Bahamas Blog - Bahamas Web Log

US Snubs Disreputable Bahamas Cabinet Ministers

Adding to the degradation of the Bahamas' international reputation, the US has snubbed disreputable Bahamas Government officials by removing certain privileges normally associated with diplomatic travel.

The US Embassy has informed the Government of The Bahamas that it is taking away Secret Service guard protection for Bahamian Cabinet Ministers while they are on official visits to America.

Now, instead of all Cabinet Ministers being entitled to the special service, only four members of the Bahamian Government will receive such treatment. They are: the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell and Governor General Dame Ivy Dumont.

The rest of the scandal tainted officials in the Bahamian government are on their own when traveling to the United States. They can now be searched indiscriminately and treated like the common thugs and gangsters that many believe they are.

While the US claims that the removal of secret service protection is a cost-cutting measure, diplomatic insiders feel it is a snub and that the action sends a powerful message to PM Christie to clean up his Cabinet and remove scandal tainted Ministers like Bradley Roberts, Neville Wisdom and Leslie Miller.

The US is also believed to have cautioned the PM about his close association with alleged gangsters like Franklyn Wilson and bumbling con artists such as Sydney Stubbs.

The Bahamas' international reputation has suffered tremendously since the PLP took over the government in 2002. The scandal-tainted political party refuses to disclose their finances to the Bahamian public, leading many to believe the party was financed by drug dealers. It did not help when PM Perry Christie dusted off a number of drug-smeared criminals from the previous PLP administration and appointed them to prominent government posts, causing many to describe the "new" PLP government as a criminal organization, more than a government.

The Bahamas Government's Legendary Incompetence

The Bahamas is a Third World country, so one takes all the little inconveniences of living there with a grain of salt. Things, that people in developed countries take for granted, are luxuries in the Bahamas, sometimes available only at the big hotels or to government officials and their families.

But water should not be a luxury. Water is a necessity that only the poorest, most economically blighted governments on earth can not provide for their citizens. That's why it is so hard to understand why the Bahamas government can not provide an adequate water supply to the hundreds of thousands of citizens in Nassau, the capital of the island nation. Nassau is located on New Providence Island, a body of land that is of course, surrounded by... well, er... water.

Yet, a group of incompetents (many say they are nothing but criminals) have taken over the government of the Bahamas and are so busy making selfish deals, laundering money, smuggling Chinese and Haitian immigrants and smuggling drugs, they can't seem to take care of the basic business of managing a nation, even one as small as The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

Money is no problem. The Bahamas governments' billion dollar a year budget gives them the same amount to spend, per capita, that the United States has for their citizens. But in the Bahamas, the government ministers and cabinet members squander and steal the money from the public treasury by creating special construction, real estate and business deals for their cronies. One MP recently rented a building he owns to the government phone company at three times the going rate. Another was involved in a Korean fishing boat scam that cost the country over a hundred thousand dollars. Another Cabinet Minister was involved in a shady deal with a Canadian bleacher company that saw over one million dollars disappear. Some of that money allegedly found its way into the minister's pocket. Recently, a government insider has accused certain Cabinet ministers of benefiting financially in an approval process related to natural gas storage facilities and pipelines, to be built in Grand Bahama.

Then there are the useless junkets, conferences and events around the globe that Bahamian government officials tell the citizenry is necessary for them to attend. This excuse allows some expensive vacations for the ministers and their families. Not a week goes by that one particular minister, charged with foreign affairs, isn't running off to some exotic location for a meeting that he contributes little or nothing to, and benefits the Bahamian people in no way at all. Trips to China, Africa, all points in the Caribbean, the United States, Europe and Asia have taken place thus far. All by a government that is basically insignificant in the course of world affairs.

Recently, the Bahamas government announced they would send a delegation to the region affected by the Tsunami. When asked what they could contribute, given the Bahamas' limited resources, the cabinet minister thought for a minute then said they would offer "moral support, which is always needed."

Why, an educated person might ask, would Bahamian citizens not speak out against this type of corruption and incompetence? Because the majority of Bahamians know nothing about it. With an adult voting population of over 140,000 people, less than 20,000 read the daily papers and even fewer than that have online access. Sure, the Bahamas boasts of a higher than normal computer/person ratio, but most of those computers are in the offices of offshore banks and government buildings. The truth is, less than 20% of the adult voting population have Internet access.

So, the citizens of Nassau enter the third month of water rationing and other unnecessary frustrations while their incompetent and corrupt leaders line their pockets with graft. As one message board participant said, after a cabinet minister was recently accused of rape for which the Bahamas government decided against pressing charges, "The beat goes on...".

Bahamas Government Stonewalls Rape Allegations Against Cabinet Minister

Highly respected individuals and former members of the Bahamas law enforcement community are speaking out against the outrageous handling of the rape allegations against Bahamas Government Cabinet Minister Bradley Roberts.

The Tribune Newspaper reports:

Retired Police Officers Criticize Handling of MP Rape Allegations

Former senior police officers have expressed "serious disquiet" over the force's handling of rape allegations against Works Minister Bradley Roberts.

A group of retired policemen said procedures adopted by investigators were "unprecedented" and a cause for major concern.

They complained particularly about detectives conducting a meeting between Mr Roberts and his accuser, and said officers had waited far too long before following up the complaint.

In addition, they described yesterday's press conference by Commissioner Paul Farqhuarson in relation to the complaint as "unheard of" in the history of the force.

Read the entire article.

Arrest Bradley Roberts!

MP Bradley Roberts, who has been accused of rape, has received unusually special treatment thus far from the Bahamas Government and the Police. But the accused sex beast may be reaching the end of his privileged status. International observers and the US State Department are carefully watching this case as a barometer of the level of corruption that exists in the Bahamian government.

Mr. Robert's response thus far has been to threaten the Bahamian media with a lawsuit if they continue to report on the rape allegations.

It has been confirmed, by a source inside the police department, that Mr. Roberts admitted that he was at the house at the time of the alleged incident and lab reports can prove that a sexual encounter had taken place.

At the very least, Mr. Roberts should resign for being a despicable character who cheats on his wife. That may seem ridiculous to say, seeing as so many politicians cheat on their wives (and often vice-versa), but let's make 2005 the year we clean up our public service... starting at the top.

Read more: Public Clamours For MP Roberts Resignation and Arrest For Rape

Is Big Prize Money Ruining Junkanoo?

The Bahama Journal reports that this year's Boxing Day Junkanoo results are disputed, once again. Apparently, irate Junkanoo leaders left a closed meeting with members of the Junkanoo Corporation on Monday evening after claiming that there were inconsistencies in the judging of the Sammy Thompson Boxing Day Parade. The paper says they were "furius".

Of course, the disputed results are a throwback to the controversy that erupted last year following the New Year’s Day win of the Valley Boys. It makes you wonder if the Junkanooers in Eleuthera don't have the right idea.

From the Tarpum Bay website:

"Last night's Junkanoo affair in Tarpum Bay was not a traditional Junkanoo contest. There were no winners and loosers. The two rival Junkanoo groups decided that this was the best way to demonstrate the support and improved conditions in the community by non-competition. Just showing up out of the interest of entertaining the community and having a great time creating and enjoying Junkanoo. That goal was served well last night. The evening grew on to become a night of entertaining, enjoyment in the artform and healing for the groups and the community."

Now, before you tell me what a dumb idea that is, remember, a smaller, more organised, less contentious parade would have a better opportunity of receiving an international television contract which would benefit the groups, the Junkanoo Corporation and the tourism industry. A several million dollar TV deal would be more money than the groups currently receive and pleasant international exposure would benefit tourism.