...fundamental human rights and freedoms in The Bahamas

Arriving at a culture of human rights: The case of The Bahamas

By Gaynel Curry

A culture of human rights speaks to how we engage as a people, respecting self, others and property; how we solve our problems, using non-violent responses; how easily and speedily we access justice and services, whether functioning as individuals or on behalf of the state; how we ensure that socio-economic development is inclusive of all members of society; how we strengthen the capacity of government institutions to respond to contemporary social ills, including rising crime and increasing socio-economic challenges; and the freedom with which we assemble and speak our cultural truth.

What are human rights?

“Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status,” as defined by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.  In essence, they are rights that one has simply by virtue of being human and cannot be taken away.  The exception is where rights are taken away according to due process such as in the case of a prisoner whose right to liberty is taken away when found guilty of a crime by a court of law.

The shift in thinking about human rights

Human rights are not a new concept.  Countries were allowed individually to define what human rights meant to them and as a result, some countries interpreted individual’s rights either narrowly (as in Switzerland which only allowed women to vote in 1971) or broadly (as in New Zealand where women were given the right to vote as far back as 1893).  It was the atrocities committed during the Second World War – primarily the holocaust of the Jews – that led the victors of the war to determine limits for countries on how they could treat people within their borders.  Essentially, they established common standards for countries to respect the human rights and dignity of persons.

The Charter of the United Nations can be considered the beginning of these efforts.  In 1945, at the  end of the war, the 51 founding members of the United Nations (UN) agreed that human rights would be a central feature of the organization – “promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion”.  Today, 193 member countries, including The Bahamas, have signed the United Nations Charter, each one reiterating this commitment to “universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction”.

What was the result of the shift in thinking about human rights?

While the charter established guiding principles to give meaning, purpose and language to the interactions between countries and individuals in terms of rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) became the framework to put meat on the bones by naming specific rights.  It identified two groups of rights: civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights.  The declaration was intended to lead one treaty of both groups of rights, but there was no consensus on this approach.  Ultimately, two treaties were agreed to, each one covering one of the two groups of rights – the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).  Both were adopted in 1966 and entered into force 10 years later.  Many of the rights spelled out in these two covenants have been included in the constitutions of countries as constitutional rights, or in national laws such as labor laws, protecting the rights of workers.

ICCPR guarantees, for example, the rights of legal redress; equality; life; liberty; freedom of movement; a fair, public and speedy trial for criminal charges; privacy; freedom of expression, thought, conscience and religion; peaceful assembly; and freedom of association.  The covenant also forbids arbitrary arrests; torture; cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and slavery.

Having ratified ICESCR, states agree to apply these rights over a period of time (progressive realization): the right to earn a living by work; to safe and healthy working conditions; to join a trade union; to receive social security; to adequate housing; to be free from hunger; to receive health care; to obtain free public education; and to participate in cultural life.  Rights are interrelated and sometimes impossible to detach one from the other, as was highlighted at the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights.  For example, the deprivation of the civil right of association impedes a worker’s social and economic right to join a trade union.

Other international human rights treaties

The two covenants were just the beginning of what has evolved into an elaborate UN international human rights system.  This system includes a number of other treaties such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which entered into force prior to the covenants in 1969 as consensus was more easily reached among countries on anti-discrimination issues; Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (1981); Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) (1987); Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (1990); Convention on the Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (2003); Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (2006); and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (2006).

Many of these conventions have what may be called spinoff conventions (optional protocols) that allow individuals to submit complaints of violations of their rights or that address specific thematic human rights issues.  For example, CRC has two optional protocols: one on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and the other on the involvement of children in armed conflict.

All countries have ratified at least one of the 19 UN human rights treaties and optional protocols and according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 80 percent of countries in the world have ratified four or more of these core treaties.  Commonwealth Caribbean countries have, on average, ratified five of these core treaties; St. Vincent and the Grenadines have ratified the most among Caribbean states (eight) and St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia the least (three).  All Caribbean countries have ratified CRC and CEDAW.  CRC is the most ratified international human rights treaty – the Unites States of America, Somalia and South Sudan are the only three countries in the world that have not yet ratified.

Where does The Bahamas stand with the international human rights treaties?

Soon after independence in 1973, The Bahamas joined the UN and began engaging with the international human rights system.  To date the country has ratified five UN human rights treaties which is about average for Caribbean countries.  Mindful of the country’s history of slavery and the fight for enfranchisement of persons of African descent, the CERD (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) was the first International Human Rights Treaty that the country ratified in 1975.  Subsequently, The Bahamas ratified CRC in 1991; CEDAW in 1993; and ICCPR and ICESCR in 2008.  The country has signed and indicated a willingness to ratify CAT.  The government also indicated that it was “acutely aware of the need to protect the rights of persons with physical or mental disabilities”, and reported to the Human Rights Council in January 2013 that it expects to soon sign and ratify CRPD.  To date, The Bahamas has submitted at least one report to each of the committees mandated to monitor and assist countries to implement CERD, CEDAW and CRC.

Do treaties offer the full picture on international human rights?

The UN international human rights system is not just about the treaties, that’s only half of the story.  It is also about the Human Rights Council (formerly the commission) which has an equally important role in the promotion and protection of human rights.  The council includes 47 of the 193 countries of the UN and has developed processes (mechanisms) such as working groups and special rapporteurs to assist it in monitoring country specific situations and thematic human rights issues.  For example, the situation of political and socio-economic rights in Haiti is monitored by a special rapporteur on human rights in Haiti.  Human trafficking is a global thematic issue which is monitored by a special rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children.

What is unique about the Human Rights Council is that it is the only body that has responsibility for the review of human rights in all 193 UN member states under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).  The UPR is a peer review (by countries of a country) which results in recommendations to countries on how to improve their human rights record.  The UPR was introduced in 2006 and to date all countries, with the exception of Israel, have accepted the review.  The Bahamas completed its second UPR cycle in January 2013; the first was in September 2008.

Where does The Bahamas stand with the UPR?

Forty-five member states participated in The Bahamas’ UPR process and recommended strengthening legislation to protect the rights of persons with disabilities; establishing a National Human Rights Institution or Ombudsman; criminalizing marital rape; amending the legislation to ensure that Bahamian women can pass their nationality to their children in the same way that men can; placing a moratorium on executions with the view to abolishing the death penalty; ending by law all forms of corporal punishment; introducing legal measures to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation; improving the conditions at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre; strengthening measures to protect women against violence, including domestic violence and rape; increasing the age of criminal responsibility; strengthening measures to combat trafficking; and establishing an independent oversight body to receive and investigate excessive use of force by security forces.

Most of the recommendations are not new or unique to The Bahamas.  Many have been raised by the committees in the human rights treaty reporting process and have also been addressed to other countries, including Commonwealth and Caribbean states with similar historic, legal, socio-economic and cultural realities. The Bahamas recognizes the need to address some of these recommendations immediately and has been proactive in responding.  The Constitutional Reform Commission is expected soon to release its report, which, according to its mandate, should include discrimination and gender equality issues; citizenship and nationality rights; capital punishment and the distribution of state power vis-à-vis individual rights – many of the same issues raised at the UPR.

Embracing human rights and the way forward

As a human rights advocate, I see the recommendations from the UN international human rights system as opportunities rather than challenges for states.  They present an opportunity for governments to set priorities in terms of specific human rights issues and, more broadly, implement a human rights agenda, including with the appropriate allocation of resources.  They also give civil society and donors an opportunity to reflect on priorities and outreach in terms of vulnerable groups and they open a space for discussion and awareness-raising within society on important human rights issues.  Finally, they are fodder for academia to target their research with the view to presenting viable options for the consideration of institutions of governance.

Implementing human rights is not exclusively a function of government.  It should involve several elements of society as we all have a role to play in building a culture of human rights and translating this vision into a shared reality.  The Bahamas is well on its way, 40 years after independence, to building a strong nation.  Each human right should be seen as a building block for developing that strong nation and cultivating an environment in which all people can enjoy their fundamental human rights and freedoms.

 

• Gaynel D. Curry is the gender and women’s rights advisor in the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in New York.  She has worked with the UN for 15 years in various other human rights advisory capacities in Geneva (Switzerland), East Timor, Afghanistan, and South Sudan. She holds a master’s degree in international human rights law from the University of Oxford; a master’s degree in international affairs (public international law) from the American University in Washington, DC; a degree in law (LLB) from the University of London; a bachelor of arts degree in history and social sciences from the University of the West Indies; and an advanced diploma in public policy and administration from The College of The Bahamas.

June 14, 2013

thenassauguardian

The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) says: Contradiction in The Christie Cabinet on Shantytown Crackdown

It was good to hear the Minister of Housing and Environment speak in the House of Assembly on the 13th June 2013 with such passion about the crackdown on shantytowns. The good Minister stated that there would be consequences for those persons who live in such areas if they are not operating within the law. He went on to outline the approach that this government intends to take regarding the notices that will be issued. Minister Dorsett said, “A copy of all of the notices we have served and will serve to the owners and occupiers of shantytowns by the Department of Environmental Health Services will be copied to the Ministry of Works and Urban Development, the Ministry of National Security and the Departments of Immigration and Social Services”.

This statement is certainly in contradiction to the Minister of Immigration’s position when he stated a few months ago that the issue of shantytowns is more complex than it seems because these communities have their “protectors through the elite class of the country”. The Minister of Immigration by his statement and indeed actions or lack thereof left the Bahamian people feeling that there was nothing that can be done by this administration about the shantytowns because of the so called “protectors” and “elites”. The fact of the matter is that nothing has been done about these shantytowns throughout the years and persons living there have been allowed to do whatever they wish! Simply put, administration after administration lacked the political will to rid our country of this vexing problem. And based on the Minister of Immigration’s statement, if these administrations have allowed shantytowns to develop without consequence because of these so called “protectors” and “elites” history would reflect that they have forever done this Commonwealth a tremendous disservice and will not be kind to them.

The statement by the Minister of Housing and Environment expressly states that some notices have already been served. The Democratic National Alliance wishes to know whether notices were served to date on these “protectors” and “elites” as described by the Minister of Immigration. Indeed, the Minister of Housing and Environment seems to indicate that they are aware of who are the owners of the land the shantytowns are on. If this is the case, then is the government willing to divulge who are these “protectors” and “elites” and what sanctions will the government levy against them? The DNA is of the view that many of these shantytowns are owned by prominent PLPs and FNMs, hence their unrestricted development over the years. The shantytowns were indeed “protected”. We await the Minister’s report on who these “protectors” and “elites” are. If we fail to hear from the government it can only be assumed that our assumption as to ownership is correct.

Alternatively, since there seems to be some contradiction in the Christie cabinet on shantytowns is this just pure talk by the Minister of Housing and Environment? Indeed, the country is aware that the PLP government is all talk but very little action. They demonstrated this in their last administration (2002 to 2007) and they are true to form thus far since coming to office in May 2012. Needless to say we have seen that they are the masters of promises. Are these comments by the Minister of Housing and Environment just another set of promises? Remember, that a promise is a comfort to a fool. This administration had “fooled us” in the recent general elections and based on their works thus far they continue to “fool us”. Fool me once...shame on you. Fool me twice…shame on me!

Branville McCartney
DNA Leader


June 16, 2013

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) on Facebook

Caribbean Blog International

Supreme Court Orders Peter Nygard and Keod Smith to Halt Works at Clifton Bay and Simms Point / Nygard Cay...

Court Halts Peter Nygard Work In Clifton Bay Area

By DANA SMITH
dsmith@tribunemedia.net

The proliferation of shanty towns in The Bahamas is a vexatious problem

Crackdown On Shanty Towns

by Kendea Smith
Jones Bahamas



Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett said the government is going to crackdown on shantytowns in The Bahamas as it poses a threat to the country’s number one industry.

“The proliferation of shanty towns is a vexatious problem.  They operate outside the requirements for proper sanitation, without regard to the building code and in violation of safety requirements for electricity,” he said during his budget contribution in the House of Assembly.

“The Department of Environmental Health Services is taking steps to proactively address all of these infractions and other environmental issues surrounding the proliferation of shanty towns throughout the country.  A special project unit (SPU) was created within the ministry of the environmental and housing to address the environmental health issues associated with shanty towns.”

The minister said a special project unit headed by an assistant director in the DEHS benefited from a report on shanty towns throughout the islands of The Bahamas prepared by BNGIS.

He added that existing reports on identified shanty towns in Nassau, Abaco, Exuma and Eleuthera are being updated and new reports are being prepared in respect of shanty towns for which the Department of Environmental Health Services has not conducted an investigation.

“As we get more empirical data, we are astounded by the amount of Shanty towns popping up.  But what I do want to tell the people of The Bahamas is this – they will be hearing from me in more weeks to come on this very same issue.  What is important to know is that the protocol of operations to be followed in dealing with the shanty towns has been established.  A copy of all notices served and will be serving on the owners and occupiers of shanty towns by DEHS will be copied to the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of National Security, and the Departments of Immigration and Social Services,” Minister Dorsett said.

Minister Dorsett said the Ministry of Works will serve notices it may deem appropriate and shanty town occupiers and/owners will be required to provide an occupancy certificate, approved building plan/permit from the M.O.W, approved BEC connection and approved by Water & Sewerage connection.  If these cannot be produced the Ministry of Works will also be able to take necessary action.

“When I began this discussion earlier this year, it is clear to me that the vast majority of our shanty towns are actually on private land.  But what was interesting to me is that the owners of those private parcels of land have sought me out.  Two families in particular have told me that they have approached administrations with a view to assisting them.  Some have indicated that they own the land, they have titled documents but they have not been able to get these people off their land,” he said.

“And so this administration is going to take a proactive approach because from a public health standpoint the bottom line is we cannot continue business as usual.  One outbreak of Cholera and our number one industry [will be] gone.  So this is not something that we can play with.”

June 14, 2013

The Bahama Journal

Parliamentary Leadership in The Bahamas has gone to the Dogs

By Dennis Dames:

So, the Member of Parliament for Long Island – Mrs. Loretta Butler-Turner, has literally slapped the hurt out of Mr. Andre Rollins, the Member of Parliament for Fort Charlotte - outside of the House of Assembly today.

The dramatic incident has the town on fire with the question: who’s right and who’s wrong?  One thing is certain, and it’s the reality that parliamentary leadership in The Bahamas has gone to the dogs.

I cannot recall a like situation among parliamentarians in my lifetime in The Bahamas, although many have come near to blows in the past.

The violent situation between the two MPs today is a poignant reflection of the intolerable political frustrations and deep rooted hatred which exist among Bahamians toward Bahamians - in a so called modern Bahamas.

We will be celebrating our 40^th birthday as an autonomous nation on July 10, 2013 - as black political leadership in The Bahamas turns out to be very disappointing and brutal after four decades of black rule.  The situation between the Members of Parliament; Mrs. Butler-Turner and Mr. Andre Rollins - has proven it, and it’s nothing to celebrate.

We have a violent culture which runs from the top to the bottom of the Bahamian society. We now know that this is a fact which cannot be denied and ignored anymore by right-thinking Bahamians.

The Criminals in The Bahamas are Feasting on Our Disunity, Selfishnes​s and Indifferen​ce

By Dennis Dames

The negative and agonizing impact of crime in our country can be felt throughout the archipelago, and - it is the number one subject among residents.  The solution to it is found among us.  We must connect as one people to resolve this national menace.  This means that neighbors must get to know each other and their respective communities.  If we are not familiar with our next door neighbor, and if we don’t communicate and look out for one another – then we are part of the crime problem - my people.

The criminals are feasting on our disunity, selfishness and indifference.  We must resolve to unite and fight the unconscionable criminal elements in our mist, or dog will continue to eat our lunch.

We know now, that there is no political organization and their partisans in The Bahamas who are capable of solving our crime challenges alone.  If a political party tells us that they have the exclusive answer to solving the nation’s crime situation, we know that that’s a stale lie.  If any political leader in these islands is not talking about a unified front to tackle crime, then – do not vote for them and their party, my brothers and sisters.  If they are not preaching harmony in correcting so many of our social ills, do not vote for them.

The Progressive Liberal Party alone does not have the answer; nor does the Free National Movement (FNM) or the wannabe Democratic National Alliance (DNA) – for that matter.

Political tribalism and cannibalism are deeply imbedded in our culture; and the criminals love us for it.  We better flush them out of our system quick, and come together for the prosperous future of our great nation, and unborn citizens.

Wake up my Bahamian people and consider yourselves Bahamians first; not PLP first, or FNM first, or DNA first.  The problem is half solved when we put our Bahamas and its rich tomorrow first – in my view.  Then, we must hold those whom we elect to parliament fully accountable.  If they tell us that they have the solutions to crime during election time, then – they better do; or have their bags packed when the next election season comes around – because, we are voting their lying azzes out.  It’s as simple as that my brothers and sisters.

 

Caribbean Blog International

The Bahamas' War Against Crime

Losing The War On Crime

By PACO NUNEZ

Tribune News Editor

pnunez@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas will never win this war against crime – never.

 

Forget all the talk about the “downward trend”, of things heading in the right direction. Ignore the claims of those who have something to gain, political or otherwise, by encouraging public confidence.

 

The fact is that in the face of renewed efforts by the police and increased investment in law enforcement, violent crime – let’s face it, the only kind people really care about – is up again this year.

 

Up one per cent, over the most violent year in our history.

 

And that’s without factoring in the category of “causing harm” which police revealed doesn’t count as violent crime, even though it may include dozens if not scores of stabbings, shootings, assaults.

 

But please have patience, they will say.

 

New programmes take time to put down roots, new strategies can’t bear fruit overnight.

 

Don’t believe them.

 

The truth is that no amount of effort or level of commitment to this war can produce a peaceful society, because it was always the wrong war to begin with.

 

And all along, we’ve been fighting the wrong enemy – an imaginary opponent, an enemy of our own invention.

 

This adversary is known in law enforcement language as the “bad apple”, an individual who resides in one of several clearly defined “hot-spots” – a collection of isolated sores on an otherwise healthy body.

 

Cut out the sores, the argument goes, and the body will thrive.

 

It’s said these individuals commit crimes because they are confident of escaping severe punishment; that they would respond to stiffer prison sentences, the enthusiastic application of the death penalty, maybe the occasional whipping.

 

Apparently, they are hardened criminals, irredeemable, rotten to the core, but somehow at the same time easy to transform into stand-up citizens. You just have to scare them a little.

 

Meanwhile, as we struggle against this improbable enemy, the real menace continues to grow all around us.

 

None of this is the fault of the police. They are doing their job, investigating crimes and bringing suspects before the judge.

 

But their success proves the point: the court schedule is already packed, the prison full to bursting.

 

If it were simply a case of identifying and removing the rotten fruit, violent criminals would be an endangered species by now.

 

Instead, they thrive. And honest officers admit that in addition to the usual suspects, they find themselves in pursuit of an ever growing roll call of new criminals. Often young, fresh faced criminals.

 

“Do you understand as a public that there are scores of healthy bodied men that are not fully employed who have taken to a life of crime?” the Commissioner of Police said last week.

 

“Their crime is to steal cars and return a profit or to sell parts of those cars; their crime is to sell drugs and to return a profit and to commit armed robbery so they could purchase whatever they want for themselves and for their family and friends.

 

“That is what is happening. Why can’t we open our eyes to it?”

 

He is right. But it’s more than just hard economic times.

 

There is a reason why even as the Bahamas grapples with the problem of violent criminals, it is also struggling to explain why more and more young people are harming or killing themselves.

 

And psychologists will tell you that in many cases – even most cases – we are talking about the same people.

 

The reality is that a widespread sense of hopelessness and futility exists among Bahamians – particularly among young men – which unemployment merely inflames, causes to boil to the surface.

 

The pressure must find a release, and it often does so in the form of blind rage, directed either at the self or at someone else.

 

Or, if an explosion can be avoided for long enough, it leads to a hardening of the heart, to a view of the world in which everyone else is either an obstacle or a target.

 

And this real enemy is a criminal who no threat of punishment will deter, because he places no value on life, not even his own. Who only became “a criminal” by taking one final step off a cliff where even as you read this, literally thousands more are already standing.

 

And behind those thousands are yet more, many times their number. Only children today, but already on the same path to senseless destruction.

 

And on and on, unendingly. Each wave more numerous than the one before.

 

The real enemy isn’t a group of people, it isn’t a neighbourhood. It’s an outlook, a way of thinking.

 

An adopted identity that is contagious and spreading.

 

The origins of this disease are complex, but an important contributor is the deterioration of the Bahamian home, which has for complicated reasons degraded over the years to unthinkable levels of violence, abuse and neglect.

 

Somehow, the place where children are supposed to be nurtured and fortified has become the scene of their rejection and abandonment. The place where they are battered, exploited, raped.

 

True, these secret obscenities – hidden away behind walls, doors and in the silence of mutual guilt – are most pronounced in the inner city household, the engine room of our crime problem and ultimately the most important battlefield in this war.

 

The most important, but not the only one: because the enemy is often your co-worker, your customer, your boss. The guy you pass in the street.

 

And, ultimately, the enemy is also every one of us who harbours deep within their heart, that oh-so-Bahamian tendency toward dishonesty, entitlement and self-gratification.

 

Because this attitude is the other side of the crime coin.

 

Our attachment to unearned privileges is the thing to which emotionally damaged young people turn in search of escape, relief, fulfilment.

 

The example of this society is: “Get what you can for yourself, to make yourself big, by whatever means necessary.”

 

Let me be clear, this is not about making excuses for violent behaviour or attacking the idea of individual responsibility.

 

But we should not be surprised when brushes dipped into the same bucket of paint continue to emerge the same colour.

 

It’s easy to see why we’ve avoided acknowledging this war in favour of a far simpler, more reassuring version.

 

For one thing, how do you repair critically dysfunctional households, made so by complicated interactions between the people who live in them – each with complex, hidden, inaccessible problems of their own?

 

Is there even a household to speak of anymore, considering the staggering numbers of single parents, absent fathers, illegitimate children?

 

Who, for that matter, is entitled to intervene? Should the relations between father and son, husband and wife, be regulated by the government?

 

And what role does the public education system – the one entity that touches the lives of virtually all these young people – have to play, and to what extent has the failure of this system to adapt contributed to the problem?

 

There are no easy answers in this war, no convenient, us-versus-them battle-lines.

 

But we had better find a way to engage with it – or at the very least acknowledge that simply locking ‘em up is no real solution – before this society is too far gone to save.

 

What do you think?

 

Email questions or comments to pnunez@tribunemedia.net, or join the conversation at: http://www.tribune242.com/news/opinion/insight/

 

June 03, 2013

 

Tribune 242

 

Caribbean Blog International

 

July 10, 1973 to Now: ...The Bahamas Independence Generation... ...and the story of Majority Rule and Independence... ...The 40th Anniversary

Independence Generation Should Tell Of The Struggle

By Llonella Gilbert - BIS:

NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie said as a proud member of the generation that ushered in The Bahamas’ Independence on July 10, 1973, he feels that while Bahamians cross the bridge to the future, they must see the bridge as a connection to those of the Independence Generation.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the Official 40-Day Countdown Launch Ceremony in Celebration of the 40^th Anniversary of the Independence of The Bahamas in Rawson Square, June 4, 2013.

“Truly, the significance of celebrating the 40^th Anniversary is that this is the last time that both generations will be able to work side by side in marking this pivotal event in our country’s history,” he said.

“This is the last time that we will be able to hear the voices of the Independence Generation and I implore you to listen.”

Prime Minister Christie said the Independence Generation must tell their stories to those who have come afterward.

“We must have them tell us their stories.   It may simply be a retelling of a grandmother’s Independence morning experience; it may be the airing of the complete Portraits series; it may be an interview with a member of the Women’s Suffragette Movement, however we do it, it must be done.”

The Prime Minister added that he believes that part of what is right for the country, on this Independence journey, is to record, preserve and honour The Bahamas’ history and culture.

“We have been, in many respects, negligent of our heroes and our history.

“It is vital that every Bahamian, of every background know their history.  “Every Bahamian student should be able to tell the story of Majority Rule and Independence.

He said proper attention must be given to these things.

“Our Bahamian heroes must have permanence in the Bahamian Story. We must write it well, so that even after death they live.”

Prime Minister Christie also explained that during his last term as prime minister, he appointed the National Cultural Development Commission with the mission to organise and formulate a wide range of policies and positions on cultural matters.

He said the framework for a National Honours system was passed and this year, deserving Bahamians will receive the country’s own award.

“This public honouring will not only draw the necessary attention to these individuals, it will be the best way that a grateful nation can say thank you.”

The Prime Minister said the National Independence Committee is also working with The College of The Bahamas on hosting the 40^th Anniversary Independence Conference.

The conference, which will be held June 12 – 14, 2013 and is open to the public, will do much to help further educate and examine what the future of The Bahamas can be.

“The aim of the conference is to examine the context and construction of the Bahamian nation; investigate the challenges emerging in the post-independence period; discuss contemporary social, cultural, economic and political issues that have emerged since 1973; and explore future prospects for nation building and development.”

Prime Minister Christie said in planning the celebrations for the Anniversary, the committee felt it was critical to host events that will showcase Bahamian arts and culture.

“I have said before that it is important to the development of our national identity and to the deepening of our Bahamian culture that our artists have a high level of support.

“We often enjoy and celebrate what other nations in the world have offered us and we forget that we have produced many cultural icons who have influenced them.”

June 05, 2013

Bahamas.Gov.Bs

...protection of our borders against illegal immigration, poachers, gun and drug running, human smuggling... and Trafficking in Persons

The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) says, We need 21st Century Protection of our Borders

The Prime Minister’s 2012/2013 budget communication has allocated a tremendous amount of money for the purchase of vessels for the defense force. No doubt the rationale for this is for the protection of our borders against illegal immigration, illegal poachers, gun and drug running and human smuggling and trafficking.

Illegal immigration has been one of the critical issues our country has been facing for many years and if it is not arrested, we will lose our country. Illegal immigration has strained our country’s resources in health care, education, social services and national security. Illegal Immigration has infiltrated our country so much so that we now have many different subcultures.

Illegal poaching has now become a common occurrence. Other nationalities are raping our waters every day. They do it because they realize that our leaders do not have the answers to this concern. They have our leaders figured out because they know that our leaders will come up with the same type of plan they have used in the past in anticipation that it will work this time.

Many of the crimes committed today are because of illegal drugs and the availability of guns on our streets. These guns and drugs infiltrate our beloved country from other countries and have wreck havoc on our once peaceful society.

Human smuggling and trafficking is very much alive resulting in persons penetrating our borders.

The PLP administration has decided that more vessels will help with addressing these vexing problems. But this is very much unrealistic. No matter how many vessels are purchased, the problems above will still exist. You ought to remember that vessels have been purchased in the past and we still have the same problems today. It did not work! Illegal immigration, gun and drug running, illegal poaching and human smuggling and trafficking are still on the rise. So what does this administration do…the same thing that was done before…purchase vessels!

The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is made up of 700 islands and Cays covering 150,000 square miles of sea. This tells me, and I would think the average person, that no matter how many vessels are purchased, it would be virtually impossible to man our waters. However, with the use of technology we would be able to monitor our borders and determine what is on and under the sea. This is what the PLP administration should be investing in. By the touch of a button you are able to determine who is trying to enter our country. You would not have to rely on defense force vessels being at the right place and at the right time in order to detect those entering our borders for illegal purposes… all of this can be monitored by way of technology.

I would encourage this administration to go to the Democratic National Alliance’s website at mydnaparty.org and watch our town meeting on immigration. There we discussed the technology that can be used in order to facilitate 21st century protection of our borders.

In order for us to move this country forward, we cannot afford to do the unsuccessful things we have done in the past and anticipate that it would be successful in the future. Let’s start thinking outside the box!

Branville McCartney
DNA Leader

From Murder to Murders in The Bahamas

By Dennis Dames:



Murder in The Bahamas is becoming a daily occurrence, and is showing signs of graduating to murders every day.  We appear to be lost in dealing effectively with the killing crisis on our hands.  Are we truly handicapped in solving our murder crisis, or are we collectively - a central and familiar part of the problem?

The streets of New Providence Island are chatty with talks about what’s up with the frequent spree of homicides.  I would like now to throw out an equation which I feel might offer some insights in to what’s happening in The Bahamas with regards to our budding murderous culture.

Here it goes: The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is said to have hired brutal gangs – while in opposition, to commit seriously violent crimes in the society – just to make the ruling Free National Movement (FNM) look bad in the eyes of the electorate.  The PLP won the 2012 General election in a landslide victory; and the viciously rising crime rate was a prime factor in the FNM’s defeat.

The other part of the equation goes like this: The PLP erected signs throughout New Providence – during the 2012 election campaign, which highlighted the murder count under the FNM’s five years rule – from 2007 to 2012.  Is there any connection to this and the gossip that the PLP hired cruel gangs to commit serious crimes like murders under the FNM, for the purpose of winning the government?

Next, we have the buzz that there is a hit-list out there – which was facilitated by a high ranking Cabinet Minister – to kill a number of gangsters in The Bahamian society.  We know that the vast majority of murdered victims to date in our country are gangbangers and persons known to the police.

Next, there are talks on the streets that some members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) are intricately involved in the systematic and ruthless murders of which we are experiencing today.

Next, we have a known PLP kingpin gangster/campaigner who was coincidently locked-up shortly after the PLP’s victory in the May 2012 general election; and he appears to be in Fox Hill prison for the foreseeable future.  It is being rumored that the PLP head gangster campaigner in question, was the chief dirty works coordinator of sadistic crimes under the FNM government of 2007-2012.

Next, we have a very angry man in Nassau Village – who has warned us on Facebook recently, that we should enjoy the calm - as the storm is coming.  This person appears to be absolutely displeased about something to do with a member of the Christie Cabinet.  It is also whispered that this person in fully aware of the aforementioned hit-list; and that he might possess an initial copy of the same.

Next, we have, perhaps - for the first time in our history - two Cabinet Ministers who have confirmed that they have been given permits to carry handguns.  Why, what’s up?  Only two Ministers, why not all members of the Christie Cabinet?

Something is awfully wrong in The Bahamas just now.  It’s like according to the saying: sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.

 

Caribbean Blog International

The Bahamas is facing a crime crisis... but the nation is not in crisis mode

Crime crisis threatens nation
High crime threatens future

BY CANDIA DAMES
Guardian News Editor
candia@nasguard.com

The Bahamas today is facing a crisis, but the country is not in crisis mode.

There is no sense of urgency or direction from government, or any key area of society for that matter to address the alarming rate of violence in the country, and a worsening erosion of our moral fabric.

The crime situation today is like a bucket with a million holes.  There is a leak from every direction.

The government has touted the success of its Urban Renewal 2.0 program, but in New Providence the crime problem rages on.

No one is comforted by reports from the national security minister and the police commissioner that there are fewer murders now when compared to last year.

Gunshots are ringing out at a rate that threatens communities on a nightly basis. The bodies are piling up, and there is a sense that the fear of crime is also rising.

Countless young men especially have been carted off our streets in body bags and too many of us appear to be growing numb to reports of more murders.

This past weekend, three more were recorded. There were two on Wednesday and four over the recent Whit Monday holiday weekend.

So between Saturday, May 18 and Saturday, May 25, the country recorded nine murders.

The government says it has increased resources for police and patrols have been beefed up.

But the terror continues.

More than a year after the Progressive Liberal Party erected its famous murder billboards in key areas in New Providence — most notably tourist areas — the government seems paralyzed in presenting solutions.

If ever there were a lesson on why no one should politicize crime, this would be high on the list.

The politicization of crime is not new, however.

In its 1999 report, the Crime Commission headed by Justice Burton Hall observed that politicians, from all sides, have succumbed to the temptation to treat the issue of crime as a target for partisan posturing.

“While we recognize that, in a democracy, any government must be open to criticism over its perceived failure in the area of crime, as with all areas which form the fabric of national life which governments are elected to secure and enhance, we are concerned that in the welter of political rhetoric it tends to be lost that the facet of government responsibility for the social phenomenon of crime is but one of many,” the commission said.

Long after the PLP billboards, many Bahamians are more fearful in their homes, afraid to travel the streets at nights and more cautious about their movements even during the daytime hours.

Parents of young adults find it increasingly difficult to sleep at nights when their children are out of the house.  The peace of our beloved Bahamas is threatened.

While we have much to be proud of as it relates to our young people, there is much to worry about.

With some streets in New Providence being turned into war zones, and growing fears that crime could seriously threaten our economy, there is need for national outcry, but more importantly, national action to arrest the problem.

In the face of mounting criticisms that the church has lost its voice after winning the January 28 gambling referendum, the Christian Council intends to announce today that it is planning a national prayer gathering on June 18.

“If you are tired of what is happening to our beloved country you need to be there,” Christian Council President Rev. Dr. Ranford Patterson wrote on his Facebook page.

“The problem we face is not a government alone problem, no matter what is being reported.

“It is a Bahamian problem, so let us take responsibility to solve it. I believe the answer is in God.”

Patterson added that he believes that at the prayer gathering “the power of God will shake this country once and for all”.

There is no doubt that we as a nation need to be shaken up.  The church’s role in this fight, however, will need to be more than just praying.

Let us pray for God’s guidance, but let us also be serious about acting to change our communities.

The Christian Council must show leadership on issues outside gambling if it is to be taken seriously.

Losing hope

On the eve of the 40th anniversary of our independence, we have a Bahamas that is ‘drifting’, according to retired Anglican Archbishop Drexel Gomez, who 20 years ago chaired the Consultative Commission on National Youth Development.

In 1993, he called for a national youth development policy, saying a successful policy “would be one that addresses the real needs of the nation’s youth”.

“What has happened over the last 20 years is that social pressures have increased from several different directions,” Gomez told The Nassau Guardian when contacted for comment.

“And so, the impact on the society generally has been a negative one in that the whole drug scenario hasn’t left us.  In fact, in many instances it has become worse.  It has certainly become more violent now.

“There is evidence to indicate there is definitely some kind of warfare going on among gangs and retaliation and armed conflicts.

“I firmly believe that if as a society we had stopped 20 years ago and really made some decisions to get serious about what we do about our neighborhoods and what we do about creating community, that we would have made some headway, but I think we’ve gone in a negative direction and the other pressures in society have increased.

“I hope we can come to terms with it, but it certainly must be a community exercise.  One or two groupings cannot do it.”

Gomez said the findings of the youth commission were not sufficiently appreciated by the general public at the time they were presented.

“In fact, some of the findings were highly questioned because there were many people who preferred to remain ignorant than to face up to the truth,” he said.

What has transpired in the two decades since has been a worsening situation, he observed.

Gomez said many young people today are lost.

“So many are unemployed,” he noted.  “So many don’t see much of a future and they aren’t encouraged to even look for things because many have reconciled themselves to the fact that life is going to be difficult.

“Among the people I talk to, I detect a strong sense of hopelessness and the economic situation is only making that worse.

“So I really pray hard that we can get employment for our people because the unemployment is a serious problem that has negative effects from several perspectives.”

Asked what he sees as the general state of the nation at this time, Gomez said, “I think we’re drifting really.

“Right now it seems to me that the present government is trying to address the economic situation and they are trying to work in terms of increasing the social welfare products and trying to find resources at a time when the financial resources are extremely limited.

“And it is lack of financial resources that is crippling the situation.  We have to find ways of increasing the revenue.”

Gomez said the nation’s moral compass is going in the wrong direction.

“There is too much of an emphasis on individualism,” he said.  “There are too many people who take life happy go lucky, with no morals and no interest in standards where whatever happens, happens.”

Moral re-armament

It is this erosion of morality that is fueling social ills, Gomez noted.

What to do about the nation’s crime problem has been aired on many levels over the last two decades.

In 1998, Justice Burton Hall was named chairman of a high-powered National Commission on Crime.

When it reported in 1999, that commission observed that crime is, at bottom, a moral failing, both of individuals and of the society and, consequently, the ultimate solutions lie in programs of what used to be described in a less cynical age as “moral re-armament”.

Commissioners said, “We are convinced that Bahamian society is more threatened by a pervasive culture of dishonesty, greed and a casual disregard for social norms and formal regulation, than it is by crimes in the narrow sense…”

They also wrote that while the fear of crime in the restricted sense has reached such a level in New Providence as to suggest a state of near social collapse, when the reality of reported criminal activity is examined in its national, regional and global context, we should not be alarmed into a state of hysteria.

Nearly 15 years after that report, much of what the commissioners observed is still relevant.

There have been other crime committees and commissions since.

What is clear is that we know what the problem is.  We have had numerous experts suggest solutions.

But we continue to drift.

Our country and its future are suffering as a result.

I have heard at least two of my friends with young children say they are educating and raising them with a view to living outside The Bahamas.

This is a tragic sign that too many people are losing hope in our country.

While the situation is bad, all is not lost, however.

I believe that we are at a critical juncture in our national development.

We are not completely without hope, but we are at a point where strong leadership is needed on all levels to make tough choices before we descend into chaos — before our economy is ruined by crime; before thousands more of our young people get to a place where there is no turning back from despair and destruction.

As former Parliamentarian George Smith opined in a chat with Guardian National Review, societies can be transformed.

“But the political and civil leadership, spiritual leaders of all denominations, they have to recognize that we need to transform this society, but they have to take the lead in doing it,” he said.

“We live in a society where people wake up and say ‘I wonder how many it was last night’.

“The political directorate in this country is not providing the leadership for the society to get this country out of this malaise.

“Civil society is not doing it and the most responsible spiritual leaders, their silence is deafening.  I call on my bishop (Patrick Pinder). I want to hear from him about these things.”

So, while we pray, we indeed must act for the sake of us all.

As Bishop Gomez puts it: “We have to shock this nation into facing up to reality and coming together to work together for the common good.”

May 27, 2013

The Nassau Guardian

Caribbean Blog International

Peter Nygard is not a law abiding and respectable resident of The Bahamas

By Dennis Dames:

It’s clear that Mr. Peter Nygard is not a law abiding and respectable resident of The Bahamas.

  His actions at Simms Point/Nygard Cay to date, has demonstrated his contempt for the Bahamian people and our beloved nation, The Bahamas generally.  How is it that the land which was initially purchased at Simms Point/Nygard Cay by Mr. Peter Nygard - has been doubled in size, and construction work has commenced on the reclaimed land or Bahamian people’s property or crown land - without the required permits?

Mr. Nygard’s unashamed boldness and disrespect for The Bahamas and its people are being fuelled by political corruption in high places in these islands – in my opinion.  Yes, black political leaders in The Bahamas are giving Peter Nygard and the like a blank check to have their way in our country.  I wonder why.

It has been reported that the work at Simms Point / Nygard Cay is adversely affecting Clifton Bay.  The last time I was on Jaws Beach – during the Whit Monday Holiday, I have noticed that the place looks like a nuclear bomb has hit it.  It doesn’t resemble the beach environment which has been known to me for the past 40 years.  To add insult to injury, it has been established that agents of Mr. Nygard are doing their own brand of restoration work in the Clifton Bay area; a property which is under the care and trust of the Clifton Heritage Authority.  What madness is this?

This Nygard situation has many right-thinking Bahamians wondering about the question: Who or what is in governing The Bahamas?  Is the answer money, bribes, brazen corruption or who - or what?

Mr. Peter Nygard would be well advised to restore his property to its original boundary and allow Mother Nature to reclaim her coastline; and deliver his agents from their self-imposed ownership of Jaws Beach - as it is the sacred land of all Bahamians, and we did not appoint his Lawyer - Keod Smith – as supreme head of the Clifton Heritage Authority.

Crimes against Children on the Increase... ...a Sex-offender’s Registry is in the Works for The Bahamas

Crimes Against Children Up

Jones Bahamas:



Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin yesterday revealed that there has been a noted increase in crimes against children.

However, the minister who spoke to reporters outside of Cabinet yesterday could not give any figures.

Between 2011 and 2012 there were 1,300 reported cases of child abuse, which include sexual abuse, neglect, emotional and physical abuse.

The minister said it’s a situation that’s of great concern for her ministry, particularly those that go unreported.

“I don’t have the information at the tip of my tongue, but we do know that abuse against children is up,” she said.

Just this past Monday, a community activist was arraigned in the Magistrate’s Court on incest charges and weeks before that, a police was arraigned for engaging in gross misconduct with an 11-year-old.

According to the minister, a sex-offender’s registry is in the works for The Bahamas.

“The minster of national security has already indicated that his ministry will be moving ahead with that and we will do it collaboration with one another,” she said.

Over the past several weeks, several men have been brought before the courts to face sex charges involving young males in their family.

Just last month, a toddler died from injuries he sustained after he was sexually abused by another close male relative.

It is the minister’s hope that people would shy away from abusing children, even when it comes to neglect.

May 29, 2013

The Bahama Journal

Caribbean Blog International 

Stephen Serrette, leader of the Christian People’s Movement is charged with committing sex acts with two boys under the age of 12

Accused Of Sex With Young Boys

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

 

 

THE 51-year-old leader of the Christian People’s Movement was charged yesterday with committing sex acts with two boys under the age of 12.

“To God be the glory! Jesus is Lord,” said Stephen Serrette as he was escorted by police officers into Magistrate’s Court, where he was also charged with aiding and abetting sex between the two boys.

 

The Nassau resident continued to repeat “This ain’t right”, as Chief Magistrate Roger Gomez read out the charges.

 

According to court dockets, it is claimed that on Wednesday, November 21, 2012, the man had sex with the elder of the two boys.

 

The second charge accuses him of having sex with the younger boy at some point between 2011 and 2012.

 

The third charge claims the party leader purposely allowed the two boys to have sex with each other.

 

Serrette was not required to enter a plea in the matter, but his attorney Ramona Farquharson-Seymour said he maintains his innocence on all counts.

 

A Voluntary Bill of Indictment will be drafted to fast track the case to the Supreme Court.

 

The matter was adjourned to July 16.

 

He was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison until that date.

 

Serrette launched the Christian People’s Movement in 2011, which he described as a political party emphasising Christian values.

 

Prior to that, he served as national chairman of the Bahamas Constitution Party and a branch chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party.

Tribune 242

We lack spirituality and respect for God and man in The Bahamas

By Dennis Dames:

As murders continue to fascinate and overwhelm our nation and people, I am moved to cite the words of Exodus 34:7: Having mercy on thousands, overlooking evil and wrongdoing and sin; he will not let wrongdoers go free, but will send punishment on children for the sins of their fathers, and on their children's children to the third and fourth generation.

Murderers apparently feel that they are exempt from penalty, but the word of God says otherwise.  We lack spirituality and respect for God and man in The Bahamas; so, our future and our children’s tomorrow become darker and dimmer with each new murder and other sinful deeds committed on our soil.  Yes, punishment on children for the sin of their fathers, and on their children's children to the third and fourth generation.

Oh the verdict which is on our young ones, because of the wicked transgressions of our fathers.  It will only mount as more evildoing is perpetrated throughout our society by our sinful and decadent parents.

The problem in The Bahamas is grave sin and man’s heartlessness towards man – in my view.   As the poet Robert Burns wrote: Man's inhumanity to man…  Makes countless thousands mourn!

We are indeed on the road to self-imposed grief and divine retribution, where wrongdoers will receive their just due.  The secular courts might fail us, but God’s ruling will not.

Thank heaven for God is not like man.

Caribbean Blog International

Save the Bays... formerly Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay has filed an action in the Supreme Court... seeking a judicial review to stop the dredging at Simms Point / Nygard Cay... ...

Nygard Cay Also Part Of Review Bid

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

AN ENVIRONMENTAL group has filed an action in the Supreme Court, seeking a judicial review to stop the dredging at Nygard Cay.

 

The action was filed by Callenders law firm on behalf of Save the Bays, formerly Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay, the new umbrella organisation. Respondents include several government departments, the Town Planning Committee, Peter Nygard and Mr Nygard’s associate, former ambassador to the environment Keod Smith.

 

The coalition has claimed that work carried out at Simms Point/Nygard Cay, which doubled the size of the area since it was purchased by fashion mogul Peter Nygard, has damaged areas of Clifton Bay, including Jaws Beach.

 

They have previously called for the government to step in and protect the delicate, environmentally significant area.

 

Fred Smith, QC, said the judicial review is on the basis that Save the Bays represents the collective interests of persons committed to protecting Clifton Bay and other parts of The Bahamas of particular environmental interest.

 

“In a nutshell, the judicial review seeks to determine whether the rule of law applies in The Bahamas or not,” he said.

 

In addition to a judicial review, the action seeks an interim injunction restraining Nygard and Smith from continuing what it claimed was “unauthorised construction and dredging.”

 

It also alleges that Nygard and Smith are trespassing on Crown land. Specifically, it cites construction of a groyne, dredging of the seabed, demolition of an existing dock at Jaws Beach, construction of a new dock on the sea bed and beach and the placement of large boulders on the western edge of the public boat ramp at Jaws Beach.

 

The suit alleges that the works being carried out “without the requisite permits and approvals constitute offences under the Planning and Subdivision Act, the Building and Regulation Act and the Coast Protection Act.”

 

Initially called the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay, the organisation announced its name change to Save the Bays in early May to avoid confusion with the original coalition to save the historic area east of Lyford Cay for the Bahamian public when it was the target of developers some 14 years ago. At that time, the coalition called for the creation of a land and sea park but only the land park was created. The original coalition continues to call for the sea park and has expressed concern about activities at Nygard Cay. With many of the same supporters in both organisations, Save the Bays is also urging passage of a Freedom of Information Act and an Environmental Protection Act.

 

May 24, 2013

 

Tribune 242

 

Caribbean Blog International

 

The Homeowners Protection Bill is before Parliament

Homeowners Protection Bill Debated

By Kendea Smith:



Lawmakers in the lower chamber yesterday began debate on the Homeowners Protection Bill, which is designed to assist struggling homeowners facing “extraordinary” circumstances to keep their homes.

Moving the Bill in the House of Assembly was State Minister for Finance Michael Halkitis.

“This Bill represents a modernisation of the lending framework in The Bahamas and creates a level playing field between borrowers and lenders. All of the provisions in the legislation have been benchmarked against international standards and hence are the standards that are in for in the home countries of the major lenders,” he said.

When passed, the court will be empowered to provide relief to borrowers from the consequences of breach of a loan agreement where the borrower pays the arrears by a reasonable time to be determined by the court.

The Bill also provides for the transfer of mortgages between financial institutions at no cost for the borrower.

In addition, the lending institution may sell after one year of giving a notice to default.

And if the lender sells the home at a surplus, the lender must give the borrower that money.

The minister said the bill has had widespread consultation.

“We continue to work hard to bring relief to homeowners who have mortgages and have fallen into difficulty. We face many challenges but we are committed to keep working to help as many as we can. We believe that this legislation is a positive step towards that end,” Minister Halkitis said.

The minister also spoke about the government’s much touted mortgage relief programme.

The government was told initially that 1,100 mortgagors could be approved through the programme.

However, banks only entertained 422 applications. Of that number 147 were deemed potentially eligible and only six were approved.

Minister Halkitis said the government continues to process appeals.

“To say that we are not satisfied with the outcome would be an understatement,” he said.

“We believed that it was a well thought-out plan which had as a prominent element working with the financial institutions to mutually agree on a plan. We have previously passed an amendment to the stamp act to extend the stamp tax exemption to homeowners who have lost a first home to foreclosure and are now seeking to acquire a second home. We have in committee the pension plans to access those savings to save their home.”

First to contribute to the debate from the Opposition was North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly.

“While the Bill seeks to protects borrowers in the long run it might end up doing the opposite. Where financial institutions may become more careful and apply more scrutiny. As a result, if there are less loans or mortgages quite naturally there will be less construction thus less money circulating in the economy,” he said.

“So though the Bill seeks to help people, if we are not careful it may cause more harm,” he said.

May 23, 2013


The Bahamas mortgage crisis and the Homeowners Protection Bill in the Bahamian Parliament

The Bahama Journal

Caribbean Blog International

Ministry Of Tourism Heightens Awareness Of The Lionfish

By Lindsay Thompson
Bahamas Information Services









Fisherman Charles Knowles, and Frederick Arnett, Assistant Fisheries Officer at the Department of Marine Resources donned impenetrable gloves to clean and handle Lionfish in preparation for the cook-off, during the Lionfish Hunt II held in Seymour’s, Long Island on May 17-18, 2013. (Photo/Ministry of Tourism)



 

Chef Sandra Morrison at Cape Santa Maria displays Lionfish cakes made with breadcrumbs, herbs and garnished with locally grown pineapples, during the cook-off of the Lionfish Hunt II held in Seymour’s, Long Island on May 17-18, 2013. (Photo/Ministry of Tourism)

SEYMOUR’S, Long Island – The Ministry of Tourism and its partners have come together to further heighten the awareness of the invasive venomous Lionfish in Bahamian waters and steps to eliminate its impact on local species.

One such avenue is the Lionfish Hunt II, a competition and cook-off between local fishermen and chefs, held May 17 to 18, 2013 at Seymour’s Dock.

A predominately fishing economy, the island, which is 90 miles long and four miles wide, is split by the Tropic of Cancer. It is noted for the famous Dean’s Blue Hole and steep rocky headlands. A concerted effort has been launched to heightened the presence of the Lionfish which has been sighted following the passage of the devastating Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

The Department of Marine Resources has classified the Lionfish as an invasive alien species outcompeting and preying on commercially and ecologically important marine species. And, the best way to manage the species is to eat it.

Hence the two-day hunt and cook-off explored the hunting, handling, cleaning and eating of the Lionfish, which is proving to be quite the delicacy.

Approximately 270 fishes were caught, the largest up to 16 inches in size. Organiser and fisherman Charles Knowles and Frederick Arnett, Assistant Fisheries Officer at the Department of Marine Resources donned impenetrable gloves and spearheaded the handling and cleaning of the catch which was fillet and shared amongst the restaurants involved in the cook-off.

Chefs from Cape Santa Maria and Stella Maris Resort prepared the fish in a variety of dishes such as fish cakes garnished with locally gown pineapples, and stir-fried Lionfish in a tropical Thai curry sauce also with freshly grown pineapples.

Samantha Fox of the Ministry of Tourism office on the island underscored the importance of educating residents and tourists about the Lionfish.

“The Ministry of Tourism has partnered with individuals in the community in their efforts to bring further awareness about the species,” she said.

“It (hunting) has also become a tourist attraction, when visitors come into Long Island, divers take them out snorkelling and educate them about the species.”

She said because of the abundance of the species, restaurant owners are being encouraged to add it to their menus. And, entrepreneurs to use parts of the fish for jewellery and other craft items once the venom is cured through cooking.

Another organiser of the Lionfish hunt Theresa Knowles of Bahamas Discovery Quest said based on snorkelling expeditions, there was a noticeable growth in the numbers of the Lionfish. They became so prevalent so they started studying them.

“It was shocking because Long Island is a fisherman’s island and without fish available, the economy would really go down fast.

“So, we decided to put together a Lionfish hunt and at least be able to clean the shoals, the shores and coral reefs right along the edges of Long Island and begin to educate individuals about what could be done,” she said.

For the first Lionfish hunt, she said the committee worked very hard for three months and was quite shocked at the response that people felt the Lionfish meat was great to eat.

Subsequently, individuals were approached and handed information about the Lionfish and what it could do to the local marine resources.

The ultimate goal is to work with The Bahamas Marine Exporters Association in putting the Lionfish on the market, she said.

“The Lionfish hunts are great but it is a temporary measure. But the long-term goal is to be that any fisherman can sell Lionfish meat on the market.”

Frederick Arnett, Assistant Fisheries Officer at the Department of Marine Resources said the department has been playing a significant role in the awareness and education of the Lionfish since 2009, when it developed the National Lionfish Response Plan with the College of The Bahamas.

Since then, the department has actually signed on to a regional project called Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean (MTIASIC).

The Department of Marine Resources is the national executing agency for that project, a four-year programme aimed at addressing the invasive species issue, generally within the region.

There is nothing unique about the prevalence of the Lionfish in the waters surround Long Island, as opposed to other islands in The Bahamas, Mr. Arnett said.

“This information sharing, knowledge awareness and the whole community gathering should happen in each of our major islands,” he said.

May 17,2013

Bahamas.gov.bs

Caribbean Blog International