Bahamian politics, politicians, pundits, pollsters, strange bedfellows and the next general election in The Bahamas

Politicians, pundits and pollsters

By Philip C. Galanis





With slightly more than one year, at most, before the general election must be called, the political temperature is already rising. In February this year, Dr. Andre Rollins resigned from the NDP, the political party he helped to create, and joined the PLP. He was quickly nominated to be the latter's standard bearer in the Fort Charlotte constituency.

In March, Branville McCartney, the FNM Member of Parliament for Bamboo Town, resigned from the governing Party and announced that his newly formed Democratic National Alliance (DNA) will contest the next elections with a full slate of candidates.

Not to be outdone or upstaged by Christie's PLP or Bran's DNA, last week Prime Minister Ingraham, with great fanfare and flanked by fellow-ministers and followers, welcomed Cassius Stuart, the Leader of the Bahamas Democratic Party, along with virtually his entire disbanded decade-old organization, into the Free National Movement. And let us not forget that one of the dailies predicted the imminent demise of the National Democratic Party, given the dissatisfaction with several of its leaders and disaffection from its ranks.

Meanwhile some Bahamian political spectators are virtually salivating in exuberant excitement and eager expectation to see which other veteran and wannabe politicians will be co-opted and who will defect from their current positions as this political ballet is choreographed and performed on the political stage. Perhaps as never before will the adage that "politics makes strange bedfellows" be corroborated as a truism in Bahamian politics — for the next few months, in any event.

Therefore this week, we would like to Consider This...what are we to make of the recent developments that have evoked such excitement on the domestic political landscape and what part do the pundits and pollsters play in this ever-growing drama we call Bahamian politics?

Politicians

It has become very clear that some of the recent novices and veterans in the political arena have now realized that they will continue to be marginalized by remaining on the periphery of the real political stage, outside the organizational mainstream of the two behemoths that are the PLP and the FNM. Accordingly, Dr. Andre Rollins and Cassius Stuart — along with almost his entire party — have determined to hitch their political fortunes to the major parties.

A frequently asked question regarding such political vacillations is whether those persons are really interested in improving the things that they have articulated to be wrong with both the country and the major political parties that up to one year ago they vehemently opposed, or are they more interested in their own political elevation and personal aggrandizement? Although Bran McCartney has taken a very different course, some will put the same question to him. Just how true they remain to their principles and fundamental positions will become more apparent in the fullness of time.

Pundits

The term "pundit" normally refers to one who regards himself as an expert in a particular subject and who offers his opinion or commentary to the public on that subject. Punditry has been applied to political analysis, the social sciences and sports. Traditionally, political pundits would include radio and television talk show hosts and their guests who are generally knowledgeable in such matters. Pundits also include newspaper and magazine columnists, most of whom, with the exception of the Scribe and Front Porch by Simon (both pseudonyms), have the courage of their convictions to identify themselves and stand by their positions, whether the public perceives their positions to be right, wrong or indifferent.

Pundits are often not necessarily scientific in their approach to political analysis, relying more on their intuition, a sixth sense, if you will, a historical frame of reference and even on their personal experience to explain the vicissitude of politics.

In a general sense, however, many Bahamians think of themselves as political pundits and equally possessed of the qualities that characterize those who more traditionally fit the definition. Virtually every Bahamian has a political opinion. Because Bahamians are generally well-informed on partisan and national issues, extremely interested in the body politic and politically astute, they are as eager to express their views as they are prepared to criticize or support government and opposition policies and decisions. And that is very healthy for our polity.

Pollsters

Pollsters on the other hand, as compared to pundits, attempt to provide a degree of scientific sophistry to political developments and issues of the day. An effective pollster will have a good understanding of mathematical and statistical methods to analyze and interpret events and to forecast outcomes. In short, pollsters have mastered the art that many politicians so often fail at. They actually ask people what they think about an issue, a policy or a national decision. Then they summarize the answers to the questions that they ask and present their findings based on what people actually think.

Some people are skeptical of pollsters, often objecting to the validity of the answers garnered from the poll, because the "doubting Thomases" question the veracity of persons whom they poll. It has often been suggested that Bahamians will provide the answers that they think the pollster is seeking rather than the truth of how the person polled actually feels.

However, there are techniques for pollsters to filter answers in order to arrive at a consensus position of persons who are polled. Furthermore, although polling in The Bahamas is a relatively new discipline, the politician who prefers to rely exclusively on his intuition or the “expertise” of the pundits do so at their peril. The fact of the matter is that politics has become more scientific in assessing public opinion and sentiment and polling has proven to be a very useful tool to accomplish that task.

Just this past week, the relatively new Bahamian market research firm, Public Domain, headed by Mwale Rahming, released the results of a poll that his firm conducted between February 16 and March 11, 2011. Public Domain indicated that 402 persons were polled, weighted by region, age and gender, in order to ensure that the population represented a good cross-section of the Bahamian adult population. The poll represented a five percent margin of error which is quite acceptable for such an exercise.

To the question: "If the election was held today, which party would you vote for?" the results were reminiscent of the Elizabeth bye-election. The respondents indicated that 28 percent would vote for the PLP and 25 percent for the FNM. What is even more revealing about that poll is that 21 percent indicated that they would vote for a third, unbranded party and 26 percent were undecided. The conclusion of that poll is that 47 percent, nearly one-half of the respondents, did not have an appetite for either the PLP or the FNM. The conclusion can be drawn from this is that there is a very large percentage of disaffected voters who are not happy with the two major parties. This confirms the perceptions of many political pundits.

Secondly, the respondents were asked "How satisfied are you with the current government led by Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham?" The response was that 14 percent were very satisfied, 35 percent were somewhat satisfied for a total of 49 percent who were generally satisfied with the current government. Equally revealing was the conclusion that 21 percent were somewhat dissatisfied and another 25 percent were very dissatisfied for a total dissatisfaction rating of 46 percent. The remaining four percent did not know. This is very interesting when one considers how close today’s figures are to the percentage of voters who actually voted FNM in the last general election, nearly 49.82 percent, as compared to those who didn’t vote FNM but voted PLP, which was 46.98 percent.

Finally, to the question: "If a third political party presented a full slate of andidates with a mix of veteran and new candidates, how likely would you be to vote for this third party?" the responses were astounding. The response was that 32 percent were very likely to do so, 25 percent were somewhat likely to do so, for a total of 57 percent who said that they were likely to vote for a third party. In addition, 11 percent were not very likely to do so, while another 21 percent were not likely at all to vote for a third party, rendering a total of 32 percent who would not likely to vote for a third party. The remaining 11 percent did not know.

These poll results should give both the PLP and the FNM reason to be concerned about voter sentiment at this particular point in time and should also be very encouraging to Branville McCartney who, when this poll was conducted, had not yet announced that he would form a political party and that he would present a full slate of candidates in the upcoming elections.

Conclusion

We have always maintained that the next general election will be a close, fiercely contested and combative conflict. It is clear that politicians must fully understand the political landscape. The pundits will have much to talk and write about as the "silly season" unfolds, sharing their considered opinions and gut feelings with all and sundry. Finally, the pollsters will have an increasingly important role to play as they investigate and measure the actual feelings of voters, unraveling the variables and vicissitudes that will contribute to the success of the victor and failure of the vanquished in the next general election, whenever it is called.

Philip C. Galanis is the managing partner of HLB Galanis & Co., Chartered Accountants, Forensic & Litigation Support Services. He served 15 years in Parliament. Please send your comments to pgalanis@gmail.com.

4/17/2011

thenassauguardian

Bahamas Blog International

We live in one of the most violent countries in the world

‘A phenomenal burden’

By CANDIA DAMES
Guardian News Editor
candia@nasguard.com


A closer look at the impact of crime on PMH


The high level of violent crime is stretching resources all around, and officials at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) know that all too well.  “I think that it has been said repeatedly that the impact of violence, crime, accidents on the public health care system has been almost overwhelming,” said Senator Dr. Duane Sands, who is consultant surgeon at PMH.

“The national statistics would seem to suggest that we have a murder count of whatever.  In reality that number, the number of absolute deaths from violence belies the real problem.

“And this is not a new phenomenon.  This is something that has been going on now for at least a decade.”

But Sands noted that the hospital continues to see more gunshot victims than in the past.

“We see on average in this country, in excess of 400 major stabbing or shooting traumas (every year),” he added.

“What has happened in the last three years is we’ve seen the knife been replaced by the gun.  And so what that does to the emergency room, what that does to the operating room, the Intensive Care Unit and the wards is put a phenomenal burden [on them].”

According to information provided by Sands, in 2000, there were 323.6 assaults recorded for every 100,000 inhabitants in the United States.

By extrapolation, The Bahamas might anticipate 900 to 1,000 assaults per year.

Instead, it is recording more than 3,000 at PMH alone.

“We live in one of the most violent countries in the world,” he noted in a recent presentation at the Medical Association of The Bahamas conference.

“Trauma is a major public health problem.”

Sands noted in an interview with National Review that Medical Advisor to the Public Hospitals Authority Dr. Glen Beneby recently released a report that examined occupancy rates in all of the hospitals that fall under the PHA.

He said while there is no question that PMH is challenged on most wards (Pediatrics, Gynecology, Obstetrics etc.), occupancy rates on the surgical wards range from 92 percent to 104 percent.

Hospital officials have created another ward in what used to be the out patient area of PMH.

“If we look at the impact on the operating room, the operating room basically has now been forced to focus on emergencies and trauma,” Sands said.

“If you look at the impact on the Intensive Care Unit, the Blood Bank; if you look at the impact on the pathology lab (it’s great).”

This means that on many occasions, elective surgeries are constantly put off, Sands noted.

“And so if you look at the impact on health care in general from violence, it is a lot more significant than just the numbers we are seeing in the public,” he said.

“Resources are indeed stretched and we take this as a duty. We have to respond. And so the hospital responds however we can.”

What the public sees from this growing problem is increased waiting times, a shortage of blood at the Blood Bank and the postponement of those elective surgeries, as mentioned.

“This is the real impact of the violence and trauma on regular, ordinary people,” Sands added.

“It is a big, big problem.”

A RISKY ENVIRONMENT

“If you look at the impact of all of the violence and trauma, let’s take my house staff in surgery or in the emergency department, they are constantly exposed to the most outrageous forms of violence — seeing people beaten, stabbed, raped, molested etc.,” Sands told National Review.

“It is almost surreal, the impact on these individuals...They see the worst of people every single day.  You couple that with a public response, which is not terribly supportive...and while we understand this, bear in mind that those two things put together create a very challenging emotional and psychological environment that we try to provide support for.

“To be very candid with you I don’t think we do as good a job as we should.”

The high stress level for the medical professionals is sometimes worsened when street fights continue into the emergency room.

“Notwithstanding that we have beefed up security significantly, it is not foolproof,” Sands said.

The government spends a significant amount on initiatives to provide a safe environment for staff and patients, noted Coralee Adderley, PMH administrator.

She said there may be a need to improve security even further.

“I would say that 20 years ago as a young administrator the weekend report, when you got [it] on a Monday morning, a stab here or there, a gun shot once a month was a big story,” she said.

“Now it’s almost every day and that’s a huge cause for concern.

“Any particular evening you can find that the emergency room is inundated with shootings, stabbing and so forth.

“That coupled with the fact that a lot of these patients, once they are admitted to hospital are in police custody.  So that creates another dynamic for us, not just in the emergency room.”

Dr. Sarah Friday, the physician in charge of A&E, admitted the situation takes a personal emotional and psychological toll.

“I’ve been in emergency medicine for quite some time and after a while the [constant flow of trauma] patients coming in and you’re not getting to see other people with the [other] medical problems as quickly because maybe somebody with a gunshot to the chest or a stab to the arm or something like that would take precedence,” Friday said.

“You have other people with the other medical emergencies but because of the time sensitive nature of a person who is bleeding you find that other persons may have a delay in their care because we have someone who’s bleeding and that of course will take priority.

“If you talk to a lot of the staff it does take a toll on you because you walk out of the trauma room having seen somebody stabbed to the chest and then you turn around and then somebody, a diabetic patient for instance who may have missed his medication, and you’ve just left somebody who may have died.

“And so [when you see] the next patient you’re still carrying that burden of a young 17-year-old just shot to the chest and is now dead and you have to see that next patient.”

A DOUBLE THREAT

With chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCD) already placing a strain on health care services, the rising cases that stem from violence are worsening an already bad situation.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which is the regional arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), predicts a 300 percent increase in deaths from cardiovascular diseases in the region over the next 20 years.

Sands pointed out in his recent presentation at the Medical Association of The Bahamas conference that The Bahamas, like the rest of the Caribbean and America, is experiencing an epidemic of deaths and morbidity from the CNCDs such as obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, tobacco use, physical inactivity and unhealthy diets.

Sands indicated that violence and trauma divert scarce resources from other medical conditions and have done so for many years.

He also noted that the “culture” of violence creates a hazardous work environment that adds to absenteeism and attrition among medical staff.

Sands also noted that trauma patients not operated on in a timely fashion suffer more infections and thrombotic complications.

THE WAY FORWARD

“The debate about the way forward with health care is a debate about choices,” Sands said.

“And this government has made it very clear that it is going to adjust the resources upward for the provision of health care and has done a number of things.

“There is no question that we need a new hospital and that is going to create a whole lot of discussion about where those funds are coming from.”

The government had intended to use proceeds from the sale of a majority stake in Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) to build a new hospital.

But with a dramatic downturn in the economy, the government was forced to increase borrowing, which resulted in rising debt levels.

The new plan is to use the proceeds from the sale of BTC to Cable and Wireless Communications to pay down the debt.

The government has instead opted to build a new critical care block on PMH’s compound. It will have an additional six operating rooms.

“But we have other challenges that have to be dealt with and we are preparing various position papers to put forward to the administration and the Ministry (of Health) to consider,” Sands said.

“While we all have a duty to try and intercede [as a result of] this carnage that’s going on in this country, we (PMH) have to stand in the gap.

“So the physicians, the nurses, the ancillary staff, the hospital administrators, we don’t have a choice.  This hospital does not close and we have to do what we can with the resources that we have.”

Sands said, “It is a real, real problem and it is the direct impact of everything that’s going on and the choices that Bahamians are making, and fundamentally resolving this is going to require the energy and the effort of every single Bahamian.”

He said the hope is that there is not a further escalation in demands being placed on PMH because the hospital has no other choice but to care for people who come for treatment.

Adderley added, “Despite the sometimes negative comments that we hear in the news from patients and family members, we do have a group of committed individuals here who want to see improvements to this facility, to our health system to provide the best in care.”

4/17/2011

thenassauguardian

Auditor general’s report: Widespread misuse of government funds in the Local Government offices on various Family Islands

Report: Widespread misuse of public money in local govt

By KRYSTEL ROLLE
Guardian Staff Reporter
krystel@nasguard.com




The recently tabled auditor general’s report reveals the widespread misuse of government funds in the Local Government offices on various Family Islands. The report — which covers the period between July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009 — details a lack of accountability or audit trails in the recurrent accounts in many of the local government offices.

According to the report, as it relates to revenue in the Central Andros District, “the practice of omitting the general receipt references for clinic fees, character references and gun licenses from the cashbook did not leave a good audit trail and impeded the process of verifying the actual amounts collected.”

The auditor general also found several inconsistencies as it relates to the recurrent expenditure account. “We noted that payments were made to repair the old school building at Blanket Sound,” said the report, which was tabled in the House of Assembly on Monday. “During our site inspection we could not verify where any work was done to the old building.”

Additionally, the report revealed that payments were made for plumbing, supplies, building materials, painting supplies and sundry items but no justification was given for the items purchased and the related projects were not indicated.

The report also revealed that money was spent out of the local government’s reserve account in that district without any evidence of approval from the minister responsible, as is the requirement.

In the Cat Island District, the report detailed that some payment vouchers were discovered but were not supported with bills or receipts. Similarly in North Eleuthera, the report indicates that the description of works given and supporting documentation was inadequate for payment vouches. “In other cases, the vouchers were not approved by the island administrator; neither was the account numbers to which the transactions were to be charged provided,” the report said.

In Harbour Island, the report noted that unspent budgetary funds were not returned to the Public Treasury at the end of fiscal years as mandated from 2004.

In Spanish Wells, the auditor general report indicated that monthly payments were made for the upkeep of public grounds, roads, harbor and dock, however evidence of competitive bidding was not provided and the agreements setting forth the conditions for works undertaken were not produced for audit review.

The same conclusion was made in Central Eleuthera.

The report states that during a scrutiny of payment vouchers and contract, the scope of work was not included and bids were not attached. In the Exuma District it was noted that adequate information and supporting documents were not attached or indicated on vouchers to justify the charges made against budget items. “We also noted that some checks were written to the administrator rather than suppliers,” the report said. “Some vouchers related to school repairs and to the district superintendent’s office were charged against line items that do not exist.”

A review of the Social Services Department in Mayaguana revealed that some people who were receiving food coupons were gainfully employed as was seen on a monthly National Insurance contribution schedule and monthly upkeep payments.

“In our view, the present system in place for the delivery of food assistance lacked transparency and accountability,” the report said.

“In our opinion, pubic funds were disbursed without regard for economy, efficiency, transparency and accountability. Internal controls need to be strengthened to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the operation.”

The report calls for an overhaul of many of the practices of the local government offices.

It also seeks clarifications or accounting in cases where money was spent but no evidence of the work was acknowledged.

4/20/2011

thenassauguardian

Bahamas Blog International

The 2012 general election issues are: Jobs, Crime, and Leadership

Leadership will be an issue in 2012 election

tribune242 editorial



IN A crescendo of emotion during the debate last month on the sale of BTC to Cable & Wireless, a member of the Opposition on the floor of the House loudly declared that the 2012 election would be fought on leadership.

Anxious to change the focus, Opposition leader Perry Christie at a PLP rally in Freeport on March 18 was quick to tell his party supporters that the general election will have nothing to do with personalities, but will be fought on issues. He declared that the Ingraham administration had been bad for the country, which had been "on a steep downhill ride for the past four years."

At his own rally in Nassau on the following evening, Prime Minister Ingraham directed the people's attention back to the drawing board. Agreeing that the election would be about jobs and crime, he wanted it to be known that it would also be about leadership.

"Don't forget, Mr Christie," he said, "it will also be about leadership. People of the Bahamas know what they can get when they are tired of what they got."

In the 2002 election, Mr Christie was an untried leader who promised that his was a "new" PLP --not of the Pindling stripe, which Bahamians had soundly rejected in 1992 -- but a new party that would bring them "help and hope." He also promised that, unlike the first PLP, his would be a scandal-free administration.

After five years under an indecisive leader and much scandal within the party, the PLP government failed to deliver on most of its promises. Other than much talk, there was little help and many voters had given up hope. As a result, the 2007 election was won on leadership. Five years of indecision was too much to tolerate. FNM leader Ingraham won the contest. Naturally, leadership is not an issue that Mr Christie would want to face again.

It is good to have all the answers for the country's ills, but if the country's leader is slow in executing them, then solutions are useless.

Mr Christie has claimed that Mr Ingraham is to blame for not quickly completing and executing plans that his government had taken to final signature, but which he had failed to sign. What Mr Christie does not seem to grasp is that if he had executed those agreements on time, many of the projects would have been completed, or nearing completion and Bahamians would have still been employed when the economic crash took the Bahamas and the rest of the world down.

However, it has to be admitted that Mr Christie's indecision has saved the Bahamas much. It gave the Ingraham government an opportunity to revise and renegotiate many of the contracts -- especially the Baha Mar deal, and the rejection of the Bluewater purchase of BTC, which would have been a disaster for this country.

In a radio talk show in February 2007 -- just before the May election -- then Prime Minister Christie admitted that he "could have done more" and was disappointed that he hadn't.

He said he had wanted to have a new straw market two years earlier. However, he only got around to signing the contract for a $22 million structure on February 16, 2007 - three months before the election. The old market had burned down in September 2001. When the FNM came to power in 2007 the overpriced new market was a controversial issue. Eventually the PLP's plans were scrapped, new plans were drawn, and on December 15, 2009 a new contract for its construction was signed. The Bay Street Market is now nearing completion.

Mr Christie said he wanted to have "the Royal Oasis opened a year ago, six months ago, and we're just now moving towards a final resolution of that" -- three months before a general election!

"Things have to take time and sometimes in the lives of politicians, the time is judged by five years," he told his radio audience. That is why a strong, decisive leader with vision is so important. The electorate has to understand that five years cannot accommodate an indecisive leader with an indifferent work ethic.

"I'm disappointed," Mr Christie had told his radio audience, three months before the Bahamian people voted him from office, "in the slowness of the realisation of the PLP's vision for the country. The major disappointment I have is that I could have done more."

It was an amazing admission of defeat - but with an excuse.

Mr Christie has presented the best argument of why Bahamians should not consider handing the government to him and his party in 2012. A rejection of the PLP at the polls in 2012 will spare both Mr Christie and the Bahamian people another five years of disappointment.

Even in defeat at the polls in 2007, indecision caused another 24 hours of confusion before the PLP could accept that they had in fact lost the government. According to his own testimony, Mr Christie had failed to grasp that a decisive, hard working leader was needed at the helm if much was to be accomplished in five years.

April 18, 2011

tribune242 editorial

Bahamas Blog International

Cassius Stuart’s decision to join the governing Free National Movement (FNM) party demonstrates that he has the sense to know when a lost cause should be abandoned

Is Cassius Stuart still credible?

thenassauguardian editorial

Cassius Stuart spent much of the last decade raging against the political order as the leader of the Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM). The BDM argued that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the Free National Movement (FNM) were not good enough for The Bahamas.

Stuart and the BDM — a fringe party — were never successful building up the clout necessary to challenge for a seat in the House of Assembly.

So after a decade trying, Stuart and the BDM have gone to the FNM.

Can you blame them? At the February 2010 Elizabeth by-election, Stuart, a ‘party’ leader, was not even able to secure enough votes to get back his election deposit. That was clearly a sign that the BDM had gone nowhere.

We think third parties should dedicate the time necessary to build the brand. Stuart and the BDM did this and, over time, there was no meaningful connection between the organization and the people.

It is expected that at least Stuart — out of the BDM executives who joined the FNM — will be named an FNM candidate at the next general election.

His decision, and that of the other BDM members, was pragmatic. It merely demonstrates what all should know: Politics is not about ideals, but about power. To achieve the goal of being able to exercise power, the BDM realized that it needed to join one of the mainstream parties.

The BDM members should not be criticized for losing the childlike idealism they had. In fact, they should be commended for offering themselves as candidates over the years rather than merely complaining about the state of the country from the sidelines.

Stuart’s decision demonstrates that he has the sense to know when a lost cause should be abandoned.

“Today, the same message that guided us in the wilderness over this past decade is the message that has been embraced by the Free National Movement — a message we believe will touch the lives of every man, woman and child in our archipelago,” said Stuart last week when he was welcomed to the party at FNM headquarters.

Dr. Andre Rollins did the same thing. He abandoned the fledgling National Development Party (NDP) and is now a candidate for the PLP in a winnable seat (Ft. Charlotte).

What young politicians must learn is that they should not let youthful zeal lead them to make statements in the public sphere they will later regret when powerful political leaders offer them ‘things’ and they then abandoned all they once claimed to believe and support.

Stuart and Dr. Rollins are now in the mainstream. They both will now likely have good chances at winning a seat at the election. The things they said about the FNM and PLP in the past were merely words aimed at a goal. They now have what they wanted. The words and deeds worked.

4/17/2011

thenassauguardian editorial

It appears that there will be political bloodletting in Bamboo Town where the governing Free National Movement (FNM) and Official Opposition - Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) plot to ambush Branville McCartney at the polls

Branville McCartney and the 2012 election

By ADRIAN GIBSON
ajbahama@hotmail.com




IN THE next general election, it appears that newly independent MP Branville McCartney and his purported new party are hoping that Bahamians are tired of playing musical chairs between the two major parties--FNM and PLP--and are more inclined to vote for, and even elect, a third party force. Frankly, our politically expedient culture, coupled with our more traditional Westminster system--where third parties are speedily dispatched to the political gallows and certain political death--dreams of a third party capturing the imagination of the masses are futile this electoral cycle, regardless of the false promises of support made by many fair-weather bandwagon riders in the months before the official campaigns/rallies kickoff.

Without a doubt, Mr McCartney is a self-styled populist whose recent resignation from the FNM--whilst expressing opposition to the BTC deal with Cable and Wireless Communications--has sent shock waves throughout the political sphere and wider Bahamian society. Indeed, whilst there are some who see McCartney's move as standing up for his beliefs and being demonstrative of him showing that he has heart and isn't merely a bootlicker, others see it as a display that is nothing short of full-blown, megalomaniacal grandstanding.

Contrary to the speculation regarding the BTC sale--where a widespread mutiny was rumoured to be in the works within the ranks of the FNM's Parliamentary caucus and was supposedly inclusive of Mr McCartney and three other FNM MPs--no such incident occurred. Whether the alleged MPs chickened out or not remains a mystery, however, there was no crescendo of voices--within the FNM, among the masses and, I'm told, not even among scores of the employees at BTC--absolutely rebuking the sale of the telecoms company.

Quite honestly, it appears that there will be a political bloodletting in Bamboo Town, with both the FNM and the PLP running candidates and plotting an ambush of Mr McCartney at the polls. With lots of finger-jabbing and verbal bricks being thrown, the contest for the Bamboo Town seat has quickly become a highly contentious matter, seemingly leaving McCartney at a political crossroads and facing a stormy, most combative political season that will see the electoral machinery of both major parties descend upon Bamboo Town.

According to some accounts, Mr McCartney's purported new entity--if it comes to fruition--could feature one or two political rejects who were cast off by the major parties due to character flaws and questionable dealings. Mr McCartney must be careful not to surround himself with shifty characters and sycophants and must, if he leads a new party, seek to establish a renewed sense of purpose and a coherent political philosophy that appeals to the national consciousness. So, is Bran McCartney close-up-ready? What are his views on the Bahamas' future?

It remains to be seen whether Bran McCartney's apparent out-performance of many of his former Cabinet colleagues was merely artificial hype and a fluke because he headed a highly emotive ministry--Immigration--or because he genuinely possessed ideas and leadership acumen. That said, in this upcoming election cycle, it appears the third party votes will merely tip the scale in favour of one of the major parties as opposed to the other, and not the third parties themselves. I'm doubtful that any of the current or yet-to-be-announced third parties in a general election have reached the stage where they would've encroached upon the percentage of any given party (FNM/PLP) to make people think that a third party is a force to be reckoned with.

Can Mr McCartney woo independent, non-ideological voters particularly in this age of identity politics? Will Mr McCartney's resignation and the impending showdown in Bamboo Town, coupled with the formation of a new party, expose him as having stepped into a pair of oversized shoes?

As good an MP as he appears to have been, will Mr McCartney find himself hopelessly in the political wilderness after the next election?

And, why didn't Mr McCartney own his political moment and vote no to the BTC sale whilst sitting as an FNM and then allow the FNM to expel him from the party? Why did he resign and walk out of Parliament instead of facing the music-- wouldn't that have had greater historical effect? No doubt, he would have gone down in history and become an even bigger political rock star.

Why didn't McCartney bring some of his Bamboo Town constituents with him to Parliament as a show of support for his vote on the BTC sale and his resignation from the FNM?

Indeed, it is true that some within the FNM are whooping and hollering now that Mr McCartney has divorced the party, particularly as he was a strong threat to their chances of ascending to the FNM leadership in the post-Ingraham era (likely 2017).

Has McCartney's political stock depreciated from self-inflicted wounds or is it just burgeoning?

Did McCartney buy into his own public relations?

Is the FNM's ongoing and much publicized response to Mr McCartney's resignation an indication of a seismic crack in their electoral machinery? Now that McCartney has abandoned the FNM, will he ever be catapulted into a much higher political stratosphere--that is, that of Prime Minister? Will Mr McCartney do a "Bernard Nottage" and abandon the proposed political entity and one day return to the FNM, this time to assume the party's leadership? Is McCartney's rumoured formation of a new party merely a vehicle to demonstrate his leadership abilities in hopes of impressing the internal machinery of the FNM and being invited back as their political saviour in 2017?

As I said in an earlier column, now that Bran McCartney has taken his fate into his own hands, if he remains an independent--a true independent--he's likely to still attract many marginal, non-ideological and independent-minded voters--a class of voters that's rapidly expanding with today's younger, more educated electorate.

Indeed, there remains a jingoistic adoration of the Bamboo Town MP. Moreover, Mr McCartney--regardless of the chair throwing and stirring dramatics at the FNM's recent town hall meeting in the constituency--has a sizeable FNM following and FNMs have, in the past, shown themselves willing to vote independent if they feel that the party didn't do the right thing. In this case, McCartney may not find that support as many FNMs feel like he walked out on them.

Frankly, Mr McCartney would likely suffer a political death if he joins another party--or perhaps forms his own--and thereby returns to the electorate after one term with another "label" attached.

Quite honestly, McCartney should postpone any plans for a third party and instead focus on winning his own seat!

Moreover, this political season Mr McCartney must avoid appearing like a disgruntled FNM and engaging in petty bickering, instead promulgating ideas and promoting national initiatives.

In Bamboo Town, he has demonstrated an ideal work ethic and has a body of work--within the constituency--to bolster his campaign. McCartney, among his constituents, is heralded as a hard worker, a young man who understands the true purpose of Parliamentary representation of his constituents.

Reliable sources have informed me that there are plans afoot to outfox Mr McCartney at the polls, writing him off as a showman, whose "groundless" braggadocio, will douse his electoral prospects and place him on a treadmill to oblivion whilst also serving as a teachable moment to a cadre of political newcomers. One FNM insider advised me to watch the "shifting landscape."

Bran McCartney must now wade through a political minefield and, as one who was once considered the future face of the FNM, his resignation has led to a man--who potentially could've risen to the leadership of the FNM--ushering himself out of the throne room.

Frankly, if Mr McCartney is relegated to the political dustbin following the next general election, he would be another politician crushed by the machinery of the major parties. However, if he wins, he's likely to be a force to be reckoned with, particularly if he articulates ideas and is not blinded by ego.

That said, if the Bahamas continues to be a red (FNM) and gold (PLP) state, young persons promoting change and aspiring for leadership may have to fight from within the internal structure of the major parties, seeking to convince council and executive members of the value of their candidacy and the importance of new ideas in advancing the country--unless, of course, there is a political revolution!


April 09, 2011

tribune242

Bahamas Blog International

Who is this man Fred Mitchell?

Would the real Fred Mitchell please stand up?

tribune242 edtorial

AS SOON as he arrived at the office yesterday morning a Tribune staff member went to this newspaper's "morgue" in search of a certain file. The night before he had heard a comment over channel 14 by Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell that -- in view of Mr Mitchell's political past-- startled him. He wondered if his memory were playing tricks with him. The files, he was certain, would set him straight.

He said he did not listen to the full show, but just heard a comment by Mr Mitchell on the defection of BDM Cassius Stuart to the FNM.

This week after 13 years of trying to break through on the political scene, the Bahamas Democratic Movement was officially dissolved by its leader Cassius Stuart and merged with the FNM. Under Mr Stuart's leadership, the BDM was a harsh critic of both Prime Minister Ingraham and Opposition Leader Christie.

"It is safe to conclude," Mr Stuart had once said, "that both the PLP and the FNM are major failures." He listed those failures to include education, crime, defence, immigration and the environment. In fact, in his opinion, they had failed at everything.

Over the years Mr Stuart and his party did everything possible to drive a wedge between the two major parties to attract public attention to his third party. Mr Stuart and a colleague went so far as to barge into the House of Assembly while in session and handcuff themselves to the Speaker's mace to protest the "unfair gerrymandering of the constituency boundaries by the FNM administration." The House was suspended. Mr Stuart and his colleague were jailed for two days, then released without being charged.

This week Mr Stuart and six of his members, threw in the towel and joined the FNM, convinced that a third party in the context of Bahamian politics was not viable. He, and his followers, had finally decided to make their public contribution through the ranks of the governing party.

Commenting on their decision, Mr Mitchell had said that as a result of Mr Stuart joining the FNM, he would have a lot of explaining to do with the public, because of his severe criticism over the years of the FNM. All of a sudden, he then ups and joins the FNM. Mr Mitchell wondered why?

In Thursday's edition of The Tribune Mr Mitchell reiterated that Mr Stuart had much explaining to do because only a few weeks ago he was "bashing the government over BIC." The whole affair seemed odd to Mr Mitchell.

We would now like the real Fred Mitchell -- one time PLP member, PDF founder and leader, Senator occupying an FNM seat, PLP Minister, later PLP in opposition -- to please stand up. Are we dealing with the pre-1992 Mitchell, who by then had worn many faces, or the Fred Mitchell, who had rejoined the PLP, became a Minister of that government and is now a PLP in Opposition? Who in fact is Fred Mitchell?

He was called an opportunist as he veered from one party to the next in his search for the right path to become prime minister.

In his previous life he held his traditional ceremony under the fig tree when he burned the Bahamas Constitution and sent its ashes to then Prime Minister Lynden Pindling "as a reminder of how our country is being destroyed." At the time of this act of bravado when he warned that he would "smite every enemy that dares to launch out against" him, he was leader of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). When he launched his "Third Force" in 1989, he wanted then Cooper's Town MP Hubert Ingraham (Independent) -- now Prime Minister -- to become a part of his organisation.

Mr Mitchell's ambition was to inflict a resounding defeat on the PLP. In December, 1990, he declared that Sir Lynden, the so-called "Father of the Nation" was irrelevant to the Bahamas. "It is time," he said, "that the Bahamian people consign him to the scrap heap of history."

Of course, Mr Christie, then the Independent member for Centreville, who was on the verge of rejoining the PLP, did not escape Mr Mitchell's sarcastic tongue. "He ought to be ashamed of himself walking around with his head high, calling himself Mr Centreville," Mr Mitchell commented.

"We find tremendous resentment on the part of young and old because, without so much as by your leave, he ends up back in the PLP," said Mr Mitchell.

The very same place Mr Mitchell himself ended a short time later when the FNM refused to run him as an FNM candidate.

But before they again embraced him into the fold, the PLP had dismissed him as a "political upstart and troublemaker ... a spoilt brat who deserves a serious spanking."

And so, as Mr Mitchell, wonders why Mr Stuart joined the FNM, we would like the real Fred Mitchell to stand up. Who is this man Fred Mitchell?

All we know for certain is that his one burning ambition was to become Prime Minister of the Bahamas. Has that flame gone out, or does that ambition still burn strong? It would be good to have the answers. Maybe Mr Mitchell would now oblige.

April 15, 2011

tribune242 edtorial

Bahamas Blog International

Renward Wells - The National Development Party (NDP) leader wants to immediately merge his party with Branville McCartney’s Democratic National Alliance (DNA)

NDP leader wants party to join DNA

By JUAN McCARTNEY
Guardian Senior Reporter
juan@nasguard.com



The National Development Party (NDP) appears to have dissention in the ranks as its leader, Renward Wells, is reportedly trying to have the party immediately merge with Bamboo Town Member of Parliament Branville McCartney’s newly formed Democratic National Alliance (DNA).

In e-mails leaked by at least one NDP member yesterday, Wells urged members of his party, as well as the People’s Deliverance Party, headed by attorney Paul Moss, and Workers Party leader Rodney Moncur, to join the DNA by tomorrow.

NDP members were said to be concerned that McCartney’s leadership would be automatic without members having a say.

Wells claimed that Moss agreed to join the DNA and accept McCartney as leader.

“The solution is for all of us to join the DNA, Bran leads, Paul and I agreed to that already, and the other positions voted on quickly,” said the leaked e-mail. “Obviously the NDP cannot nor do we desire to have our way in everything.”

However, a source close to Moss who did not wish to be identified, said that he never agreed to join the DNA.

NDP member Ethric Bowe discovered Moss’ position and sent a scathing response to Wells yesterday morning.

“Renward, I just spoke with Paul and he again categorically and absolutely denied what you claim in this e-mail,” wrote Bowe.

“…You are creating something far worse than (Prime Minister Hubert) Ingraham could ever create. DNA appears more dangerous than Hubert Ingraham could ever be and based on what you have done to date I would prefer to support Ingraham or (Progressive Liberal Party leader Perry) Christie than DNA.”

Bowe had expressed his desire to join the PLP if the NDP and the DNA could not come to terms.

NDP members were said to be meeting last night. Wells had called for a meeting with the DNA yesterday, but it is unclear if that was the same meeting.

On Tuesday, Wells claimed the NDP was invited to join the Free National Movement. The FNM yesterday denied Wells’ claim and said he initiated the talks.

4/14/2011

thenassauguardian

Cassius Stuart's Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM) merges with the governing Free National Movement (FNM) Party

BDM dissolves and merges with FNM


By NOELLE NICOLLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
nnicolls@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Democratic Movement has officially been dissolved after a 13-year political run, announced former party president Cassius Stuart.   Party representatives joined members of the Free National Movement yesterday to announce the merger of the two organisations.

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, FNM leader, presented Mr Stuart with a membership card and welcomed the new members of the party.   He said months of deliberation had led to this decision.

Mr Ingraham said he admired how "tenacious and focused" the BDM has been over the years.   He said the party had a "consistent message" and was "doggard and determined."

He took delight in the fact that during the Elizabeth by-election, a BDM canvaser approached him in a barber shop on the campaign trail and tried to convince him to support the party.

The BDM was the most prominent third party in recent times.   It contested 12 of the 40 parliamentary seats in the 2002 election.   Mr Stuart was one of the founders in 1998.   He was the BDM's candidate in the Elizabeth by-election last year.

Mr Stuart said the by-election was a "wake up call" that seriously challenged his views on the viability of a third party.   He said the party decided it had to be "practical and pragmatic."   He said the party has always wanted to make a contribution and decided to stop sitting on the sidelines.

"We have joined the FNM because we believe that this organization is willing to embrace new leadership, new vision and new energy.   While we know that this decision may be troubling for some of our supporters, we want to assure you that we believe this decision is in the best interest of our membership and our country," said Mr Stuart.

Mr Stuart said the BDM was no longer interested in "talking about the problems."   They wanted to engage in "solving the problems," the members of the party believed the FNM was the best party to accomplish that task.

There were "extensive" discussions with the FNM and PLP, said Mr Stuart; however, he said the FNM were more "timely" and presented "better opportunities" to fulfil the vision of the BDM and to "maximise the potential" of its members.

Some ten executive members of the BDM joined Mr Stuart at the FNM headquarters last night to make the announcement.   Mr Stuart said all of the BDM, except one member, supported the party's decision.

"The discussions leading up to this decision have in no way been easy for us.   After many months of discussions and deliberations and with much prayer and fasting, we find ourselves here today.   We believe that the decision to join the FNM is the right one at the right time," said Mr Stuart.

"My message over the past decade has been adding value to the lives of every Bahamian.   Moving forward, the Prime Minister has assured us that the next five years will be just that, building lives.   Today as we embark on a new horizon, we are confident that this union will bring brighter days for every Bahamian.   As a result, we know that The Bahamas will be a safer, cleaner, and better place to live in," he said.

Mr Stuart said the BDM and the FNM have become one organisation with the same vision, purpose and objective.

Under Mr Stuart's leadership, the BDM was a harsh critic of Prime Minister Ingraham and the FNM and former Prime Minister Perry Christie, leader of the Progressive Liberal Party, during successive terms of government.

The party's position on education states that both the FNM and PLP are "clear failures."

"It is safe to conclude that both the PLP and the FNM are major failures.   The same problems that afflicted the FNM in education are the PLP's worst nightmare.   The question is when will we get it right?   From all indications neither Mr Ingraham nor Mr Christie has the answers.   These two men must be judge based on their performance record not their political foolishness and the hand writing is clearly on the wall, they both have failed," states the BDM on the issue of education.

The party has similar critiques of the performance of the FNM and PLP on crime, defence, immigration, and the environment.

In 2001, Stuart and then deputy leader Omar Smith handcuffed themselves to the Mace in the House of Assembly in protest against the "unfair gerrymandering of the constituency boundaries by the FNM administration."

They were jailed for almost two days, although no charges were brought against them, according to the party's historical account of its formation.

Over the past 11 years, Mr Stuart said his efforts were guided by a message that is entrenched in the BDM constitution: "No man, woman or child shall ever be slave or bondsman to anyone or their labour exploited or their lives frustrated by deprivation".   He said this message has been "embraced" by the FNM.

In the coming days, Mr Stuart said he would file a formal application to the FNM to be nominated as a candidate in the next general election.   He said no promises were made for future candidacy, but assurances were given that the former BDM members would be a part of making sure the Bahamas is a better place.

April 14, 2011

tribune242

The Public Domain poll reveals that 47 percent of the people contacted were either somewhat dissatisfied of very dissatisfied with the Ingraham adminstration

Poll: Nearly half of electorate uninterested in PLP and FNM

By KRYSTEL ROLLE
Guardian Staff Reporter
krystel@nasguard.com

The latest Public Domain poll has revealed that nearly half of Bahamians surveyed are not satisfied with the current government, nearly half do not want to vote for either of the two main political parties and there is a significant portion of the electorate considering a third party.

According to the poll, 47 percent of the 402 people contacted said they were either somewhat dissatisfied of very dissatisfied with the Ingraham adminstration.

Public Domain, a new Bahamian market research firm, conducted the telephone survey between February 16 and March 11 with Bahamians across the country. Public Domain president M’wale Rahming said yesterday that the sample size has a maximal margin of error of 4.9 percent.

According to the poll, 28 percent of respondents said if an election were called today they would vote for the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP); 25 percent said they would vote for the Free National Movement (FNM); 26 percent were undecided; and 21 percent said they are unhappy with both parties and would consider a third party.

“A winning strategy for the major parties would be to secure a coalition and convince third party-minded and undecided voters to support the party,” Public Domain said in the report released yesterday to the media.

When respondents were asked the likelihood of them voting for a third political party that presented a full slate of candidates, with a mix of veteran and new candidates, 32 percent of those polled said they would very likely vote for such a group. Another 25 percent said they would be somewhat likely; 11 percent said they would be not very likely; 21 percent said not likely at all; and 11 percent of respondents were unsure.

Public Domain, however, said respondents who said they would vote for an unbranded third party should not automatically be considered third party supporters.

“Third party voters should be considered disaffected voters. They are unhappy with both parties. Their identified third party affiliation does not mean they have or will vote for a third party,” said Public Domain.

The polling results were released as at least one third party prepares to roll out its slate of candidates.

Former Free National Movement (FNM) Cabinet minister Branville McCartney has formed the Democratic National Alliance (DNA). The Nassau Guardian understands that the party already has a constitution and it is preparing to register with the Parliamentary Registration Department. A DNA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the party plans to run candidates in all 41 constituencies in the upcoming general election and it is almost done vetting about 20 candidates.

Public opinion on whether a third party would be viable has been split over the past weeks.

Rahming said their sample and data is much more accurate than a street poll, as a wider sample is captured through their automated call center.

According to Public Domain, the data was weighted by region, age and gender in order to represent the Bahamian adult population.

Rahming added that the sample is randomly taken from New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and other islands.

The public opinion poll was conducted from Public Domain’s call center in New Providence, which is equipped with the latest computer assisted telephone interviewing technology, Rahming said.

4/14/2011

thenassauguardian

With the country well on pace to set its fourth homicide record in five years, it would be useful if the political parties would published crime manifestos...

Parties must elevate level of public debate

thenassauguardian editorial


As we make the march towards the next general election the major political parties are engaging in the usual back and forth debates. One side attacks and the other responds with a defense and counterattack.

On Sunday the Free National Movement (FNM) went straight at Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Perry Christie.

“Mr. Christie is overflowing with theatrical passion, endless talk and promises rarely fulfilled,” said the governing party in its statement.

The FNM went on arguing that Christie is too indecisive to be re-elected prime minister.

The PLP responded and it attacked Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.

“Mr. Ingraham prefers to employ foreign workers to build roads that Bahamians can build. He employs a foreigner wherever he can. Those are the facts. The private sector has now climbed onboard and Brent Symonette is their ‘boy’. He is not our immigration minister he is the immigration minister of foreign special interests,” said the PLP.

Political banter between the parties can be entertaining at times. When written well, you can get a laugh out of the statements released. But during this election period, with so many serious issues facing the country, the parties should attempt to engage on points of policy rather than mere personal attack.

And the one area they should both focus on is crime.

With the country well on pace to set its fourth homicide record in five years it would be useful if the parties published crime manifestos – separate from the general manifesto to be published – in the run up to the general election.

A solution has to be arrived at regarding the poor state of prosecutions in the country.

Police Sergeant Chaswell Hanna published yet another comprehensive study on the homicide problem in The Bahamas – “Reducing murders in The Bahamas: A strategic plan based on empirical research.” The book is free on the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s website and it should be read by all serious current or future policymakers.

According to data in Hanna’s study, over the five-year period between 2005 and 2009 349 murders were recorded and there were only 10 murder convictions. People are getting away with murder.

The parties need to come up with solutions to this problem. We may need more prosecutors in the Office of the Attorney General (OAG); we may need better prosecutors in the OAG; we may need more investigators at the Central Detective Unit (CDU); we may need to bring back retired distinguished detectives to work as consultants with current detective to help improve the quality of police investigations.

It would help if the parties debated these issues in the public sphere this election season. What is shaping up is the same campaign we saw in 2007. The FNM says Christie is weak and the PLP spends its time responding to FNM attacks.

That campaign was not interesting the last time it happened.

4/13/2011

thenassauguardian editorial

Bahamas Blog International

Bahamians cannot have a crime free society while harbouring the criminal in the bosom of the family

Bahamian society must make a decision on crime

tribune242 editorial



THE hard working police force are today in the unenviable position of being "damned if you do, and damned if you don't."

The public wants the criminal removed from the streets. However, when he is removed, the next word the police have is that he's out on bail, up to more mischief, and the chase starts all over again. The public wants guns removed from society, yet society wants selective justice applied to those who are caught with an unlicensed firearm. On the other hand, the police want tougher sentences. For example, in England possession of an unlicensed firearm could mean five years in prison.

Police know that firearms are brought in on boats, even pleasure craft. "However, when we go to search these boats, we are accused of harassing boaters," said one officer, "so we back off, but we know that there are guns aboard those boats."

In other words society can't have its cake and eat it too. If they want the country cleared of illegal guns, the police will have to be free to search, and the courts should be obliged to prosecute.

For example, the police were criticised for the precautions they took to protect the House, the Prime Minister, MPs and members of the public during the recent Bay Street demonstrations against the sale of BTC to Cable & Wireless. They were condemned for bringing the dogs out "against the people." However, if something had gone wrong they would have been criticised -- and investigated -- for not having taken every possible precaution to anticipate an emergency.

A spokesperson for the various groups said that the objective was to stage a peaceful demonstration, however, some protesters were in a "militant" mood. And it was that mood -- with threats of creating a "small Egypt" -- that made the police prepare for the worst.

Despite the unions' attempts to insist that it was a union demonstration, the unions' presence was obliterated by political activists. However, Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell made no bones about what the demonstration was all about. The fight to have BTC remain in Bahamian hands is a political one, he said, and all who oppose the sale of the company to Cable and Wireless should band together.

Senator Dion Foulkes, speaking in the Senate, said that several "PLP MPs, ratified candidate and senior party officers were active in that demonstration which became extremely unruly and if it were not for the fine men and women of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Bahamians could have been hurt, indeed, one person was hurt: Mr Capron, who later publicly thanked the police for coming to his aid."

Mr Foulkes identified "Melanie Griffin, Bernard Nottage, Ryan Pinder, Alfred Gray, Obie Wilchcombe and Barbara Pierre, Secretary General of the PLP and former PLP Chairman Minky Isaacs" as among those at the rally.

"Shane Gibson," he said, "who the night before the demonstration was seen all over the southwest of New Providence on the back of a truck with a blow horn telling people to come to Bay Street.

"I suspect that they have distanced themselves from this demonstration because it was a total and absolute flop," said the senator.

Mr Mitchell also criticised government for "attacking" union leaders at that demonstration, who, he said, are "simply acting in the best interests of their members."

Mr Mitchell conveniently forgets the three-week teachers strike of 1981 -- under the Pindling government -- when teachers were also trying to improve the conditions in the schools and raise the standard of the teaching profession. Not only were the police and the dogs brought out against the teachers, but there were snipers on the various roof tops with a fire engine standing by, possibly to use the water hoses in case of an emergency. Several teachers were arrested. Opposition Leader Norman Solomon told members in the House on January 7, 1981 that the reason they were discussing the teachers' strike in the House that day was because it was facing a "certain amount of insurrection" below in the public square. He blamed it on "14 years of continuous mismanagement of the economy."

"Those were the days," said a teacher who had participated in the strike, "when professionals of similar qualifications in the civil service were making 30 per cent more than their counterparts in the teaching profession."

The former teacher said that when the teachers decided to strike in 1981 they did so for what they believed in, fully realising the consequences of their actions. Their pay was docked for the full three weeks of the strike. They did not complain, because when they decided to strike they knew that it meant loss of pay.

Today the BTC unions withdrew their labour, fully knowing the consequences, but not expecting government to take any action against them. The teacher failed to understand their reasoning or why they should condemn government for enforcing the rules. They withdrew their labour. If they were sincere in their protest, they should have expected not to have been paid.

It is the same with the police. Bahamians want society to be crime free, but they do not want to suffer the consequences of having a family member, who is causing some of the problems, suffer the consequences. It is now up to Bahamians to decide what they really want.

They cannot have a crime free society while harbouring the criminal in the bosom of the family. The Tribune has great respect for those families who take one of their own to the police station to "turn him in." Those are the families who are the Bahamas' solid citizens - it is a pity that there are not more like them. It is only then that the Bahamas will have any hope of reducing its crime rate.

April 12, 2011

tribune242 editorial

Bahamas Blog International

Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) has found no friend in the Perry Gladstone Christie lead Progressive Liberal Party (PLP)

Undoing the BTC deal

By CANDIA DAMES
Guardian News Editor
candia@nasguard.com


Could it be done?


Officials of Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) appear to have their work cut out for them.

In addition to delivering on all they and the government promised in the months and weeks leading up to the recent controversial closing of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) privatization process, they must convince hundreds of BTC workers that CWC is not the enemy, but a caring employer and strategic partner in every sense.

That may be a tough task, but perhaps not an impossible one.

Accepting the defeat that has been handed to them, BTC union leaders have met with CWC representatives to try to iron out the best arrangements for their jittery members.

While it may reach agreement with the previously enraged unions, what is clear is that CWC has found no friend in the Progressive Liberal Party, and if its leader, Perry Gladstone Christie, delivers on what he promises if he wins the next general election, CWC could face more problems that it bargained for.

But that’s if Christie wins, and if he follows through on his warning to undo this deal.

The former prime minister issued the threat to CWC on several occasions, most recently a week ago as the company and the government were preparing to finalize the transaction.

“This is a bad deal,” Christie said.

“The deal stinks and the PLP remains committed to regaining this asset for the Bahamian people and allow the Bahamian public to have a full and public view of the entirety of this transaction.”

But while Christie is sure he would undo the deal, he apparently has not yet settled on how it would be achieved.

Each time he threatened to change the terms of the deal, we carried the warning, but there really was never any indication about what steps he would take to deliver on this promise if he forms the next government.

So National Review decided to ask him.

Christie revealed that he would seek advice from lawyers because it would have to be done legally, of course.

“The mechanics will have to be left to the kind of advice we will get on the matter,” he told us.

“I’m not prepared to comment on those matters.”

Three PLP parliamentarians who are lawyers also told us they are not prepared to speak behind the leader.

One of them said, “We won’t get our messages mixed up on this one.”

So what really would be Christie’s options on this?

Thomas Evans, QC, was not intimately involved in the BTC deal, but has vast knowledge of the law and commercial transactions.

“Because they are the government I suppose they can do whatever they choose,” said Evans, speaking generally about governments.

Evans recalled years back when he was in the Office of the Attorney General.

He was bold enough to write to the government and advise it could not do something.

“I was very quickly rebuffed and told ‘Look, we’re the government. We can do whatever we feel like doing’. That’s true, but there are consequences for certain things that they do.”

Evans pointed out that if one party reneges on an obligation that it assumes in entering a contract, then that violates and encroaches on the other party, and that other party is entitled to sue and recover damages for whatever loss is incurred as a result of the breach.

“So, while the government could go ahead and not perform an obligation which it assumed, there are consequences,” he repeated.

PENALTIES

Another lawyer close to the PLP suggested to us that one way in which a new Christie administration could force a deal change is by reducing the three-year exclusivity period for cellular service.

“CWC would have to determine how that would affect its commercial interest because the deal may no longer be viable,” noted the lawyer who did not want to be named.

“It may give them a commercial impetus to say rather than just paying us the penalty we want out of the entire deal.”

But that would call for hefty penalties.

In its agreement with CWC, the government has agreed “to pay to the purchaser such amount as is equal to the loss, expense, damage or other liability (calculated on the same basis as would be used for determining damages for breach of contract) incurred by the purchaser which arises as a result of a second cellular license being issued prior to the third anniversary of completion, and/or a second and third cellular license being issued prior to the fifth anniversary of completion.”

Under the agreement, the government has agreed to pay CWC $100 million if one or more additional cellular licenses are issued within the next year.

It would have to pay $80 million if one or more licences are issued within the next two years and it would have to pay $40 million if it issues one or more licenses within the next three years.

If the government issues a third cellular license after the third anniversary of the closing of the sale, but prior to the fifth anniversary of completion, it would be subject to a $20 million penalty.

So it would seem unlikely that the Christie administration might want to go this route, but given that Christie has not yet received advice from lawyers, that of course remains unclear.

Evans said if the government decides to go to Cable and Wireless asking for two percent of the shares back, it would likely have great difficulty “because you’ve got a deal.”

“Once a contract has been entered into between two parties it can’t be changed unless you have the consent of both parties,” he explained.

“It can’t be altered. One person can’t unilaterally alter the terms of the contract, even if you are the government.

“So, Cable and Wireless would say ‘Look, the deal I have is a deal. I acquired 51 percent. That’s what I wanted. I am not interested in 49 percent, and I’m just not going to agree.

“I don’t know that there’s any way that the government, even though they’re the government, would be able to compel Cable and Wireless to agree to surrender their two percent.”

Evans said the fact that a new party takes over the government doesn’t change the obligations that were assumed by the previous party because the government is the government.

“A party doesn’t make the government even though the constitution says that after an election the prime minister is the person who is the leader of the party that has the majority in Parliament.

“To that extent there’s a measure of connection between the government and a political party. But the point I’m seeking to make is that the government is the government.”

TAX FRUSTRATIONS

When he spoke in the House of Assembly recently, Golden Gates MP Shane Gibson, who served as a minister in the Christie Cabinet, noted that there are all sorts of creative ways in which a PLP government could pull the rug from under CWC.

Gibson — who served as president of the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) during initial attempts to privatize the then BaTelCo in the 1990s — expanded on those comments when he spoke with us for this piece.

“Obviously Cable and Wireless would have gotten what they consider to be an air-tight agreement from the government,” he said.

“And they are making it very difficult to introduce competition [any time soon] and they are making it difficult to have any other operator come in here, and making it difficult for a new government to be in a position to force them back to the table.

“As I said in Parliament, there are many ways that you can force a company like Cable and Wireless back to the table.

“We can tax them on certain aspects of their income; tax them on certain areas of the different services that they provide. For instance, we could put a special tax on mobile services. They’re the only one who provide mobile services in The Bahamas.

“So we tax them 15, 20 or 30 percent on mobile services, so there are many ways.”

Gibson had another idea.

“If we’re in charge of URCA (the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority), we could have discussions with URCA and make sure that individuals at URCA, advise them, or encourage them not to allow them (CWC) to go up on rates to offset taxes that they would have on certain parts of income.”

But given that URCA is an independent regulator, that too appears unlikely.

Gibson said that at the end of the day “it is known that the Bahamian public wants nothing to do with Cable and Wireless and they want BTC back in the hands of Bahamians.”

He said Bahamians have been running BTC for decades and “at the end of the day they almost feel that we are going back 100 years”.

“Once certain members of any elite group decide that they want to purchase, whether it is a property or a company, it is very difficult to persuade them to give it back to the people that it belongs to,” Gibson said.

“So it’s important to put it back in the hands of the people.”

CONSTITUTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

We also asked prominent attorney Brian Moree how Christie might be able to get BTC back in the hands of the people, if he is re-elected.

Moree, who had no involvement in the BTC deal, said given the very strong and very direct comments from Christie, one would assume that he has a legal basis for making those statements.

“It would be surprising that that position would be adopted unless they had the benefit of some advice to suggest that the transaction could be impeached or reversed if they were elected,” Moree said.

“Generally speaking, if you’re going to challenge a transaction of that sort retrospectively or after the event, one would have to look to see if there were any constitutional issues, which would be relevant and whether proceedings on the public law side of the court could be commenced, either by way of judicial review or some other process.”

Constitutional issues were raised by one respondent when URCA was considering the BTC/CWC deal.

That respondent asserted that the proposed exclusivity of the licensee is ultra vires the Constitution of The Bahamas.

The respondent stated that URCA cannot be party to an unconstitutional result and should require the applicants to address the question as to whether or not the exclusivity arrangement offends the Constitution.

URCA said it was aware of discussion of this issue by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the Marpin Case2, a Dominican case in which the Judicial Committee held that a monopoly to control a means of communications can amount to a hindrance of freedom of expression, provided that it is proven that the restriction exceeds that which is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.

URCA noted that the Committee in that case did not make any conclusive finding, but referred the issue back to the Dominican courts for a consideration of the particular facts in the context of the above test.

“In any event, constitutional issues, such as this, are highly complex and would properly involve significant judicial scrutiny of the facts surrounding the challenged decision. URCA is not the appropriate forum to consider matters of constitutionality of legislation in The Bahamas, and is therefore not competent to determine this point,” URCA said.

Supporters of Christie’s plan to take back a controlling interest in BTC point to similar action taken by Prime Minister of Belize Dean Barrow who in 2009 brought legislation to nationalize Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) in the public interest.

Barrow promised “fair and proper compensation” and said the move against BTL was not “some cowboy action, but something done in the full plentitude of, and compliance with, our constitution.”

INVESTOR CONFIDENCE

Moree said a degree of responsibility must be attributed to people in public life who make statements concerning these serious matters.

“That is why I said that I assume persons have obtained legal advice to support the position which they have adopted,” he said.

“I’m not aware of that legal advice, so I would not want to speculate.”

While he did not speculate, Moree raised the issue of investor confidence.

“The Bahamas as a sovereign country [must] acknowledge that there has to be a continuity of governance regardless of which political party is in power at any point in time,” he said.

“And when persons are dealing with the Government of The Bahamas, they have to have a level of confidence that their dealings — assuming that they’re lawful and they’re proper and there has been no corruption — they need to have the confidence that if they deal with the government which happens to be the FNM one day, that their transactions aren’t going to be the subject of litigation if another party comes in...”

Gibson said the Christie government has no problem with foreign investors, but is concerned about safeguarding national assets.

“If you look around and you try to identify one single project that this FNM government would have brought to The Bahamas since coming to office in 2007, I don’t think you could do that,” Gibsons aid.

“All of the projects that they are sitting and smiling over right now were projects that were initiated under the Progressive Liberal Party administration.

“And so, we’re not anti-foreign investors. We are anti-Cable and Wireless.”

Gibson said many Bahamians would have welcomed AT&T or T-Mobile, but not as majority shareholders.

“We’re not talking about foreign investors; we’re talking about this specific deal with Cable and Wireless, which seems to be the greatest giveaway ever in the history of The Bahamas,” the MP said.

PLPs would no doubt point to the instances where the Ingraham administration, upon assuming office in 2007 undid some of the deals left in place by the Christie-led government.

The straw market deal, incidentally, which was undone by Ingraham, remains unresolved with some of the professionals who had agreements with the government still waiting to be paid.

Of course, there were no such agreements on the magnitude of the BTC deal, but those actions by the new government led to the popular ‘stop, review and cancel’ phrase tossed about by PLP politicians.

When they took over last week, CWC executives seemed unbothered by Christie’s threats.

“In terms of our operations with government, we have a number of operations with governments across the globe in which we have very successful relations with them,” said Gerard Borely, chief financial officer of LIME, CWC’s regional arm.

“And we have successful relationships with governments no matter who is in power. The reason for that is because we deliver value and service to our consumers and governments, value that they appreciate. And we expect that to continue to be [the case] here.”

4/11/2011

thenassauguardian

Bahamas Blog International

Branville McCartney says: ...move this, our beloved country, forward toward the future of empowerment that has been promised to us for almost 40 years

Branville McCartney
Press Release –
10th April, 2011

Branville McCartney Quits The FNM

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Right Honorable Prime Minister for his support and assistance over the years, particularly in support of me as the representative for Bamboo Town in 2007, as well as the Junior Minister of Tourism and Aviation and the Minister of State for Immigration.   During my term, I represented the government and the Bahamian people to the best of my ability.   I did those things that I believed were agreed upon by the present government.   I know that I did my best.   I have no regrets, and may have further comments in the future.

However, for now, I am humbled and honored by the overwhelming show of love and support that I have received from Bahamians of all walks of life, at home and abroad, particularly those in the great constituency of Bamboo Town, since my resignation from the Free National Movement.

In recent days, I have also been overcome with humility by the growing number of people who have come forward to express their interest in working along with me to move this, our beloved country, forward toward the future of empowerment that has been promised to us for almost 40 years.

I do want the public to know, as I noted in my address to the House of Assembly on the 23rd March 2011, that when I entered public life, I did so because I saw Bahamian families who were beginning to feel trapped and powerless in a society that appeared to be imploding all around them.   I did so because I recognized a force of complacency in our youth, brought on by years of neglect and disrespect, which was draining them of all self- respect to the point that they were, and still are, failing out of society in larger numbers than ever before.   I said that I was motivated by the idea that I could possibly be one of a new generation of public servants who could offer a clear vision of meaningful change and be that difference when it came to shaping the future direction of what is, potentially, the greatest nation in the world.   I want the Bahamian public to know that my intentions remain the same and I remain steadfast and committed to that purpose.

As I also noted in the House of Assembly on that day, I remain steadfast to ensuring that our society, from Grand Bahama to Inagua, Long Island to Rum Cay, from Bain Town to my beloved constituency of Bamboo Town, will continue, on an even greater scale, to be a society free from the forces of complacency, oppression, insensitivity, bitterness, and self-doubt – a society where people will feel safe and secure both in and out of their homes; a place where people will feel like people again.   As I continue my work in this vein, I again wish to thank the many people of our great country for their encouragement.

To the people of Bamboo Town and The Bahamas, when you next hear from me publicly, I will not be alone in presenting a real vision and mission plan for our country that will speak to your desires, your dreams, and your possibilities.

Like America, who against all odds elected its first Black President; like Trinidad, with its first female Prime Minister; and like Haiti, electing “underdog” musician Michel Martelly as President, it is my utmost belief that together, as a people united, Bahamians and The Bahamas, will join other countries around the world in redefining what is possible.

I ask all to remain encouraged and know that I am using my time away wisely and creatively to ensure that the next government of The Bahamas will be prepared to represent them well, by putting together a plan that will once again put people first.

I close with a paraphrased version of 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:

Therefore, do not lose heart.   Although, as a country, outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day.   These momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal greatness that will far out-weigh all the troubles we are experiencing now.   So fix your eyes not on what you see, but on what is yet to be seen.

Continue to keep me, my family, and our beloved country in your prayers.

...amend the Securities Industry Bill to provide more protection for minority investors in private companies...

Top bankers back calls for greater investor protection
By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor



TOP Bahamian investment bankers have backed calls for enhanced protection for minority shareholders to be extended to all private companies who solicit investors via Private Placement Memorandums (PPMs), especially when it comes to the provision of audited financial statements.

Owen Bethel, head of Nassau-based Montaque Group, urged all public and private companies with minority investors to assess their corporate governance and maintain positive relationships with all shareholders, arguing that all equity holders should have access to data on their investment's performance.

And Kenwood Kerr, Providence Advisors' chief executive, agreed that "to maintain the integrity of the market" there needed to be "adequate disclosure and reporting requirements", so that public and private company investors knew every detail on their investments.

Their calls come after a retired Bahamas-based accountant, Bill Hogg, complained in a 12-page letter to Attorney General John Delaney about the alleged "shabby treatment" he and his wife received from Galleria Cinemas, arguing that they were denied access to any audited financial statements on how the company was performing for a decade after investing in its two Private Placement Memorandums (PPMs) in the mid-1990s.

Now, the sentiments expressed by Messrs Bethel and Kerr are likely to increase the pressure on the Government to further tighten protection for minority investors in the new Securities Industry Act and accompanying regulations, which are set to be debated by Parliament this week.

Mr Bethel declined to comment directly on the contents of the Hoggs' letter, given that the Montaque Group is still Galleria's registrar and transfer agent.

However, he told Tribune Business: "Certainly, the call for new legislation is timely, and could certainly assist with the rights of minority shareholders in private offerings.

"The investor relationships across the board in all entities that offer shares to the public, in one form or another, is something all these companies in their corporate governance should be looking at, and intending to have positive relationships with their investors."

He added: "We are pleased that the matter was ultimately resolved, and hope the Hoggs, despite their experience, are satisfied with the final outcome.

"Certainly, any person who goes into an investment should have some protective rights in terms of the information that they will be provided with to be able to gauge and assess their investment."

Mr Kerr concurred, telling Tribune Business: "Their should be adequate disclosure and reporting requirements to these persons. I think it's important to maintain the integrity of the marketplace. There should be something in place to give them protection."

Yet he added: "The very premise of the market is caveat emptor, buyer beware. You have to be an informed, educated investor. I haven't read the new Act, but at the core of the capital markets is the buyer must beware. You cannot legislate for non-registered participants."

In his letter to Mr Delaney, Mr Hogg wrote: "It cannot be right that a company can refuse to provide minority shareholders with any information on the company should the majority shareholders desire not to do so.

"This is particularly of concern where the shares are issued subsequent to a 'private offering' during which certain financial projections are given. In our case, the amount involved, not to mention the exorbitant cost and well-known experience of delay and frustration when attempting to obtain redress through the court system in the Bahamas did not justify the retention of an attorney. The only remedy in such a case, therefore, appears to be for the minority shareholder to sell their shares. Without the necessary financial information, they are unable to arrive at a proper valuation for the shares, and there is no way that any third party would be interested in buying their shares either. They are left at the mercy of the company with regard to the price offered. My wife will never know whether the price received for her shares was reasonable or not."

Mr Hogg urged Mr Delaney to further amend the Securities Industry Bill to provide more protection for minority investors in private companies, requiring that audited financial statements be sent to all shareholders prior to an AGM "unless waived by all shareholders."

Christopher Mortimer, Galleria's managing director, though, denied the Hoggs' claims, saying: "For the record, I can tell you that the company has fully complied with every requirement as it relates to the law. We are a private company and comply with all aspects of the law."

April 11, 2011

tribune242

Bahamas Blog International

Kirk Griffin's thoughts on the union between Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) and Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC)

Kirk Griffin on CWC


IN YOUR OWN WORDS


Former Acting CEO of Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) and newly-appointed advisor to the company Kirk Griffin offered his thoughts on Cable and Wireless Communications.

“I am fortunate to have been at BTC — at the executive level of the company — from the very beginning of the privatization process some 14 years ago. This has given me a unique perspective on the company, the industry and the necessity for BTC to be able to align itself with industry giants that can position BTC where it needs to be.

“I am not reluctant or shy to say that my team members and I at BTC are extremely proud of what we have been able to accomplish. We have consistently been profitable over the years as we have brought modern telecommunications throughout the length and breadth of The Bahamas. Our strengths and successess have been acknowledged by all reasonable observers, including our new colleagues at Cable and Wireless Communications. There can be no question that BTC has done well.

“However, by virtue of its small size, BTC is often disadvantaged because it cannot reach the economies of scale and command best prices from suppliers and vendors. At times, BTC even has difficulty attracting the attention of potential roaming partners as we seek to expand the connectivity of our very own customers across the globe.

“Further, as we all recognize the full liberalization of the telecommunications market is vital for the interests of Bahamian consumers and the vibrancy of the Bahamian economy, for BTC to compete in a fully liberalized market, up against the telecom giants of the world, it is critical that the company partners with a capable and competent global operator. CWC will help position BTC to effectively become and remain the provider of choice for consumers in The Bahamas, in a fully open and competitive marketplace.”

4/8/2011

thenassauguardian

Bahamas Blog International

Two years of high unemployment and tepid economic growth means that Bahamian consumers are less able to absorb the spike in gas prices and its effects

Conserving energy

thenassauguardian editorial



If you have had to fuel up at the gas pump over the last week or so, you have probably noticed that gasoline prices are rapidly on the rise.

A gallon of gas is already over the $5.20 mark in New Providence and over the $6 mark in the Family Islands, and summer’s not even here yet.

U.S. and international energy officials have warned that oil prices — already topping $100 per barrel — will only continue to climb due to volatile conditions in the Middle East and ongoing pressure on world food prices.

Some predict that prices at the local pumps will hit the $6 per gallon mark as the temperature continues to rise.

For residents of the Family Islands the situation is even more disconcerting. Most have longer distances to drive in the well-spread out settlements, and with maybe the exception of Abaco, most of those communities have lower income levels.

Higher gas prices in a country like The Bahamas that depends on imports to survive means higher electricity and food bills — and just about higher everything else.

Higher gas prices will also take dollars away from people who have already had to become accustomed to living with less as the economy struggles to recover from a deep global economic recession.

Two years of high unemployment and tepid economic growth means that consumers are less able to absorb the spike in gas prices and its effects.

The airlines that bring in our tourists who support our major economic pillar will no doubt be looking to raise their fares to compensate for the higher fuel prices.

This could mean that fewer people dreaming of a vacation in The Bahamas may have to shelve plans, again, because of higher ticket prices.

It would be a shame if high gas prices put a brake on the fragile economic recovery.

The most recent figures from the Department of Statistics show that the average retail price of gasoline and diesel rose by 23.8 percent and by 14.1 percent. The Bahamas Electricity Corporation’s average fuel surcharge has also increased by 36.8 percent.

It’s a situation that the government is monitoring very closely. Not only do high gas prices present obvious implications for domestic gasoline, electricity and food prices, but it also impacts the government’s fiscal position and the broader economy.

“As necessary, the government, the private sector and consumers will need to implement appropriate conservation measures to minimize the impact,” Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said recently.

The government has launched a national energy efficiency program, and has completed an energy audit of some of its buildings and facilities, and plans to implement the recommendations of that report. As a part of the program, 270,000 Compact Florescent Lightbulbs will be distributed nationwide over the next two months.

What else can be done to soften the impact of the blow that higher oil prices will deliver to our economy?

What is the status of the implementation of the National Energy Policy’s recommendations on how a more sustainable energy mix could be attained in The Bahamas to reduce the country’s almost 100 percent reliance on oil imports?

The government should implement sooner rather than later a detailed energy plan which should include some basic elements that could be introduced fairly rapidly to help the public meet the challenge of skyrocketing energy prices.

One step forward in this regard could be the improvement to the public transportation system to make it more reliable and accessible to a larger number of users.

Individuals must also do their part to conserve energy, such as car-pooling and making sure that fans, lights and TVs are turned off when not in use.

4/7/2011

thenassauguardian editorial

Bahamas Blog International