Bahamas Blog

Washed-up political has-been Algernon Allen is dying to get back into mainstream politics. He has been on the fringe of the FNM, for a few years, since losing his seat in the Marathon constituency and having somewhat of a falling out with former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.

Allen has been called a "political animal" - possibly referring to his similarities to a jackass. "Bulgie", as he is called, is so desperate to be back in the "action" he is rumoured to be considering a party switch, to the PLP. Of course, the PLP will take anyone into their fold if they think it could possibly attract votes in the upcoming general election.

It is disturbing how easily Bahamian politicians switch parties. It highlights the fact that there are no real ideological differences between the two major Bahamian political parties, only ego clashes and a desperate yearning for power.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ingraham has allegedly sent "Bulgie" a message, warning Allen that should he (Allen) choose to get back into front-line politics, he (Ingraham) will "spill the beans" and publicly reveal dirty secrets about the former Cabinet Minister.

God knows, every politician in The Bahamas has enough dirty secrets to cause them concern, Mr. Ingraham included. But, even more insulting to Bahamian voters is the fact that Mr. Ingraham only uses his knowledge of clandestine (and possibly illegal) activities as a form of blackmail, and will not reveal wrongdoings solely to eliminate corruption in Bahamian politics.

As a lawyer, Mr. Ingraham is an officer of the court. Therefore, he has a legal and moral obligation to disclose illegal activities if he is aware of such things.

Unfortunately, it seems that Mr. Ingraham is no less a political animal than Algernon Allen. Hubert is more interested in having political leverage against his opponents than he is in developing an open and transparent political landscape in The Bahamas.

I wouldn't vote for either of these two "animals".

New name for airport will make us the laughing stock of the Caribbean.

Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie is reportedly set to change the name of Nassau International Airport to something that better communicates the actual physical appearance of the structure... SLOP.

According to the PUNCH tabloid, PM Christie will re-name the airport after disgraced former Prime Minister and alleged drug dealer, Sir [sic] Lynden Pindling.

The Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling Airport (SLOP) will also maintain its BS designation, making an interesting moniker for an airport named after, well, a piece of shit.

SLOP BS

Christie is obviously pandering for votes prior to the next general election, which must occur no later than May, 2007.

The bumbling PM threatened the foolish airport name change four years ago, when he was last pandering for votes. Of course, nothing was ever done, typical for most of Mr. Christie's verbose proclamations.

He also hopes the move will quiet Lady Pindling, the obnoxious widow of the corrupt former PM, who is insisting on the name change and also wants to be named Deputy Governor General, another outrageous suggestion.

Wiser council has advised the Prime Minister not to rename the airport after the drug and corruption smeared former politician, but Christie is interested in currying favour with the criminally-minded majority of the country, who still revere Pindling in the same perverted way that Arab terrorists worship Osama bin Ladin.

(You may comment on this blog entry or join the existing conversaton on this lunacy.)

"Corruption in this country is unbelievable - if has to be destroyed or it is going to undermine our democracy."

The above is a comment attributed to a former Bahamas Cabinet Minister in today's Tribune editorial.

Well, blow me down. At the Bahamas Network, we've been saying that for years.

In fact, in a recent blog, I suggested the only way we will ever rid our Police and Defence Force of corruption would be to hire foreigners, specifically a foreign Attorney General, to weed the bad apples from the bushel, irregardless of their political or social connections.

The Tribune editorial says that on June 14, Commissioner Farqhuarson is alleged to have been sent a letter signed by a group of "loyal officers" reporting what they call "systemic (sic) and ongoing corruption - openly advertising and promoting extortion of any number of legal and illegitimate business concerns within his district."

The letter even names the senior officer involved in the protection racket. Further, the letter alleges that this officer "is known to make open files disappear for the right price, thwarting the attempts of citizens to receive the justice they deserve."

Now, I believe that was what happened when the man who attacked the Bahamas B2B founder went to court. The files literally "disappeared". So did the evidence. And the police prosecutor didn't bother to show up... twice! As a result, the attacker, a car washing jackass named Omar Bernard, was acquitted by a partial and biased judge. Another criminal left to roam the streets and violate the civil rights of others.

The letter sent to The Tribune named four other cases where justice was being compromised by files disappearing for a price.

There was also a credible allegation about $49,000 stolen from evidence in a certain case and shared between two policemen, both named in the letter sent to the press.

This is exactly what I meant when I said foreign law enforcement officers are needed to eliminate corruption.

The Tribune editorial goes on to say that, "corruption might be endemic in this country, but it will sink deeper and take even firmer hold if we treat it as inevitable, shrug our shoulders and walk away." Which is exactly what the politicians and "powers that be" have been doing in this town, the whole five years we have been sounding our alarms.

It appears that serious and difficult decisions have to be made if our police, defence force and judiciary are to be stripped of their corruption.

The PUNCH reports that Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie is set to cut a deal with LANDCO, which will allow the 4,000 residents of Bozine Town to remain on their land.

LANDCO is the company that, I have been told, is supposedly controlled by foreigners and a few Bahamian gangsters, who used the Quieting of Titles Act to lay claim to land that is already titled to others.

An allegedly corrupt Supreme Court judge sided with the mysterious company, threatening eviction on hundreds of families who have paid for, and lived on, the disputed land for as long as 50 years.

The situation in Bozine Town illustrates the need for legitimate land reform legislation. It should also spur a call for the prosecution of lawyers and real estate agents who are responsible for re-selling land that was previously titled to a legitimate buyer in a previous transaction.

It also illustrates how criminally-minded Bahamians have abused the "quieting" of titles to enrich themselves at the expense of others. The laws need to change and retribution should be paid by the guilty.

Unfortunately, there are too many powerfully corrupt people involved in these kinds of deals and an investigation would open up a can of worms. It would require an explanation from certain prominent politicians, lawyers and real estate agents as to how acres of "generation land" in New Providence were re-titled and sold, when, by law, they should not have been.