Bahamas Blog

The Tribune newspaper published a scathing editorial condemning the unions who had the gall to protest immediately following the devastation of Grand Bahama.

"Instead of wasting the public's time on picket lines at a time like this, these unionists should be spending their weekends in Grand Bahama, hammer in hand trying to help put a roof over people's heads."

I tend to agree.

I think most Bahamians would show more concern and have more respect for the union's if union members didn't act so selfishly. Or, if they'd provide GOOD service when they are not on a "go-slow". As it is, it hard to distinguish between a go-slow and a normal work day.

What do you think?

Weekend in The Bahamas: THIS WEEKEND ( Nov. 3-8 )

Bahamas getaway: $412 per person, double occupancy, includes round-trip air from Miami to Freeport and two nights at the Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach All-Inclusive. Depart Friday, Nov. 4; return Sunday, Nov. 6. Book at www.travelocity.com.

Controversial Cabinet Minister Leslie Miller has hit back at Senator Tommy Turnquest in Parliament yesterday.

Miller was respondong to Turnquest's blistering attack on him recently on a local radio show.

Miller told other MPs that he was the "potcake" and Turnquest was the "poodle". Without specifically mentioning Turnquest, he described how a "certain" banker had formerly given him a hard time on a $40,000 loan. I am not sure how that is a bad thing, as any banker with a brain would question Miller's bill paying habits and ability. He is known to be a bill-dodger and a poor businessman. He would probably have gone bankrupt if not for his Cabinet appointment.

Turnquest is a former banker with CIBC, now First Caribbean Bank.

Miller also touched on the fact that a relative of Tommy's (read: his Dad, Orville) had close relationships with financial fugitive Robert Vescoe and Columbian drug lord Carlos Lehder. Orville has a whole closet full of secrets that I understand are due to be revealed soon.

Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham finally spoke publicly about a topic that nearly everybody in the Bahamas has already had something to say about... his leading the FNM into the next elections.

We've heard Mr. Ingraham's hand-picked successor and current leader of the FNM party, Tommy Turnquest, tell us that Hubert won't run and instead will "serve me".

We've heard the opinions of numerous other FNMs, some agitating for Mr. Ingraham's return, others adamantly opposed to it.

Oddly, we've heard about as much regarding Mr. Ingraham's plans from PLPs, as we have from FNMs. Both PLP party chairman Raynard Rigby and Prime Minister Perry Christie have spoken passionately regarding the FNM leadership race.

Even the independent candidates, the two most outspoken of whom are former FNMs, have offered their opinions in the media on several occassions.

Now, finally, the only guy who really knows what's going on has spoken.

Basically, he says that he never really intended to run again, but if it is "the will of the people", he will do so.

Nice of him.

But if he were sincere, and not just "swinging" Tommy, he really would have spent the last three years transferring his "electability" to Mr. Turnquest, instead of laying low and allowing all the shenanigans and ambiguity that have occurred.

The sequence of events leads me to believe that Mr. Ingraham, a shrewd politican, saw the writing on the wall in 2000. He knew the FNM was going to lose the election because of the financial laws he pushed through and the failed referendum attempt. He also knew that he had to keep his promise to quit after two terms. So, he bailed out and let Tommy be the fall guy. Had he groomed a real successor, he would never have been able to make a comeback. Shrewd politicians always like to keep the doors open for a comeback.

But the real topic, one that is being ignored in the frenzy over Mr. Ingraham's decision, is the pathetic state of the FNM party. That they would need to drag Hubert Ingraham out of "retirement" in order to have someone, anyone, who they feel is capable of running against the absolute worse government the nation has ever had, is pretty damn pathetic.

That, in three years, the FNM party could not find a suitable up-and-coming policial contender from among their ranks shows that the party is bereft of leadership and ideas. They are, like the PLP, a gang of cronies jockeying for power. They have nothing to offer but promises and stale ideas.

Had they spent the last three years presenting solutions, instead of whining and criticizing about everything the PLP government did; and had they groomed and promoted a group of new, young, humble and sincere politicians (even Tommy or Dion Foulkes), they might have my support. But, instead, we see them preparing to offer the same stale, mentally exhausted group of cronies. The very same people who have failed us before, many of whom are as much responsible for the mess this country is in, as Perry Christie and the PLP.

Bahamians are truly left without a choice in the upcoming election, as they weigh the cons (there are really no "pros") of which gang of incompetent losers they want to be responsible for the next five years of continuous decline of our society and economy.

Could the Baker's Bay development, by the Discovery Land Company in Guana Cay, be more harmful to the reefs in Abaco than a Tsunami would be? Maybe, according to researchers from north Queensland's James Cook University (JCU).

Working with Indonesian ecologists, the researchers found that humans have made more of an impact on coral reefs in Indonesia's Aceh province than the devastating Boxing Day tsunami.

The findings, published a few days ago in the international science magazine Current Biology, found "chronic human misuse" had far greater repercussions for reefs closest to the epicentre of the Sumatra-Andanaman earthquake, which triggered the killer wave on Boxing Day last year.

The team visited the region within three months of the tsunami, surveying 200 km of coastline over three weeks.

The reefs they examined had been tremendously abused prior to the tsunami, including destructive human practices such as dynamite and cyanide fishing, and to land runoff from fertilisers and sediment, which has turned once vibrant coral colonies into "graveyards".

The scientists estimated humans were responsible for 80 per cent of the damage to 49 coral reefs in the study site, while the tsunami was thought to have caused as little as five to 10 per cent.

The Save Guana Cay Reef people sometimes sound like troublemakers, and indeed they are when they attack web sites and spam people who do not see things their way (which they have done). But everybody ignored the little boy who cried "wolf" too. I hear that didn't work out too well for the village.

Hubert Ingraham soundly won the nomination for leader of the FNM party at the convention in Nassau last night.

In a moment rarely seen in politics, the "delivery boy" delivered himself an opportunity to become Prime Minister... again!

And with the way the PLP have been governing, there's little chance Mr. Ingraham won't end up serving in that position.

But, I'll bet, this time around he won't promise two terms.

Brent Symonette was elected Deputy Prime Minister elect, which is curious because, technically, and correct me if I'm wrong here, the constitution doesn't really even recognize the position of Deputy Prime Minister. How did we ever get to Deputy PM-elect?

Anyway, here we are - headed backward instead of forward in Bahamian politics.

The last time Hubert Ingraham was Prime Minister he had a mandate from the people to save the Bahamas from the destruction wrought by decades of mismanagement and corruption, courtesy of the PLP.

Mr. Ingraham accepted the challenges accompanying that responsibility and did a lot of good in his first term. Pleased with his performance the Bahamian electorate re-elected him for a second term.

During the second term, Hubert started getting cocky and making mistakes. For one, he got arrogant and started thinking it was HIS country to run. It seemed as if he had forgotten he was an elected servant of the people, like so many politicians do after being elected.

His biggest mistake was daring to stand in the way of the Bahamas money laundering, er, I mean financial services industry. Mr. Ingraham rushed through some serious legislation that affected the financial services industry by enforcing compliance with international standards.

The Canadians who operate some of our largest offshore banks (and also fund our political process) almost had heart attacks. No matter that the legislation has spared the Bahamas from being blacklisted by international financial regulators. It also forced many of the most crooked financial operators to other jurisdictions. That's when Bahamian lawyers and real estate agents almost had heart attacks too. After all, the majority of their income comes from clients who are legally challenged when it comes to honest financial accountability.

So "Hubiggity", as they started calling him, got the boot. The moneyed boys from Eastern Road had to think fast. They called up the only stooge they could think of who didn't have a lot of baggage and was too stupid to disrupt their operations. That's how Perry Christie got to be PM.

Perry served them well as he sauntered about the islands "acting" like PM but never actually doing anything. Slowly, the money launderers were able to stabilize their operations.

But Perry had too many other problems; incompetence and the inability to make decisions being the two biggest. Most importantly, he wasn't quick enough, while working with the financial services industry, in setting up new financial vehicles by which foreigners could evade taxes in their home jurisdictions.

So, now, Hubert Ingraham is back on top but already he is making serious mistakes. He has publicly stated that he intends to make Carl Bethel a senator. Bad move Hubert.

Carl Bethel is another of those unethical attorneys who has put his financial and political career ahead of his ethics. There is no longer a place in Bahamian leadership for such individuals.

May I remind Mr. Ingraham that he is back on top because we, the people of the Bahamas, allow him to be. He must remember that we are tired of the same corrupt faces littering the halls of Parliament. We are tired of the "old boys" network and we are tired of Prime Ministers who appoint a bunch of cronies to positions they are unqualified for.

That is what Perry Christie did and why we are getting rid of him. And believe me we are.

Now, Hubert looks set to put a bunch of worthless political has-beens back into power. People like Frank Watson, CA Smith, Theresa Moxey-Ingraham, the Bostwicks, Carl Bethel, etc. None are qualified. All have proven to be incompetent. Most are corrupt. One is a pedophile.

Mr. Bethel is especially not qualified for public service. He has proven himself to be an incompetent, unethical attorney and was a disaster as Attorney General. It is alleged that he has assisted known criminals in skirting the intentions of the law and has instructed clients on unethical procedures that allow them to escape the enforcement of Supreme Court writs.

Until those allegations are thoroughly investigated by an ethical Attorney General, I would advise Mr. Ingraham from making his intended appointment.

When he was Attorney General, Mr. Bethel was informed of outright criminal activity on the part of two lawyers and a judge. He did absolutely nothing about it, in direct violation of his duties and responsibilities as AG.

That makes him a crook or an incompetent, there is nothing in between.

It appears as if Mr. Ingraham feels obligated to pay back political favors, but appointing Carl Bethel to the Senate, or raising up the political dead will come back to haunt him.

The FNM convention was, indeed, a tough act to follow. But the PLP convention ain't even close.

I mean, I can hear Raynard Rigby and the rest of them spout their rhetoric every day of the week. In Parliament, on the news, and at endless public functions where PLP MPs drone on with the same promises and the same hype. It has become a broken record. Help and hope, billions in investments, thousands of jobs, getting better... next week, next month, next year.

When I woke up, on a commercial break, I switched over to Vegas. I can't take anymore PLP rubbish.

Usually, you only see governments this clueless and corrupt in dictatorships. It's hard to believe that people would have willingly elected such awful leadership.

But we all make mistakes, and clearly, electing this particular PLP administration was one of our biggest.

Tourism, as everybody knows, is a big part of The Bahamas' economy. And it looks set to stay that way as the present government shows little interest in changing things.

It is therefore no surprise that the Bahamas Community Message Board contains several discussions that relate to tourism. These threads are not the usual vacation forums, however. They deal with controversial topics that affect our tourism dependent economy and people are quite divided on the issues.

The participants, for the most part, are well-mannered but diametrically opposed.

One discussion relates to Kerzner's plan to build a live dolphin exhibit at Atlantis. There is a related issue questioning the moral and legal implications of a currently planned shipment of 40, or more, live dolphins in a circuitous route from the Solomon Islands to The Bahamas.

The other issue involves the Baker's Bay development at Guana Cay, Abaco. This is a red hot controversy that has been raging in various media and the courts for months. It involves passionate views on both sides and dialogue from an international bevy of environmentalists, scientists and marine experts.

In both cases, we have people pushing to build or develop, versus those who are more concerned with the environmental/ecological repercussions. These are complicated issues with big money and big consequences at stake.

Similar controversies seem to be popping up more and more frequently on islands throughout the Bahamas, in fact, throughout the Caribbean. This shows a clear need for more communication, education and dialogue up-front. That might lead to a reconciliation between opposing parties and the creation of a workable consensus before the battle lines are drawn. That would mean more energy devoted to working together on solutions, instead of battling each other in opposition.

For that reason, I encourage you to join the discussions.

Musical chairs continue, showing there is little difference between the platforms and ideology of political parties in the Bahamas.

Like Perry Christie's infamous return in 1990, Bernard Nottage has also returned to the Progressive Liberal Party. Nottage, who vowed he would never return to the PLP has now broken that vow, but is asking Bahamians to trust what he says, anyway, as he gears up to enter frontline politricking in The Bahamas, again.

Nottage left the PLP to from the CDR after being scorned and abused by the PLP at the 1992 convention.

I mean, what does this man stand for? It is no longer good enough to say "I am here to serve." Perry Christie was here to serve and the only people he served were his PLP cronies. We want people to lead, not just serve. We want people who stand for something and have a plan to move the country forward. A real plan, not some slick glossy advertorial with pie-in-the-sky promises on things that none of the plan's authors ever even thought about.

Bernard Nottage is a "politician" in the lowest sense of the word. He is not a leader, he is not a visionary and he is not sincere in his beliefs or his convictions. He is a follower, following any political opportunity he can sniff out. And now, he has followed Perry Christie back to his vomit.

Embattled Prime Minister Perry Christie has returned from a trip to Malta where he attended a Heads of Commonwealth meeting. This, despite the fact that his PLP government scorns the Queen, wants to denounce our Colonial past and is even considering dumping the Queen's Honour system. In other words, Perry went to the meeting for PR value and because he thought it would be 'cool' to hang out with other world leaders.

You can tell Mr. Christie is nothing but a star-gazer. One of the first things he mentioned upon his return was how he met other "heads" who have "traveled the world and met many other important world leaders." Wow, Perry! Ya' think someday you'll be so lucky, and cool! What an impressionable ass! Christie is too easily impressed by the glamour and trappings of his office. As one Canadian investor said upon meeting Mr. Christie shortly after the 2002 election: "He doesn't seem to grasp the seriousness of his job. I am not sure if he is a stupid man or just so shit-happy that he finally gets to be PM."

This is the same thankless SOB who didn't even acknowledge the 'Get Well' card, signed in May 2005, by over 200 well wishers (including myself) and delivered to his office by BahamasB2B.com. The guy was supposedly on his death bed. The nation reacts compassionately and the ungrateful twit doesn't even say thanks. Next time, we should let the bastard die.

Now, after wasting thousands of dollars of tax payers money to play "head of state" in Malta, Mr. Christie returns from overseas and calls a press conference, presumably to inform the country of what transpired at the Heads of Government meeting that would have warranted his presence and our expenditure.

Mr. Christie seemed to be in a hurry as he got off the plane, nearly tripping in his zeal as he scampered down the hallway to the nearest microphone. But alas, he had barely opened his mouth before he latched onto the PLP's favourite topic... Hubert Ingraham and the FNM.

Like we don't hear enough about the FNM from the corrupt jackass Carl Bethel. Now, we are forced to listen to a play-by-play of Ingraham's activities from Perry and the PLP.

Mr. Christie admitted that he got a "little bit upset," and said that he thought he should respond to Mr. Ingraham, who yesterday had justifiably blasted the government over a wide range of issues, from race to the state of the economy.

The prime minister brushed off Mr. Ingraham's criticism relating to the Izmirlian family, who is developing the $1.6 billion multi-use resort on Cable Beach known as Baha Mar.

Mr. Ingraham had correctly pointed out that the PLP had "deep-sixed," or denied, the first Izmirlian application for permanent residency in 1990, but shortly after, the FNM government had granted permanent residencies to both Mr. Izmirlian and his son.

Mr. Christie said that it was "immature" for Mr. Ingraham to raise the issue of the permanent residencies for the Izmirlians.

"(Mr. Ingraham) talks about 'I gave him the residency permits,' therefore everything that he does after that, 'I could claim.' Christie whined like an immature little boy who knows he's wrong but won't admit it. "Well that means from here to eternity. Come on, what country do you see engaging in such debates, for goodness sake?" he cried.

Not sure about Perry, but we see THIS country engaging in such reasonable debates. The PLP government claims that it's biggest accomplishment is the Baha Mar development, yet they denied the investors of that project a residency permit. Thank God the FNM was wise enough to discern the potential of the Izmirlians or Perry's PLP would have nothing to crow about at all.

The former prime minister also accused the PLP of keeping the public in the dark on the Baha Mar project.

But Mr. Christie said that no investment transaction has ever been so "transparent," noting that the transaction was signed in April and that the Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe delivered a 16-page communication on the Baha Mar development in the House of Assembly on May 25, citing all of the details. Wilchcombe also tabled a copy of the Heads of Agreement, which sets out all of the details of the project, said Christie.

Not true!

The documents mentioned above do not detail the concessions that were granted to the developer, nor do they include the finer points of the deal, which the public has not been privy to.

Mr. Ingraham denied Mr. Christie's claim that the Baha Mar deal was transparent, adding that "in due course the facts will be laid bare."

So Perry, doesn't just keep us in the dark, he lies about it as well. Mr. Christie must think his constituents are stupid. Do we really want a Prime Minister who thinks we are stupid?

To add salt to the wound, the prime minister said a meeting for stakeholders and people living in the Cable Beach area was held to update residents on how the project would affect the area. I was at that meeting. One meeting, where the government talks and the people are told to listen, where dissenters are allowed one minute rebuttals, is hardly the consultative government we were promised. Besides, that meeting was AFTER the agreement was signed. It was like the government was telling us what's going to happen, not asking us our opinions.

In response to Mr. Ingraham's accusation that the government had handled the Royal Oasis Resort situation badly, Mr. Christie shifted uncomfortably in his seat and then babbled something about the Tsunami in Asia and other destinations affected by hurricane damage. He defensively insisted that the PLP has an "exciting programme" for Grand Bahama, but said he could not "speak to all the details". Who does this man think he's jiving?

After calling Mr. Ingraham "immature", Mr. Christie proved himself so by launching into a tirade of "I am the King".

"I will have to remind him (Mr. Ingraham) that I am the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and that you don't go around talking about you 'will find out and report to the nation', that is what you do when you are prime minister and I am the prime minister," Christie cried like an insecure jock pumping himself up in front of a mirror while chanting, "You are the man."

It is every Bahamian's right and duty to point out government stupidity and corruption, not just Perry Christie's or Hubert Ingraham's. Besides, it has been proven on numerous occasions that, when crime and corruption is brought to the attention of the PLP government, nothing gets done. That is why Bradley Roberts, Alfred Sears, Obie Pindling, Leslie Miller, Franklyn Wilson, Sydney Stubbs, Neil Ellis, and the other flotsam that the PLP protects, are not in jail, where they belong.

I find it interesting, and very disturbing, that the Prime Minister, who has had nothing to say about all sorts of important topics like PetroCaribe, the CSME, immigration, the economy or the environment, finally calls a big press conference and talks about nothing but Hubert Ingraham.

Maybe Hubert Ingraham should be leading this country, instead of his biggest admirer, because the more Perry Christie speaks, the less Bahamians listen.

I received this email:

"Why is your website so anti-Bahamas?"

It's not! It is anti-crime and corruption.

Why? Because:

Time after time, we see corrupt politicians and unethical businessmen rewarded and esteemed by society.

Time after time, we see families and even neighborhoods protecting the guilty and not cooperating with the police.

Time after time, we see victims of crime become victims of injustice in a legal system controlled by lawyers and judges who delay and pervert justice.

Time after time, we see families mourning the loss of their loved ones from traffic accidents while hit-and-run drivers remain on the roads.

Time after time, we see politicians making empty promises but not delivering on important social issues.

Time after time, we see the poor and downtrodden ignored by selfish politicians, who with their families and their cronies help themselves to the government's purse.

Time after time, we see corrupt Bahamians getting rich off the backs of hard-working, honest people.

Time after time, we see Bahamians ignoring and violating the civil, constitutional and human rights of other Bahamians and even foreign visitors.

We think exposing these problems is the best way to get other Bahamians to admit they exist, focus on them and act to correct them.

We need more Bahamians to wake up and DO something about the continuous decline of our society. Too many Bahamians need to put away their selfish pride and stop hiding behind a veil of Christianity. They need to speak out and stop the injustices that occur in our society. They need to stand up and take responsibility for the sorry state of our national affairs, rather than blaming it on foreigners, the US, Haiti, the government or other Bahamians.

If not, these serious problems will overwhelm us (if they haven't already) and knock out the economy. When Bahamians have to "eat grass like goats" (as the Punch is fond of saying) we bet they'll wake up and smell the stench of their own decaying society. Maybe then, they will help us do something about it instead of ignoring us or pretending none of this exists.

So, we're gonna keep beating the drum against crime and corruption because we are so PRO-Bahamas. We want to see the nation and Bahamian society prosper, not crumble and fall. And, we don't want to eat grass like goats.

With apologies to Cyndi Lauper:

When you fall we will catch you, we'll be waiting,
Time after time