Compiled, edited and constructed by Russell Dames Updated every Sunday at 2 p.m.
Volume 1 © BahamasUncensored.Com
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| PHOTO OF THE WEEK - The photo of the week is taken by Patrick Hanna of the Nassau Guardian of George Smith former MP for Exuma talking to Prime Minister Perry Christie at a press conference announcing Mr. Smith as the new Chair of the Hotel Corporation Board, a post in which he has been serving since July 2002. The announcement brought a firestorm of adverse commentary for the PLP and the Prime Minister. You may read the story below. |
At the end of the day - all the bit about collective responsibility we know - but at the end of the day it is the Prime Minister who must face the music for the Government’s decision. He ultimately decides how much political capital will be expended and over what. His critics within the PLP found it curious that political capital would be expended to defend the choices of Chairs of Boards; Sidney Stubbs as Chair of the Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Corporation (BAIC) and George Smith, Chairman of the Hotel Corporation. Well, with Mr. Stubbs no one is quite sure. Mr. Stubbs is using the telephone at BAIC, its car but still apparently has no appointment. But the damage is being inflicted all the same. And what was even more curious is the fact that not one PLP, not the Chairman, not a member, not the Chairman of the Young Liberals, no newspaper, no voice seemed to have come out in the defence of the PLP and the Prime Minister’s decisions. Something is seriously wrong with the PLP’s political machine that it cannot defend its own leader when clearly there is a case to be made.
It was therefore left to the Prime Minister to defend his choices of Messrs. Stubbs and Smith. He was angry about the attacks on Mr. Smith but he did not tell all at the press conference. It was as if he is holding back against his critics. But now is not the time to telescope blows. The fact is Mr. Christie has preached redemption all along. George Smith was condemned in 1984’s Commission of Inquiry as corruptly having received money from convicted drug trafficker Carlos Jo Ledher. The case against Mr. Smith in the courts was later dismissed. He travels to the United States. He played a pivotal role in the Family Island campaign of the PLP.
The troubles of Sidney Stubbs have been well chronicled here and there was more response to it by e-mail from our readers. Read the reactions below.
On the other side you have the FNM that engaged actively a confessed drug trafficker Abner Pinder of Spanish Wells. Mr. Pinder confessed to that same Commission of Inquiry. He is the FNM’s broker for North Eleuthera. He is the Chair of the Local Government Council. Whatever needed to be done in Spanish Wells, the FNM caused Abner Pinder to do it.
The Prime Minister raised the more substantive point about the issue of the mismanagement of the Corporation under the FNM and how it had left the Corporation with a massive deficit. No commentary on that from the FNM dominated media.
But you know what they say: perception is reality, and the decision in the view of some gave the FNM unnecessary fodder for their political mill. Different roles could have been found for many persons who have been chosen in the front lines as Board members and Chairs. And one suspects that what is feeding this is the feeling from the new PLPs that after five months in office, some of them have not yet received the call to service that they expected. And so their friends both neutral and Opposition are asking them: “After all the work you did, why is there nothing for you?” The Government in their view is insensitive to those facts.
But it is the Prime Minister’s choice and as he reminded his Council two weeks ago, they know what to do if his judgment is now being questioned. We withhold our judgment because he is still the best leader for the PLP in these times.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 5th October 2002: 24,804.
Number of hits for the month of October to Saturday 5th October 2002: 13, 416.
Number of hits for the month of September to Monday 30th September 2002: 110,619.
Number of hits for the year to Monday 30th September 2002: 1,810,820.
NEW
PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERS
John Pinder is now the President of the Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU).
He and his team routed the incumbent William McDonald (pictured).
Mr. Pinder in his late 30s marks a change in generation. The election
took place on Monday 30th September. The result ended 12 years under
the leadership of Mr. McDonald. His first pronouncement was that he wanted
some assistance from the Government in trying to prepare the public service
for its role in the FTAA process. The Minister for the Public Service
Fred Mitchell welcomed the new President and pledged to work with the new
team. The Minister announcing Public Service Week said that he intended
to arrange an early meeting with Mr. Pinder with a view to discussing his
agenda. He asked that the whole climate within the Public Service
come to understand that nothing can be done without consultation with the
trade unions.
SENIOR
CITIZENS MONTH
The Minister for Social Development Melanie Griffin has launched the month
to honour senior citizens. This is an important effort in a country
where by the year 2115, it is expected that the largest single birth cohort
as a percentage of the population is going to be the group over 65.
That means the population is aging and there are special considerations
that have to be put in place now in terms of public policy if the aging
population is to be taken care of. One thing is that youth have to
be trained to take care of older people, that it is a moral obligation.
Then there is the question of making sure that National Insurance and national
health insurance are in place to be able to take care of the elderly population
and their health and pension needs. This week, Jason Moxey of National
Insurance (pictured at right) reported that already the amount of money
being paid into National Insurance will not be enough to meet the commitments
of the fund in the year 2003. This is alarming. Mrs. Griffin
also has the added job in these hard times to provide the safety net for
a population that is seeing rising unemployment and poverty. The
Prime Minister himself was shocked at the reports from the police officers
in his Farm Road project that indicated that there are people going to
bed in the area without food to eat at night. Minister Griffin is pictured
meeting with the Crippled Children's Committee in this Guardian photo by
Roland Rose. From left are Dorothy Philips, CCC Administrator; Harold
Longley, Treasurer; Faith Ene, CCC Secretary; Lisa Ritchie, CCC Deputy
Chair; Bismark Coakley, CCC Chair; Minister Griffin; Velma Burrows, CCC
Professional Committee; Barbara Burrows, Permanent Secretary, Ministry
of Social Development and Paula Bowleg, CCC Professional Committee.
CHINESE
NATIONAL DAY
The People’s Republic of China celebrated the 53rd anniversary of its existence
on Tuesday 1 October at a spectacular reception at Sandals Hotel.
The Bahamas National Youth Choir under the direction of Cleophas Adderley
performed - and in Chinese - the national anthem of China. It wowed
the crowd. Present for the occasion was the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fred Mitchell. He was accompanied by several other Government Ministers.
This was to show how important Government finds the relationship with the
Peoples Republic of China.
The Foreign Minister made the point that The Bahamas
supports the “one China” policy. That means that The Bahamas and
the eight of the Caricom countries that have diplomatic relations with
the People’s Republic accept that there is only one China, headed by the
Government of the People’s Republic. But the Minister added that
The Bahamas is also committed to the peaceful pursuit of all international
goals. That is code for the fact that The Bahamas will not support
the retaking of Taiwan by warfare.
In the meantime, the Taiwanese are nipping around
the heels of the country seeking a deal to re-establish diplomatic relations.
They have reportedly offered 35 million dollars to the country to do so.
This resonates with many Bahamians who feel that the mainland Chinese have
been stingy with their money. But Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell
has made it clear that he will have none of it. There is only one
China and that one China is represented by the regime in Beijing. Minister
Mitchell is shown at top congratulating The Bahamas National Youth Choir;
at right, Governor General Dame Ivy Dumont (centre) and Mr. Dumont are
joined by the Minister in meeting the Chinese Ambassador and his wife.
Photos by Derek Smith BIS.
SIDNEY
STUBBS APPOINTED?
No one knows for sure what the position is.
Has he been appointed or not? The Prime Minister has been out of
the office for most of the week not feeling well, so the announcement that
was expected did not come. He did announce the Board of the Hotel
Corporation but perhaps two bits of bad news was too much for one week.
The fact is Mr. Stubbs is said to be sitting in the Bahamas Agricultural
Industrial Corporation’s office and riding the car of BAIC and using their
telephones. But it appears that he does not have an appointment.
The e-mail traffic to this site was all one way on the point and we repeat
some of it here below. Some suggest that the wiser thing to have
done with Mr. Stubbs is to have given him another appointment in another
less contentious area given all the hullabaloo about BAIC and the missteps.
Here is some of the e-mail response:
From a student at a Canadian university…
If Prime Minister Christie wants to show the
world that his administration will not tolerate the type of behaviour displayed
by Sidney Stubbs, he must publicly fire him without hesitation.
He has proven he does not have what it takes
to be in public office.
Another writer –
It is distressing to me that Sidney Stubbs is
still on the job. If I was in charge and had to answer for his actions
he should be fired right away without question.
I flew home on Election Day to vote and I voted
for justice and fair play. Not for this. The new government must
grow the economy and the put all of us to work. In the name of justice
and fair play, Sidney Stubbs, must be fired and his Minister must be called
into question.
Yet Another Writer –
It is great to see that you are not just simply
on the PLP. You make no crumbs about your support of them and that
is ok, but what the hell is the matter? Sidney Stubbs should be fired
immediately. What is the Government waiting on?
FRED
MITCHELL HAS A BIRTHDAY
We wish happy birthday to the Minister of Foreign
Affairs. Mr. Mitchell celebrated his 49th birthday in Rochester,
Minnesota at the Mayo Clinic, where he was completing a routine physical
started in the springtime. Mr. Mitchell has announced that he will
be working up to his fiftieth birthday with a lecture every month in a
different island. The idea is to compile a book with a retrospective
of his involvement with the Progressive Liberal Party, which also celebrates
its fiftieth year as a party in November 2003. Happy Birthday!
And we look forward to the lectures. Meanwhile Mr. Mitchell has also
announced that he has been invited to deliver a sermon at a Methodist church
in Los Angeles, California. He is trying now to negotiate a date
for the sermon, which will be about the unity of nations.
THE
HOTEL CORPORATION BOARD
The Prime Minister has announced the board of The
Hotel Corporation of The Bahamas. Heading the board is the Chairman
George Smith, the former Member of Parliament for Exuma. (See Comment of
the Week above). Its Deputy Chair is Baltron Bethel, the former Director
General of Tourism under the Pindling administration. The two appointments
did not go down well in certain sectors of the community including some
grumbling within PLP circles. ‘Where is the new PLP?’ was a familiar
cry over the last week.
The Prime Minister is known to have great confidence
in Mr. Bethel as a brilliant man who is able to get the Corporation going.
But that did not impress the young people who expressed the view that the
party needs to show evidence of a new PLP with young people at the helm.
Joining Messrs. Smith and Bethel in the Board are: Debi Williams-Hancick;
Archdeacon Ranfurly Brown; Annischka Holmes, James Catalyn and Alphonso
Smith.
Mr. Christie defended the choice of Mr. Smith as
follows: “I believe in redemption. Mr. Smith is now accepted as a
full fledged law respecting, law abiding citizen. He has met every
public challenge that has been made of him, every legal challenge that
been made of him.”
BARCLAYS
GOING… LLOYD’S TO CLOSE
The news again was bad on the economic front.
Two weeks ago there was an offer made to Lloyd’s Bank to buy their building
and some wondered why the building was up for sale. The answer is
now clear. Lloyds is leaving The Bahamas and firing the 50 people
that work for it. They will have one year's grace and a good package
but that appears to be an epithet. The Bank’s Chair said the decision
to leave had nothing to do with the Government or its policies but with
world economic conditions. But it could not have come at a worse
time. The Bahamas is about to lose Barclays Bank as a marquee name
on the front street of the island. Now with Lloyds it just sends
a bad signal. Minister for Financial Services Allyson Gibson has
a her work cut for her in trying to prop up this industry that one can
only blame Hubert Ingraham, the former Prime Minister for wrecking single-handedly
and leaving us in the lurch.
CIBC
MERGER STALLS?
We thought that it was all a go but Terry Hilts
who represents the interests of CIBC in The Bahamas told The Tribune this
past week that there are still some outstanding issues that need to be
resolved before the merger is official. The Government regulators
in The Bahamas were insisting that there needed to be an accord between
the Bahamian employees and the Bank before the merger of Barclays and CIBC
into First Caribbean could take place. The Bahamas is the last country
to give regulatory approval. Thirty per cent of the business of the
new entity will be conducted in The Bahamas.
A
DECISION IN THE NINETY CASE
After five postponements for one reason or another,
the Magistrate Carolita Bethel finally gave a ruling in the case of Samuel
‘Ninety’ Knowles. Mr. Knowles has been in prison for over a year
awaiting the decision on his extradition to the United States. He
is unable to get bail. He has a diabetic problem and has had some
easing of the conditions in prison to allow him to be properly treated
for that.
In the neighbourhood where he lives Mr. Knowles
is a hero. He is not that to the United States. He is a drug
conspirator as far as they are concerned and was responsible for running
a big drug smuggling ring from Jamaica and the United States and including
Canada. This is the second time that they have gone after him for
extradition. His lawyers Edward Fitzgerald Q.C. from the United Kingdom
and Philip ‘Brave’ Davis and Roger Minnis made submissions that there is
no case to answer on the four charges that he is wanted for in the U.S.
The Magistrate on Monday 30th September ruled that
Mr. Knowles had no case to answer on two of the charges relating to possession
and importation of cocaine with intent to supply. But she also found
that the charges of conspiracy to import and conspiracy to possess with
intent to supply needed a defence. The case is now adjourned again
for that hearing. The Americans are getting antsy about this and
their Ambassador has from time to time made interventions in the public
domain about the case. Many are concerned that these interventions
can be used by a defence attorney to ask for the case to be thrown out
because the law prohibits any public form of pressure on the Judiciary.
BACK
TO COURT FOR MAURICE
The Court of Appeal of The Bahamas, that most difficult of Courts, has
given Maurice Glinton, the Freeport Attorney and his partner in the litigation
Leandra Esfakis, a victory of sorts. The Court ruled on Monday 30th
September that the ruling of Chief Justice Sir Burton Hall that he could
not grant interlocutory relief to block the effectiveness of the laws relating
to the Financial Services Sector like the Compliance Commission should
be reversed and he should hear the case and then decide.
Mr. Glinton and his partner have made the arguments
but in the original case Sir Burton said this: “I have an inclination to
grant the interlocutory relief being sought, but a previous ruling on a
similar matter involving Gladstone McEwan and his campaign for election
ballots to become “truly secret” has set a legal precedent. The idea
of Mr. Glinton is that while he challenges the compendium of legislation
passed into law in a rush by Hubert Ingraham's administration, he wants
the effect of the laws stopped until the matter is adjudicated or until
further order. Sir Burton will now have to hear the matter.
Mr. Glinton is doing yeoman’s service for the country.
All of the laws need to be set aside. The Bahamas has suffered because
of the laws. They are too intrusive and have made it difficult to
transact banking business in The Bahamas. Further there are some
who argue that the laws have not done what they were supposed to do.
The Bahamas is still said to be on an informal blacklist because it is
viewed as a tax haven. That means if you put your money in the Bahamas
it attracts attention in the developed world. That makes The
Bahamas a place not to go.
The Minister of Financial Services Allyson Gibson
(pictured) has much work to do to improve this situation. The feeling
is that the whole sector is imploding and cannot be saved. The feeling
is that the UB, the Swiss Bank is next to go after Lloyd’s Bank and there
is another rumour in the market that CIBC Trust is also going to pack up.
As for Mr. Glinton, we believe that it is time that
his knowledge and expertise be used by the establishment to help develop
The Bahamas in some more direct way. Perhaps, he ought to be asked
to serve on the Constitutional Reform Commission. Perhaps, there
is a role on an advisory board but it seems a shame that there is not a
more central role available. But perhaps, the role that he plays
serves the country best because all Governments end up doing rotten things
even though there are good men and women in it. You need someone to keep
those good men and women in their collective action honest. Minister
of Financial Services Allyson Maynard-Gibson is shown (centre) in this
Guardian photo by Patrick Hanna speaking about her Ministry's efforts to
create dialogue between the public and private sectors. Far left
is Craig Gomex, Managing partner of Gomez Partners & Co., Wendy Warren,
Executive Director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board and Jerome Gomez,
Managing Director of Gomez Corporate Services ltd.
THE
SPOUSE OF THE MAJOR DRUG MAN
The headline in the press said that Keva Major 38 (pictured in this Tribune
photo by Felipe Major), the wife of convicted drug smuggler Dwight Major
of Long Island had been caught on Tuesday 1st October with cash in the
amount of $850,000. She was remanded in custody because she could
not make the one million dollars cash bail with two sureties. Sure
enough on Saturday 5th October, the press again reported that Mrs. Major
had made bail - one million dollars in cash. This site ran a story
of then Opposition's spokesman for Foreign Affairs to Long Island voicing
concerns about Dwight Major. Concern was also voiced at that time
by Bradley Roberts, the Chairman of the PLP.
Mrs. Major has been charged with being found in
possession of two sums of money - one $401,605 suspected to have been derived
in whole or in part directly or indirectly represented another person's
proceeds and two $448,900 in possession of the funds being concerned in
an arrangement for the retention, control and concealment and to ensure
that other person's proceeds of drug trafficking are used to acquire property,
knowing or having reasonable grounds to suspect that the mentioned person
has been engaged in drug trafficking and has benefitted from the same.
When you see what we have just seen with this, it
again raises the necessity to preach the doctrine of a meritocracy. This
country's whole fabric is undermined by the fact that you have persons,
some without a lick of sense in their heads, no formal education but able
by the use of slickness and illegality to accumulate large sums of money
and live well. The society has that image to fight when these kids
coming out of high school see that. Why, they ask, should they go
to college or even bother to finish school when they can be drug traffickers
and make large sums of money without school?
The message needs to go out that you will always
be caught and if you are convicted as you will be, you will go to jail
for a long, long time and you will lose the money.
CLOSED
GROUPER SEASON
Minister of Fisheries Alfred Gray has confirmed
that there will be a no take period or closed season for grouper during
the upcoming spawning season from 1stNovember to 1st February. This
has pleased BREEF, the conservation group headed by Sir Nicholas Nuttal.
We think that it is a good idea. The grouper in The Bahamas is the
last place in the Caribbean where there is an aggregation or schools to
be found. Scientists have said that if The Bahamas does not act now;
within five years the grouper will be gone.
NEVILLE
WISDOM'S NEW COMMITTEE
A new sailing Committee, an advisory one has been
formed by Minister of Sports Neville Wisdom. It is to be headed by
Danny Strachan, the Commodore of the Family Island Regatta of Exuma.
No doubt this is an attempt to bring some order to a sport that is always
bickering over leadership. The idea did not go down well with Philip
McPhee who is the former FNM candidate for Bain Town in the last election.
He accused the Minister of trying to supercede the work of the existing
committees. He said that the new committee could not work without
the cooperation of the existing sailing groups. Duh! Minister
Wisdom is pictured in this Tribune photo by Felipe Major bouncing one of
the twin three month old babies of Cynthia Cooper-Dyke of the Womans National
Basketball Association, in Nassau for exhibitions.
PAUL
ADDERLEY FOR ACTING GG
The Hon. Paul Adderley, the former Attorney General,
former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Security and Minister
of Finance is now the Acting Governor General. Mr. Adderley is acting
in the absence from the country of GG Dame Ivy Dumont who is in St. Vincent
for a Heads of State Conference of Caricom.
CONCERN
OVER BOMB DETECTION
The Tribune ran a story on Saturday 5th October
that speculates that the police do not have the capacity in The Bahamas
to do anything about bombs that it might detect. So we need to hear
from the Minister of National Security.
A
NOTE TO BAHAMIAN EQUITIES EXPERTS
BaTelCo is slated for privatization. But it
is still being talked about that this Bahamian company previously managed
by foreigners should be sold to foreigners again even though that previous
experience was disastrous for this country. Why is it that Bahamians
do not accept the fact that the Bahamians who run the company today can
run the company as a private concern and should be able to buy it if they
want? Further, the simplest way to privatize BaTelCo is to sell its
shares off in tranches like Bank of the Bahamas was sold off in tranches.
Then all we have to deal with is the monopoly policy. The interesting
thing is that the employees in BaTelCo and the financial experts who are
Bahamian all think so but no one is promoting or putting the idea forward.
Where the hell are you? Or are you going to let this company go to
foreign interests without a fight?
B.S.
NOTES FROM GENEVA’S FREEPORT… PLUS
In this new format, the former News From Grand Bahama is renamed
as above. This signifies the initials of our senior correspondent
from the nation’s second city, with the ‘plus’ for the many other sources
from whom contributions are accepted. Ed.
Quote of the Week... Goes out to Prime Minister Christie -
"The FNM is out of office today because the people that were most
important to them at the end of the day could not vote." A retired
hotel Maitre'd
Justice of The Peace
A former senior FNM MP was seen going into the Garnet Levarity Justice
Centre (The Freeport courthouse) in the cool of the evening to be sworn
in as a Justice of The Peace. The FNM informant told us that it was
a disgrace: "This man should be involved in million dollar deals
and not ten and twenty dollar deals, trying to take bread out of the little
man's mouth... Shame on him," the FNM supporter told News From Grand Bahama.
On top of that, the former senior MP now receives a handsome Parliamentary
pension.
Don't Do It - Bus & Tax Drivers
Concerns have been raised to this column about a proposal that is being
put before the Government and the Grand Bahama Port Authority by the Tour
Bus Association to allow buses to pick up passengers from the Lucayan Harbour
and the Grand Bahama International Airport. We say to the Ministers
of Transport and Tourism that the proposal should be disapproved out of
hand and any such proposal that would cause major upheaval at both ports.
It would take the Defence Force being stationed at both ports to have that
deal work smoothly. So our advice is don't do it Ministers, given
the state of the Grand Bahama economy.
Minister Mitchell in Grand Bahama
On Monday 30th September, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public
Service Fred Mitchell was in Grand Bahama on a private visit. Minister
Mitchell spoke at Discovery Primary School 4th Grade class about Government
and Politics. This class is taught by Miss Denise Minnis who believes
that through practical experiences, learning is made much easier.
This term, her class has heard from the Parliamentary Registration Department,
who mock registered some of the students in the class and later on, a nomination
process will be demonstrated and at the end of the term there is to be
a mock election. Minister Mitchell spent his forty five minutes telling
the children about his childhood experiences and to be goal-oriented and
finally, explaining what his job at Foreign Affairs entails. The
schoolchildren were startled to see someone always seen on TV in their
classroom… an enlightening experience for both the Minister and the students.
FNM Leadership
FNM leader Tommy Turnquest was in Grand Bahama this past weekend to
learn about some of the plots that were afoot. The FNM leader was
given a detailed report on how the Brent Symonette rebellion was put down
by his supporters who reminded those involved that Bahamians were "not
ready for a white man". But it now seems that having overcome that
hurdle, Zhivargo Laing is now enquiring quietly in hopes of making a bid
for the party's leadership. We are also informed by an FNM close
to the source that Dion Foulkes is to run for Chairman. The informant
told News From Grand Bahama that Zhivargo, Dion, Dwight Sawyer and Randy
Conliffe should all dig a deep hole and bury themselves and allow people
like Darren Cash, Michael Pintard and Desmond Bannister to come to the
fore and take over the running of the FNM. So the plot thickens.
Shalimar Hotel
Grand Bahama residents on Friday passing the Shalimar hotel were surprised
to see that the old property on the South Mall was being demolished by
a large tractor. The property was said to have been owned by businessman
Jack Wong and has lain vacant for at least the last decade. Sources
say that a new touristic project is to be built on the site, but no public
announcement has yet been made. We will follow this story.
The New Law
Observers in Grand Bahama were shocked to find out that The Bahamas
had in place anti-money laundering laws. They were flabbergasted
to know that $800,000 could be confiscated and that there is actually a
law, which says that if the monies were suspected of being drug-related
that it could be confiscated. They were also surprised to know that
the same law has wide-ranging consequences for Bahamians involved in the
Cash3 and Play4 numbers business. So any Bahamian found with large
quantities of money, if they don't have good reason for having the monies
could find that their money would be confiscated. Most observers
now say that the law seems to be unfair and that the only thing it's going
to do is to drive people into burying their money in the pine forest.
Many though, were truly shocked that we have had such laws on the books
for years.
A Complaint About CM 14
A complaint has come to News From Grand Bahama that when it comes to
your private business, particularly at 1am, that the Government car CM
14, should not be out on the streets in front of the British Colonial Hilton.
Perhaps it was legitimate business.
 |
| PHOTO OF THE WEEK - The photo of the week is a picture of Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell with Prime Minister Perry Christie and Rev. Fr. Sebastian Campbell, Chair of the National Heroes Day Committee. National Heroes Day is being celebrated on the renamed Discovery Day of 12th October. The actual holiday this year is Monday 14th October. There were some who were unhappy about the change but Fr. Campbell pronounced himself pleased. The photo is by Derek Smith. |
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
THE US AND THE BAHAMAS
This
week Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell got his wish at the resumed Parliament.
In pursuance of the PLP's 2002 election platform named ‘Our Plan’, the
Government supported the creation of a Select Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The Committee is headed by MP for Kennedy Kenyatta Gibson. The idea
of the Committee is to serve as a review body for the work of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and to seek public views and generate consensus on foreign
affairs matters through hearings both in private and in public. The
debate was interesting because it revealed the depth of feeling about the
US / Bahamian relationship as it relates to Iraq.
The Government’s position in the matter was reiterated by the Foreign Minister. Ordinarily, The Bahamas would have no comment on Iraq. The Foreign Minister explained that there is no specific policy on Iraq but simply a general policy on the manner in which international disputes are to be resolved through the United Nations Security Council. But the comment became necessary because of a provocative headline in the press earlier in the week in which the U.S. Ambassador was said to have asked The Bahamas for assistance to help the US oust the leader of the Iraqi people.
Some MPs seemed to be incensed by the US Ambassador’s intervention. Malcolm Adderley MP for Elizabeth was the strongest saying that he was sick and tired of the Ambassador coming into the country and telling Bahamians what to do. Keod Smith, the Ambassador for the Environment, said that he hoped the country would not follow the path of war mongering that he had heard from the US. Prime Minister Perry Christie and the Foreign Minister looked on impassively.
The Foreign Minister said that he was not discomforted by the statements of the US Ambassador. You may click here for the full address.
What is clear is that the Foreign Minister is walking a tightrope between the grass roots views of many in the country re the US and the realities of life in The Bahamas. The fact is that on the matters of foreign relations, the US/ Bahamian axis is paramount. There is no getting around that and we had better face it. Therefore no Government of The Bahamas can be perceived to be anti-American. The fallout is too dreary to contemplate. That is why the Minister is fighting hard to restrain any further contact with Cuba because of the potential concern about a backlash from the US Government.
We shall see.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 12th October 2002 at midnight: 20,763.
Number of hits for the month of October up Saturday 12th October 2002 at midnight: 34,137.
Number of hits for the year up to Saturday 12th October 2002 at midnight:
1,831,583.
WHAT
SHOULD THE FOREIGN POLICY BE?
The Bahamas is a country of 300,000 people more
or less. Small though it is, it is a country. It makes its
own decisions and in international law, it is recognized as being responsible
for its own affairs. But the question remains, with national corporations
in the US having a larger turnover than the whole country, with some US
individuals being richer than the entire country, and with no standing
army or military capability, what can 300,000 people say or do that makes
any bit of difference to the rest of the world? And can The Bahamas
really defend itself?
For example, each week, the US Coast Guard makes
a number of requests to come into The Bahamas to be able to rescue migrants
who have wandered into our shores. It is framed as a request and
we grant the request but if we say no, can we really stop them? We
have the AUTEC base at Andros, which is used by the United States Government.
By the terms of the treaty that governs the use of the facility for underwater
testing of naval equipment, The Bahamas can notify the US that it wants
the relationship to be discontinued. Can we really do that?
WHAT
DOES SOVEREIGNTY MEAN?
In fact in all kinds of practical ways our sovereignty
is circumscribed by the power of the United States and the other countries
around us. That was demonstrated in 1980 when Cuban MIGs sank the
HMBS Flamingo carrying out a policing action against poachers from Cuba
in our waters. We had no capability of stopping the Cubans.
The United States sent its planes to the area to deal with the MIGs.
Malcolm Adderley, the MP for Elizabeth, speaking in the foreign affairs
debate in the House on Wednesday 9th October said that he stood up for
the sovereignty of The Bahamas. He said that he would stand alone
if necessary. He said he needed no troops to do so.
Sovereignty is not just the practical side but also
the idea of independence and a belief in the country and its people.
But at this time, we are being forced for all sorts of reason to ask who
we really are. As we look toward a higher level of practical co-operation
with Cuba, there are many Bahamians who are concerned that the Americans
will simply yank our chain and destabilize our economy because of their
aversion to Cuba. And yet in a country where people are free to travel,
and there are thousands of Bahamians in Cuba, how can we continue to ask
the British to handle our consular matters for us?
At the airport recently, since Bahamasair started
its flights to Cuba, US Customs authorities have been harassing Americans
that want to visit Cuba from The Bahamas. At one point, it is reported
that a US Customs officer stood up with a bull horn in the Nassau International
and warned Americans that it was illegal to travel to Cuba. This
flight by Americans is not encouraged or condoned by the Government here
but the US is not a subtle country and to them it is a distinction without
a difference. Then add to that the fact that you have a US Ambassador
whom many Bahamians find offensive in his public pronouncements.
It is against that background that the Bahamas Foreign Minister has his
work cut out for him. And each day there is a fresh assault from
all the sides in the argument.
THE
US AMBASSADOR IN HIS OWN WORDS
Speaking before the American Men’s Club on Tuesday 8th October, U.S. Ambassador
Richard Blankenship made a demand of The Bahamas to support the US position
on Iraq. Here is what he said in his own words:
“We call on the nations of the world to join us in this coalition to ensure that Saddam no longer continues to threaten the region and the world. We call on nations like The Bahamas to do the right thing, to align themselves with the United States against this brutal, aggressive thug, just as they did on September 11th…
“The Bahamas has stood by us in the fight against terrorism and we call upon them again to do so. To stand with the United States against the threats represented by Saddam Hussein and his weapons programme.”
MALCOLM
ADDERLEY IN HIS OWN WORDS
Malcolm Adderley MP is a radical with a cause.
He has never been one to mince words. And he rose in the House of
Assembly to speak on the request for a select committee on foreign affairs.
Mr. Adderley received his legal training at the University of the West
Indies in the height of the movement for democratic socialism led by Michael
Manley, the late Jamaican Prime Minister. His comments came against
the background of a demand by US Ambassador Richard Blankenship that The
Bahamas must demonstrate its support on Iraq and other pronouncements by
the Ambassador:
“I am sick and tired of people coming into this country and telling this country and the institutions, the courts, the magistrates, the supreme court, what to do and how to do it. You can’t have that, Mr. Speaker. Not if you claim to be an independent nation…
“I do not like the innuendoes that our courts are corrupt, that our magistrates are corrupt and people are corrupt. My God! Let’s compare corruption world wide and you come to your own conclusion…
“The country must decide whether we are being
asked to support a worthy cause or being asked to join a crusade of revenge
or hate or some other hidden agenda. The country cannot make decisions
because we are afraid to rock the boat of big nations that we are friendly
with.”
KEOD
SMITH IN HIS OWN WORDS
Keod Smith is the Member of Parliament for Mt. Moriah, having recently
defeated the Leader of the FNM Senator Tommy Turnquest in the 2002 Elections.
Mr. Smith is a real “campus radical” type. He supports all the “right”
causes. He launched a blistering attack on the American position
on Iraq and other foreign affairs matters. He was speaking on the
request for a Select Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday 9th October.
Here is what he had to say in his own words:
“Before we have public debates on a matter as crucial as killing other people in another country, or supporting another country to dispose of the leader of another country, we need to fully understand what happens in Iraq and what happens in the UN…
“Are we performing within the confines of the United Nations or are we going to allow ourselves to be pulled along to get involved with the kind of war mongering we see happening in New York…
“We do not have any presence in Cuba. We have some Bahamians in Cuban jails, we have Bahamians who are marrying Cubans, taking up residence in Cuba and some Cubans taken up residence here…
“Many Bahamians are going to Cuba for medical attention, we do have many Bahamians who do business with Cuba and I can’t understand why it is that The Bahamas has not created the right kind of relations on the ground in Cuba that Cuba has already created here… [The Cubans have a resident Consul General.]
“The Bahamas has to see what is in the best interest
of The Bahamas and take a very unashamed approach to making the kind of
alliances with the countries that we wish in the best interests of The
Bahamas. Are we in this place determining what our policy is to be
with Cuba or is it being determined some other place? ”
FOREIGN
MINISTER IN HIS OWN WORDS
The Foreign Minister during the course of the debate gave the policy of
The Bahamas with regard to Iraq. He said the policy was not specific
to any country but a general one. Here is what he had to say in his
own words:
“We stand in concert with our Caricom partners and that is, we support the United Nations and the Resolutions of the United Nations. By the fact that we are members of the UN, we are bound to follow United Nations Resolutions…
“Any policies that are pursued with regard to enforcement of United Nations resolutions ought also to be pursued through the United Nations. That is our position with regard to all international disputes, even those that arise on a bilateral level.”
You may click here
for the full text of the remarks delivered on Wednesday 9th October
2002.
SELECT
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The Government supported and the House has passed
a resolution for the creation of Select Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The Members of the Committee are as follows: Kenyatta Gibson MP Kennedy;
John Carey, Carmichael MP; Veronica Owen, Garden Hills MP; Keod Smith,
MP Mt. Moriah [All PLP]; Brent Symonette, Montagu MP; Kenneth Russell MP
High Rock [Both FNM]; Pierre Dupuch MP St. Margaret [Independent].
MPS IN CHINA
On a recent private visit to the People's Republic
of China, MPs Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, Keod Smith and John Carey, pause for
a photo at the Forbidden City in Beijing. During their visit, the
Members of Parliament were hosted to a dinner reception by officials of
the Government where they were able to discuss matters of mutual interest
between the Bahamas and China.
THE PM
ON REDEMPTION
The Prime Minister continued his defence of his appointment of George Smith,
the former Member of Parliament for Exuma to the Chairmanship of the Board
of the Hotel Corporation. His remarks came at the National Heroes
Day celebration on 10th October 2002 in Rawson Square. He also announced
a Cultural Commission that will look into the question of a National Heroes
Park and the system of National Honours. But he launched into his
critics on the Smith appointment though never calling him by name.
He said: “I just want you to know when they talk to me about who I appoint,
I just want you to know that I will not be dismayed or distracted by people
who seem not to understand even the Bible, and its commitment to forgiveness
and redemption. As long as you cannot show me that an appointment
I have made will bring cancer, rot or lack of integrity to today’s Bahamas,
show me that and I will change course. I have a second chance government
because I was given a second chance, and as long as I am prime minister,
you go take it God.”
WHAT’S
HAPPENING AT BAIC?
No one is quite sure what the deal is now with the
Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Corporation (BAIC). You will remember
that the corporation is mired in controversy over the appointment of the
Chair. No word from the Prime Minister but it is believed that Sidney
Stubbs (pictured), who dismissed some FNM supporters at BAIC, and then
the matter was reversed by the Minister Leslie Miller is still the Chair.
It seems that Mr. Stubbs is still in the dog house with the Prime Minister
and his Minister. But the report is that Caleb Outten, the putative
Deputy chair has been told by the Minister that he should no longer expect
the job. Mr. Outten was the PLP's candidate for Eight Mile Rock in
the last election. He ought to be given something.
THE
KIDS AND THEIR SOCCER BALL
When Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell visited South
Africa in August he saw some kids on the Bowe-Joubert farm playing on the
windswept vineyard hills with a deflated soccer ball. He had to leave
but asked Earle McPhee from the Ministry of Tourism who was travelling
with him to leave some money to purchase a new soccer ball for the children.
So said, so done. And now Tina Joubert reports in these pictures
that the children are happily playing with their ball. Bowe-Joubert
farms is an investment in South Africa by Alphonso Bowe, a Bahamian businessman
with the Joubert family of Stellenbosch.
INTERNATIONAL
CULTURAL FESTIVAL
The International Cultural festival will be held
at the Botanical Gardens in Nassau on 19th and 20th October, 2002.
James Catalyn, the writer, is the Chair of the festival for the eighth
time in a row. This year Fred Mitchell will be there in his capacity
as Minister of Foreign Affairs. The fair will include some 40 countries.
Bands are being flown in from Cuba, Haiti, Scotland and Canada. There
will be plenty of food. Try to make it if you are in town.
NATIONAL
HEROES DAY
Rev. Fr. Sebastian Campbell is a happy man. He is
the Chair of the National Heroes Day Committee. The Committee started
out as an idea of Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell in 1990 when he was leader
of his own political party called Peoples Democratic Force (PDF).
It was begun to mark the passing of the death of the first Bahamian Governor
General Sir Milo Butler who died on 22nd January 1979. This year the day
was officially proclaimed on the now renamed Discovery Day. The Prime
Minister attended for the first time in the 12 years of the marking of
the day. The photo in the editorial shows the Prime Minister with
the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The actual idea for a National Heroes Day was first
mooted at the very first of the commemorations in 1990 by Loretta Butler
Turner (pictured at top being greeted by Prime Minister Christie)
who is the granddaughter of the late Sir Milo. Fr. Campbell in his
address said “It is with a sense of much pride that we are able to come
to this level of celebration. This is the way in order to bring attention
to some historical injustices that we have perpetrated as a people and
really and truly educate our children as to who the true heroes of The
Bahamas are. Derek Smith took the photos.
PAUL
ADDERLEY ACTING GOVERNOR GENERAL
The former Attorney General Paul Adderley was sworn
in as Deputy to the Governor General. He then proceeded to act for
Dame Ivy Dumont the Governor General who went off to a Heads of State conference
in St. Vincent. Amongst the topics discussed was the question of
the Caribbean Diaspora. The Prime Minister indicated that other Deputies
to the Governor General would be chosen. It is believed that Arthur
Hanna, former Deputy Prime Minister might be one of those persons.
Mr. Hanna and Mr. Adderley had both resisted up to this point any formal
titles or roles in the new Government. Mr. Adderley is shown at
left with the Prime Minister on his appointment (Peter Ramsay) and at right
greeting Governor General Dame Ivy and Mr. Dumont at the airport on their
return Friday 11th October (Derek Smith).
MANNING
WINS IN TRINIDAD
Congratulations to Patrick Manning, the Prime Minister of Trinidad on his
victory at the polls 20-16 in Trinidad. This is the third general
election in Trinidad in three years. The last one in December 2001
produced a stalemate of 18-18 and Basdeo Panday, the Indian Prime Minister
stupidly refused to co-operate with the new Government and has now lost
it all. He has promised to demit office as soon as a new Leader of
the Opposition can be found.
Trinidad is a harsh racial landscape with Africans
40 per cent and Indians 40 per cent. The level of violence is not
the same as in Guyana but difficult all the same. Other Caribbean
Governments are afraid that Mr. Manning's election was bought with the
assistance of the radical Muslim group that tried in 1991 to overthrow
the country's Government and kill the now President when he was Prime Minister.
Mr. Manning has denied this. Trinidad bears watching but at least
the stalemate is over. Now Mr. Manning has to learn to be magnanimous
and amongst the things he ought to do is remove his wife from the Cabinet.
Trinidad
Prime Minister Manning at right; partisan crowds of his People's National
Movement (PNM) in celebration. AP photos by Shirley Bahadur from
the Nassau Guardian.
BACKLOG
OF INVESTMENT PROPOSALS
The Tribune of Wednesday 9th October carried a story
under the headline that you see above. David Morley, the President
of the Real Estate Association, said that he had heard the complaints that
the Government had a pile of investment proposals and they were being held
up by inaction. Mr. Morley told The Tribune that he had been assured
by the new Government that the applications would all be dealt with expeditiously.
But privately, many have been expressing worries about the new Government
and its commitment to investment. At the lunch tables in Café
Matisse and in Lyford Cay, they have been saying that no new money has
come into the economy under the PLP and that the PLP does not appear to
be concerned to deal with the issue of flagging revenue and the lack of
new dollars coming in.
Prime Minister Perry Christie adverted to it in
a recent public statement introducing a Government Board when he said that
he had a real crisis of decision making when he had to choose between people
who had no food to eat and the trips being taken by Ministers overseas
that costs thousands of dollars. He felt that too many of the decisions
the Government was making had to do with spending money and not getting
money into the kitty. Many people thought that it was a dig at the
Minister of Foreign Affairs who hardly spends a day at home these days.
There is a further problem, the old divide between
a liberal immigration policy and a tough, protect The Bahamas at all costs,
stance has resurfaced. The thinking on one side is that we need the
jobs. On the other side, we need to protect Bahamian jobs.
The scuttlebutt around town is that the real reason that Lloyd’s Bank left
The Bahamas is because they could not get the work permits they wanted
and several other banks are worried about it as well. So a meeting
of the minds must take place.
A similar divide can be found between those Ministers
who in their gut feel that it is wrong to sell BaTelCo to foreigners and
those who think that we have no choice for revenue reasons and for reasons
of modernity. Whatever it is people are now crying openly about jobs
and more jobs. That is the first priority now of the administration.
PUBLIC
SERVICE REFORM
Public Service Minister Fred Mitchell met with the Human Resources Officers
of the Public Service on Friday 11th October. He said that he has
set two limited goals as public service minister, dedicated to public service
reform. He said that he wants human resources departments to be developed
and he wants there to be an improvement in service to the public.
The two are interrelated according to the Minister. Here is some
of what he said in his own words:
“Workers in the pubic service from top to bottom are dissatisfied with the state of their employment, where it appears that every employee has some quarrel or issue with the terms and conditions of their employment. This may only be anecdotal and impressionistic, but it is of sufficient concern to me, that this should not be allowed to continue…
“The complaints that come to me include the lack of promotion, being at the salary bar, the inability to get answers on promotions and pay, the inability to get reasonable and timely discussions on career paths and just the feeling that there is no concern about the welfare of the worker…
“The system is too paper intensive. It does not appear to have appropriate and open lobbying procedures for vendors to provide goods and services to it and the result is, there is too much of a lag time between requests for information or decisions on pay and promotions and the actual time the decision is carried out. Often the employee including the supervisor is left in the dark about what is happening…
“One step to improvement would be telling employees who their human resource officers are, where these officers ought to give a commitment to get answers within 14 days of any inquiry. The whole system ought to commit to a final determination and reply within six weeks of the employee’s first enquiry.”
ED
BETHEL NEW CONSUL GENERAL IN NEW YORK
Prime Minister Perry Christie announced that Ed
Bethel, the journalist and lately News Director for Love 97 Radio news
is to be the Consul General for The Bahamas in New York. Mr. Bethel
and his wife Dawn are expected to be in New York on or before 1st January
2003. In welcoming Mr. Bethel, Mr. Christie said that he was sure
that Mr. Bethel would do a good job and that he was well equipped to assist
the Bahamian community abroad and to encourage investment to The Bahamas.
Mr.
Bethel, centre, is shown being congratulated by Prime Minister Christie
at left and Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell at right in this BIS
photo by Peter Ramsay.
STUPID
PRIVY COUNCIL DECISION
The Tribune reported on Wednesday 9th October 2002
that the Privy Council has ruled that but for the fact that the Court did
not specify what instrument should be used for flogging Prince Pinder,
the sentence of the court in The Bahamas under Bahamian law was constitutional
and lawful. This is a bad decision in law and just plain stupid.
You expect something like this out of the hanging Court our Caribbean friends
are planning to implement next year. It only goes to show that the
Englishmen don’t always get it right. The decision was a majority decision,
with Lord Millet who came to The Bahamas on a hobnobbing visit being one
of those going with the majority of three. Two judges sensibly went
against the majority.
BANK
OF THE BAHAMAS IN FLORIDA
Paul McWeeney, the Managing Director of the Bank
of The Bahamas has ambitious expansion plans for the Bank. The bank is
51 per cent owned by the Government of the Bahamas. There are some
who believe that the whole kit and caboodle ought to be sold off to the
private sector. The Bank is now expanding beyond its domestic trust
unit to an office in Florida. The bank unveiled a new logo on Tuesday
10th October. Prime Minister Christie is shown speaking at the launch
of the Bank of The Bahamas International in this Tribune photo by Tim Aylen
of Vision Media. From left are Minister of State for Finance James
Smith, Mr. McWeeney, Mr. Christie and Bank of The Bahamas International
Chairman Hugh Sands.
ZHIVARGO
LAING’S NEW JOB
Want to learn about the Free Trade Agreement of
the Americas (FTAA)? Well what better person to learn it from than
a former Minister of the Government who is quite in the dark about the
matter himself. Anyway, he was the Minister, so the blind could quite
possibly have a good time leading the blind in this matter. The course
that he is offering is a three day seminar on the issue from 11th November
to 14th. Mr. Laing is among the other former Ministers struggling
to make a living post 2nd May. Many of them are now radio presenters
on Love 97. Mr. Laing has moved back to his home base in Freeport.
Tribune
file photo.
BARCLAYS
CIBC MERGER
Much to the consternation of this column, the Government
has approved the merger of CIBC and Barclays Bank. The Bank has not lived
up to its agreement with the Government to sign an industrial agreement
with its line staff, yet the merger is going ahead and will become effective
on 14th October. This is disgraceful.
B.S.
NOTES FROM GENEVA’S FREEPORT… PLUS
In this new format, the former News From Grand Bahama is renamed
as above. This signifies the initials of our senior correspondent
from the nation’s second city, with the ‘plus’ for the many other sources
from whom contributions are accepted. Ed.
Freeport City Council
The Freeport City Council after coming into office
in July has had nothing but turmoil. First, it was the matter of
the Council computers over at the Teen Centre, which turned out to be nothing,
more than in fighting between Local Government Councillors (see
our story from August, 2002). This week the controversy continues
with the closing of the public wash room facilities at Taino Beach.
The council response was that there were no contractors in place to keep
the wash rooms clean so they were ordered to close. A local conch
vendor described Taino Beach as a cesspool the morning after a function
was held the night before and he described the situation as unacceptable.
We are informed that the real problem in City Council
is a pitched battle between high levels of that council and if it is not
dealt with it will shortly spill in the public domain and derail the whole
idea of local government in Freeport.
Fishing Hole Road
The causeway at the Fishing Hole Road flooded for
two consecutive days this week. This is the only road that connects the
western district of Grand Bahama to the rest of the island. The MP
for Eight Mile Rock Mr. Lindy Russell and former Cabinet Minister Kenneth
Russell were in the press this week saying that the monies for the construction
of a bridge was budgeted for and borrowed from Inter American Development
Bank. They wanted to know why the works had not yet started.
Other observers on Grand Bahama wanted to know where
was Caleb Outten and what was his position on the bridge. Reports
say that Mr. Outten was off the island but it is believed that once he
returns he will make his views known to the public.
Pelican Bay Hotel
Pelican Bay Hotel was in the news this week with
the maids at the property saying they were let go without proper notice.
The hotel manger in his response said that the hotel sources out to a private
cleaning company their housekeeping services and they were not aware that
the private company did not follow the Labour Laws but said his company
would step in to set the matter straight. Now comes word that the
cleaning company was paying below minimum wage so we ask the Local Labour
Department to investigate. Freeport News photo by Richard Rae of a fired
maid squeezed between a security officer and a fired housekeeper in a confrontation
at Pelican Bay.
FTAA Reflections
The FTAA for The Bahamas represents a subtle form
of devaluation and exploitation of the human resources or raw materials
of this island state. It is nothing more than a high tech form of
slavery which relieves the master (imperial power) of its moral and social
obligations to its servants. To put it in another way the master
(lord) was required to house, feed and clothe his servants in return for
the slaves labour. Under this arrangement the imperial power assumes
no responsibilities. We believe in the wake of FTAA the Bahamas would be
left with massive social dislocation and a reduced standard of living for
the people of these islands and the sooner we understand the better for
all concerned.
The Bahamas has suffered a major set back with the
trashing of our bank secretary laws. This has set in motion a slow death
march into decline of our financial service industry, which use to be the
stabilizing pillar of our economy that we could count on when the tourist
industry was sluggish.
I believe that there are four components that will
lead us to the death of financial services industry. The first one
being a dogmatic former Prime Minister Ingraham who we believe saw it as
his duty to make laws for the peace order and good governance of the OECD
countries rather than The Bahamas. The second component was Mr. James
Smith who now serves, as Minister of State for the Ministry of Finance
in the Christie Government who we believe has not kept Bahamians abreast
on FTAA matters. Mr. Julian Francis Governor of the Central Bank who we
believe is a contract worker should have shown more independence in guarding
and defending the Financial Sector. Finally, Parliament who
blindly followed Ingraham over the cliff.
Of the four problematic components the people of
The Bahamas has taken care of two of its problems by removing the FNM Government
from the seat of power. It is unlikely if the Christie Government
will fare any better in negotiations with James Smith and Julian Francis
as part of any team. So to move forward they should be replaced because
of their lack of foresight.
B.S.
  |
| PHOTO OF THE WEEK - The photos of the week are two photos of the defeated candidate Johnley Ferguson of the FNM who is challenging the result of the MICAL Constituency result of 2nd May 2002. The winner, Minister of Agriculture Alfred Gray, won by just 4 votes. The two were pictured leaving the Court where the arguments took place before Sir Burton Hall Chief Justice and Madam Justice Jeanne Thompson on Thursday 17th October. With Mr. Ferguson is Leader of the Opposition Alvin Smith. With Mr. Gray is Attorney Valentine Grimes and an unidentified aide. The photos are by Farreno Ferguson of the Nassau Guardian. |
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
THE PM ON HIS GAME
Martin Kilson of Harvard used to always say that if you want to
lead a black country you have to be able to “speak good”. In other
words, you had to be a good talker in order to move people behind objectives.
This week Perry Christie, the country’s third Prime Minister was on his
game. The backbench who had been rumbling about his indecision on
issues and appointments suddenly came alive when on an insignificant bill
to allow additional casino games, the Prime Minister launched full-scale
into the Opposition and their hapless leader Alvin Smith, the MP for North
Eleuthera. The Opposition leader deserved it for a supercilious intervention
he gave on a bill that did not deserve a major debate at all.
The backbench has in its habitat Kenyatta Gibson, Keod Smith and Sidney Stubbs. They are all first time MPs chomping at the bit with youthful vigour. They are the thorns in the side of any Opposition group with a constant set of taunts whenever Opposition members get up to speak. And so when their Leader Perry Christie launched into the broadside against the Leader of the Opposition they loved it and relished it. All the grumbling was stopped and they were fully part of the team. At one point Kenyatta Gibson took out his handkerchief and said to the amusement of the House “I surrender for you”. He said that he didn’t think that the Opposition leader could take it any more.
The Opposition Leader seemed to be reading a speech that someone else prepared for him. He kept saying that Mr. Help and Mr. Hope had fled since the PLP came to power and that the PLP needed to give that help and hope that they promised. The PM replied that he felt ashamed for Mr. Smith, he felt like he could cry for him. He told the Leader: “Do you know what you all put on my head? We came to office and the first act we had to do was to pay 125 million dollars in debts that your administration refused to pay, and then the second was to agree to borrow 186 million because the economy was headed into a deficit, and you talk about what happened to help and hope.” He said that someone had to restrain him from taking up the chair on the side of him and throwing it at the Leader of the Opposition. This brought the House down.
No one is quite sure why the Opposition picked this insignificant bill in a gambling country to draw their line in the sand. But they did, making it a bill to expand casino gambling, to ignore religious leaders, not consulting with the people. This was the same bill that the Government of Hubert Ingraham (in which Mr. Smith served as a Parliamentary Secretary) tabled in the House prior to the General Election and had promised the industry that they would pass. In the end, the Opposition themselves could not agree on what they were doing.
When the vote came, the Opposition called for a division and the
Leader of the Opposition abstained. Ken Russell, the MP for High
Rock who was part of the Government that designed the bill voted against
it, and the rest of the party voted for it. What a mix up.
There were 14 Members absent. Many of them PLPs with religious
convictions who did not want their votes recorded. But the end is
the Bill passed. Mr. Christie has his backbench troops in order through
a stellar performance.
The number of hits for the week ending Saturday 19th October 2002 at midnight: 32,946.
The number of hits for the month of October up to Saturday 19th October 2002 at midnight: 67,071.
The hits for the year up to Saturday 19th October 2002 at midnight: 1,864,529.
FOREIGN
MINISTER PLANTS A TREE
Fred Mitchell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, officially opened the 8th
Annual International Cultural Festival at the Nassau Botanic Gardens.
The Gardens have been closed since 5th November 2001 when Hurricane Michelle
wrecked the gardens. With the help of inmate labour and the direction
of Eric Carey, the gardens were put back in some kind of shape to host
the event. The event is chaired by James Catalyn, the playwright
and former Ministry of Tourism executive.
On Wednesday 16th October, the Royal Society of
St. George, the society of Englishmen and women abroad, donated a mahogany
tree to The Bahamas and invited the Minister of Foreign Affairs to plant
the tree in the gardens. The Minister gladly obliged and this Peter
Ramsay photo shows the tree being planted with Judy Grindrod, the President
of the Society. Peter Ramsay took the photo.
On Sunday 20th October, after the official opening
of the festival, the Minister toured the grounds. Photos are by Derek
Smith.
TOURISM
AND GAMBLING
The bill that came to Parliament was the same bill that the FNM administration
had promised the gambling industry that they would allow to become law.
What it does is allow for pari-mutuel betting in The Bahamas, betting on
horses or the dogs in real time. The FNM through the ten years they
were in office passed acts that allowed for the first time sports betting
at the casinos. They allowed the Sun International Casino to expand
its floor space. So it was quizzical indeed that the FNM took the
position in this House of Assembly that they were against his bill, which
merely provides variety for customers coming to The Bahamas.
The battle on whether or not their should be gambling
in The Bahamas is over. Not even the church can make such an argument
with a straight face (see the 'Sideburns' cartoon by Stanley Burnside from
the Tribune of 18th October). The numbers racket goes unabated.
Every day couriers leave The Bahamas and go to Miami to buy the Florida
Lotto for their customers in The Bahamas. Some of that money inevitably
ends up in the collection plate. And yet you have the leaders of
the church talk about their Opposition to gambling.
Let us make it clear that this site believes that all restrictions against
gambling in The Bahamas should be abandoned. They are a violation
of the right to choose of individuals. Right now there is a ban on
Bahamians gambling in The Bahamas. That should be removed.
It is simply foolish to argue otherwise. But clearly the FNM thought
they were on a good wicket.
Neko
Grant the MP for Lucaya (pictured top right), speaking after what must
have been a really hearty lunch, held forth the about how the PLP did not
consult with the people before going into the expansion of gambling.
No one could quite figure out what was going on with Brent Symonette (pictured
middle right), the would-be great white hope of the FNM. He was Minister
for Tourism once and supported the expansion of gambling as part of the
tourism product. It is 
believed
that he wrote the speech for Alvin Smith (pictured bottom right), his Leader,
and then when Perry Christie launched into the foolishness of the address,
Mr. Symonette took flight and left the for the smoking room. In the
end he voted with the PLP.
A country really needs an Opposition, and right
now this crew is doing a disservice to the country by not getting their
act together. Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe is shown at top in
a Peter Ramsay photo presenting the amendment to the Gaming and Lotteries
Act in the House of Assembly.
PJ
PATTERSON IN JAMAICA
Percival Patterson is once again Prime Minister of Jamaica. His initials
are P.J. and he told the victory crowd in Jamaica that his granddaughter
told him that his initials mean ‘Protect Jamaica’. He said that this is
what he intended to do. He has a reduced majority; some 35 seats
in a 60 member house in Jamaica compared to the 48 he had before the election.
Mr. Patterson watched with horror the defeat of
Hubert Ingraham’s government in Nassau and called in his pr and marketing
people to study how the PLP had won and try to defeat the tactic that he
felt would be employed by his Opposition in Jamaica. It worked.
His party is the Peoples National Party, the party of Michael Manley.
Edward Seaga who was trying at the age of 72, a newlywed and a father at
that tender age again, to win one last battle to regain the Prime Minister's
seat that he held last during the Reagan years. He has sadly become
an anachronism and a caricature. It is time for him to retire.
If he did not know it then he needs to know it now. Jamaica is obviously
tired of him. His Jamaica Labour Party with Bruce Goulding back in the
fold could easily have defeated Mr. Patterson if Mr. Seaga had only stepped
down and allowed Mr. Goulding to lead the party.
There is a message to Mr. Patterson as well.
It is time too for him to go. At 68, this is the fourth time that
he will be Jamaica's Prime Minister. This is history in Jamaica that
heretofore would throw out Governments every two terms. But he has
obviously not solved Jamaica’s problems and the electorate had a voter
turn out of some 56 per cent. Jamaica just seems an endless morass
of descent into crime, into politically inspired violence and economic
rot. The tribalism was denounced by Jimmy Carter, the former US President,
fresh from his Nobel prize win, who observed the elections and declared
them free and fair and reflecting the will of the people of Jamaica.
And so while we congratulate our friends in Jamaica, our wish is that Mr.
Patterson begins immediately the process of moving on and out. Jamaican
Prime Minister Patterson is shown third from left in this file photo with
Bradley Roberts, now Minister of Works; Perry Christie now Prime Minister
and Fred Mitchell, now Minister of Foreign Affairs & the Public Service.
The picture was taken during a visit to Jamaica by a high level Bahamian
delegation to attend the installation of Professor Rex Nettleford at Vice
Chancellor of the University of the West Indies.
BEC
POWER CUTS AGAIN
The Minister of Works Bradley Roberts had an extensive
communication in the Hou