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

Volume 1 © BahamasUncensored.Com

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK - This week’s photos of the week are by Lorenzo Lockhart of the Bahamas Information Services, showing the Minister of the Public Service Fred Mitchell meeting with both the incumbents and the insurgents in the upcoming Bahamas Public Service Union election.  Left photo from left are Frederick Hamilton, Trustee; William McDonald, President; Minister Mitchell, Stephanie Braynen, Trustee and Gary Smith, Executive Vice President.  Right photo, from left are Michael Stubbs, candidate for Executive Vice President; Jeannie Gibson, candidate for Asst. Sec.-Gen.; John A. Pinder, candidate for President; Minister Mitchell, S.J. Miller, candidate for Sec.-Gen.; Katrina Marche, candidate for Vice President and Phillip Greenslade, candidate for Treasurer.

The first real use of that political capital came by the strategy of the Minister of Education backed up by the Government to draw the line on the issue of the loan guarantee scheme for money to go to university. If you click here you will see last week’s story on the issue.  The FNM made a complete cock up of the matter wasting virtually 100 million dollars without proper safeguards and putting in place a profligate scheme without the approval of the International Monetary Fund.  The country is already running a 186 million dollar deficit and revenues are off by 11 per cent from their projections.

But Bahamians were not hearing that.  They want their children to go to school and all they know is that their child got left out and can’t go.  The pressure on the Minister of Education and the Government is enormous.  But the temptation to go out and borrow some more money has so far been resisted.  That is the right thing to do for the country and this is the right time to do it at the start of the political term.  But the young people are grumbling that the FNM would have found the money and this is not the way for the PLP to treat them who put the PLP back in office.

To add to the confusion comes along that FNM Rasputin-like character, the many times JACKASS OF THE WEEK named Carl Bethel.  Mr. Bethel who was the country’s last FNM Attorney General (and a poor one at that) made a speech in Grand Bahama in which he blamed the PLP's indecision for the present crisis in loan monies.  Mr. Bethel is not a man known to think before he speaks but he would do well to remember that it is better to say nothing and be thought a fool than to speak and be confirmed as one.

In the midst of this PLP supporters are wondering what is in this new Government for them.  So far the Board appointments have not satisfied them, and no new jobs and no new consultancies for people who worked in the trenches.  And things generally just seem to be moving slowly.

In a telephone call to one Minister a friend at court told him that he was better treated under the FNM.  Reminds you so much of the children of Israel scolding Moses for taking them out of Egypt when they were the ones who wanted to leave in the first place.

But all of that is a part of Government.  As is the report that Ministers themselves are feeling tired and frustrated.  Frustrated that the PM won’t change their permanent secretaries which many of them see as the panacea of all ills in their Ministries, tired that the people don't seem to understand how difficult it is. They are said to be wondering aloud: what is the value of being in the jobs they have.  Those who are doubting ought to think about going back to the streets and marching for change in the hot sun as the alternative to where they now sit in their air-conditioned cars, with chauffeurs and aides.

Never fear princes and princesses of the land.  There is good to come. We must stay the course.  The economy of the country will turn around by careful and patient planning.  Something has always given in The Bahamas.

But that is the way it was in this week when Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell left the country for Johannesburg, South Africa to represent The Bahamas at the World Summit on Sustainable Development.  We report on that below.  Further, we report on how Ambassador Richard Blankenship got himself in a sweat by excluding sections of the press from a conference with some visiting congressmen to The Bahamas.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 31st August 2002 at midnight: 18,293.

Number of hits for the month of August ending Saturday 31st August at midnight: 84,463.

Number of hits for the year ending Saturday 31st August at midnight: 1,686,784.

THE KIND OF SITE WE ARE
    We were at it again trying to defend this site and how it has changed.  We don’t quite understand why we even bother.  The site is what it is.  But this week a particularly nasty commentary came filled with invective about the PLP and the editor of the site. We don’t quite know why some people when they are frustrated by their own stupidity and ignorance all they can do is wallow in invective.  It is like their brains go into their big toes.  Obviously this commentary came from a political ideologue who has a misconception of what were trying to build prior to the election. According to him, the site now sucks and all the people who write for it suck.  Well, guess what; he sucks too for his sucking attitude.
    The fact is that if you want to know what is going on politically in The Bahamas from a PLP point of view this is what you need to read.  No other site provides that information.  But we are not the PLP and we call the PLP down when that is necessary. Anyway we wanted to say that and ask you to continue to read the column.  We think its pretty good.  Keep those cards and letters coming. (cb)
 

MIKE CARTWRIGHT IN LONG ISLAND
    The story is just now being told of how James Knowles, the twenty year old veteran of Parliament was defeated in Long Island and Ragged Island constituency.  Mr. Knowles thought of himself as ‘Mr. Long Island’, never to be defeated.  Someone suggested that he at first decided that he would not run again for a fifth term telling then Leader of the Opposition Perry Christie that he could not stand the people of Long Island coming up to him begging him all the time.  Mr. Knowles began building a house in Abaco to signal that his political career was coming to an end.  But the scuttlebutt around Long Island is that he changed his mind after telling the now representative Larry Cartwright that he could have had the nomination from the FNM and then succeed him in the seat.  The reason, some said, was that he wanted to hold on so that his son could succeed him.  Others say that Mr. Knowles claimed that Larry Cartwright should have spoken to him first and gotten his permission before offering for the seat.
    The real reason that Mr. Knowles ran again, say some, is that he wanted to ensure that he had ten years of his salary as a Minister in order to get the Minister's pension when he reached the age of 55.  Mr. Knowles was only a Minister for some seven years out of the ten that the FNM was in power.  Of course, he has only Hubert Ingraham to blame for that.  Mr. Ingraham could not stand Jimmy Knowles but in the end Mr. Knowles proved to be one of his most faithful slaves.  So faithful that in the end Jimmy went down in flames and to defeat to Larry Cartwright a humble teacher who now sits as an independent in the Parliament.  But the headline talks about Mike Cartwright who is a popular businessman and store owner and who was a big supporter of the FNM and Mr. Knowles up to election 1997.  Mr. Cartwright reportedly refused to support Mr. Knowles this time.  Mr. Knowles was Minister of Agriculture and presided over the confiscation of a large quantity of chicken that was brought into the country reportedly without the necessary import permit.  They say Mr. Cartwright never forgave him and threw all his money behind his opponent.  By the way no one has seen hide nor hair of Jimmy Knowles since Election Day.  Too shame no doubt!
 

HENRY CRIES LIKE A BABY?
    They say that ever since the Free National Movement lost the Government on 2nd May 2002, some of the former FNM officials have forgotten who and what they now are.  Chief amongst them is the former President of the Senate J. Henry Bostwick, the husband of former Foreign Minister Janet Bostwick.  The now plain Mr. Bostwick it is reported in a pinch will take to parking his car at the Cabinet Minister's section of the Nassau International Airport.  Whereupon on one of his last visits, it was reported that the car was towed.
    Mr. Bostwick is said to have come back and found the car missing, checked with the administration and found that his car was in the compound for towed cars.  He made his way there and just as he got there and saw his car, he started those lachrymose glands a running like a baby about how people have been trying to embarrass him by towing his car.  They felt so sorry for him that the report is that he didn’t have to pay to get the car released.  We denied this story on his behalf but people keep insisting it’s true.  A call to Mr. Bostwick’s law firm could not get to the straights of the story.  We will keep calling.
 

HUBERT BUYS A BOAT
    Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham is absolutely contemptuous of the Bahamian people, its Parliament and its Prime Minister.  You all know of the two walkouts that he has had from the House once the Speaker would not let him have his way in the House of Assembly.  In his last intervention in the House, he said that he was a man with plenty of time, he has nothing to do and can do anything he wants.  And so the report is that he is buying or building a law office in Nassau and he is also searching for an office in Freeport.  But more importantly comes the report that he has bought a yacht at a dirt cheap price from Betty Kenning nee Kelly.  Ms. Kenning was a benefactor of the FNM and loves animals (any surprise she loves Hubert then, a political animal?) and she is a benefactor of The Bahamas Humane Society.  She gave the money to build the Olympic size swimming pool that Bahamian athletes now use.  But her husband John Kenning was rewarded with one post after another by Hubert Ingraham.  So we think that Mr. Ingraham ought to disclose how much the boat cost, did he in fact buy a boat from Mrs. Kenning and what if any was the quid pro quo for the purchase of the boat at a cheap price.  Was there some past consideration?
 
 

WHO IS COMING IN FROM HAITI
    Every week they are coming in from the north of Haiti.  According to Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell, they will keep coming.  The Bahamian people will have to come to accept that this is not a problem that will be solved by the Government with a guillotine that once and for all will stop the problem.  This is an on going problem that will have to be managed.  The policy of repatriations and round ups has been used by this country for the last 50 years.  It is a failed policy.  But often the Government has no political option.  And so it was that this past week, the Department of Immigration has started to check the identity documents of people on the streets.  The officers have been told that they are not to treat any migrant with indignity.  There were raids in the black belt as well as at Paradise Island.  And while Haitian migrants were the largest group, there were Americans caught in the dragnet and deported to the US as well for working without a work permit.  The government is also being careful that the property of Haitians is not stolen and lost in these exercises.  It is a difficult job.
    What was interesting were two comments that were heard on television in The Bahamas in the past weeks.  One was an interview with a migrant who was being deported who said that while he accepted that he had to go back to Haiti, he would be back in Nassau in two weeks time.  There was also the comment from Immigration Minister Vincent Peet that they were finding Haitian police officers amongst the migrants that they interdicted.  This raised eyebrows in Nassau.  Could this lead to a new period of militancy or did this speak to the desperate situation within Haiti?  Then there is the question of the opening of schools on Monday 2nd September.  Bahamians are getting to the point of hysteria about Haitian children in Bahamian schools.  And yet the law is clear, all children must get an education if they are under 16 regardless of their legal status in the country.  And so the country waits with anxious breath to see what will happen with the migrant issues as time unfolds.
 

BEC AND ITS POWER FAILURES
    We said in this column some weeks ago that the management of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation lied to the Bahamian public about the state of the electricity supply in New Providence.  The General Manager of the Corporation Bradley B. Roberts (not to be confused with Minister Bradley Roberts) announced that there would be no load shedding during the summer.  The month of August 2002 will go down in history as amongst the worst periods of load shedding, some two to three hours per day and without explanation or timing.  Every day your electric clocks are blinking when you return from work.  The question is can Mr. Roberts and his management team survive and should they?  That is a question that Al Jarrett, the new Chairman of BEC, must ask himself as he begins his work there.
    We have made it clear that the management must go.  The word is that the problem will not be fixed for at least three weeks because management forgot to order a particular part for one of the machines.  And further, the ultimate relief that they promise to come by January of next year will not in fact happen until late next year because of delays in the construction project. Management has not let the Government know this.  In the mean time, the Union is getting more furious as the day goes by.  Andrew Gilbert, a PLP and one of their members was fired by the Corporation for no reason and BEC is now engaging in a frivolous appeal.  The Government despite pleas has not acted to stop the appeal and reinstate Andrew Gilbert.  The situation is threatening to spiral out of control.  Someone needs to step in now so that we can have the lights restored for Christmas.  Tribune caricature by 'Sideburns'.
 
 

ROAD DEATH IN UNLIT AREA
    The Hon Fred Mitchell MP for the Fox Hill constituency today, Sunday 1st September,  expressed shock and sorrow at the untimely death by a road traffic accident of Elma Johnson, a matriarch of the Fox Hill community.  Mr. Mitchell said that what disturbed him is the report that Mrs. Johnson lost her life while walking to church in an area just in front of her home where repeated requests had been made of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation for proper lighting.  Those requests were never honoured.  Mr. Mitchell has asked his colleague the Minister for BEC the Hon. Bradley Roberts to initiate an investigation into the matter.
    Mr. Mitchell paid tribute to the indomitable spirit of Mrs. Johnson who lived a long and fruitful life. He said that the community would miss her.  Mrs. Johnson was a pioneer of the straw market, having been amongst the first women to begin selling local straw goods to visiting tourists.  She maintained a stall in the market up to her death.
 

BACK TO SCHOOL
    The children of The Bahamas return to school on Monday 2nd September.  And on that day there is likely to be disruption and not an inconsiderable amount of disorder.  With the best will in the world, many of the schools will not be ready for occupation.  This is a situation that has been in the making for at least six months. The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Education simply did not get their acts together in order to ensure that the work would done to open the schools on time.  There is something known as the scope of works.  That tells the Public Works people what needs to be done at each school.  This was not done in some cases until last week.  So guess what?  The new Prince Charles School that will take all the senior high classes of L.W. Young will not be ready, although it will take students, doubling them up in the two existing buildings.
    The Minister announced that he has decided to close the T.G. Glover School as a safety hazard and join those students with the students in Albury Sayles School until additional classrooms or a new school can be built. This is not Alfred Sears’ best week but hang in there buddy!  Bahama Journal photo of T.G. Glover Primary School by Kristaan Ingraham.
 
 

MITCHELL’S BACK TO SCHOOL PARTY
    The children of the Fox Hill constituency were hosted to a back to school party by the Member of Parliament for the Fox Hill constituency Fred Mitchell.  The party was organized by the Fox Hill Branch of the PLP under the direction of Jan Davis, the wife of prominent businessman in the area Derek Davis. The children were feted to cake and ice cream and music and oh yes, they got books and pencils.  Thanks to all the donors.
 

THE HIRING FREEZE
    The press is on for jobs and more jobs.  But the fact is that there are no jobs to give, at least not in the public service.  There is a freeze on hiring in the public service and so no new personnel are being hired but nurses and teachers or other emergency personnel.  The Government is reluctant to carry out the decision of the FNM administration to lift the freeze because the revenues are not yet recovered from the fall off last year.  The Government wants to see where the revenue is headed near the end of the year before it starts talking about even replacing people in the public service.  Meanwhile elections of the officers of the Bahamas Public Services Union will be held some time before the end of the month.  It will be a closely contested election with the incumbent William McDonald facing the biggest challenge of his incumbency.  Two weeks ago the incumbent team of the BPSU visited the Minister for the Public Service Fred Mitchell and the next week the insurgent team lead by John Pinder visited the Minister.
 

NAT BENEBY TO HEAD FINCO
    It is probably the crowning achievement of his banking career. Nathaniel Beneby, the now Manager of the Freeport Main Branch of the Royal Bank of Canada, is to succeed Al Jarrett as the new Managing Director of Finco, the premier mortgage company in The Bahamas.  Mr. Beneby has been in the Royal Bank system since he was a boy out of school.   We congratulate him.  He is the son of Bishop and Mrs. Beneby of the Church of God of Prophecy East Street.  We congratulate him.  One of these days perhaps a Bahamian will get a chance to actually head the Royal Bank of Canada in The Bahamas.
 

THE NEW BOARD OF CIBC/BARCLAYS MERGER
    It has been no secret how we have opposed the merger of CIBC and Barclays in the Caribbean and The Bahamas as being anti competitive.  But it appears that the merger has gone ahead.  There still seems to be two hold ups: the line staff Union is still in a dispute over severance terms for some 300 possible employees and the Bank needs approval not to pay stamp tax on the transaction.  But eyebrows were surely raised when lo and behold who ends up on the new Board of the new company to be called First Caribbean: M. Teresa Butler, the former Permanent Secretary of the former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham who got generous retirement terms including a job for three years as the Chair of the Public Service Commission.  Another new member is Hubert Chipman. Of course Sharon Brown of Barclays today will end up being the Managing Director.  She is one of Hubert’s favourites too.  So he’s got them all together on the Board.  This tells you something about the political character of this merger in The Bahamas.  Not a PLP in sight.  Walter Wells, now number 2 in the CIBC Bank in Nassau, will move to Barbados to become its chief of retail, displacing Terry Hilts as the head honcho of the lending division and deservedly so.
 
 

THE GAMING BOARD

    Prime Minister Perry Christie has announced the members of the Gaming Board.  The big news is that Kenyatta Gibson, MP for Kennedy, has been chosen as the Chairman of the Gaming Board.  This is the body that is responsible for regulating casinos and betting in The Bahamas.  This makes him a big shot but we trust he does not wear power on his sleeve.  Many of the younger politicians get carried away by power and they have to watch it.   The Prime Minister said that he intends to amend the law to expand the number of members of the Board.  Further, he announced that the casinos in The Bahamas between Freeport and Cable Beach owe The Bahamas Government some seven million dollars in taxes.  Question: why the hell don’t we collect the money?  Newly appointed Gaming Board Chairman Kenyatta Gibson MP is pictured at right in this Tribune photo by Omar Barr with Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe at left and Prime Minister Perry Christie, centre.
 
 

MORE BOARD CHAIRMEN
    While there has been big fanfare and announcements with all Boards, no fanfare and announcement for the fact that George Smith, who was condemned by the Commission of Inquiry in 1984 is now Chairman of the Hotel Corporation.  That incident is long past but the fact that the choice was proving controversial is what many think is the reason that the appointment was not made with all the public fanfare of the other announced boards.  Anyway George Smith announced himself this past week, telling The Tribune that in fact he is the boss of the Hotel Corporation.  And by the way, the Hotel Corporation has the Radisson Cable Beach up for sale.  The whole thing is an albatross, and the only one making money is George Myers the management corporation’s CEO for the Hotel.  The Government has decided to ditch the thing.

Back To The Top
 

CONGRATULATIONS ANTHONY KIKIVARAKIS
    The Prime Minister announced this week that Anthony Kikivarakis, partner in Deloitte and Touche, is the new Chairman of the Airport Authority, the owners of the Nassau International Airport.  Good for him.  He can help to turn things around.  Bad news though: 70 million needed to fix the runways that international airlines are complaining about.  Three thousand feet of it are already closed. And according to the PM some 200 million to upgrade the NIA terminal.
 

WHO’S FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?
    Everyone says that they for it but few people, let alone Governments are willing to walk the walk.  Now the talking shop that is known as the World Summit for Sustainable Development is meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Heading the delegation is Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell.  He is accompanied by Koed  Smith, MP for Mt. Moriah and newly named Ambassador for the Environment.  Mr. Smith developed a reputation as an environmentalist when he stood up for Clifton Point and the preservation of the slave ruins on the western end of New Providence.  The PLP stopped the project by saying that any approvals granted by the FNM to ruin the ruins would be revoked when the PLP came to power.
    Now the PLP has a chance to show where its money and mouth really are.  In Joberg, it must stand with the developing world to encourage development that will not hurt the earth.  Of course it would be nice if it could get the United States on board the effort.  Philip Davis, MP for Cat Island, is also in Joberg.  From the technical side at Joberg for The Bahamas: Donald Cooper from the Bahamas Education Science Technology Commission (BEST) which Mr. Smith Chairs; Rochelle Newbold of the BEST Commission; Rhoda Jackson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mission to the UN in New York and Earlston McPhee of the Ministry of Tourism.
    The summit is heading toward its climax with the leader of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe speaking on Monday during the attendance of the British Prime Minister Tony Blair.  The two countries have been at odds over the policy of Mr. Mugabe of seizing farms owned by farmers of European descent in the country without compensation or lawful authority and using violence to do so.  Also at the summit, there is the development that the US appears to be alone in standing out against finite deadlines to accomplish the objectives of the summit.   U.S. President Bush is reportedly being reviled by many delegates for not attending the summit.  In answer, the US is said to be sending Secretary of State Colin Powell who is coming with a bag if money to give out.  The opening ceremony of the World Summit on Sustainable Development featured South African dancers in front of a giant globe, pictured in this AFP photo by Philippe Desmazes.
 

THE US AMBASSADOR IN A STEW
    Richard Blankenship may have bitten off more than he could chew this time.  He excluded or so The Tribune says that newspaper from an interview with visiting Congressmen looking into drug interdiction in The Bahamas.  The Congressmen visited last week (click here for the story last week).  There were furious editorials including a comment from Wendall Jones whose paper The Bahama Journal was also not invited, that it was discriminatory.  The Ambassador got lots of bad press this week.  But it appears that he was, as usual, unmoved by the public criticism.  It is interesting a public official who comes from a society that is press sensitive is insensitive to his bad press in The Bahamas.  The Ambassador called a meeting.  No word on who showed up to try and mend fences with the Ambassador.  But you can bet that despite all the sound and fury of The Tribune’s protests, Eileen Carron cannot resist being summoned by the bigger boss.  It’s in her nature – if you get our drift.
 

BLANKENSHIP UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNREPENTANT
    In a news conference Friday 30th August, US Ambassador J. Richard Blankenship was unapologetic and appeared unrepentant over the charges of excluding branches of the media from a recent news conference (see story above).  More than that, the intrepid, some say foolhardy Ambassador advised the head of a local media house who complained to “…get a life and move on and try to find other things to improve his reporting...”  Well.
    The Ambassador said that no apology for having not invited certain sections of the press to the news conference would be forthcoming and that the embassy would continue to “give exclusive interviews”.  Further, in what is sure to be interpreted as a thinly veiled threat, the Ambassador said: "Everyone is free to request time to talk with me and I've always felt free to do so.  Freedom of the press is very important, but with freedom of the press comes a responsibility… I will continue to look at the way people conduct themselves and when there are personal attacks I will probably not respond publicly to them but I will remember them...”  The representative of the “leader of the free world”.  Things that make you go, hmmm. Nassau Guardian photo of Ambassador Blankenship at his news conference by Farreno Ferguson.
 

ALI BUTLER BACK AS BOA HEAD

    Sir Arlington Butler was returned unopposed as head of the Bahamas Olympic Association in elections held this week.  Sir Arlington is the long-time head of that body and brushed off criticism that perhaps it was time for him to relinquish the post after serving for the past thirty years.  The remainder of the board was also returned unopposed, with the exception of one of the Vice Presidents where the incumbent did not offer.  Wellington Miller, head of the Boxing Federation won handily over Dr. Bernard Nottage who titillated the media for days with indecision over whether to contest for the presidency itself.  Yes, the same B.J. Nottage, ‘CEO’ of the routed political party Coalition for Democratic Reform.  Observers are saying “BJ couldn't win for dog catcher right now in The Bahamas…” and that “This unfortunate and seemingly ill prepared battle has squarely pegged him as a loser.”  We don’t know if we’d go quite that far, still… Nassau Guardian file photo of Sir Arlington.
 

$700 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS

    Minister of Financial Services and Investments Allyson Maynard-Gibson has disclosed that some seven hundred million dollars in new investments can be expected in The Bahamas over the next five years.  Minister Gibson was speaking to Tribune Business reporter Samantha Joseph for a story published in the Tribune's Business Section.  Minister Gibson was foreshadowing her Ministry's five year plan for advancing the nation's financial services sector and stimulating investment, which is due for release sometime soon.  Minister Gibson is pictured at right in this Tribune photo with members of the the new Securities Board at a news conference. At centre is the Chairman of the Securities Board Calvin Knowles with Vice Chair Patricia Hermanns at left.

YOUNG LIBERALS MEET

    The Progressive Young Liberals, the youth arm of the Progressive Liberal Party held its first meeting under the newly elected executive this week at the Sir Lynden Pindling Centre.  Front row from left are Dominic Williams, second Vice-Chair; Contanza Adderley, Secretary-General; Jamal Davis, Chairman; Peggy Johnson, third Vice-Chair and Tito Henson, Assistant Chaplain.  Back row from left are Dale Rolle, National General Council Member; Donica Farrington. Treasurer; Ebony Beneby, Assistant Treasurer and Omar Armbrister, first Vice-Chair.  BIS photo by Raymond A. Bethel.

FLAP OVER TENNIS SUSPENSION
   Two of the country's most talented and prominent young tennis players have been given two year suspensions from the sport by the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) for conduct as yet unspecified.  Dentry Mortimer (pictured) and Lavaughan Munroe, both Davis Cup team members are the players suspended.  Both the players and the BLTA have remained silent on the nature of the supposed transgression, however insiders say that it may involve a hotel fracas of some kind.  Tennis sources have told this site that despite calls in the media for the public to know all, "There are some things that are just better left unsaid."

BODY BUILDING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Bahamas National Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships staged its twenty-ninth annual competition this past week at the Sheraton Grand hotel on Paradise Island.  Here are some images from the competition.  From left: the husband and wife team of Aaron and Michelle Green, victors in the Mixed Pairs; Steve Robinson and partner Gina Mackey, second in the Mixed Pairs; Grand Bahamian bodybuilding guru Ray Whylly; veteran bodybuilder Della Thomas and long-time Abaco bodybuilder Arthur Eldon. Tribune photos by Omar Barr.

SIR LYNDEN ANNIVERSARY

    The nation marked the second anniversary of the death of Sir Lynden Pindling, Monday 26th August.  The Sir Lynden Pindling Foundation throughout the week, both issued and accepted donations.  Peter Ramsay's photo published in the Bahama Journal shows Marguerite, Lady Pindling laying a wreath at the mausoleum of Sir Lynden.
 

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.

Is Hubert Coming Back? – Last week former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham came to Grand Bahama and told the boys at Kristi’s that he was here to do some fishing and to drop off a boat for repairs (see story above) and when he returned he would take them all fishing.  However, most politicos are saying that the real reason for the trip was to touch base with the Ingrahamites still remaining in the defeated FNM and our reports say that there are yet many.   The question must be asked is a trial balloon being launched in Grand Bahama for the return of Ingraham?  Tommy, they say, just don’t have it.

Ken Russell Attacks Airport Tax -  High Rock MP and former FNM Minister for Works attacked the Government this week over the hike in airport fees at the Grand Bahama International Airport.  Mr. Russell said that the airport had twice before tried to raise the fees under the FNM and they had been rejected.  He condemned the Government for allowing the owners of the airport to raise the tax, now reported at fifty four dollars a head in departure and in-ticket tax.

Obie Responds – Minister of Tourism and MP for West End & Bimini shot back that former Minister Russell was bordering on untruth.  According to Minister Wilchcombe, Mr. Russell knows that the Government is in negotiations with the Port Authority and he should say nothing.  The airport tax hike, said Wilchcombe was in the works before the election.  Still, the hike produced much mumbling and grumbling among Grand Bahamians with Esper Major of Laker Airlines saying that with the current sluggish market the rate hike couldn’t have come at a worse time.

School Bus Contracts – With the opening of school coming tomorrow, Monday 2nd September, reports are that school bus contracts now reflect the change in Government.  Our sources say that one single FNM general has been left with a bus contract.  As of Monday when school opens at least two former contract holders said they would be prepared to sell or lease their buses to the new contract holders or form ‘strategic partnerships’.  Just another example of how Family Islanders who live together, work together.

Minister of Education Here Again – It seems that the Minister of Education Alfred Sears is setting up shop in Grand Bahama.  Minister Sears was back on the island today, Sunday 1st September where he addressed two Anglican congregations.  Minister Sears in the hot seat lately for the FNM inspired disaster at the School Loan Programme also came under fire for published views on pre-school education where he suggested the implementation of a mandatory pre-school education.  Critics are saying that given the understaffing of the primary schools and the financial constraints, why would the Minister venture into new ground.  Of course, given that logic, precious little would ever happen.  Still, the pre-school flap was virtually insignificant compared to the invective being launched at the Minister from all quarters over the Government guaranteed school loans.

Miami Shoppers’ Alert – Bahamians are being warned to be on the lookout in several shopping areas of Miami.  Several readers of this site have reported that rented self-haul trailers seem to have been targeted for burglary.  Similar experiences were reported from the 103rd Street Mall in Hiahleah and the Oakwood Mall in Broward.  Perhaps these malls will revisit parking lot security.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK - This week’s photo of the week is the Bahamian team at The Bahamas desk at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa.  From left: Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Donald Cooper, Under Secretary at the Bahamas Environmental Science and Technology Commission known as BEST; Rhoda Jackson, Counsellor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United Nations, New York; Earlston McPhee, Project Co-ordinator, Ministry of Tourism and Keod Smith MP, newly appointed Ambassador for the Environment.

Now why would this be particularly painful for Fred Mitchell?  Some of you may remember the picture of Fred Mitchell on the front page of The Tribune in 1981 urging Kiwanians to raise money to send guns to South West Africa as it was then known and to South Africa and their respective freedom fighting movements.  The idea was to raise money in The Bahamas to contribute to the struggle.  He was then part of the NGO known as the Committee on Southern Africa, which was headed by Beryl Hanna, the wife of then Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Hanna.   Money was in fact raised and sent to Zimbabwe’s now ruling party.

Zimbabwe gained its independence in 1980 and has had a land distribution problem since independence.  Mr. Mugabe failed to deal with the question of land distribution and as his unpopularity grew in his country has decided to play the race card.  That means that he has told his supporters that it’s the white peoples fault that Zimbabwe is failing under his leadership, and had them loosed on the white farmers that produced the food and foreign currency for the country to survive.  The result has been disastrous.

Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State appeared at the summit and criticized Mr. Mugabe’s tactics that he said has left people near starvation in Zimbabwe that was once a net exporter of food.  It was Mr. Mugabe’s adventurism by sending his troops on an expensive and useless exercise in the Congo that ultimately bankrupted his country.  Add to this the disastrous land policy, add it to the drought, and you now have starvation.

But instead of dealing with his problems, one means by which would be for him to step down from office, he has gone on the attack against Britain and the European Union and the United States.  He has accused them of being neo colonial masters.  He says the press is engaged in a conspiracy. Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, has described the charge as rubbish.  Mind you this is the same liberal press are the ones who helped get him to power.  It is a smoke screen for bad governance.   It is clear that Mr. Mugabe must go.

And so when the Foreign Minister returns home, he has some questions to answer: like what was he doing in the company of these people and what is his position and advice to the Bahamian Government on this situation.

We report this week on the stew that US Ambassador has gotten himself in with the press.  His remarks last week published on this site that a newspaper publisher must “get a life” and that he will remember any attacks against him in the press were interpreted as a threat to the press.  We keep suggesting that this Ambassador ought to speak softly if he is to succeed in his job in The Bahamas.

This week’s photo of the week is a picture of Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs with his team at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa.  We report on some of the events there and the Minister's address.  The Minister also made a statement to the Bahamian people on his return to Nassau.  Please click here for that statement.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 7th September, 2002 at midnight: 22,900.

Number of hits for the month of September up to Saturday 7th September, 2002 at midnight: 22,900.

Number hits for the year up to Saturday 7th September, 2002 to midnight: 1,709,684.

SIX BAHAMIAN KIDS IN AN ACCIDENT
    The Bahamas woke up on Monday morning 2nd September to the horrible news that six of its residents, all students of Saint Andrew’s School had been involved in a horrible road traffic accident.  The six had left a friend's house for home in the late evening, and then there was a road traffic accident.  One of them ended up in a coma, being described as clinically dead.  She is Vanessa Fox (pictured).  Two others are in a coma Jade de Jaham and Lisa Lawlor.  Three others are alive.  The accident happened early Saturday 31st August.  This is a tragedy.  The accident, however, highlights yet again the mayhem that occurs every day on Bahamian roads.  The police have an off again on again programme on speeding that we believe is the main problem on Nassau’s roads.  Further, it is not clear whether or not there is any proper driver education in The Bahamas.  The prevailing feeling is that the buying of driver’s licences is endemic so that no one on the roads today under a certain age is actually properly trained to drive.
    The causes for the accident were never explained but for such a tragic accident to take place there must have been an awful speed.  The vehicle was a high powered SUV.  The driver was 17 years old.  They were coming from a party in Lyford Cay.  The person who is clinically dead was sitting on someone’s lap.  Then it also raises the question what those kids were doing out at that time of night.  It also raises dare we say it, the role of drinking and driving and teenagers themselves and drinking.  There are now laws on the books that prohibit the sale of liquor to minors.  It is routinely ignored, and parents themselves seem to have a permissive attitude toward serving it at parties.  But we have to be careful here, no one is making an accusation that this was indeed a case of drinking and driving, but the accident itself merely causes us to reflect on what is increasingly the carnage on Bahaman streets.
 

FIRE AT ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE

    An entire school block at St. John’s College burnt to the ground in the early hours of Friday morning, creating a challenge for the Anglican Education Authority.  No cause has been determined for the blaze and no-one was injured.  The destroyed block housed the school cafeteria, the primary school computer lab, the year’s supply of teaching tools and materials, the school clinic, the primary school library and the school’s archives.  A spokesman said that the fire had cost the school some sixty percent of its’ “irreplaceable assets”.  Still, by Saturday morning, a scant day after the catastrophe a blueprint for the replacement of the destroyed block was under review. Bahama Journal photo by Kristaan Ingraham II.
 

MS. ELMA JOHNSON DIES
    The headline should more properly read that Ms. Elma Johnson was killed.  Elma Johnson was a matriarch of Fox Hill.  She was at the time of her death 87 years old and from all accounts going strong.  It was only last year after the events at the Straw Market on 4th September where she had been a pioneer that she appeared on the front page of the newspaper and the photo was reproduced in this column as amongst the first straw vendors to accept a cheque as a result of the appeal for aid to straw vendors.  Now she is dead and for what?  She was killed in a traffic accident on the Fox Hill road as she was crossing the street to go to church at her nephew’s church at Davis Street, Faith Mission Church of God.  Ms. Johnson was honoured by that church just last year for her contributions to the church.  She owned much of the land along the Fox Hill Road and had made sure that each of her children got a parcel of land, including the piece where the church stood to her daughter and son-in-law Bishop Austin Saunders.
    The people of Fox Hill and their representative when he was a Senator had complained to the Bahamas Electricity Corporation about the darkness in the street at night.  They did nothing.  It was not until Minister Fred Mitchell spoke to Minister Bradley Roberts and complained last week about the matter that an investigation was done and the lights were repaired.  BEC has a bad reputation in the country and Fox Hill in particular is always having to endure load shedding.  It has been particularly bad this summer.  The death of Ms. Johnson stunned the Fox Hill neighbourhood and has probably ruined the reputation of BEC forever in Fox Hill.  Ms. Johnson is shown accepting her payment from officials last September in this file photo.
 

DID THE WORLD SUMMIT CHANGE ANYTHING?
    As summits go, it can be said that it accomplished all of its objectives.  The word went out long ago that The Bahamas expected to send a high level delegation to the conference, otherwise we could not be taken seriously on the world stage.  Yet there was a great deal of ifyness about whether or not we would go.
    Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell would do well to organize his planning so that the Bahamian people would get a true sense and connection to what is going on at these conferences.  The Government’s information machinery and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not appear to be yet properly organized and administered to be able to carry out its functions for and on behalf of the Bahamian people.  One of the main things that means is that the Ministry must inform the Bahamian people what is happening.  While there was some attempt to get back to the Bahamian people what was happening in Johannesburg, it was not in our opinion nearly enough.  The Government must realize that it has to spend the money if it wants the profile of the Ministry and our reputation abroad to improve.
    One thing that the Minister was able to say was that the reputation of The Bahamas amongst all countries is good.  We must continue to ensure that the reputation remains intact.  The Minister made his address on the evening of Monday 2nd September.  He focused on tourism as our number one industry and the requirement that it must be protected.  He spoke about the concern that the Japanese continue to send nuclear waste through the Caribbean.  You may click here for his full address.
    We asked the question in the headline, did the world summit change anything?  It did and then again it didn’t but what is clear is that there is a concerted effort to organize behind certain objectives that will be better for the world.  That is noble and even if it just means incremental change; that too is good.  It better to have this stuff talked about, on the agenda and make people sensitive to all the possible changes we are bringing upon ourselves by our abuse of the natural order of things.  Then too it is better for the world’s leaders to keep talking as opposed to fighting. We think that the objectives of cleaner water, saving the fishery resources and sustainable tourism will all help The Bahamas.  So there is no doubt we ought to have been there.
 

MITCHELL’S SECRET TRIP TO ZIMBABWE?
    Reports reaching us say that Fred Mitchell, the Foreign Minister may secretly have visited Harare, Zimbabwe on the evening of Wednesday 4th September shortly after signing off on the text of the political declaration and the plan of action of the Summit on Sustainable Development.  No reason was given for the trip but it’s is believed that while it was essentially a private visit to an old school friend, the Minister took the opportunity to get first hand information about the state of Zimbabwe under President Robert Mugabe’s land reform programme.  The Minister now represents The Bahamas on the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG).  The Bahamas is the Caricom representative.  This group overlooks the question of democracy in the Commonwealth.  No doubt we shall have to discover more of what happened on that secret trip.
 

A VISIT TO BOWE-JOUBERT FARMS
    Alphonso Bowe celebrated his 40th birthday on Tuesday 3rd September.  He has a lot to be thankful for and we as a country it seems have a lot to be thankful to him for.  He is in partnership with a foreign investor, owner of the Executive Jet Centre at the Nassau International Airport, the rival to the Millionaire Jet Centre.  He is also it turns out an investor in several vineyards in South Africa and travels there often to watch over his investments.  The Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell during his visit to South Africa went to Cape Town to see the farms in which Mr. Bowe is the major investor.  Joining Mr. Bowe in South Africa in a separate investment on another farm as a neighbour is Jim Atkinson, a permanent resident of The Bahamas, who now lives in Freeport.
    The Minister was hosted by the Joubert Family; dad Jannie, daughter Tina and son Lannie who has a new born son who represents the seventh generation of his family on that farm.  According to the Joubert family, descendants of French Huguenots, the Bowe investment has brought new life into the business.  They are planning and planting and it is impressive.  Their hospitality is flawless.
    Al Collie is another Bahamian who has an investment in South Africa.  The Minister was pleased to be there and congratulated Mr. Bowe on his accomplishments.  The Joubert family seems a study in the transition that has taken place in ten years in South Africa.  Their lack of rancour as the changes have taken place and an embracing of the new reality of South Africa.  We wish them all well.  From left are Mr. Joubert, Mr. Bowe, Minister Mitchell and Tina Joubert.  We also show the company’s logo.  If you wish to order wines from the Bowe-Joubert farms, it can be flown out to you by e-mailing Tina at: tina@bowejoubert.com.
 
 

BUSH ON IRAQ LIKE US AMBASSADOR IN NASSAU
    The Bush administration has finally come round to allowing Colin Powell, the Secretary of State to be able to tell the allies of the US that they will not unilaterally act to bomb and invade Iraq.  We will see whether what Mr. Powell says is actually supported by an administration that has increasingly ignored the former General’s advice.  The Bush II presidency seems set on exacting revenge on Saddam Hussein even though there is so far no rational argument for such a war because Mr. Hussein survived George Bush, the father.
    The war drums are beating in Washington.  Chancellor Schroeder of Germany who looks now like he is going down to defeat in Germany in its elections this month has said that under no circumstances will Germany participate in a war against Iraq.  His view is that no compelling case has been made that Iraq has done anything more dangerous than since it was crippled by the world powers after 1991.  His political opponent agrees with Mr. Schroeder.  We are cynical.  Our best guess is that in the end not only Britain will capitulate, but so will all the world powers.
    The Americans have set up their Government like ancient Rome.  It was no accident that one of the war mongers in the Department of Defence Richard Armitage was quoted in the International Herald Tribune as saying that the US was the most powerful and influential nation on earth today and for all time.  Translation, the US will have its way.  The problem is that the statement is not one that can be scientifically proven because the feeling one gets is that the Romans were just as powerful in their day and in their times as were the British in their day and in their time.  The American civilization if you can call it that is just 200 years old and has not stood the test of time or mature polices.  The war mongering on Iraq seems a fatally flawed policy that will cost their country enormously in money and manpower.  But a war mongering they will go.
    What is instructive is that all this shows the mentality of those who run the administration in Washington.  Bahamians should not then be surprised at the interventions in this country by the US representatives here.  They do not care whether we are small and sovereign.  It is simply a question like George Bush says: you are for us or against us.  That is a false premise but in these days and times, who dares make that argument?  If you do, you are said to be against the US.  Former Prime Minister of Spain Felipe Gonzales described Mr. Bush’s statement as "banal".  We agree. The problem with that is the United States will never know who its true friends are, but maybe they are too big to care.
 

MARKING 4th SEPTEMBER

   It seems just like yesterday that the telephone calls came through that the Straw Market had burned down flat to the ground.  It left a hole in the middle of Bay Street.  Suddenly, the merchants on Bay Street were putting up money themselves and urging the Government to get it going again because the stores on Bay Street lost money due to the fact that the straw market was not there.  The Ingraham regime promised that they would replace the market but made a huge boo boo when they paved the site of the Market and made it a parking lot with no design for a replacement in sight.  The place that they wanted to put the market was deemed unsuitable by the US experts who thought that it was too close to cruise ships and therefore would pose a security threat.  This week Leslie Miller, the Minister who is responsible for the Straw Market announced that the market would be replaced on the site of the original market.  He said that plans are being drawn and when completed the 5 p.m. shut down of Bay Street will be done.  This is welcome news.  Now, Minister, let us see the plans before those rowdy women in the market come and get you.  The Minister made his remarks at a service of commemoration with straw vendors on Tuesday 3rd September. The Tribune photo is shown.
 
 

A FRIEND COMMENTS ON US AMBASSADOR
    A young PLP sent us, shall we call it a gently, an incensed e-mail because he thought that we ought to have addressed more vigorously the comments of the US Ambassador in his words last week to the Bahamian media.  You may click here for a report of last week’s story.  The correspondent said that the Ambassador should face recall from this country.  As we have said many times in this column, we just don’t understand the man.  Everything that he has done since he has been here has been to stub the Bahamian people in the face with his thumb, acting as if he is some satrap acting at the behest of some imperial overlord.
    Quite frankly, we don’t understand why Fred Mitchell, the Foreign Minister, just doesn’t call this guy in and tell him to shut his damn mouth.  But one supposes that would not be diplomatic.  But Nicki Kelly, The Tribune and Wendall Jones all seem to be on the warpath with this Ambassador now.  The latest salvo came from Mr. Jones, the owner of Love 97 and the Bahama Journal whose papers have been leading with headlines like ‘BLANKENSHIP’S BLUNDER’. Clearly The Tribune, Nicki Kelly and Mr. Jones think of this matter as a grave threat.  And instead of the Ambassador backing down and letting the thing go away, he has inflamed the situation by commenting on it further and commenting on it in such an inflammatory way.  This guy just keeps putting his foot in it.
    Later in the week addressing a group of visiting and Bahamian doctors, the ambassador “strongly urged” The Bahamas government to eliminate the import duties on medical supplies.   But you know the real tragedy is that some good work by someone who is essentially a decent man is going to be ruined if he does not get on top of this problem and close his mouth.  There may come a time when the noise just gets so loud from the Bahamian people that the Government will be forced to ask the Bush administration to remove him from the island.
 

THE PM ANNOUNCES NEW CABINET PROCEDURE

    Perry Christie as Prime Minister has been trying to find new ways to make the Cabinet more responsive to the needs of the country.  Part of that would seem to be the involvement of each Minister in the development of policies from other Ministries.  He also wants the public servants to commit to the policy advice that the public servant is giving behind the scenes by making public presentations that other Ministers can see and hear and understand.  To that end, the Prime Minister announced publicly that Cabinet meetings would begin with a new format.  The first few hours of the Cabinet meeting will have Permanent Secretaries and their technical teams come in and discuss the advice that they are giving on a particular subject.  Allyson Gibson, the Minister for Financial Service and Investment gave the first such presentation. Guardian photo by Donald Knowles.
 

BRENT SYMONETTE ON WHITE POLITICAL LEADERS
    Brent Symonette is a sad man or so said The Tribune as it reported what it called the deep disappointment and sadness that Mr. Symonette felt at the comments made by many Bahamians that because he was white he could not become the Leader of any political party in The Bahamas.  He made his comments on Parliament Street on Island FM on Sunday 1st September.  Mr. Symonette in his own words:

“It is sad that white young people have the issue of race or colour hanging over their heads, because it has nothing to do with colour but the content of character…

“The rumours may have arisen as a result of the UBP party which during its time was a predominantly white political party that was considered to have operated unfairly…

“Even the PLP Government they at this stage would not have a white leader, so  it should not be a surprise if that is said in the FNM, however whites would be allowed to join the actual party.

“I am convinced that the white minority can make a significant contribution to the country and there must be some reconciliation between the white minority and black majority."

Things that make you go hmmm!  Mr. Symonette should also speak about the fact that he attended a racially segregated high school in The Bahamas.  But we think that this is really calculated by Mr. Symonette to make race a dead issue to allow him to run for leader and then be Prime Minister.  That is why he keeps bringing it up. - Ed
 
 

NEW BAHAMAS MORTGAGE BOARD

    The Prime Minister has announced the new Board of the Mortgage Corporation of The Bahamas that will be responsible for overseeing a 20.8 million dollar housing plan announced by Minister of Housing Shane Gibson.  Heading the Board is Deputy Speaker of the House Anthony Moss who is also the MP for Exuma.  Other members of the Board are: Deputy Chair Terah Sweeting, members Elton Williamson, Rory Higgs, Aaron Rodgers, Rev. Ross Davis, Melissa Thompson, Darien Creary and Stephan Plakaris. Guardian photo by Patrick Hanna shows Mr. Moss at left with Mr. Christie centre and Minister Shane Gibson at right.
 
 

NEW COLLEGE OF THE BAHAMAS BOARD

    The College of The Bahamas has a new Board.  It is headed by Franklyn Wilson (pictured), Chairman of Arawak Homes, former MP and Senator and a trustee of Elmira College, New York.  The Deputy Chair is Jerome Fitzgerald, Chairman of RND Holdings; Dr. Leon Higgs, COB President; Rev. Angela Palacious, Simon Wilson, representing the Minister of Finance; Iris Pinder, Director of Education, Dr. Earl Cash partner at Higgs and Johnson; Audrey Roberts, international human resources consultant; Dr. Earle Johnson, Faculty Rep; Picewell Forbes, Alumni Rep and Jeremy Williams, student rep.
 
 

TRANSITIONS
Exchange control will be relaxed says Minister of State James Smith.  Under the new regime there will be increased limits for business, travel and also for investment overseas.  It’s about time for these things to be scrapped.

Central Bank Governor Julian Francis said that fundamental concerns remain for regulators considering approval in The Bahamas of the Caribbean-wide merger between Barclays Bank and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.  Final permission has not yet been given for the merger in The Bahamas though both institutions are said to be going ahead with the practical matters surrounding the ‘marriage’.  Mr. Francis was speaking on the Love 97 programme ‘Issues of the Day’.

A Ministerial team including Minister of Financial Services and Investment Allyson Maynard Gibson (shown right), Minister of Health Dr. Marcus Bethel (shown left) and Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe has held a town meeting in Exuma on the Emerald Bay development there.  Emerald Bay is scheduled to open in 2003, forever changing the face of Exuma.  Guardian photo by Donald Knowles.

Bahamian tennis star Mark Knowles (right) and his partner Daniel Nestor (left) have been eliminated from the U.S. Open in the quarter finals.  Sorry about that!

Renee Major of the Fox Hill PLP serves treats to some of the children of the Fox Hill area gathered for the PLP’s Back To School Fun Day held on the Fox Hill parade Saturday 31st August.  Though on his way to South Africa at the time, the Member of Parliament for the area Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell left behind stocks of school supplies for the children of the constituency.  The event was organized by Mrs. Jan Davis of Fox Hill. Tribune photo by Felipe Major.

Convicted drug offender Samuel ‘Ninety’ Knowles cursed when it was announced yet again that Magistrate Carolita Bethel could not make a decision in his extradition case.  This is the fourth postponement.  This time it is put off to 27th September. Guardian photo by Patrick Hanna.

Caribbean Elections - Jamaica is scheduled to have elections before the end of the year, probably in late October or November.  Trinidad is having its third election in two years on 7th October.  There is now a hung parliament with 18-18.  Barbados expects to go early to the country to take advantage of the disarray of the Opposition there.  They are expected to
go in February of next year, one year early.  Belize is scheduled to have elections before August of next year.  We thought the Bahamian public would be interested.

GONE CRAWFISHING
    Did you see US President George W. Bush's  use of "crawfishing" during his news conference announcing his intent to justify force against Iraq to the UN?  The London Times researches in an OpEd piece: “To crawfish”, means to withdraw unreservedly from an untenable position, and quotes the Congressional Globe from 1848: “No sooner did they see the old British Lion rising up than they crawfished back to the 49th parallel.”
    An observation about the direction of language in the world and how it affects (and has over the years) The Bahamas.  The great many in this country tend to alternate in spelling and usage depending on who is the great world or colonial power of the time and now; finally, there is some contribution that speaks to us, except, of course, that to us there is a completely different meaning: that a crawfishing Saddam just doesn't give a damn.
 
 

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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.

Grand Bahama FNM Resists – The signs were all there this week that the FNM in Grand Bahama is resisting the will of the people in challenging the authority of the PLP’s lead person in Grand Bahama; Parliamentary Secretary Ann Percentie, MP.  Saturday saw a front page story in The Tribune reporting claims from Naomi, Lady Whitfield, manager under the FNM of the Office of the Prime Minister that Ms. Percentie had “effective assumed control of the office.”  Well.  Pray tell, what should a Parliamentary Secretary do, if not “assume control”.  Duh?!  There were also reports of a clash between Ms. Percentie and a hospital employee.  Turns out the employee is really a rude FNM partisan with an attitude.  All this prompted a direct an unprecedented call to our senior correspondent from none other than former Minister C.A. Smith, calling for fair reporting by Bahamasuncensored.com!  Really.  This is the same C.A. Smith who is said to have closed down a children’s recreational park in pure spite when he lost; removing and locking up toys and equipment. Hah.  Fair indeed.

They Just Keep Trying – Former Minister of Works, High Rock MP Ken Russell kept up his row this week with Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe over proposed increase tax at Grand Bahama International Airport.  Increases in departure taxes have been delayed.  Mr. Russell contends that the FNM was approached over the tax and turned it down.  Minister Wilchcombe reveals that the FNM okayed the deal before it left power.  Meanwhile, at least one major carrier is said to be threatening not to pay.  We’ll keep watching.

Questions For the Foreign Minister – Lovingly known in entertainment circles as ‘Caproni’, this week Mr. Dudley Capron now an apparent political observer wanted to know why the Foreign Minister went to Haiti and what is he doing in South Africa “while we have poor people catching hell”.  Well, Caproni, please read the relevant stories above.  It may also be of interest to know that the Foreign Minister goes nowhere without the consent of the Prime Minister and the blessing of the cabinet.

Political Activist Brian Seymour took to the luncheon circuit this week in his quest to derail the seemingly inexorable process of signing on to FTAA and WTO.  Speaking at the Rotary Club of Lucaya the (former?) CDR provocateur posited whether the government “has the courage to do what is in the best interests of the Bahamian people”.  Mr. Seymour felt that the country’s population was too small and salaries too high for any manufacturing trade and that we should be the “exception to the rule” in terms of signing on to FTAA / WTO.
Mr. Seymour also called for the reassignment of the Commander of the Defence Force in favour of someone prepared to “stop the Haitian boat people at Inagua”.

Sunland For Sale? – Newspaper reports circulated this week in the Nassau Guardian that the Board of Directors of Sunland Lutheran School was considering a sale of the institution and that offers were being considered from two Baptist organizations.  The school has been in financial difficulty lately, which has caused very public strains between the church’s overseer, the Board and the school administration.  Sunland is consistently among the top performers in terms of exam results.

Freeport News For Nassau – The Guardian Group has decided to bring the Freeport News directly to the Nassau market on a daily basis with printing Grand Bahama’s daily at the Guardian.  From left are Guardian Managing Editor Anthony Capron, Assistant Editor Lionella Gilbert, Operations Manager Gilbert Francis and Group General Manager Patric Walkes holding copies of the Freeport News’ inaugural Nassau run. Guardian photo by Farreno Ferguson.

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

PHOTO OF THE WEEK - This week’s photo of the week is the Foreign Minister with students of Aquinas College who left Nassau for New York as winners of a Rotary debating contest that allows them to visit the United Nations.  From left are Aquinas College Principal Ms. Elizabeth Miller, 11th-grader and Prefect Alana Kemp, Aquinas College graduate TeShalla Clarke, Minister Mitchell, Deputy Head Girl Angelique Sawyer, Senior Prefect Janicka Curry, Rotary Club (Bahamas) Assistant District Governor Mr. Robin Brownrigg, and Chairman of the MUNS debates Mr. Charles Sealy II.

The story of excessive security is not new, and in this post 11 September climate it is worse than ever.  Fidel Castro, not known as a friend of George Bush or the Americans, made the point when he was leaving Monterey in Mexico last year that the Bush caravan had some 1200 persons in it.  It looked like he had landed in Mexico to declare war.  They fly in their own cars, their own food, their own ambulance and tons, tons and tons of weapons.

According to reports, New York on the streets was a total mess. The New York police were rude and uncooperative, and to every question asked they replied that the Secret Service had not informed them.  There were scenes of cars being searched by the US Secret Service officers that seemed the essence of insecurity.  Who was to say that the boxes that they were searching were not themselves armed with explosives and just as they moved one from the back trunk the alarm went off.  One suspects that part of it is just psychological, the overwhelming presence as a deterrent.  But one remembers all too vividly that when the assassination attempt was made on US President Ronald Reagan, the shooter was able to get off the whole magazine before the first Secret Service gun was pulled.  Their security, notwithstanding the overwhelming presence, appears to have holes.

Delegates at the UN were insulted that the US President does not following the tradition of other World Leaders after their speeches and stand behind the podium in the space reserved where he can receive congratulations for his speech.  As soon as his speech is delivered, he leaves the hall and so does his Secretary of State along with the entire staff.  They do not even appear until minutes before he is about to speak.  The whole thing smacks of contempt.

And yet the language of Mr. Bush’s address indicated an important change in policy.  The world is not out of the woods yet because the tone of the speech was threatening and bellicose.  The undercurrent still being that if the UN does not agree with the US, the US will go it alone.  But the reality is that US Secretary of State Colin Powell seems to have won the day and Mr. Bush’s policy now seems to indicate that the United Nations Security Council must sign off on a resolution that would be the legal pretext for the United States to proceed with the military action that they believe is necessary.  Their case is unconvincing.  The speech contained a litany of the same complaints against Iraq that seem now to be under control by the policy of containment the US now employs.  There is nothing that distinguishes Iraq from Myanmar (once known as Burma) or from North Korea.  The Pakistani President, the military dictator they now support, is just a kiss away from the Iraq dictator himself.  So there is no compelling case for plunging the world into war.  But we shall see.

The other positive indicator was the fact the United States will rejoin United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  They left during the Reagan years because its policies did not please them.  Now they claim it has been reformed and so they are back.  Colin Powell denies that the United Sates is unilateralist but it sure does look so.  But the rejoining is good.

We report below on the Foreign Minister’s trip to the United Nations and speaking to Bahamians in New York.  We report on the assessment of the new Government and on how 11 September was marked in The Bahamas.

Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 14th September 2002 at midnight: 26,051

Number of hits for the month of September up to Saturday 14th September 2002 at midnight: 48,951.

Number of hits for the year ending Saturday 14th September 2002: 1,735,735.

THE GOVERNMENT’S PERFORMANCE
    No one will be surprised to hear that there is rising unhappiness with the pace of change since the PLP took office.  One of our supporters was busy predicting that this would be a one term Government if something did not change soon.  The complaint, things are moving too slowly, and the political enemies are still very much in charge of the country.

    But a more important warning came from the business community this week that is talking around its tables about the fact that no new money is coming into the country.  They hear a lot of talk and they have noted the report by the Minister for Investment Allyson Maynard-Gibson (pictured in this Tribune photo) that there are some 700 million dollars waiting to be invested.  But she continues not to have a permanent office, nor does the Ministry of Trade and Industry.  And the business community is not quite sure which of those Ministries is responsible for what.  That leads to some confusion.

    At the ground or working class level, there is unhappiness because many people thought that when the PLP came to office they would find work.  Some people are still walking around with their Minister friends but they have been grumbling on the side that their Minister friends have not done enough to help them find that all important Government job.  Everyone, it must often seem to the politicians, wants a Government job and the attitude is that the Ministers themselves are now straight but they have forgotten their friends.

    What do they do in this situation, when the country is in dire straits?
 

FOREIGN MINISTER ON US AMBASSADOR
When Fred Mitchell, the Foreign Minister returned to Nassau from Johannesburg, South Africa, he was asked some pointed questions again on the role of the US Ambassador Richard Blankenship.  Mr. Blankenship is the Ambassador about whom the Bahamian people have been complaining in recent months; who has been making interventions in and about Bahamian society that many Bahamians have found to be offensive.

The most recent intervention by the Ambassador led to a row between the press and the Ambassador about an exclusive granted by the Ambassador to question a Congressional delegation that visited The Bahamas.  The row turned ugly.  Publisher Wendall Jones claimed that Mr. Blankenship’s actions were discriminatory.  That complaint led to Mr. Blankenship saying that Mr. Jones ought to “get a life” and that he would remember those who criticized him.  The press cried foul and saw those words as a threat.

The Foreign Minister landed in The Bahamas and was faced with the inquiry about the U.S. Ambassador.  Here is Mr. Mitchell in his own words:

“The Bahamian people must ask themselves whether their level of discomfort with US Ambassador Blankenship has risen to the point where government must make an intervention.  It is my judgment that the situation has not reached that level.  One has to understand that once you take that position in public, you are in fact taking on the United States of America and that is the judgment we are always called upon to make when we make an intervention of that kind.

“Any unhappiness about public statements in a free society can be dealt with adequately by the Bahamian people themselves making known clearly what their views are.

“The Bahamian people once they make their views known, and we have heard the views, eventually it gets to their leaders and their leaders will make them known to The Bahamas government and say ‘ladies and gentlemen, it is time for an intervention at another level.’

“At the moment it is my view that any issue that arises out of any public statements or private statements can be dealt with at a level that is not public.  I try to make point that in a free society an ambassador, an individual has the right to say whatever he wishes.  We may disagree with the language or the tenor of the statements but it is presumably the view of his Government that diplomacy is conducted in this way.”

Well people you have heard the man, let’s start a petition—Ed Felipe Major's Tribune photo of the Minister (at right with aide) arriving in Nassau from Johannesburg and at a news conference immediately following in Nassau International Airport's VIP Lounge by Donald Knowles of the Nassau Guardian.
 
 

PM ON FOREIGN EXCHANGE
    There was this engaging picture of Prime Minister Perry Christie on the front page of the Bahama Journal on Tuesday 10 September by Peter Ramsay talking to Wendy Craig, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank.  Ms. Craig is very much the flavour of the month with the new Government.

    The Prime Minister was holding a press conference on Monday 9th September to announce the liberalization of the Foreign Exchange Control regulations.  The allowance for individual travel is now up to $3,000 per trip from $500.  The dollar card has been increased from $10,000 per individual per annum to $25,000.  But perhaps the most important provi