened the country. If that were not enough, a third hurricane struck Grand Bahama in two years, almost the same spot and at the same time as it did the year before last. It caused greater damage to Grand Bahama’s economy than the previous two.

National trauma number two in the year 2005! Nothing, however could have prepared us, (and since death is always amongst us, we wonder why human beings think you can be prepared,) for the death of 11 of our citizens from the small western island of Bimini in a plane crash on Monday 19th December. There was a memorial service held on Wednesday 28th December at the ball field in Bimini with the Prime Minister and Cabinet members present. The Prime Minister gave a moving address in honour of the fallen, recalling the words of one of the victim’s family members who in their unspeakable grief told him: “The Lord never gives you more than you can bear”. We present this photo montage of the week of mourning as we end the year 2005 in The Bahamas. The funerals have started and the last ones should take place next Saturday 7th January 2006. TOP - Dorothea Davis cries as victims' names are read out during the Memorial Service for relatives and family members of deceased from Chalk's flight 101 at Bayfront Park in Bimini on Wednesday, December 28, 2005. RIGHT - Member of Parliament Obie Wilchcombe in sad reflection; Royal Bahama Police render the Last Post. LEFT - Mourners ponder photographs of the deceased. Bahamas Information Services photos: Tim Aylen

TELEPHONE COMPANY’S PRIVATIZATION
    Trinidad and Tobago has seen the boom in oil money before. In the 1970s they were swimming in cash and into the 1980s. But the story is told that in the midst of all their wealth, their telephone system did not work. It was so exasperating that Trinidad and Tobago businessmen used to fly to Barbados to make their long distance calls. Happily those days are behind them but one wonders what the businessmen in The Bahamas would say about the service which they receive from their local telephone company today.
    James Smith, the Minister of State for Finance and the man responsible for the privatization of Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited gave some interesting news to The Tribune published on Friday 30th December. He confirmed that due diligence is still going on, and that it is likely to last until the first quarter of 2006. He said something curious; that there was a setback in terms of the due diligence date and the interested bidder being able to access relevant information and meet with senior management. Does that mean that senior management was refusing to meet with the interested bidders?
    BTC has been in the news for other reasons. There was a report that Michael Symonette, the President of BTC, has run into trouble with its Board of Directors for refusing to carry out an instruction. He is officially suspended until the matter has been investigated, so the press says. There was later a report that he was taking legal action. It is hard to understand why he would want to hold on to the company in the circumstances in which it now is since he would have to tote much of the blame for the way the company actually is. As President of BTC what does he defend?
    You also have a situation where businessmen have been writing to this column. We have ignored much of the more raucous correspondence but they report that if you travel along the airport road in New Providence, for example or if you travel on Shirley Street, or the main Bay Street, your cell phone calls drop out repeatedly. You never know when you are simply talking to yourself. The clarity of the communication link by cell or by line is always uncertain. They claim that sometimes you have to try five or six times before you can make a cell connection. Most people have two phones, one a GSM telephone, which system was supposed to solve the problems of connections but many consider it worse and less reliable than the old system. One thing is that it works only in New Providence and in Grand Bahama, not in the rest of the country. The old system appears to be breaking down slowly. In a word, the service is horrible.
    You try calling the country from overseas some report that sometimes at midday you have to try three or four times before they can get a circuit into the country.   The Minister of State said that BTC's value is eroding on a daily basis as others cut into their revenue. This makes the task of privatization more urgent than ever. Hubert Ingraham’s Government started the wasteful process of privatizing BTC in this way. Why did he think that the Government needed to down size BTC in any special way to so call prepare the company for the private sector instead of simply selling the blessed thing to the Bahamians who run it or by creating a share base like the Bank of The Bahamas and selling it off to the public. The next thing would then be to allow competition. Go to Trinidad and Tobago today and the telephone system is a dream. Perhaps we can dream too.

WE REMEMBER SEAN HANNA
Last week just before we uploaded, there was quick a note that Sean David Hanna, the youngest son of former Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Hanna was found dead on Christmas morning at home. He was said to be forty five years old. Death is not something that anyone can get used to, but in the human imagination and systems of belief it is particularly striking and awful on Christmas Day. That is a day to celebrate life. Mr. Hanna was the backbone of his father’s legacy as a lawyer, running the family law firm and was a leader in the Bahamian cultural community. We would wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to his parents and to his family and we mention in particular his sister Glenys Hanna Martin who is one of the leaders of the Progressive Liberal Party as a Minister of the Government. Funeral services have not yet been announced.

AIRPORT RADAR FAULT
    The newspapers talked of chaos last weekend, the Christmas weekend, at the Nassau International Airport. When is there not chaos at that airport? It is a national disgrace; everyone says so but the road to fixing it is of course underway. The situation last week lends itself to some investigation. The Air Traffic Controller’s Union, the one union that really supports the Government called for such an investigation. It is their view that maybe; just maybe there was some deliberate negligence on the part of the leadership at the Department of Civil Aviation that could have avoided all of the confusion. The radar went down, and no one is quite sure whether the part could have been ordered before, whether or not the leadership at the Civil Aviation dragged their feet in flying in the part, whether the alternative newer system could have been used.
    The situation got worse when it is reported that the key for the fuel depot could not be found and so many planes had to wait for several hours before the flights could be fuelled up. Of course, we can have an investigation but no one at Civil Aviation is really concerned about any investigation. Even if the findings are damning to them, there are no consequences to pay for action or inaction, so the management team can safely ignore any threat of investigation.
    Another part of our culture in addition to carping and complaining about losing at Junkanoo (see Comment of the Week) is dithering. We can see that a solution as evident, we know what we have to do but rather than do it we like to dither. No use trying to blame just the public sector. It’s in the private sector as well. There is a national culture of dithering. An investigation would be fine but the best news probably is that the management contract for the airport is about to be signed. The Tribune reports that the private sector is saying they expect a deal within two weeks. Maybe, mercifully we will then have an airport and system of delivery of services that works and we will not be embarrassed yet another Christmas. Notice of course that the Opposition has to be silent on this one. They used up all the surpluses of the 1990s and did not invest in necessary infrastructure. It is the PLP who now has to figure out and straighten out the mess.

HAPPY! HAPPY! JUNKANOO

This year’s Boxing Day parade was named in honour of Doyle Burrows. He must have been a happy man, having been a Junkanoo since he was ten years old. Mr. Burrows has been a backbone of the Valley Boys Junkanoo group since 1958. He must have been pleased that the Valley won the first prize on Boxing Day 2005, his parade. We present two photographic perspectives of Junkanoo 2005 from Bahamas Information Services Tim Aylen, who contributed the lead photo at top left; and Peter Ramsay, who contributed the lead photo at bottom right. We hope you enjoy the images.

TOMMY IS WHOSE MAN OF THE YEAR? & Other Foolishness
Mr. Laing’s Words
Zhivargo Laing obviously had nothing to write about in his column of Thursday 29th December. He claims that Tommy Turnquest is his Man of the Year for being a statesman and taking all the criticism and being a decent individual in the process of being trumped, fooled and discarded by Hubert Ingraham and his machine. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! The point is; he is not the leader today. History does not have much room for also rans. We hope that Tommy Turnquest does not sleep on Zhivargo Laing. He is quite firmly in the Ingraham camp and the words in his column are only blandishments meant to lull Mr. Turnquest to sleep. Sleep on at your peril Tommy.

Brian Moree Confounds Again
The same Brian Moree who spoke all the anti Caribbean invective during the Caricom Single Market and Economy debate during the year 2005 was at it again. This time he was preaching that we have to be careful not to be perceived to be anti foreign in our national debate about getting rid of illegal migrants. Blow us down. This is the same man who was saying let’s not have anything to do with those Caribbean people coming to The Bahamas during last year’s debate. The implication clearly was that something was wrong with Caribbean people despite the fact that he has a number of them working for him at his law firm. We ask now what was asked then: what is there that is wrong with Caribbean people? Could it perhaps be how they look? You know? Well no, we won’t say it!

Bahamasair
Saturday 31st December was the last day of the year but it didn’t stop The Tribune from writing foolishness. The Tribune claims in a headline story that it was a shocker to discover that a Bahamasair jet has reached the end of its useful life and is being sold. They claim this is to save the other jets on the run. Why it should be a shock is anyone's guess and maybe The Tribune should explain. The fact is that Minister for Bahamasair Bradley Roberts indicated last year in a comprehensive address to the House of Assembly just before the newly purchased jets came into service how the older jets would come to the end of their useful life; that they had so many cycles left in them before they had to end their service. No shock to us, just to The Tribune. But you know a lie told to unsuspecting readers goes a long way.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Public Service in Action
    I am very disappointed at the Lucaya Service Company who collects service fees for a parcel of property I own in the Barbary Beach area.
    I visited that beach a week ago with some out-of-towners and one can only imagine the horror I felt as I drove along the unkempt road and area in general. Is this not a part of the ‘Port’ area? Why isn’t this section being maintained?
    I would also like to see the owner of the dilapidated ‘Blair House’ be forced to tear down that old structure as the owner of the King’s Inn Staff Quarters was made to do so earlier this year.
    I would like for the Controller of Road Traffic to please put his foot down (here on the island of Grand Bahama) and request that the ‘City Manager’ cease the construction and installation of those concrete boundaries that line many of the roadway here in Freeport. They are a nuisance and will do more harm to the motoring public than good. Yes, where there are flooding problems please install them, otherwise they impede traffic, especially if an Ambulance or Fire Engine is in transit, the motorist cannot pull along the easement.
    I also call upon Mr. Jack Thompson to please visit Grand Bahama and look at the round about in the front of Kelly’s and the Worker’s House building and the junction at the end of Yellow Pine Street. This roadway has always been a problem and still is especially the double concrete boundaries recently installed by the City Management Team. Enough with the boundaries.
    I Wish All a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New 2006.
Jasmine Smith
P.S.
I Love Your Site. Keep up the excellent work.

Not a few hours later, Ms. Smith wrote again to say:
I wrote you a bit of correspondence today and was so outraged by the boundaries on the roadways in Freeport City Proper that I decided to write the Controller of Road Traffic, Mr. Jack Thompson regarding this vexing situation. To my surprise he replied today… If all Civil Servants were this proactive and progressive, oh what a wonderful Bahamas this would be.

Mr. Thompson’s letter, which we cannot share since it was not sent to us by him, responded in a prompt, professional and helpful manner and was in every way exemplary of what should be done by a Public Service in the service of the public. - Ed.

THIS WEEK WITH THE PM

The Prime Minister Perry Christie travelled again to the island of Bimini this past week for a national service of mourning to grieve the loss of 11 Bahamians aboard Chalk's crashed flight from Miami 19th December, 2005. Mr. Christie is show against a backdrop of national clergy members who also travelled for the service. BIS / Tim Aylen

Photographers jostle for an opportunity during the annual Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade as Prime Minister Christie shares a greeting with a passing Junkanoo. BIS / Peter Ramsay

Cabinet Ministers and other onlookers are enthralled as legendary Junkanoo Winston 'Gus' Cooper dances before his former Junkanoo colleague Prime Minister Perry Christie during the Boxing Day Junkanoo Parades. BIS / Peter Ramsay

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

BELOVED GEORGE MACKEY

When the history of this country from here on in is written the name George Mackey should be written all over it. Mr. Mackey, a former Member of Parliament, and a former Minister of Housing and National Insurance, died at Doctors Hospital in Nassau at the age of 67 on the day after New Year’s, following a two year battle with prostate cancer. It was stunning for his family, and for his former constituents. The whole of Fox Hill was plunged into mourning.

With Mr. Mackey at the time of his death were his family members, some friends from Fox Hill and his church of St. Anne and the now representative for the area Fred Mitchell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and The Public Service. An era has come to an end.

The Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese Drexel Gomez visited Fox Hill on Thursday 5th January for the memorial service for George Mackey at the St. Paul’s Baptist Church and he quoted the bible: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” He said that it was clear as in the case of Nazareth, that the answer was a resounding yes for Fox Hill. George Mackey was that good thing that came out of Fox Hill.

Mr. Mackey was born in the Village on 19th January 1938. Six years later his mother died, so he hardly knew her. His father raised him until he was 14 and then he too died. Young George had to leave school at 14 and go to work. On that 8th grade education he took himself up to the highest offices in the land. He was a good writer. He was well spoken. He was a hard worker. He was well respected, and he had a vision for the Village of Fox Hill to transcend its image in the minds and eyes of the people of The Bahamas. Quite simply, he put Fox Hill on the map.

Eric Wilmott, a life long friend of Mr. Mackey spoke about the fact that when he and Mr. Mackey were children, people had a negative image of Fox Hill. He said that George was determined to turn that image around. When he became the representative for the area he determined to work toward that end. He formed the Fox Hill Community Development Association, and that Association transformed Fox Hill with the use of Government resources. There is now a government complex including the school, the post office and the clinic. The parks at Fox Hill were developed during his time. The Fox Hill Parade was properly walled and manicured. The Freedom Park started by his predecessor Carlton Francis on an old Fox Hill burial ground was transformed into a proper park. Some have said that the parade ought to be renamed after George Mackey.

Fox Hill is one of the last remaining African villages in New Providence, Gambier and Adelaide being the other two.

As a PLP, he became Chairman of the dominant political party in the country and served also as its Convention Chairman 21 times including its last convention, even though he was in his hospital bed. He was considered the party’s historian and was responsible for making the now Sir Lynden Pindling centre the repository of the party’s physical records of its contribution to The Bahamas. He will be sorely missed by the PLP.

Mr. Mackey has been praised for his selfless service to the country. He was not only a great leader in politics but he was big in the Anglican Church where he was catechist at Anne’s. He transformed The Bahamas Baseball Association, and the Bahamas Pool Federation. He worked to bring the PLP back to power and the Prime Minister in his official statement said that Mr. Mackey’s personal service to him in bringing the PLP back to office was invaluable.

Following the PLP’s victory in 2002, George Mackey was called upon to become executive chairman of the Museum, Antiquities, Monuments and Corporation. In that job he plunged into the redevelopment of the Forts built in New Providence in the 18th century and most importantly working with former Leader of the Opposition Norman Solomon in the redevelopment of Nassau.

Fred Mitchell, the now MP of Fox Hill told how Mr. Mackey was responsible for causing him to get the nomination for Fox Hill from the PLP and for transferring to him all of his election machinery and support.

The country is once again in a period of official mourning with flags flying at half-mast throughout the country until the close of business on Thursday 12th January when the funeral takes place at Christ Church Cathedral in Nassau. Following the funeral, there will be a convoy up to the Fox Hill Parade. From the parade a police honour guard will march George Mackey to the St. Anne’s Cemetery where he will take his rest.

Sleep on great one in a well deserved rest. We will carry on and we will remember you always.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 7th January 2006 at midnight: 87,023.

Number of hits for the month of January up to Saturday 7th January 2006 at midnight: 87,023.

Number of hits for the year 2006 up to Saturday 7th January 2006 at midnight: 87,023.

ISSUES AT WATER AND SEWERAGE

    How does a General Manager who attacks the Chairman of a Corporation expect to survive for long in that job? If it were in the private sector the answer would be clear, the General Manager would have lost his job forthwith. Only in the Bahamian public sector with the permissive atmosphere that appears to the general public to exist, can public servants seem to do anything and say anything including attacking Ministers of the Government, undermining the Government’s policies and absolutely nothing is done about it. Such is the kind of background to a remarkable set of events that unfolded over the past week, and that has been brewing behind the scene for months.
    Don Demeritte is the Chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation. Abraham Butler (pictured) is the General Manager. He served before that as Chairman. Mr. Butler does not like the way that Mr. Demeritte has been running the Corporation. The matter became a public issue when the General Manager called a press conference on Friday 6th January and lambasted the Chairman saying that he could no longer be trusted, that he had interfered with the day to day running of the Corporation, that he does not understand what his role is as a statutory Chairman of a corporation. Mr. Butler accuses the Chairman of threatening and intimidating the staff, backdoor negotiations with the union, disrespect for Board minutes and of causing delays in the Reverse Osmosis plant proposed at Arawak Cay that is supposed to ease the water woes of New Providence. Mr. Butler said that this highlights the character and deceitful intent of Chairman Demeritte. “The present issues are a result of abuse of power, personal agenda and a gross lack of proper corporate governance by Chairman Demeritte...”
    Two members of the Board walked out of the press conference that Mr. Butler was holding. As for Mr. Demeritte, he did not keep his counsel but instead responded to the press it appears in kind. He told the Nassau Guardian on the same day Friday 6th January that he was not going to sit down and keep his mouth shut while “that person incorrectly and I say maliciously not only attacks Donald Demeritte but also attacks my Board members.” He said of Mr. Butler: “We all have bosses. Unfortunately for him, his boss happens to be myself and the Board and I am a fair person.”
    Now to the public this looks like a mess, and it will not be long before the Opposition forces start putting all the dots together, and linking this with other issues where Chairmen were at odds with Ministers or there are internal breakdowns inside organizations.
    In the defence of the political directorate, it is clear though that there is something afoot in the public sector. As the elections get closer, there appears to some to be a deliberate effort of refusing to carry out legitimate instructions by those who work as public servants, creating crisis after crisis in the hope that the policies that are being implemented are stalled so that the FNM can come to power and put an end to what the PLP is trying to build. Only the PLP can put a stop to it. Yes it is quite disgraceful for this kind of public row to go on, but it is only possible because there has never been demonstrated to the country, to public servants who is in charge of the country. The atmosphere is permissive, anything goes; there are no consequences. That’s all we have to say. Bahama Journal photo of Abraham Butler

THE COURT OF APPEAL’S OPENING

    Dame Joan Sawyer has implemented something which is quite strange for The Bahamas in her capacity as the President of the Court of Appeal. She now has an official opening for the start of the legal year for the Court of Appeal. This ceremony takes place before the real start of the legal year. There is of course only one official year and that is the legal year which is implemented with the ceremonies of the Supreme Court and by the Chief Justice who is considered the Head of the Judiciary in The Bahamas. Nevertheless for a few years running now, there has been this opening of the Court of Appeal.
    If you read the press notes about the opening which took place on Wednesday 5th January (the official legal year begins on Wednesday 11th January), you would think that the Court of Appeal is the very model of efficiency and good practice. So many cases were disposed of, and then there is the change in the rules to make the Court more efficient, and then there is the access open line, and the new web site. All on the face of it makes the Court better. The problem we have is does this serve the ends of justice?
    There are still reports of how lawyers and litigants are actually badly treated in the Court itself. This does not lend itself to the ends of justice. Justice must not only be done. It must be seen to be done. Of course, this week was a time for showing off since there was a foreign law lord from the Privy Council in town. Lord Scott of Foscote speaks at the opening of the Court of Appeal as Dame Joan Sawyer, President of the Court of Appeal, looks on. BIS Photo: Tim Aylen

THE CHALK VICTIM’S FAMILIES TO SUE

Every day in the newspapers of The Bahamas there is now one report or the other about Chalk’s Airways and what is going to happen to it. Some facts are already in the public domain. A crash happened on 19th December in Miami Harbour. The right wing of the aircraft fell off. All of the passengers on board were killed. Eleven were Bahamian. The funerals have all been completed. But despite the advice of the Government to be careful in getting in bed with lawyers, the pressures have been enormous. Families have already signed up with lawyers, and it is not clear that there is even a need to do so. Most of these matters will be settled without recourse to lawyers. The U.S. being a contingency fee jurisdiction is another matter. The question is what will the victims’ families actually end up with once the fees are taken out, fifty per cent, sixty per cent? But the pitches are being made to the families, and in the face of grief, few will be able to withstand the pressure and will sign on to the various lawyers who are all saying I can get it done for you, sign here. Perhaps the Government’s lawyers should issue some general guidelines to families on how they ought to approach dealing with lawyers from the United States on this matter.

THE HAPPY NEW YEAR’S JUNKANOO

The New Year’s Junkanoo is usually much more sedate than the Junkanoo of Boxing Day. After all on Boxing Day, they have all year to prepare. New Year’s Day, they only have one week to prepare. But that does not seem to make a difference to the happiness of the occasion and the spunk which is shown. The Valley Boys came first. The Saxons came fourth again. Never mind, try again next year. Valley Boy at New Year's Day Junkanoo Tim Aylen / Bahamas Information Services

GILBERT MORRIS ON OUR ECONOMY

    The Bahamas suffers in our view from the lack of sensible commentary from figures who are not politicians, who have no political ambitions or agenda on matters of public interest. The Civil Society groups simply seem to be interested in jumping on one political cause or another, with each trying to vie for popularity and headlines instead of sensible, objective commentary. It is rare that you see something worth repeating in that way.
    This week, we saw reports of an address by Gilbert Morris who runs a consultancy service called the Landfall Centre. It was one of those rare finds. There was a description of the economy which we thought was interesting. He argues in part that the GDP of the country is overstated; others have argued that it is understated. He argues that if the illegality and corruption were eliminated from the Bahamian economy, that there would be a serious economic problem ensuing. Of course, this column has been arguing for years about the dearth of statistical information on this country and the lack of resources to support proper statistical collection.
    You may agree or disagree with what is advanced by Gilbert Morris but we thought that his argument was worth having a look at. We would be interested in your responses. You may click here for the full text.

SOME SHOPS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS
It is interesting always to shop and compare. One example is that of the quality and types of foods that are available depending on what store you go to, in New Providence at least. You know that the Ministry of Health has what it calls a healthy lifestyles initiative. It is largely an initiative on paper and it does not seem to be anywhere near influencing the numbers of obese people, particularly women that we have in the country, and the kind of foods that actually make up the national diet. But to its credit the Ministry is actually giving it a good try. The food stores need to cooperate though.
There need to be the healthy foods available wherever you shop. But if you go to the East Bay Street Harbour Bay which serves a fairly upscale clientele, you will find that you can get no cholesterol no salt potato chips. Not so at the Village Road food store, which does not serve the same clientele. At Harbour Bay you can find one hundred per cent fat free, one hundred per cent lactose free milk. Not so in Village Road. You can find organically grown eggs at the Harbour Bay store but not at the Village Road store. These are just three examples. There are probably more but is this something that the food stores should address. Their argument probably is that there is no demand for it at Village Road where poorer people shop in larger numbers. Well, that’s where the Ministry comes in, to promote demand for healthier food, for healthier lifestyles amongst all.

ANNIE RUSSELL DIES
She was known in her lifetime as the pioneer of pre schools in The Bahamas. At one time and in a particular generation, anyone who was anybody sent their children to Annie Russell’s preschool. She took them as early as six months and kept them until they were five. They did pretty well considering. Some of them were Senator Tommy Turnquest, former Minister of the Government Dion Foulkes, Senator Michelle Pindling Sands, Mark and Ray Finlayson, sons of tycoon Garret ‘Tiger’ Finlayson, and Dr. Ernie Sands, heart surgeon.
Mrs. Russell's daughter Brenda Russell was quoted in the press saying that her mother suffered from diabetes and that ultimately caused her demise at the Princess Margaret Hospital on Wednesday 4th January. She was 78 years old. In addition to her daughter Brenda, she is survived by her sons Colin Tatem, Larry Russell, Dr. Barry Russell, Lyndon Russell and Anthony Robinson. The other daughters are Beverley Lockhart, Barbara Mullings, Margaret Tatem-Gilbert, Joan Warren and Jay Jones-Mills. Mrs. Russell was recently honoured by Her Majesty the Queen in the honours list during the last investiture by Dame Ivy Dumont.

SEAN HANNA BURIED

It must be one of the most painful events in the life of a parent, to bury a child. Arthur Hanna, usually jovial and stoic, was clearly and visibly shaken by the passing of his youngest son Sean. The younger Mr. Hanna died on Christmas day at the age of 45. He was lauded by the Prime Minister for his strong beliefs and by the cultural community for his contribution to them. The Governor General and Prime Minister both attended the funeral, together with a number of Cabinet Ministers. Mr. Hanna senior served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Government from 1967 to 1984, and in the Parliament from 1960 to 1992. Photo: Peter Ramsay

THIS WEEK WITH THE PM

FAREWELL TO SOUTH AFRICAN AMBASSADOR - Among Prime Minister Christie's courtesy calls this past week was a farewell visit from non-resident South African Ambassador Chileza and his wife. Ambassador Chileza is being reassigned as his country's ambassador to Uganda. He last visited Freeport, Grand Bahama in The Bahamas to replant a tree downed by one of the hurricanes which struck that island. The tree was first planted by South African President Mbeki during a visit to The Bahamas three years ago.

Saturday evening, the Prime Minister took a short time to visit the 7th annual Judicature Gala Ball at the Sandals Royal Bahamian hotel. He is pictured with Dame Joan Sawyer, President of the Court of Appeal.

Among the saddest duties of the nation's chief executive is to mourn with families at times of loss. Photographer Peter Ramsay captures the Christie family sharing such a burden this past week.

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

FNM REVISIONISM IN EXUMA
Hubert Ingraham’s ill fated comeback made another halting step when he turned up in Exuma on Friday 13th January to hold the rally that had been cancelled just before Christmas because of lack of interest and lack of money. Mr. Ingraham is finding out that a comeback isn’t as easy as it seems. Inside his party, he has those who are loyal to the former leader Senator Tommy Turnquest who are laying one trap after another to stop him from getting ahead. This is particularly since he so savaged Senator Turnquest, and since coming back to the leadership of the Free National Movement, he has made it plain to all the persons that Tommy Turnquest supported that he is not going to support them.

That is his problem in Exuma. One young man has spent much of his energy and considerable influence in Exuma to try to get the nomination for the seat after the defeat in 2002. He would have the support of young FNMs in the constituency. But Mr. Ingraham has made it plain that because he is perceived as a Tommy Turnquest supporter there is no room in the inn for him.

The address of Hubert Ingraham at the rally was an exercise in revisionism. He did not promise anything new for Exuma. He did not say what the FNM will do for Exuma. What he said was what the FNM did for Exuma. He took credit for the fact there are banks coming to Exuma. He said it was because of the Four Seasons investment which he approved that the banks are coming to Exuma. He said that banks follow the money, and the FNM caused it. What he did not say is that the nightmare of the lack of infrastructure in Exuma can all be laid at his feet. He did not plan. There was no urban use plan. He did not think ahead. The whole thing just sprang up like topsy.

Of course, the biggest laugh of the night was his calling for the Government to provide cable television for the Forest. Mr. Ingraham ought to know better. He knows that he has more influence over Cable Bahamas than any other single Bahamian, and we won't say why. But he must come clean. First, it was a bad decision by his Government to give the cable licence to Cable Bahamas. No one is pleased with the service that they offer, and the present Government should remove the monopoly that they have for cable television at the earliest possible legal time. Secondly, the agreement that Mr. Ingraham's government negotiated with Cable Bahamas was such a good deal for Cable Bahamas, it has caused people to wonder what they had on him. They have been able to interpret the licence in such a broad fashion in that large swaths of the country have been left out of the service but they appear to have legally complied with the terms of the licence to provide service throughout the country. Cable must come to the Forest because they voted PLP; there is no doubt about it. But because Mr. Ingraham has such influence on Cable Bahamas, could that be the reason why this PLP settlement can’t get the cable?

On another front, Hubert Ingraham is now trying to put on the persona of the humble man. He has now taken to driving his own car (don’t worry, the two police body guards are right behind him in the police car). He was even seen buying lumber in the lumber store over the holidays, by himself. It does not look right for a former Prime Minister. He cuts a lonely and desolate figure in public.

In the House of Assembly on Wednesday 11th January during the tributes for George Mackey, he said not a word. Hardly stayed in the chamber at all. This is all part of the effort to fool the public that his ways have changed.

But as sure as night follows day, the mean, nasty streak will come out. He said at his rally in Exuma that he spoke to the PLP's representative Anthony Moss and told him, that he meant Mr. Moss no harm but that he would be a one term MP. There is a phrase that we all know: dig one grave; dig two. One must be extremely careful how one predicts what is going to happen in the future.

To be sure the General Election is the PLP’s to lose. We know what the themes of the election will be. It is time for the PLP to start actively planning for the elections. Elections should be held in November 2006. We ought to put the uncertainty of who is going to govern the country for the next five years behind us this year, so that the work of the party can go on.

There is a saying used by the Member of Parliament for Fox Hill recently when address in the House of Assembly. It comes from Patrice Lumumba, the dead African patriot from the Congo: “Forward ever! Backward never!” Never let us return to the harsh, nasty policies, the revisionism, the uncle tomism of Hubert Ingraham.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 14th January 2006 at midnight: 90,291.

Number of hits for the month of January up to Saturday 14th January 2006 at midnight: 177,314.

Number of hits for the year 2006 up to Saturday 14th January at midnight: 177,314.

NATIONAL TOURISM CONFERENCE

    Obie Wilchcombe, the Minister of Tourism, came fully into his own this week in the job of Minister of Tourism as he hosted the National Tourism Conference this year. It appears that he has had the confidence of the Prime Minister to reshape tourism in his image and that image has proved to be acceptable to the public. It is a rare favour for a Minister to get that chance.
    The public face of tourism more than anyone else has now become Vernice Walkine. It was the Minister’s choice to have her succeed the brilliant Vincent Vanderpool Wallace, an eclectic genius type with flashes of brilliance of design and philosophy. Ms. Walkine brings another kind of competence to the issues. She is a quiet and confident technocrat, who calmly told the Bahamian people that which we have already known but in not so dulcet a tone. The place is filthy.
    The visitor here has some real issues that need to be addressed. We need to address ourselves on so many issues related to our product: our heritage, our education for the industry, the security of the visitors, the state of the airport, our pricing. It was all done in good taste, and the Tourism Ministry would do well to replicate the presentation in many different forums. It is a message that needs to be heard again and again.
    Perhaps because tourism has the marketing savvy available to it, and does not have the bureaucratic gauntlet to run in order to get their decisions carried out, they can influence the Bahamian public in a way that no other Ministry has thus far been able to do. The Ministry is associated with outside talent, American like expertise, and though largely home grown, it has this non Bahamian aura which wows Bahamians in so many ways. It is a curious thing to say and not meant to denigrate in anyway but the fact is that part of the tourism success is precisely that.
    Our point is that we want things to work, and the national tourism conference seemed a smashing success. We hope that their success continues. The conference began on Monday 9th January and ended on Friday 13th January. Congratulations to them all! Minister Obie Wilchcombe - file photo

HOW DID FUHRMANN, THE FOOLISH GET IN?

    It is an offence in The Bahamas to disturb a divine worship service. On Wednesday 11th January the legal year began officially in The Bahamas with a church service at the Christ Church Cathedral. Representing the Government at the service was Alfred Sears, the Attorney General. As the Attorney General was settling down for the service in came a grotesque looking man, inappropriately dressed and with an ugly grimace and countenance, who managed to get right up to the AG's pew, and sit down beside him with a package to hand to him that could have been a bomb.
    It took several minutes before the police came, scrambling to detain the man, and escort him out of the church. He was detained and charges were filed. What is interesting about this is that on the ZNS newscast that followed that evening, it was Mr. Fuhrmann who was the star attraction complete with an interview about how he was trying to bring some sour lemons to the Attorney General because he could not find justice from one Bahamian lawyer out of the hundreds on the rolls. He argued that it was typical of The Bahamas that he was made the culprit in the matter by being escorted out of the service and arrested rather than dealing with the matter of the injustices from Bahamian lawyers.
    Mr. Fuhrmann has been leading a one man campaign against The Bahamas on the internet. That has not worked. He has become ever more desperate. To tell you the truth, we have no idea why he is still in The Bahamas if it is so bad. He needs not only to be escorted out of the Christ Church Cathedral but also out of The Bahamas.
    The more shocking issue is of course the terrible breach of security at the service. What are ordinary citizens to think in the week when the police force was busy touting how well they have done over the past year, and they could not stop actions like those of a nutter from disturbing a divine worship service. You know of course if his race had been different we would have been writing something different today. The man would have been sitting in jail with a long prison term. As it turns out he was charged with an offence of creating a disturbance, was fined $50 and was out after 48 hours.
    Mr. Fuhrmann was most recently quoted in The Tribune on Saturday 14th January as saying that he is now going on a campaign at the inhumane conditions in Bahamian lock ups. We ask again, what is he still doing in this country? Bahamas Information Services photo: Tim Aylen

CENTRAL BANK RELAXES EXCHANGE CONTROL
    James Smith, the Minister of State for Finance and Wendy Craig, the Governor of the Central Bank have both announced the liberalization of Exchange Control mechanisms on the capital account. The Bank has for sometime been in compliance with the International Monetary Fund’s mandate to liberalize exchange control on the current account. What is the difference between the two? Well, for all intents and purposes exchange control for paying small bills, and getting purchases for education and travel require only administrative approval. There is no waiting period and you simply fill out some minor though inconvenient paper work and you are on your way with your exchange control. Not so if you wish to purchase a home overseas, buy stocks overseas or invest in a project overseas. The former is the current side, the latter capital side.
    In order to get monies for the capital side there is a premium charged on obtaining those dollars which was some 25 per cent on top of the normal exchange value. This made it prohibitive to do so and was an “incentive” for people to keep the foreign exchange at home. The policy has long outlived its usefulness, with lots of money in The Bahamas but no sensible investments to put the money in that would give better returns than the mortgages and government stock that most people put their money into to. The policy is widely violated since everything can be purchased by credit card and those transactions are considered current account transactions. Others simply take the U.S. cash out and spend it.
    It now seems that it will be possible to invest overseas if the Bank follows through on what it now says it will allow at a cheaper cost. The National Insurance Board will be allowed to invest up to 25 million dollars per year in foreign securities. Investment in overseas real property has become less expensive with the cost being reduced from 25 per cent (bid) and 20 per cent (offer) to 12.5 per cent and 10 per cent respectively. This is some improvement but does not go far enough. It should be removed altogether.
    Bahamians will now be able to invest in timeshare properties abroad up to $25,000 per family per year. The investment limit on employee stock options has been increased from $10,000 to $25,000 per year. Bahamian residents who move abroad can now transfer out of The Bahamas $250,000 per family instead of $125,000 per family. On the issue of consumer loans, permanent and temporary residents are now permitted to borrow up to $50,000. This is up from $15,000 for the purchase of vehicles and $6,000 for local expenses. Bahamian companies listed on BISX may now be cross listed on principal Caricom exchanges.
    We congratulate the Bank and the Government on this move. However, we think it is not far enough. It is keeping the existing problematic and irritating application process, just allowing greater levels. What is needed is to scrap it altogether. You may click here for the Minister’s full statement.

THE TEACHERS PRESENT THEIR PROPOSALS
    A teacher writing to the press this week argues quite persuasively that the teachers are misunderstood and that they are unappreciated in The Bahamas. We agree. (You may click here for the letter) We believe that something must be done about it. The problem at the moment however is what in the face of limited resources does one do about it?
    It is in fact disgraceful that a teacher with a Ph D is started at a salary of $25,100 per year. Disgraceful indeed! There needs to be a concerted effort to address this but the question we ask is whether or not the present leadership of The Bahamas Union of Teachers is really going about this in the right way. Their way has always been confrontational. It appears that there is a deliberate effort to repudiate everything that Kingsley Black, their former Union president, did as too soft and not hard enough on the Government. But as Kingsley Black tried to tell them during his time, the era of the confrontation is over and can only be counter productive.
    The teacher’s union finally presented their proposals to the Government Monday 9th January. There was no public detail about their proposals but if they match up with what was published before in the press, they are looking for a four thousand dollar lump sum payment and fifteen per cent raise across the broad in three years. This cannot be done, and would unduly burden the country. True to their style, the teacher’s union leadership told the country that if the Government does not respond in 7 days, they will be taking action. If their past actions are anything to go by, that means that they will be leading walkouts and sickouts in short order. They have enough of a minority to be able to disrupt the school system. They cannot then complain later on when young men and women who can’t read and write come bashing us all over the head and stealing our eye balls out in later life, when their disruption of the school system may have fed that inability to cope.
    We believe that the teacher’s union leadership ought to act cautiously. They ought to guard against the dangerous situation of getting too far ahead of their constituency. The letter writer’s views show that there is substantial body of teachers; we would think most teachers, who are reasonable and moderate, and only want to get on with teaching and making sure that the next generation is adequately prepared. They are not interested in creating disruption and dislocation in the system. They want and need their money that was turned down by their leadership before Christmas. That is what Ida Poitier President and Belinda Wilson, Secretary General should be doing. They should concentrate on a moderate reasonable and quick settlement, not threatening to disrupt the schools.

GEORGE MACKEY IS BURIED

George Mackey, the former MP for Fox Hill and the former Minister of Housing and National Insurance was laid to rest in the cemetery of St. Anne’s Church following an official funeral at the Christ Church Cathedral on Thursday 12th January. The Governor General Paul Adderley led the official service. The Prime Minister led the mourners at the grave side. Mr. Christie paid tribute to George Mackey whom he said was larger in death than he was in life.
Mr. Mackey brought tributes from all sides of the political divide. Bahamas Information Services' Peter Ramsay attended and shot this essay.

ANOTHER TRAGEDY IN BIMINI

    In the early hours of Friday 13th January 2006, the Compleat Angler, a Bimini landmark burned flat to the ground. The Compleat Angler was the hang out of Ernest Hemingway when he came to Bimini to fish in the 1920s and 1930s. Some believe that the character from his novel The Old Man and The Sea was based on a man from Bimini. The hotel was a tourist landmark, owned by the family of the late Harcourt Brown. Inside the Compleat Angler was a museum dedicated to Hemingway, with photographs and personal statements and books about his life and times. That has all gone up in smoke.
    There is some suggestion that in addition to this being a serious blow to the tourist sector in Bimini; it may also be a tragedy for the Brown family as well. All of the Brown sons have died in tragic ways, and the last son Julian Brown, who in his high school days in Nassau was a well known track and field athlete, may be the final tragedy. The lone hotel guest who was at the property said that the last that he saw of Mr. Brown was when he had warned him that there was no point in trying to put out the fire, it was beyond the ability of the two of them to put out the fire. Mr. Brown has not been seen since. It is feared that he may have perished in the fire.
    The Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe flew to Bimini to stand with his constituents in this another hour of sorrow. He was joined by Fred Mitchell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Bimini has suffered over the past two months. On 19th December, 11 Bimini souls perished in that horrible plane crash in Miami as Chalk’s Airline plunged into the sea at 140 miles per hour. The last of the funerals took place last Saturday 7th January. Just when people were seeking to come to grips with that, comes this disastrous fire. But all must resist the temptation to see any conspiracy or spookiness in this. These things happen and that is all you can say. Job said it another way: “the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh way. Blessed be the name of the Lord!” Ministers Mitchell (in cap) and Wilchcombe with Inspector Floyd Bastian (Officer in Charge of the Northern Bahamas Fire Branch, and Sgt. Brian Ferguson (Bimini Police) at the site of the razed Compleat Angler Hotel 15 January 2006 - BIS photo: Raymond Kongwa

BAHAMASAIR LOSES A GM
Paul Major has resigned as General Manager of Bahamasair. There was no explanation given for the resignation. Henry Wood, the Deputy General Manager was appointed by the Board as Acting General Manager. The appointment immediately drew a rebuke from Lester Turnquest, the former FNM Member of Parliament, recalling the adverse findings of the FNM inspired Commission of Inquiry on Bahamasair. Bradley Roberts, the Minister responsible for Bahamasair, was incensed and in a press statement reminded Mr. Turnquest that it was the FNM that brought Mr. Woods back to Bahamasair, even with the adverse findings of their own commission. The Bahama Journal reported the resignation on Thursday 12th January.

MORE ON WATER AND SEWERAGE
A letter writer to this column took issue with last week’s story on the Water and Sewerage Corporation and the inappropriate conduct in public. Sometimes there is a greater good by releasing private information into a public forum. The question is always when is that in the best interest of the organization that you work for? Sometimes the effect of that action is not to bring clarity to the situation at all but to further muddy the water.
The public has no clarity about this issue. The public simply sees two grown men, who in their view ought to know better, rowing in public and that the Government needs to move both of them or be moved themselves. Keeping one’s counsel in these circumstances is particularly important in this situation where neither executive has a friend in the FNM’s camp. The Opposition is just waiting to pounce and destroy both. That is where we are at. This week, an unnamed source at The Tribune published a story in which it said that the Government plans to do just that move both parties onto other assignments.

MAJORITY RULE WREATH

Crowds of Bahamians gathered at St. Agnes Anglican Church early Tuesday morning to mark the anniversary of Majority Rule in The Bahamas. Thirty nine years ago, on 10th January, 1967 the Progressive Liberal Party under Lynden Pindling became the first Government of The Bahamas representative of the majority population in the country. Ministers of Government, party supporters and many ordinary Bahamians were joined by Marguerite, Lady Pindling at the commemorative service, where Anglican Suffragan Bishop Gilbert Thompson delivered the homily. Afterward, many of the congregation accompanied Lady Pindling to the mausoleum of Sir Lynden where she laid a wreath in his honour. The group, along with scores of well-wishers and onlookers, also visited Rawson Square and the bust of the country's first Governor-General, Sir Milo Butler for the laying of a wreath in his honour. Lady Pindling is shown laying the wreath with Rev. Fr. Rodney Burrows at left and Ministers Bradley Roberts, Vincent Peet, Obie Wilchcombe and Fred Mitchell at centre. Partially hidden from view directly behind the wreath is Suffragan Bishop Gilbert Thompson. BIS photo: Peter Ramsay

THIS WEEK WITH THE PM

FUNERAL MARCH - Prime Minister Christie marched the last mile with former Fox Hill MP and former PLP Chairman George Mackey through Fox Hill Village to the cemetery of St. Anne's Anglican's Church. In his eulogy, Mr. Christie called Mr. Mackey "a great champion".

IN THE CHURCH - Prime Minister and Mrs. Christie arrive at Christ Church Cathedral for the official funeral of Mr. George Mackey. At left is the current Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell and at right is the Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Rev. Patrick Adderley.

AT THE GRAVESIDE - Mr. Christie kneels to comfort the widow of Mr. George Mackey in St. Anne's cemetery after the burial and the presentation of the flag which covered Mr. Mackey's coffin.

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

BREAKOUT

Some time around 4 a.m. at Her Majesty’s Prison on Tuesday 17th January, a dark, dreary and miserable place at the best of times, it appears that a group of prisoners tried to make good their escape. The Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt described it later that morning as evil being afoot in the prison. Evil indeed. It appears that Barry Parcoi a 42 year old habitual bad man led a group of people to break out of the prison by sawing the bars, luring guards to a trap, one of them to a horrible stabbing death, and then out over the building and once reaching the outside fence they were out and on the way to freedom. The quick thinking of prison guards resulted in the immediate recapture of two, and the death of another of the four would be escapees. Neil Brown, the dullard who was convicted twice for killing Archdeacon William Thompson has gone to his grave.

There were the predictable calls for vengeance and capital punishment. The guards themselves were on edge. Edwin Culmer, the former Superintendent of the prison, started the carping about what should have been done. Darrold Miller, the talk show host was on the radio whipping up the population in irresponsible fervour. Mr. Culmer claimed that he had called for resources and none were made available to him. He is now managing the detention centre. It was a bit of sour grapes because he was unceremoniously moved last year and replaced by Dr. Elliston Rahming, a trained criminologist who was recommended by a panel of international experts that had been called in to look into the prison. Mr. Culmer went further and accused Dr. Rahming of being a political predator. (See Comments below)

Let us say from the outset that people have to realize that prisoners are dangerous people and prison is a dangerous place. It was a generation ago that some prisoners were considered so dangerous that they served out their time in the United Kingdom, to be brought back only just before independence. It is natural for people to want to escape from confinement. The job of government is to keep them there, to keep society safe from them and to keep them safe from themselves, but they must be treated humanely. The prison service is supposed to be a disciplined force, and they must rein in any talk of vengeance or misbehavior otherwise they become just like the people they say they despise.

Dr. Ellison Rahming is doing a good job at the prison and deserves every commendation for his work there in reform, and the changes he has brought in terms of morale, and effective management of the service. Hubert Ingraham, the former Prime Minister, who seemed to voice exactly what Edwin Culmer had been saying only with the protection of the House of Assembly got a round bouncing from Prime Minister Perry Christie for the former Prime Minister's patently stupid remarks, seeking to blame Dr. Rahming for what went on at the prison.

For that we will have to wait the court of inquiry and the coroner’s inquest into the matter. One must be careful here, but the prison has to be examined to see whether or not the actions were consistent with the actions of a disciplined force and whether or not there is a need for further training in order to avoid something like this from happening again.

The government must exercise the greatest degree of care in dealing with this matter. They must stand four square behind the prison guards. Law and order must prevail. The fate of those who escaped is deserved and here is no mercy for them and no sorrow at their fate. It was a stupid and ill advised thing to do.

But more generally as a society we must answer again the question of whether we are up to the discipline it takes to run a modern society and all the restraint and limitations which that will require for us to move forward. No amount of petty political sniping by FNM politicians and least of all Hubert Ingraham who did nothing to help the prison during this time should undermine the efforts of the PLP to inculcate the reform and the discipline that is needed to run the prison and indeed this society.

Number of hits for the month of January up to Saturday 21st January at midnight: 269,126.

Number of hits for the year 2006 up to Saturday 21st January 2006 at midnight: 269,126.

BAHAMAS EMBASSY OPENS IN BEIJING

    The Bahamas officially opened its Embassy in China’s capital on Friday 21 January, 2006, more than eight years after establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing.
    Speaking at the reception, held at the Kuntai Royal Hotel, to mark the opening, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service, the Hon. Fred Mitchell called the event an important day in the bilateral relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Mr. Mitchell recalled that diplomatic relations began some 9 years ago, on 23 May 1997.
    The Minister highlighted some of the visits between State, Government, and Party officials of the two countries, since diplomatic relations began. He pointed out that Prime Minister the Rt. Hon Perry Christie and former Prime Minister the Rt. Hon Hubert Ingraham made official visits to China and that Chinese Vice President and Minister of Health, Wu Yi had visited Nassau and Freeport.
    Mr. Mitchell announced that the Prime Minister had appointed Phillip Miller as Charge d Affaires and Head of Mission of the new Embassy in Beijing. Mr. Miller’s previous posting was that of Undersecretary of the Trade and Economic Affairs Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Mitchell said Mr. Miller “comes well qualified, following distinguished service to two Prime Ministers of The Bahamas in the area of trade and investment, agriculture and foreign affairs. He has the fullest support of Prime Minister Christie and this Minister.”
     Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Li Jinzhang welcomed Mr. Mitchell to China, congratulated Mr. Miller on his appointment and commented that the opening of the Embassy would further strengthen ties between China and The Bahamas.
    The opening was attended by Beijing’s diplomatic corps. In particular, representatives of Caribbean attended the reception. These included Guyana’s Charge d’ Affaires, Cecil Pollydore; Jamaica’s Ambassador Wayne, McCook; Suriname’s Ambassador, Roy M. Wong Lun Hing; and Grenada’s Ambassador Josylyn Whiteman.
    Mr. Mitchell explained that the Embassy’s office at No. 14. Liang Ma He Road, which is under renovations, would not be fully ready for business for another four to six weeks. In the meantime the Embassy’s contacts are (room- 902) tel. 0011 86-10 5828 5588 5510, fax. (86-10) 5828 5001. He thanked the British for providing consular service thus far and through the transition phase.
    Several Bahamian and Chinese business people who trade between the two countries were also on hand, along with Bahamian students studying in China.
    PHOTO: Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service the Hon. Fred Mitchell speaks at the reception marking the official opening of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas at the Kuntai Royal Hotel in Beijing, China on Friday, January 20, 2006. Shown looking on are Li Jinzhang, right, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of People’s Republic of China and Philip Miller, Charge d'Affaires Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. (BIS Photo: Tim Aylen)

Philip Miller Bahamas Chargé d’Affaires in China
    Philip Miller, former Under Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been appointed by Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie as Chargé d’Affaires and Head of Mission at The Bahamas Embassy in Beijing, China.
    A senior public servant, Mr. Miller last served as Head of the Trade and Economic Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2003.
    Before his tenure at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Miller worked in the Office of the Prime Minister for ten years, from 1993 to 2003, ultimately as Deputy Director of the Bahamas Investment Authority.
    Shortly after his arrival in Beijing on 13 January 2006, Mr. Miller presented his formal Letter of Introduction to the Foreign Minister of China, naming him as The Bahamas Chargé d’Affaires in Beijing.
    Originally from Colonel Hill, Crooked Island, Mr. Miller thanked the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs the Hon. Fred Mitchell for their confidence in entrusting him with the groundbreaking task of establishing the country’s key embassy in the Far East.
    “The Embassy will serve as a crucial gateway for what we intend to be ever-increasing flows of trade and investment opportunities between the two countries”, said Mr. Miller. “In this age of global commercial expansion, The Bahamas cannot and will not be left behind.
    “The Embassy will focus on the demand by Bahamian merchants for competitively priced goods from China; and the need to attract Chinese investments, as a means of sustaining our economic growth and creating new employment opportunities.”
    Mr. Miller also saw a need to explore the financial profitability of cultural exchanges between the two countries and to maximise the benefits of Chinese technical assistance and cooperation. BIS photo: Tim Aylen

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER REPORTS TO THE HOUSE

The Deputy Prime Minister spoke to a solemn House of Assembly on Wednesday 18th January to communicate what happened at the prison on Tuesday 17th January. The details of the breakout are that in the early hours of Tuesday morning, a group of inmates including Barry Parcoi, Neil Brown, Corey Hepburn and Forrester Bowe decided to make a dash for it. They had over night cut through the bars of their cells and by luring the guards down to where they were and overwhelming them, killing one, made good their escape.
Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt told the House that it appears that there were five others involved in the attempt but who did not make it. The first question one has to ask is what about the intelligence inside the prison. Was there a failure of intelligence? Mrs. Pratt reported that there will be a Coroner’s Inquest, and there will be a Court of Inquiry convened to examine what went wrong at the prison. We extend out condolences to the family of the late Corporal Dion Bowles, who lost his life in this breakout. Inmates from left: Corey Hepburn, still at large; Neil Brown, convicted killer of Archdeacon William Thompson, killed; Barry Parcoi, breakout ringleader, back in prison.

CHRISTIE vs. INGRAHAM
In Exuma, at the ill fated rally of the former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, a rally we reported on last week (click here for that report), the former Prime Minister said that the PLP was riddled with corruption. PLP Chair Raynard Rigby challenged him, calling the remarks “highly irresponsible”. At least one Government Minister has written the Commissioner of Police to ask that Mr. Ingraham's allegations as regard him be investigated and his conclusion made public. The Minister has also indicated that he plans to file a legal action in defamation against Mr. Ingraham.
Highly irresponsible must be the new nickname for Hubert Ingraham. After the prison outbreak you would not be surprised to know that he immediately went on the attack against Elliston Rahming the new prison superintendent. The PM put him in his place, but the PLP must find an appropriate strategy to deal with this kind of irresponsibility from Hubert Ingraham. Here is what the two men said in the House of Assembly in their own words on Wednesday 18th January:

Hubert A. Ingraham: “Upon the delivery of a widely publicized Prison Reform Commission report to the Prime Minister, the Commission’s Chairman, a trained criminologist (Dr. Elliston Rahming) was identified to replace the former Acting Superintendent of the Prison. Time and events have yet to show that he is the right man for the job at Her Majesty’s Prison.”

The Prime Minister: “I think the Leader of the Opposition has been totally irresponsible in this statement. I think he is obviously characterizing his politics by this sort of sensationalizing of issues. When it comes down to something that is now being investigated and it affects the sovereignty and security of this country, one would expect a Leader of the Opposition to exercise a greater degree of responsibility. People have lost their lives. It is being investigated. [I cry shame on you for] suggesting some fault or default on the part of the persons there (Dr. Rahming) when an investigation has not yet taken place.”

UNFAIR ATTACK ON RAHMING

    The press has been playing up all week attacks by the former Superintendent of the Prison Edwin Culmer on his successor Dr. Elliston Rahming. Our view is clear. Mr. Culmer who remains a civil servant, and who is supposed to support Government policy ought to resign or be retired in the public interest from the service. He is clearly a bitter man, who has lost is sense of propriety, his role in the service and where he is supposed to be. His reported public comments have crossed the line. Mr. Culmer was quoted in one newspaper as saying that his successor Dr. Elliston Rahming was a political predator. Later on a radio show Love 97, hosted by the former FNM candidate Michael Pintard, he said that Dr. Rahming got his job as a political favour.
    The question is whether Dr. Rahming is qualified for the job. The answer is yes. The question is did the Government act alone. The answer is no. An international panel of experts designed to review the prison suggested that he was eminently qualified for the job. The question is has he improved the prison. The answer to that is clearly yes. The prison was languishing without resources or proper leadership under Edwin Culmer. The prison has improved under Dr. Rahming.
    We agree with Dr. Rahming on this one. There will be breakouts in a prison. What we have to do is learn our lessons from each attempt so that there will not be another one. There must be a clear investment in training so that officers in the future will know not to be lured into a false sense of security with inmates that they have come to know as a result of working around them. There must always be a distance kept between. Dr. Rahming pointed out that there were 24 breakouts in the time that Mr. Culmer was the Superintendent of the prison. Mr. Culmer called him a liar. The facts were then released publicly by Dr. Rahming.
    Dr. Rahming should not have to defend himself. Remember when he was first appointed, we made the point in these very columns that the PLP is famous for appointing people and then leaving them alone like someone up a creek without a paddle. Thankfully the PM has supported Dr. Rahming. But what we need is to have a cadre of people in the prison who support his work. We think it is good that Rev. Charles Rolle is there who is clearly with the programme. We urge the Staff Association of the Prison to support their superintendent as he supports them. Prison Superintendent Dr. Elliston Rahming, left, and former Superintendent Edwin Culmer, right from The Bahama Journal.

POLICE AND SOCIETY MUST RESPOND IN SCALE
    The jail break in Nassau has everyone understandably upset and on edge. There has not been this kind of thing in Nassau for some time. It comes against the background of the tragedies of the hurricane, the plane crash, the fire in Bimini. People are saying “Lord, what’s next?” The Government itself has to respond with firmness, strictness but must also keep a sense of rationality over the process. That is why it was so important for the Prime Minister to slap down Hubert Ingraham's stupid and irresponsible comments made in the House of Assembly on Wednesday 18th January where he sought to blame the present Superintendent for the breakout.
    The girlfriend of Corey Hepburn was upset herself and so were members of his family who live in Elizabeth Estates, the low income housing district in eastern New Providence. The police report that Mr. Hepburn’s modus operandi is to break out of jail and head for home. Mr. Hepburn’s girlfriend said that following the breakout the police came into the home where they suspected Corey Hepburn went and ransacked the place. She said they even broke up a chest of drawers. Her wry comment was that she did not quarrel with them searching the place but did they have to break it up particularly since it was clear that Mr. Hepburn could not hide in the chest of drawers.
    Our point here is that the society cannot be allowed to fall into terror and panic on this one. The response must be quick, decisive and firm but it must be in scale and it must rational.

HAROLD DEGREGORY JR. CONVICTED
    The Florida press was reporting this week the conviction of Harold DeGregory Jr. for the offence of transporting a dangerous radioactive substance from the United States; namely iridium 192. The case was reported in a statement from the prosecutor’s office in Florida on Wednesday 18th January. It did not say when the conviction took place. He was convicted of five counts, three of transporting and two of materially falsifying information to U.S. Customs.
    The press says that Mr. DeGregory who has an import/export company set up in Ft. Lauderdale has a contract with Bahamas Oil Refining Company to transport the substance, a legal substance once properly declared, to The Bahamas for use in its processing at the oil storage facility in Grand Bahama. The press reports that he faces a maximum of 5 years on each count and a maximum of $250,000 in fines.
    Most people who know about the case think that this is an overreach by the U.S. Government. The thinking in some quarters is that they have actually persecuted this man, and that the conviction is absolutely unjustified. Mr. DeGregory has a one stop shop operation and he handles cargo for Grand Bahamians back and forth to Freeport.
    It is argued that Mr. DeGregory's intent was no more criminal than the man in the moon. This they argue is the work of an over zealous prosecutor. The response of these commentators is typical of the jaundiced view that many Bahamians have of U.S. justice at the moment, particularly the concern about extradition of Bahamians to the United States on drug charges and whether they can get a fair trail in the U.S. Some are suggesting that maybe it’s because BORCO is owned by the Venezuelan state oil company, and with Venezuela being on the U.S. hit list that this has resulted in a political persecution of Mr. DeGregory. There is no word on the appeal.

GEORGE MYERS
George Myers was awarded the Sir Clement T Maynard Life Time Achievement Award at the Cacique Awards. The award came at the end of National Tourism Week last week on Friday 13th January. Mr. Myers who is a naturalized Bahamian originally from Jamaica has had a life time of success in the industry in The Bahamas. He started off as the manager of the Nassau Beach Hotel and then joined up with the late Jim Crosby at the Resorts International Ltd. then the owners of Paradise Island. He transformed the island into a marketing machine. When the new owner Sol Kerzner came into town, he left the property and became the operator of the Radisson Hotel, owned by The Bahamas Government, a relationship that ended last year when the hotel was sold. He is still considered a genius in marketing. He maintains an interest in several restaurants in The Bahamas, most recently Luciano's, the former home of Sir Roland Symonette located on East Bay Street. Congratulations to Mr. Myers for his contributions to tourism in The Bahamas.

AIRPORT CONTRACT SIGNED

    A key move has been made to fix the broken down Nassau International Airport which for a tourist country is a national embarrassment. The news came as a bit of an anti climax given the long and tortuous negotiations and the fact that there was a prison outbreak on the same day. But this decision by the PLP is perhaps its single biggest contribution to the future development of national infrastructure. This is a development which will keep the airport in Bahamian hands, make money for the Airport Authority and provide for training of Bahamians to ultimately manage the airport. The fact is there will be some thought processes and action now applied to putting the airport in shape.
    The arrangement is that the Government will continue through the Airport Authority to own the airport. However, a new company called for the moment Newco is to be established and owned by the Airport Authority which will have the operating lease for 30 years of the airport. The company will then sign a management contract with the Vancouver company YVRAS. They will manage the airport. To do so, they will collect a passenger facility charge of 15 dollars on each ticket for international travelers, $5 for Bahamians. The management agreement is for ten years.
    Within the first two years of the agreement, phase one must be completed that is improvement of the physical and sanitary aspects of the airport, and relieving the congestion and confusion of the U.S. pre clearance lounge, including security issues. Minister Glenys Hanna Martin said that some $200 million will have to be spent in the upgrade programme. The second phase of that upgrade will be the construction of a new airport. There will also be a $5 security fee for each passenger.
    Well let’s get to it, and by the way let’s fulfill that promise to rename the blessed airport after Sir Lynden Pindling. Congratulations Minister Hanna Martin on a job well done. Now perhaps, we’ll hear some thanks and praise from those fellows at Paradise Island who have been carping and complaining about the airport, deservedly so but if not, the silence will still be golden. Among those pictured at the signing of a contract to manage Nassau International Airport are (seated) Anthony Kikivarakis, Chairman of the Airport Authority; Minister of Transport & Aviation Glenys Hanna Martin; Prime Minister Perry Christie (standing second from left) and other government and YVRAS officials. BIS photo: Peter Ramsay

BUT LEADERSHIP MUST RESTRAIN ITSELF
Last week we reported about the intemperance of the leadership of the Bahamas Union of Teachers Ida Poitier Turnquest and Belinda Wilson. To them a negotiating strategy is to pull teachers off the job for every little disagreement that they have. The patience of the teaching profession is wearing thin on this. A letter writer to this column revealed last week that the teachers themselves do not think that this is an adequate strategy for dealing with disputes.
Last week, they were at it again when they pulled teachers off the job at the C.I. Gibson School because of a dispute because of conditions at the school. The teachers were held off the job until the problem was supposedly fixed. The problem with this is they are damaging the children in the process, and they cannot complain later on when these same children they refused to teach end up banging them over their heads robbing and killing later in life.

TRIBUNE'S VISA SCAM
When on Saturday 14th January a letter writer to The Tribune signed with an obvious nom de plume demanded an accounting on the report into the visa issues raised in an Insight piece in The Tribune, we knew it was a trick that was up. John Marquis, who is the Managing Editor, could be suspected of trying to give his piece legitimacy by seeking to show that there was some interest in the matter. We don’t believe it for a moment.
So there was no surprise when The Tribune alone printed a story from an unnamed source that the so-called “visa scam” was continuing unabated. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs struck back and hard. The Minister’s statement said “The story was not credible even at the time it was originally made. The view then was that the story was more akin to the standard of The Punch than what is normally expected of The Tribune. The public can be assured that all the allegations made in connection with all such stories have been turned over to the police and that their investigation is ongoing.” You may click here for the full statement.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
(Last week in an early edition of the site, there was a letter published that was later withdrawn. That letter by John Bain has now been edited and we republish the letter. It preserves the sense of the arguments without any attendant legal issues arising – Editor.)

    The issues at the Water & Sewerage Corporation add fuel to the claim against the government: that they do not make decisions in a timely manner. This situation should have never been allowed to have dragged on so long without some direct decisions being made by the Minister or the Prime Minister. This is a reminder of the Sidney Stubbs dilemma when we allowed a simple situation to fester to the embarrassment of the government and of the country as a whole.
     While I agree with you that the Chairman has authority over the GM of any corporation, the Chairman has a fiduciary responsibility to the Corporation and a duty of care in this post-Enron era.
    If anyone knows Abe Butler, the one strong point he has is his honesty and integrity. We must become a clean country. We must uphold the rule of law over party loyalists. We must reduce our perception that we are under-the-table deal makers. No one is above the law, including Chairmen. Something smells here. Rodney Smith was also the President of COB, but he was not above the rules of law and best practices.
     Decisions must be made. Problems will not solve themselves if nothing is done. We look at the situation, gather all the evidence, review the alternative actions and their consequences, then decide. We must make a decision on some things immediately. Mr. Editor, any decision you make can be the wrong one, even if you take five years to make it. If the decision is wrong, you correct it and move on.
     In my opinion, Mr. Butler saved the government considerable embarrassment by bringing these matters to light. I am told that all that was said publicly was said to all the relevant persons privately, so there were no surprises. If an early decision was made, we would not be where we are. Mr. Demeritte needs to find a job somewhere so that he can maintain his lifestyle. We need to clean up our house and not allow persons to use the name of the Minister as justification to their actions which are not consistent with good corporate governance.
John Bain

THIS WEEK WITH THE PM

$30 Million for Cat Island - Prime Minister Perry Christie, right and Cat Island MP Philip Davis, left, flank a representative of the international investment firm Crystal Mount which has signed a Heads of Agreement providing for $30 million investment in Cat Island. The Prime Minister touted the move as the latest in his Government's strategy to provide anchor investments for each major island in The Bahamas.

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

CRACKING DOWN ON GRAFFITI

This may be a strange thing to be writing about for a political column. However, it is a vexing problem for The Bahamas. Everywhere that you go these days in New Providence and to a lesser extent in Grand Bahama, there is graffiti written on a wall or a hoarding. Some of it is obscene; most of it is just annoying. It appears that there are some people who have a compulsion to simply mess up what looks pleasing to the eye. In fact, even when you pass the great wall around Government House, the official home of the Governor General, there is graffiti on the walls.

One of the problems of The Bahamas and the criticisms of the Government is that we appear to be a society and Government without the discipline to enforce the normal rules of social behavior. It appears that we are too permissive, and that across the board there are simply no consequences for what we do. This is the price we are prepared to pay for eternal peace in the society. Disruption and dislocation must be avoided at all costs. Except the costs are ones that society must ultimately pay and the result of irresolution will be decay. Graffiti is one sign of that.

We recall the campaign of a man that we do not really think much of ideologically Rudolph Giuliani, the former Mayor of the American city New York. One of his major campaigns was to rid that city of the scourge of graffiti, and he succeeded. He succeeded by an all out campaign by the police and by social workers to find out what was causing it, and eliminating the cause. Before his campaign, it became near impossible to ride on any train in New York, or visit any building in that city that was not covered in the stuff.

It turns out that some people were artists trying to express themselves, only expressing themselves in a negative way. It turned out that by carefully analyzing the graffiti, you could identify the “artists” who were responsible. That meant patient police work, and then following up leads. The other point is once you find the person who is doing it, you have to punish them severely, and make them clean it up. None of that was being done in The Bahamas up to now.

Imagine then our surprise when it was reported that the Royal Bahamas Police Force has actually engaged a squad of police officers whose responsibility it will be to do precisely what was done in New York and track down those who were responsible for the mess that is created on the walls all around New Providence and Grand Bahama. There was a high profile photo which appeared in the Bahamian press that showed that the police were at work. We want to congratulate them and approve what they are doing and support them, urging them to continue what they are doing.

According to the press report on 25th January, the police arrested some 11 people for defacing walls, and some 45 more people are being sought. Inspector Robert Simmons of the St. Cecilia Urban Renewal Programme is leading the way. He said that their information was that the wall markings are done usually between midnight and 3 a.m. The police patrols are going to be increasingly more vigilant. One of the issues that a successful campaign requires is that there must be vigorous prosecution. In other words, there must be consequences. Parents must also get involved in seeking to put a stop to the practice.

Our other pet peeve in The Bahamas is the motorcyclists who take the baffles out of their bikes, and ride up and down the streets of New Providence on trail bikes without any apparent enforcement by the police. The police take the view that the Government should ban the bikes. We take the view that they can take a page out of the book of the anti graffiti police, and simply track down these miscreants and keep the pressure on them until they stop. They are a complete menace to the streets of New Providence. They disturb divine worship services. They keep people up at night in neighborhoods, in some cases terrorizing the old and the infirmed. It has become so that everyone now wants to have speed bumps on their streets. Nassau is soon to become speed bump heaven.

What we have talked about in this column today might seem insignificant and it probably is in the scheme of things but any time we see a society, especially this one that is irresolute and dissolute on so many social issues, take a stand toward reinforcing national discipline, we applaud it. If our PLP can take a stand with the police on this, can clean up the place, we will have gone some way toward fighting our way back to resolution, industry and discipline.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 28th January 2006 at midnight: 87,314.

Number of hits for the month of January up to Saturday 28th January 2006 at midnight: 356,440.

Number of this for the year 2006 up to Saturday 28th January 2006 at midnight: 356,440.

A WONDERFUL PASTOR DIES    Keith Albury, the former President of the Seventh Day Adventist Conference in The Bahamas has died. He was 48 years old at the time of his death in Scottsdale, Arizona, at one of the Mayo Clinics, where he was being treated for non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He died on Tuesday 24th January. At the time of his death he was the head of the Northern Conference of The Bahamas Seventh Day Adventists, a conference headquartered in Freeport, Grand Bahama. He was the first head of that Conference. This is a sad day for the church. He was a well beloved figure. His successor Pastor Leonard Johnson of The Bahamas Conference of Seventh Day Adventists mourned his passing.
    Pastor Albury helped to put the Seventh Day Adventist Church on the map, in the main stream of Bahamian public life. During the time he was President of The Bahamas Conference, he spoke out in a public profile unlike any other Seventh Day Adventist leader. He was young, charismatic and well spoken, a symbol of a whole generation of Seventh Day Adventist leaders that signaled that the church had arrived in The Bahamas. The Adventist clergy in The Bahamas is all male and they provide an excellent example of good male leadership.
    Pastor Albury's passing is a sad occasion for all of us in The Bahamas. We send our condolences to his family and the wider family of the church. But we think that it is extraordinary, the words of his own father who reflected on the life of his son following his death. Here is what Wendell Albury, who raised him from a small boy had to say in his own words:
    “If you have read the word of God, if you remain faithful to him in your spiritual daily walk, you will have the hope of seeing Keith and all other deceased loved ones again. I have a heavy heart and I am grieving because I will miss my son. There is a void, which is left by his passing. Believe it or not, at this time, I cannot picture him dead and for me to try and picture him dead, is very painful and unreal. We as a family will continue to be closely knit and we will remember his legacy, what he stood for and the life that he lived. He has a son, Anson Albury, whom I feel will carry the mantle of his father. I believe that God in his own way knew that it was Keith's time to be laid to rest and my last words are that God knows best.”
    Amen!

THE FOREIGN MINISTER’S PASSAGE TO INDIA
    There are two economic competitors coming to be the future world. The countries are China and India. China is now in terms of sheer volume the fourth largest economy in the world, behind the United States, Japan, and Germany. There is some suspicion that if the Chinese would revalue their calculations in terms of world standards, they may be even larger than Germany. The Bahamas needs to be there, and kudos to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for finally getting it done. (See our man in China from last week). He will be coming back home with a substantial gift from the Chinese (see story below). That part of the trip was a visit with old friends.
    Notwithstanding the success of the China segment of the Minister's two-nation visit to Asia, the capstone of his work as Foreign Minister must now be the conclusion of a bi-lateral agreement with the Indian Government. You may click here to read its full contents as supplied by the Bahamas Information Services. The agreement was signed in New Delhi on Tuesday 24th January, and was followed by a lunch and a blistering series of meetings with Indian businessmen and women who are eager to do business with The Bahamas. This covers everything from information technology (IT) training, to consultancy on hospital services, to co-operation on tourism and getting Indian tourists to come to The Bahamas, shipping co-operation, and support of the Indian position on the United Nations reform. You may click here for the full statement by the Minister to the Indian Government.
    The Indian Government has offered scholarships for Bahamians to their school for diplomats. They have also offered scholarships in IT and other fields for up to ten for Bahamians either long term or short term courses. They include full tuition, books, accommodation, air fare and subsistence for the duration of the stay. The Ministry of Education sent Patricia Collins its Deputy Director of Education to sit in on the discussions.
    The Minister also represented The Bahamas at the official Republic Day ceremonies marking the 57th anniversary of the founding of the Indian republic. Later, he was introduced and brought greetings on behalf of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas to the President of India, the Prime Minister, and their chief guest King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. You may also click here for the Minister’s audio remarks at the signing in India.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SIGNS HISTORIC AGREEMENT

    Tanya Coakley Wright is the dynamic new leader of The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce, and in the words of Minister of Foreign Affairs she is boldly going in India where no other Chamber President has gone before. Mrs. Wright saw the wisdom of traveling with the Foreign Affairs delegation and she has much to show her members for their investment of her time and energies.
    Accompanying Mrs. Wright for the visit to India from Sunday 22nd January to Friday 27th January was her husband Michael, and Philip Simon, the Executive Director of the Chamber. Mrs. Wright signed an agreement between the Federation of Industry and Chambers of Commerce of India and The Bahamas Chamber. Later she attended a reception arranged by Ashish Saraf, an Indian businessman who wants to promote close ties with The Bahamas. We congratulate the Chamber President for her foresight. You may click here for an audio interview with her by Bahamas Information Services, where she speaks of the meeting with NASSCOM, the National Association of Service and Software Companies in India.
    Ashish Saraf, joint managing director Ferro Alloys Corporation Limited, hosted Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service Fred Mitchell and his delegation to a reception in his honor in New Delhi on the third day of the official visit to India. A cross section of leaders from Government and business attended the reception. From left are Michael Wright, husband of the president of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Saraf, the Minister, Tanya Wright, president Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Philip Simon, executive director Bahamas Chamber of Commerce. (BIS Photo: Tim Aylen)

COURTESY CALLS

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell also visited Mumbai, formerly Bombay, and the financial capital of India on Friday 27th to Saturday 28th January. He paid courtesy calls on the Chairman of the State Bank of India that has a branch in Nassau. He also visited the Branch Office of Dockendale Shipping. Dockendale Shipping is headquartered in Nassau with 48 ships on The Bahamas Register. The Minister was accompanied by Lowell Mortimer, the Attorney in The Bahamas for Dockendale and Captain Dwain Hutchison of The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) who took the opportunity to speak with several of the ship inspectors in India who work for the BMA around the world. TOP - Minister Mitchell, centre, and Captain Dwain Hutchinson of the Bahamas Maritime Authority are greeted by the staff of Dockendale Shipping Company at its Branch Office in Mumbai, India on Saturday, January 28, 2006.

Pictured during a tour of the Dockendale headquarters from left are Leslie Fernandes, chairman Dockendale Shipping; Minister Mitchell; Shoichi Yamada, honorary consul for The Bahamas in Japan; and Lowell Mortimer, attorney at law.

Minister Mitchell is shown at the courtesy call on officials at the State Bank of India on Friday, January 28, 2006 in Mumbai, India. From left are Bharati Rao, chief general manager; Minister Mitchell; A.K. Purwar, chairman; and A.G. Kalmankar, deputy managing director. (BIS Photos: Tim Aylen)

A 3.75 MILLION DOLLAR GIFT

    Some say that the Chinese economy is growing so fast that it will eclipse that of the United States in the year 2020 as the largest economy in the world. In the meantime, we know that they are number 4 in the world in sheer size, even though their per capita income puts them near the bottom of the per capita list. They have had a significant outreach to the Caribbean, mainly one suspects, because of the political importance of the 13 votes at the United Nations which Caricom has under its sway. With a wary eye toward Taiwan, which they consider a rebel province, they have courted the Caribbean.
    The Bahamas can get much business from China and can learn much. In fact, trade is now some $135 million dollars per year and counting. The Chinese gave a 30 million dollar stadium gift to The Bahamas during the state visit of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas to China in 2004. The stadium construction is expected to begin this year. The Minister went to China to open officially the Embassy of The Bahamas. You may click here for last week's announcement. But Bahamas Information Services reports that, during the visit, China’s Foreign Minister announced a further gift of 3.75 million dollars which will be concretized when the Minister of Commerce visits The Bahamas later this year. The Minister thanked the Government of China for that gift.
    We thought that you might like to see the pictures of the reception and the meetings in China as provided by Bahamas Information Services photographer Tim Aylen who was traveling with the group. TOP - Minister Mitchell and Li Zhaoxing, Minister of Foreign Affairs People's Republic of China, raise their glasses together as a toast during their meeting at the Fangfeiyuan Guesthouse during a dinner hosted by the Chinese Foreign Minister in Beijing, China on Saturday, January 21, 2006. Former Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas Jiao Donhcun is shown looking on. ABOVE LEFT - Minister Mitchell speaks at the reception marking the official opening of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas at the Kuntai Royal Hotel in Beijing, China on Friday, January 20, 2006.

Wayne McCook, Ambassador of Jamaica in Beijing; Roy Wong Lun Hing, Ambassador of Suriname in Beijing; Alberto Rodriguez Arufe, Ambassador of Cuba in Beijing; Philip Miller, Bahamas Charge d'Affaires in Beijing; Li Jinzhang, China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs; Minister Mitchell; Joslyn Whiteman, Ambassador of Grenada in Beijing; and Cecil Pollydore, Guyana Charge d'Affaires in Beijing, pose for an official photograph at the reception marking the official opening of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas at the Kuntai Royal Hotel in Beijing, China on Friday, January 20, 2006.

Minister Mitchell, centre, is shown with Bahamian students studying in China following a cultural performance at the Beijing Night Theatre in Beijing, China on Friday, January 20, 2006. From left are Randolph Culmer, Julian Francis, William Seymour and Osborne Lockhart. BIS Photos: Tim Aylen

PRISON OFFICER BURIED

    Dion Bowles, the Prison Corporal who was brutally murdered in Her Majesty's Prison during an abortive prison break out (click here for last week’s story) was laid to rest on Thursday 26th January. The Prime Minister attended the funeral. In the heat of all of this, there was the call for capital punishment to return to use. The Prime Minister indicated at the funeral that he supports capital punishment and would fight those who opposed it. He has said this a number of times but the press claims to have heard it for the first time. Nevertheless, the Attorney General explained that no capital punishment can be carried out in the country until such time as the law is determined by the Privy Council.
    The Bahamas wants to have its cake and eat it to. It is unlikely that the Privy Council will allow any executions in the present circumstances to go forward. However, at the same time, The Bahamas despises the Caribbean Court of Justice where the law might change if we join it. That of course is a whole “other” story. There we have it. What we think gets lost in this translation is this: you have to be able to determine who killed the officer in order to carry out any punishment. Suppose for example it turns out that the prisoner who was killed making good his escape is actually the person who killed the prison officer. What then?
    Last week we said there must be a response in scale. This is indeed a sad time and we express our heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Corporal. Prime Minister Perry Christie is shown addressing the congregation of mourners at Zion Baptist Church in Joe Farrington Road at the funeral of Prison Officer, Corporal Dion Bowles. BIS photo: Peter Ramsay

AN INSULT ON BAHAMAS HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD
AND OTHER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
(U.S. Ambassador John Rood spoke to the Bahamas Outlook Seminar 2006 about the relationship between The Bahamas and the United States. He made comments about the fact that The Bahamas did not vote to allow a resolution to move forward to condemn Iran at the United Nations. He said that this means that The Bahamas was not supporting the human rights of people around the world. A letter writer responds. We also link you to an editorial by the Bahama Journal which we think reflects the Bahamian response to it. There has been silence from The Bahamas Government --- Editor)
I am forced to comment on what I consider to be offensive statements made by the U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas about the human rights record of The Bahamas. I believe the remarks were out of place. I hope that there is some response from the Government and not stony silence like we are used to in the face of the kind of abusive language of our country. The Bahamas has a record second to no one on human rights. I wonder what is expected of The Bahamas. Surely, this must be an embarrassment to our country. I do believe that The Bahamas did the right thing. There are certain things which we must not get involved in, and I believe that we must steer clear of these political situations which do not concern us. Let us hear from The Bahamas Government. Mr. Minister where are you? If Paul Adderley was the Minister of Foreign Affairs today, and Sir Lynden still our Prime Minister, he would have told them just where to get off at in no time. We must be strong and stand up to this unfair criticism of The Bahamas.
Jason Weir

EDITORIAL OF THE BAHAMA JOURNAL
25th January, 2006
When Human Rights Are Abused
Thanks to the fact that we are in direct communication with world media, we are on a daily basis tuned into what is actually happening in the world. Of necessity, this means that we are quite aware of most of the issues that are making the news worldwide.
We are convinced that the issue of human rights and their denial is on the minds of billions of people worldwide. There are hundreds of millions of people around the world who are highly critical of the human rights record of the United States of America. These people are of the view that the United States is one of the world’s most significant abusers of human rights. [Please click here for the remainder of The Bahama Journal's editorial]

Response from Jonathan Linsley
We criticized an actor who worked in The Bahamas in Freeport on the Pirates of the Caribbean II. (Click here for our previous comment) His comments were unflattering to The Bahamas and we thought not the right thing for a guest who was working in our country. It appears that the actor has responded and we print it below - Editor)
    I would like to correct some misunderstandings about my views and attitudes about the Bahamas. I would hate to leave anyone feeling that I disliked the place, or the people I met.
     Firstly let me say, I have no experience of the whole of the country and any views expressed related to my limited experiences on Grand Bahama and Freeport specifically.
     Secondly I said that I personally was not into beaches and sunshine and snorkelling and diving and so on, and that because of that I found my stay a little boring.
     I made many friends and all the residents I met and all the people who were working on the island and in the hotels and restaurants were wonderful, polite and friendly and made my stay fascinating and exciting and I felt excited to experience part of the country first hand. In fact I often took the Bus into Downtown because I preferred meeting some of the interesting people who travelled that way. A fact I mentioned when interviewed but which was not printed in the article.
     My local newspaper interviewed me on my return and I was asked to give my impression of my visit and events I experienced. I explained that I hadn't been there as a tourist and that my impressions were in the main very positive apart from not being able to find a good cup of tea. I also chose to highlight some of the things which surprised me and made me sad, like people losing everything in the hurricane, and the problems faced by poorer people when they are so obviously set against the richer tourists and people with privilege. I now realise the editorial choices made by the local paper may have slanted things I said until they sounded negative... this is far from the truth and far from my personal views.
     It was not my intention to 'slam' the Bahamas. It was in fact quite the contrary. I intended to make it clear I felt that the Bahamian people were strong and enterprising and resilient, it was my intention to explain how first hand experience had corrected my ignorance and informed my views with a balance. I was deeply impressed by the courage of the people who stayed and survived the devastation of the hurricane.
     Finally I just want to apologise for any offence that anyone may have felt because of the misunderstanding, and to say that I was very lucky to visit such a beautiful part of the world and I hope that the many friends I made during my stay will welcome me back if I ever visit the Islands again.
Jonathan Linsley

John Bain Has It Wrong
    While I know and respect Mr. Bain and his abilities, in his letter to your website that appeared on the January 15 edition, he has it completely wrong.
    When any subordinate arrives to the point where they no longer have confidence in their superiors they should do the honourable thing and resign. Mr. Abraham Butler (GM) acted inappropriately when he held a press conference to discuss his misgivings with Mr. Demeritte (Chairman). Mr. Butler's course of action should have been first to discuss the issues with Mr. Demeritte himself (who he claims to have 'mentored' in the role as Chair) and then if the issues persisted, to make them known to the Minister responsible. If the Minister responsible decided not to take action, Mr. Butler then has to decide if can work in that environment or resign. That is convention; that is the appropriate course of conduct in that situation.
    Never should he or any other official call a press conference to berate and malign the conduct and character of his boss or his superior. The whole affair as you rightly stated just served to show the country how petty Mr. Butler is and also in my view showed why he is not capable of holding that, or a similar post and should be removed immediately. Mr. Demeritte was equally wrong for engaging Mr. Butler in the press and should have kept his mouth shut and so thus he should share the same fate. The government quite obviously has way more patience than I could ever hope for as I would have demanded their resignations the day after the press conference. The government can not allow the few silly executives at its corporations to embarrass it and should fire anyone that chooses to discuss what clearly are internal matters in the public domain.
Kele Isaacs

PORT CHAIR CALLS FOR REFORM
    Julian Francis, the former Governor of the Central Bank, is the new Chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority. He spoke this week on Monday 23rd January at the Bahamas Outlook Seminar. He talked about the need for reform in The Bahamas. There is much that we agree with him on in this matter. What always concerns us though is that when man is no longer a public servant, he finally finds the gospel. It is like the sinner who tries to get saved once he has passed from life into perdition. Nevertheless, we share with you some of what he said in his own words. We agree with his sentiments:
    “The government, I would hope, can be persuaded that it is in the interest of the entire Bahamas, in the interest of Bahamian businesses, in the broad interest of the Bahamian people, to see Freeport and the wider Grand Bahama Island develop as rapidly as it can. Today [Grand Bahama], if it had the housing stock, could with its present infrastructure support the entire Bahamian population.
    "That is the scope of opportunity that we’re talking about…
    "We are just far too smug as a community and the truth is…we are losing our comparative position in the world economy…We continue to be focused or to be pre-occupied in The Bahamas with the trappings of development, but we don’t seem to be willing to take on the issues of development very seriously.
    “The Bahamas has a great opportunity to be a shining example of social and economic progress in this part of the world, but has not stepped up the challenge.
    “In concrete terms this would mean having one of the most successful economies in the world.
    "We consider very nominal successes as being the real accomplishment that we should seek to aim for and not the substance of success. It distresses me a great deal when I think about it as a Bahamian. That is why I was delighted to move to Freeport. I see it as an opportunity to take charge of your own destiny and to do things, which in the wider Bahamas we haven’t been able to do. I believe that this is what Freeport really represents for The Bahamas.
    "It represents an opportunity to unleash the power and the dynamism of the private sector without the shackles of bureaucracy and public policy generally and those other issues that have not worked to be able to forge ahead in accordance with this private experiment.
    “In the context of a serious programme for development of The Bahamas it would be criminal not to take advantage of the development that has taken place in Freeport over the last 50 years.
    “The Bahamas has not been serious enough about instituting the kinds of reforms that would help the country experience more meaningful growth and development.
    "I haven’t seen any real evidence that The Bahamas is reform-minded and in fact the evidence to me suggests that just the contrary is true. We have a bloated public service; we have unions which are always on the increase and stronger and stronger and it just seems to me that we have not been willing to take advantage of so many opportunities which are available to a small, potentially dynamic country.
    "We can’t protect our country by putting up barriers, by creating stronger labour unions which try to provide some semblance of work protection and things like that. That is not the solution, nor is it the solution that we construct all of these social arrangements intended ostensibly to protect a large number of people, but in fact what we’re doing is removing any incentive for people to be productive.
    “What will to cause us, as it were, to awaken from this sleep.”

POLICE ARE PLANNING FOR THE ELECTION
    Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt spoke to the police senior command at Lyford Cay for a retreat and seminar to forward plan for the General Elections of 2007. It is our hope that those elections will be held this year but it is clear that the PLP is not yet in fighting mode for a general election. There is much work to be done. But you have to admire Paul Farquharson, the Commissioner of Police for his thinking and management of issues. His must be the only institution, beside the Parliamentary Commissioner who is actually getting in gear to deal with the General Election.
    The Deputy Prime Minister told the officers that they must remain neutral in the general election. This is a good thing to say, but Hubert Ingraham has already made it clear that he is making a pitch for the police. At his rally in Exuma, he said that he was a friend of the police. We all remember well the day before the police vote in 1997 when he gave the police a raise on the day of the election. He told them: “Remember the money! Remember the money!” They voted for him in droves. They did less so last election in 2002 but many still see the police force as FNM particularly given the pronouncements of the staff association chief, directly contradicting the Minister in public.
    The Royal Bahamas Defence Force is said to be PLP and they voted for change in 2002 because they felt that Mr. Ingraham abandoned them. The PLP has to act fast to do what we promised. The report to the National Security Council on the Defence Force should be about finished. Anyway, we thought it is great to see the proactive nature of the police in these matters. And we say to them the same as the Deputy Prime Minister, remain neutral. The police ‘day away’ sessions began on 25th January 2006.

PROBLEMS IN THE HOTEL UNION
    Pat Bain, the now President of the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union, should of all people know what it is to be fighting a rearguard action from Grand Bahama and how the Grand Bahama tide can sweep you away. For some time now it appears that dissension has been growing in the ranks of his Union or so the press has been speculating again, with no response from the Hotel Union to counteract it.
    The talk is continually of a campaign being run by Basil McKenzie who says that there was the unauthorized loan of some five million dollars by the Union under Mr. Bain’s leadership. This week it was reported that Mr. Bain ensured that the loan was authorized but when the meeting was called certain of the officers who now complain that they were not informed were not at the meeting. Mr. Bain has reportedly since apologized. He has been suffering from a difficult bout with cancer for the past year. Nevertheless, the press continues to speculate with the pressure from the insurgents in the newspaper every week.
    The insurgents say that the workers are also fed up with Mr. Bain following the closure of the Royal Oasis hotels in Freeport and the Union’s handling of that matter. One wonders what the Union could do about that. But Mr. Bain will no doubt recall that Thomas Bastian removed David Knowles as President of the Union, from Mr. Bastian’s then position as Vice President in Freeport, and that he, Pat Bain, removed Thomas Bastian from the same position when he Pat Bain was Vice President with Freeport roots. So when you see a man from Freeport leading the charge; look out! Pat Bain is our friend and we would like to see him survive and we know, first hand, of his abilities in battle.

LARRY CARTWRIGHT CAPITULATES
When the House of Assembly meets again it will have one less independent than it did when it last met. Larry Cartwright who defied the FNM and with PLP support became the independent member of the House of Assembly for Long Island and Ragged Island in 2002 is now FNM again. It was a brave move in 2002 on an island that has always been FNM or UBP, even in the best times of the PLP. Last year he said that he would make a decision in January and he has now done so.
At a rally held in Long Island, Mr. Cartwright announced that he was back home with the FNM. The question is where does that leave the PLP support in Long Island that the party really did not pay attention to, hoping that Mr. Cartwright would stay neutral. Now that he is FNM, we must try to do all that we can to keep our support in that island intact. Mr. Cartwright’s decision was disappointing but not unexpected. It is difficult to see really how he and Hubert Ingraham with his biggetty attitude can work together. However, politics as they say makes strange bedfellows.

THIS WEEK WITH THE PM

$8.5 Million Shopping Centre for Exuma - Prime Minister Perry Christie, centre, Minister Bradley Roberts, right and Exuma MP Anthony Moss, second from right; were among the dignitaries who joined the family of businessman Roy Bowe in Exuma, Friday, 27th January, for the official opening of the Bowe's new shopping centre. In addition to congratulating the Bowe family, the Prime Minister brought Exumians up to date on matters of local and national development. Please click here for the full text of the Prime Minister's prepared remarks.

Red Cross Ball

Prime Minister and Mrs. Christie are shown being escorted at their arrival for the annual Red Cross Ball, held Saturday 28th January.

1^st January, 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.*
GRIEVING FOR BIMINI...	TELEPHONE COMPANY’S PRIVATIZATION...
WE REMEMBER SEAN HANNA...	AIRPORT RADAR FAULT...
HAPPY! HAPPY! JUNKANOO...	TOMMY IS WHOSE MAN OF THE YEAR? & Other Foolishness...
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

8^th January, 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.*
ISSUES AT WATER AND SEWERAGE...	THE COURT OF APPEAL’S OPENING...
THE CHALK VICTIM’S FAMILIES TO SUE...	THE HAPPY NEW YEAR’S JUNKANOO...
GILBERT MORRIS ON OUR ECONOMY...	SOME SHOPS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS...
ANNIE RUSSELL DIES...	SEAN HANNA BURIED...
	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

15^th January, 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.*
NATIONAL TOURISM CONFERENCE...	HOW DID FUHRMANN, THE FOOLISH GET IN?...
CENTRAL BANK RELAXES EXCHANGE CONTROL...	THE BAHAMAS UNION OF TEACHERS PRESENTS ITS PROPOSALS...
GEORGE MACKEY IS BURIED...	ANOTHER TRAGEDY IN BIMINI...
BAHAMASAIR LOSES A GM...	MORE ON WATER AND SEWERAGE...
MAJORITY RULE WREATH...	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

22^nd January, 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.*
BAHAMAS EMBASSY OPENS IN BEIJING...	DPM REPORTS TO THE HOUSE...
CHRISTIE vs. INGRAHAM...	UNFAIR ATTACK ON RAHMING...
POLICE AND SOCIETY MUST RESPOND IN SCALE...	HAROLD DEGREGORY JR. CONVICTED...
GEORGE MYERS...	AIRPORT CONTRACT SIGNED...
BUT LEADERSHIP MUST RESTRAIN ITSELF...
TRIBUNE'S VISA SCAM...	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

29^th January, 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.*
A WONDERFUL PASTOR DIES...	THE FOREIGN MINISTER’S PASSAGE TO INDIA...
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SIGNS HISTORIC AGREEMENT...	COURTESY CALLS...
A 3.75 MILLION DOLLAR GIFT...	PRISON OFFICER BURIED...
AN INSULT ON BAHAMAS HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD & OTHER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR...	PORT CHAIR CALLS FOR REFORM...
POLICE ARE PLANNING FOR THE ELECTION...	PROBLEMS IN THE HOTEL UNION...
LARRY CARTWRIGHT CAPITULATES...	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

While material on this web site can be used freely by other sections of the press, as a courtesy, journalists are asked to attribute the source of their material from this web site.

Click here for the law on copyright as it applies to this website.

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

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

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

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

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