Bahamas Blog

I am growing tired of the police and the government giving lip service regarding crime but really doing nothing about it. Lots of public posturing, promises, committies, action groups and rhetoric. But never any real action.

Murderers, robbers and rapists get out on bail. Hit-and-run drivers remain on the road. Money launderers get their bank licenses renewed and crime and corruption is everywhere, and getting worse.

I read in the Tribune that the police found two AK-47 machine guns, in two separate incidents, last week.

Yet, I never saw in the paper where anyone was arraigned, or even arrested for having illegal firearms of that magnitutde.

Is that because the owner of the sloop and the house, where the guns were found, has a cousin on the police force? Or, is it because they have a cousin at the Attorney General's office, or a cousin at the courts? Maybe they have a cousin that works as a "consultant" in the PM's office. Maybe they have a cousin's cousin in Parliament.

But dey mussy gat a cousin somewhere, or I'd have read about their arrest and arraignment.

Some people say Bran McCartney is a flake, others say he's an idiot. I couldn't agree more.

The shifty lawyer, so obviously lacking in ethics, is now intent on becoming a politician. Figures! Like a slow bowel movement, this particular BM is wretching his way along the same path that some of the biggest turds in the country have taken. Law, then politics.

The ethically-challeneged attorney has proposed to arm all business owners with handguns. This, he figures, will cut down on crime. What a dope. I wonder how a guy named Bran could be so constipated with his own political rhetoric that he is unable to see his own stupidity. His dumb idea will only lead to an increase in the Wild West mentality that currently pervades Bahamian society.

McCartney is just another Bahamian lawyer who isn't satisfied with stealing from his clients. He wants to steal from all Bahamians by becoming a politician. BM has been accused of fixing cases, bribing magistrates and perverting justice by dropping cases at the request of Bahamian mobsters.

If we allow this particular Bran flake to become a daily staple of the Bahamian political diet, we are going to end up with a belly ache.

Good news for white people in The Bahamas. In a radio interview on "Issues of the Day" Thursday, Progressive Liberal Party Chairman, Raynard Rigby, granted approval from the PLP party for caucasians to get involved in Bahamian politics.

He said that Brent Symonette (deputy leader of the opposition, the Free National Movement) and other white Bahamians, "have a right to participate in the politics of The Bahamas."

Yippee!

Mr. Rigby's gracious gesture on the part of the racist PLP political party paves the way for 'Conchy Joe' Symonette to run for Deputy Prime Minister in the 2007 election.

Mr. Symonette was nominated for the post at the FNM convention in November. However, without the approval of Rigby's PLP the nomination was almost meaningless.

Leading organizations examine education

Proposing steps for reform...

The Bahamas Hotel Association and the Bahamas Hotel Employers Association, with financial support from the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board, have played a leading role in the formation of the Coalition for Education Reform and the conduct of a significant report, Bahamian Youth: The Untapped Resource. The report was released last week and has already sparked considerable constructive debate on the quality of education.

The report is intended to inform the public about the state of education and its potential impact on the country, and to serve as a catalyst to spark a broadbased concerted effort by the country’s stakeholders to engage in the long and difficult task of reversing a clearly disturbing trend.

The report, Bahamian Youth: The Untapped Resource, has been completed and released by the Coalition for Education Reform, a group of the nation’s leading business and labour organizations. The report clearly illustrates that improving education is one of our nation’s greatest challenges.

Drawing on real life anecdotes and BGCSE data to make a compelling case for an ‘unprecedented national consensus and will’ to improve education, the report examines the factual basis for their concern.

Acknowledging that many of the challenges which education faces are indicators of broader societal problems, the report points to a number of improvement efforts which are already in place or show considerable promise. But the BGCSE test scores coupled with employer feedback suggest ‘significant deficiencies’.

The report states 'There is the incredible learning gap, the great Untapped Resource, the difference between what is and what could be’. It continues – ‘the country is not helpless in determining its own destiny. There are effective strategies that can be adopted whereby the Bahamas can tap that resource; when taken together, they are both evolutionary and revolutionary.’

It proposes fourteen strategies for reforming education. These center around: order and civility, improving the governance and management of the system, empowerment, parenting, social promotion, teacher evaluation and compensation, constructive partnering with business and labour, and new and improved models with track records for closing the significant academic achievement gap between males and females as evidenced by test scores and other indicators.

The analysis suggests that the education crisis in the Bahamas has deep roots stating that ‘Education will be successful only with a sustained commitment of every element of society, every stakeholder and every political party. Education reform must stand high on the national list of priorities over the long haul’.

Organizations endorsing the report which are part of the Coalition for Education Reform include: the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce; the National Congress of Trade Unions; the Bahamas Employers Confederation; the Bahamas Hotel Association; the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union; the Bahamas Hotel Employers Association; and the Nassau Tourism & Development Board.

The Coalition recognizes and appreciates the dedication and commitment of many to improve education and the constructive efforts which are underway in the face of most trying and difficult conditions. The report is intended to support those efforts and to stimulate greater public awareness and engagement in both the dialogue and solutions to one of our nation’s most pressing challenges.

The Report is intended to stimulate major stakeholders to adopt a plan that will cause Bahamian school leavers to be the ‘best in the Caribbean’.

Candia Dames recently reported in The Bahamas Journal that a coalition of private-sector organizations has issued a report on education in The Bahamas. The report, titled, "Bahamian Youth: The Untapped Resource," warned that the country's present education "crisis" would have a serious detrimental impact on the national economy by the year 2020, if immediate steps are not taken to put in place reforms.

"A general low level of academic achievement has individual, national and international consequences," the group says.

So, what else is new? Is this supposed to be a revelation?

It is not like the problems in the educational system haven't been identified and discussed, with repeated promises to be "urgently" addressed, dozens of times in the past.

See for yourself.

Here are just a few of the many articles concerning this issue that have been posted on Bahamas B2B. You can see this topic has been discussed to death, for at least six years, with no real action towards reform.

March 30, 1999
What's wrong with our educational system?
Our government run educational system is virtually a monopoly, and is responsible for educating an estimated 85-90% of our students. Unfortunately the "system" seems to have lost track of what its main purpose is...to educate our citizens. This has helped create failing grades, violence and demoralised students and teachers. How can we improve our educational system?
Rick Lowe - On Second Thought

January 04, 2000
Our Educational System
We should expect to get no more than we demand from our students, teachers and government. Our hard earned tax dollars will continue to be spent on education with very little real interest in the results unless we convince them that is what we want.
Nassau Institute

November 12, 2002
A Major Social Problem

November 20, 2002
Education Is Key To Reduction In Recidivism, Says BDM Leader

September 01, 2003
Are We Doing Our Homework?
The nation's report card is a dismal 'D', according to the Ministry of Education.
Editorial, The Nassau Guardian

September 03, 2003
Education Needs Sears' Full Attention
Attorney General and Minister of Education Alfred Sears needs to be able to focus on only one of these as neither are currently being handled responsibly.
By Tamara McKenzie, The Nassau Guardian

October 22, 2003
Gomez Calls For Education Reform
The Bahamas is "lagging far behind in education" when compared to other countries according to the leader of the Anglican Church in The Bahamas, His Grace Archbishop Drexel Gomez.
By Julian Reid, The Bahama Journal

August 16, 2004
National Average Still A 'D'
In order for the overall average grade to change, there has to be a significant improvement in students´ performance.
Yvette Rolle-Major, The Bahama Journal

August 27, 2004
As Dismal, As Ever
In what has become an annual ritual, there is talk galore about what the nation´s schools are set to achieve "in the years ahead". Another predicted "year ahead" is now here. This year´s results are as dismal as last year's. And, there is still more talk about how the system is on the verge of transformation.
Editorial, The Bahama Journal

September 21, 2004
Teachers Walk Out - Bahamas Schools Over Crowded
Education officials said complaints of shortages in the school's maths, science home economics and technical drawing departments were not unique as the problem exists nationwide.

October 07, 2004
State of Education in the Bahamas
In the past, the Bahamian school system has been the subject of much criticism and justifiably so...
Dr.Leatendore Percentie

April 18, 2005
School Violence Reflect Wider Society, Says BUT
Last week's spate of school stabbing incidents has teachers concerned.
By TAMARA McKENZIE, Nassau Guardian Staff Reporter

July 03, 2005
Education is the Thing!
A good education with the requisite discipline was an essential ingredient for those who wanted to do well.
Dr.Leatendore Percentie

July 06, 2005
Educators Face Crisis
The concerns were gathered from district superintendents, school administrators, school boards and teachers ahead of the summit.
Tameka Lundy, The Bahama Journal

August 18, 2005
Pathetic State of Education in The Bahamas
National grade point average is a failing grade.
By: Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal

September 01, 2005
Adult Illiteracy A Major Problem
The UN Development Report indicated that the literacy rate of Bahamians over the age of 15 years is 95.5 percent, however, the UN considers an individual literate if he or she is able to simply write his or her name.
Perez Clarke, The Bahama Journal

September 06, 2005
Government Unable To Meet Educational Needs
Minister of Education says Ministry of Works 'lacks capacity' to address education needs.
By: Tiffany Grant, Tribune Staff Reporter

September 29, 2005
Public Education In Trouble
In educational planning and administration, the nation's political directorate seems as lost as ever. This is a case of the blind leading the blind.
Editorial from The Bahama Journal

December 20, 2005
Education. Crumbling in on itself?
It is at minimum irresponsible to send young people out into the workforce without the ability to read, write and complete simple math problems.
By: The Nassau Institute

Not to mention all the articles about violence in the schools.

Tell me again - what's new in this "new" report that we didn't already know? Explain to me how a group of "concerned" business people and "stakeholders" are going to accomplish anything more than what's been done in the past... nothing.

Nothing except, yet, another condemnation of our educational system, a redundant examination of the problems that need to be addressed and the repeated acknowledgement of the, oh so obviously, needed reforms.

We've been re-hashing this for six years. How about we stop with the press releases, committees, commissions and reports. And actually start fixing the problems of education in The Bahamas.

The first thing to do is get a real government. That would include firing the marshmallow who is currently the Minister of Education, and the do-nothing who appointed him, then hiring (electing) some people who actually know what the hell they are doing.

It was Perry Christie who, upon appointing Alfred Sears as Minister of Education, promised that education would be the first priority of his adminsitration. Either he is incredibly incompetent or a compulsive liar.

It appears that the real problem with education in The Bahamas is... too much talk, not enough action.

My heart goes out, sincerely, to the familes of the victims of the Chalk's Airways plane crash in Miami. Nothing can compensate them for their loss, but I offer my prayers, sympathy and compassion anyway.

I heard on Bahamas ZNS news that the government will have a day of mourning, including flying flags at half-mast, for the victims of flight 101. They are also promising the families some financial assistance.

As nice as that sounded, and as much as I'd like to see the families receive relief from their grief, I thought that odd.

The victims of the Sea Hauler accident, four years ago, are still waiting to be reimbursed for their medical expenses. The familes of the deceased in that tragedy never received a dime. Of course, it wasn't election season either.

Even though a commission of inquiry held the captains of the boats responsible, neither captain was ever even fined, let alone sentenced to jail. In fact, one of the captains, Allan Russell, was later convicted of drug smuggling, locked up for that crime, but quickly released because he is a campaign manager for MP Phillip "Brave" Davis.

Are the lives lost in the Sea Hauler tragedy any less valuable than those lost in the airplane crash? Are the families less important? Maybe less politically valuable?

There were nearly 60 people murdered in The Bahamas this year. Another 50 lost their lives in traffic accidents. Were their familes compensated? Were flags flown at half-mast for any of them? Were their lives less valuable? Their families less important?

But the plane crash is so much loss at one time, you may say. But 110 lives is also much loss, no matter how you look at it, I would respond.

But the plane crash is so sudden, so unfair, I have been told.

I beg to differ.

When a soldier dies in a war, as many are in Iraq right now, their families are reminded of the sacrifice their loved ones made as they went to war with the knowledge of the risks involved in combat.

When one climbs into a metal box, to be flown thousands of feet in the air at speeds of hundreds of miles per hour, they must also be aware of the risks.

But what risk did the woman who was raped and murdered by three home-invading brutes, in her own bedroom, take?

What risk did the man who, while crossing the street, was run over by a hit-and-run driver (who is still on the road) take?

How less tragic are those deaths than the lives lost in the plane crash?

Or is it that the shameless PLP government sees the media attention this crash has received and wants to milk it for as much political mileage as possible. I noticed that the religious con artist, Neil Ellis, immediately volunteered to lead a national day of prayer. How thoughtful, I am sure. I'll bet Franklyn Wilson will be announcing a fundraiser any day now. These two selfish scammers are at the forefront of every disaster so they can take credit for other people's generosity while milking the naive of their hard-earned money.

There is no doubt that the crash of Flight 101 was a terrible tragedy. But unless, and until, the government is willing to treat all victims of tragedies the same, I think it is irresponsible and insulting (to the other victims and their families) for the government to be making the gestures they are.