The welfare and betterment of The Bahamas remain my obsession - my only obsession, says former Prime Minister, Hubert Ingraham

Will Hubert Ingraham return?

WHEN INGRAHAM SPEAKS PEOPLE LISTEN

STRAIGHT UP TALK

APRIL 29^TH, 2004

“I conclude by saying that notwithstanding my hiatus from active politics, I have no less interest nor concern for Freeport, Grand Bahama, for Abaco, New Providence or any other island in our country, than I did when I was in office as Prime Minister.  The welfare and betterment of The Bahamas remains my obsession, my only obsession.  And so I say, so long as those who are in, advance The Bahamas and all its people, people like me, who are out, will be comfortable with our station in life.  I say no more today.”

With those few parting words during his remarks at the recent Grand Bahama Association of Administrative Professionals, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham ignited debate about a possible return to the leadership of the FNM.  Indeed, one of the most intriguing questions in this country today is: Will Ingraham return?

Like him or not, Mr. Ingraham’s political presence in our society is undeniable.  Perhaps only Sir Lynden commanded a more imposing presence.  The Right Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham is a gifted leader and an astute politician.  Creating intrigue about himself comes easy.  What he wanted to say in Freeport he said and what he wanted to achieve he achieved.  He wanted people to hear what he said and they did.  He knew people would talk about what he said and they are.  There are many politicians in our country, high and low, who covet such a skill.

Some leaders are merely shooting the breeze, hoping that someone would help them deliver.  That has not been true of Hubert Ingraham, he was a doer, an achiever.  He not only “says what he means and means what he said”, he knows what he wants to achieve and focuses on getting it done.  This is a rare quality in Bahamian political leaders these days.

Asked about Mr. Ingraham’s remarks, Sen. The Hon. Tommy Turnquest, leader of the FNM, said that he was comfortable with Mr. Ingraham as his predecessor, a sitting MP and a retired Prime Minister.  Interesting!  This much is certain, Sen. Turnquest ought to have no worries about anyone contesting for his position in the party; indeed he should expect and welcome it.  Only a stagnant organization lacks multiple contenders for its top post.

Additionally, Sen. Turnquest, as he rightly pointed out, must remain focused on his agenda, which is to imbue the confidence of those he leads and those he seeks to lead.  Succeed or fail at this, he has no other charge.  In the end, the arbiters of his faith will not be his contenders but those to whom he makes his case for leadership.

Interestingly, Prime Minister The Right Hon. Perry Christie has not commented on Mr. Ingraham’s remarks on this occasion as he did on the last occasion Mr. Ingraham spoke in Freeport.  Perhaps the PM wants to let sleeping dogs lie.

Don’t be mistaken, however, PM Christie hears every word Mr. Ingraham says publicly - perhaps even some of what he says privately.  And he takes them all seriously!  The message to PM Christie from Mr. Ingraham was clear, “Be productive and work for all the people and I will have no motivation to come after you.”  For a competent leader, this would be a small challenge.  However, given Mr. Christie’s performance to date, as assessed by many Bahamians, Mr. Ingraham might just be brushing off his political hat for an imminent return.

Frankly, this columnist does not believe that Mr. Ingraham wants to return to leadership.  However, if the circumstances are mitigating enough he could be persuaded to do so.  Who should worry about this?  Not anyone with true leadership ability because if they cannot persuade others to choose them above Mr. Ingraham, they may not be the best person to lead.  After all the leader is the one people choose to follow and not the one they have to follow because there is no one else.

Are there other people in this nation, in the FNM capable of leading, as Mr. Ingraham did?  Yes.  However, they must make that case to the people who matter, even if they must do so in a head on contest with Mr. Ingraham.  Indeed a competitive but respectful bid for leadership between strong contenders breeds life into an organization and energizes its people.  Perhaps leaders in The Bahamas have become too accustomed to coronations.

It is no wonder that so many of them come to expect, yea even demand unbridled submission to their will.  Leaders should contend for and continue to justify their leadership.  This challenges them to be productive and accountable, both necessary for effective service to people.

WHEN THE PM IS FRUSTRATED HE INSULTS HIS PEOPLE

I would not refer to the Prime Minister as a silly man.  That would be rude and arrogant.  By the same token, Prime Minister Christie should not refer to his people or their thoughts as “silly”, whether he accepts them as legitimate or not.  Frankly, PM Christie’s remarks in this regard seem rather arrogant.  Either this or they are a sign of immense frustration, perhaps even overwhelming pressure.

The Christie administration is not a “do nothing government”.  Rather, it is more of a do nothing new, fresh, impacting or promised government.  And, it is a do things that are unflattering for a government to do, such as renting foreign bleachers for Junkanoo, allowing Korean Boats to enter the country under scandalous circumstances, so mistreating one of its own senior senators that he was forced to resign and leave the party, allowing a cabinet minister to rent from a government agency under a charge of conflict of interest, producing embarrassment for the country with the poor handling of the Haitian crisis situation, allowing a shameful feud at BAIC involving senior members of the government, allowing a sitting MP to come into utter disrepute through a declaration of bankruptcy by the courts, causing a major investor to pull out of a proposal due to indecisiveness, and the list goes on.

It must be terribly frustrating for the Prime Minister to have promised the world to Bahamians and to deliver, if anything, a village, at least as far as many Bahamians are concerned.  It must be even more frustrating that his supporters are criticizing him as harshly as his detractors.  If he were wise, PM Christie would avoid being defensive and insulting, referring to his own people as “silly” and their concerns as “silly distractions”.  If he were wise, he would listen and make prudent changes in the way he does things.  After all, the final arbiters of his success as leader are the people.  Public relations will not help him if what he needs to do is change, especially if rather than change he resorts to denigrating those he serves and who express concerns about the way he is serving.  This is a sign of weak leadership.

The fact is that the PM’s critics come in all shapes, colours, sizes, creed, ethnicities, nationalities, political persuasions and socio-economic backgrounds.  Of course, the PM knows this; this is why he and his party have launched a public relations campaign to tell people what they believe they have done.  If they thought that only opposition members were criticizing them, they would see no need to do this.  However, many PLP supporters are as adamant as persons opposite that the Christie administration has not performed up to par.  To change this, the administration must change, either change itself or be changed.  Period!

A Move to Overhaul The Bahamas Tax Structure

The Bahamas Government has engaged the services of two of the foremost Value Added Tax (VAT) experts of the Crown Agents group

Bahamas Tax System Under Review

By Candia Dames

Nassau, The Bahamas

26/04/2004

In its most tangible move yet to begin the process of overhauling the country's tax structure, the government has hired a U.K-based consultancy firm to review the present system and make recommendations for change.

"We've [made] good progress," Minister of State for Finance James Smith told the Journal.

He said the government has engaged the services of two of the foremost Value Added Tax (VAT) experts who are a part of the Crown Agents group.

Minister Smith said that once this study is completed, the government will make a determination on the way forward.

"The whole idea is to look at this new tax regime [to determine] if it's something we really want to do," he added.  "If we were to change from one to the other, do we do so immediately?  Do we do so over time?"

VAT is a form of indirect tax applied to goods and services that increases the prices of those goods and services.

Minister Smith noted that, "We can have an efficient tax regime which would benefit the government from the point of view of increased revenues, the public from lower prices and the businesses by releasing them from tying up funds in inventory."

For quite some time, government officials, economists and others in the private sector have been pointing to the need to overhaul the system of taxation in The Bahamas, given that various pending international trade agreements require discriminatory border taxes to be abolished.

The need exists for The Bahamas to depend less on customs duties, Minister Smith has said repeatedly, while pointing to the enormous challenges involved in instituting a new system.

"We are engaging the international trade, the [Free Trade Area of The Americas], the [World Trade Organization] and even looking at the [Caribbean Single Market and Economy] and for all international trade agreements, they start off with asking you to roll back tariff rates because tariffs are generally regarded as restraints to trade," Minister Smith said.

"But for us more importantly the bulk of our revenue comes from import duties and they are very distortionary in the sense that they are what the economists would call regressive.  They're applied in such a way that the lower income households bare the brunt of the tax because it's essentially a consumption tax."

He said the government is working on tax overhaul "quite earnestly."

"If we decide to go forward, clearly I would have to get the green light from the government and I would have to discuss with the wider community the way forward," he said.  "We've still got some things to do. Suffice it to say, it is in the pipeline."

The Free National Movement - FNM Wants Bahamas Telecommunications Company - Batelco Sold

FNM Wants Batelco Sold

Candia Dames

candiadames@hotmail.com

Nassau, Bahamas

23/04/2004

 

 

 

Saying that it is concerned about the state of affairs at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company, the Free National Movement lashed out at the government Thursday for failing to privatize BTC by now.

 

Meanwhile, State Minister for Finance James Smith told the Bahama Journal that several companies have expressed an interest in acquiring the 49 percent shares of the company, even though no bids are being accepted at this time.

 

The FNM said in a statement that under an FNM government, the company would have been "sensibly privatized" already.

 

"The privatization exercise, under the indecisive and stubborn PLP, has not only slowed to a crawl, but continues to cause the stakeholders - the Bahamian people - headaches and frustration," the FNM said.

 

The initial attempt to privatize BTC started more than five years ago under the FNM government, but ended abruptly several months ago, when the final bidder in the race, Blue Telecommunications, was rejected.

 

The Government of The Bahamas reportedly spent around $160 million preparing the company for privatization.

 

"By this time, had the PLP government continued the privatization process they found in place, the matter would have been resolved and Bahamians and businesses would today have access to a modern system."

 

Speaking to the Bahama Journal earlier in the week, Minister Smith said privatization is "not off the table."

 

"The rules for privatization which led to the short listing of the bidders and then the rejection of all bids, I think that part of the chapter must be officially closed," he said.

 

"We now have to look at a new model which could be talking to any companies that are still interested.  Several companies are saying that they are interested in purchasing BTC or becoming a partner in that process, but I think to be able to do so legally and effectively, we have to bring a formal end to the initial privatization process and I think we will be doing that and then we will continue to look around."

 

Blue is one of the companies pushing the government to sell, indicating that it is prepared to offer $350 million for minority ownership in the telephone company.

 

Asked if the government is taking this particular offer seriously, Minister Smith said, "We take all offers seriously and all serious offers seriously.

 

"The point is Blue was a part of the initial process and we have to bring that process to an end and then we are free to talk with Blue and any other company."

 

In the interim, he said, there is a need to continue to upgrade BTC in terms of its management structure and governance.

 

"There are a number of things that I think will be happening shortly with BTC," Minister Smith projected.

 

But the FNM insists that BTC is in a mess.

 

"Not only are BTC subscribers tired of poor basic services while the company claims it has enhanced modern technology, but local Bahamian business persons are increasingly angry over the fact that nobody in BTC - by extension in the government - seems to care about their welfare," the FNM statement said.

 

"These are Bahamians who, once BTC launched the quick cell programme in late 2001 and opened doors of business opportunity for the sale of cell phones, accessories, phone cards, etc, made arrangements to capitalize on those opportunities," it continued.

 

The FNM blasted BTC for setting up Cyber World shops in Nassau and Freeport "in direct competition with small Bahamian business persons, pushing mercilessly into the retail market, and effectively squeezing these people out."

 

The party also pointed to BTC's extensive advertising of the stores.

 

"That cannot be right," the statement said. "That cannot be fair. That cannot be just. That cannot be what the PLP on the campaign trail in 2002 promised would be help and hope for Bahamians."

 

The FNM said that the bottom line is that while BTC, steered by the PLP government, is going up and down the country promoting the introduction of GSM telephone service in The Bahamas, the fact is that the service is still currently unavailable for popular use."

The Governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) in The Bahamas Defends Against, 'a do-nothing government' Perception

This Ruling PLP Government really is a Do-nothing Government, says Tommy Turnquest, Leader of the Official Opposition, Free National Movement (FNM) Party 

PLP On The Defensive

By Candia Dames

candiadames@hotmail.com

Nassau, The Bahamas

21/04/2004

Fearing that its record as a government has become distorted, the Progressive Liberal Party has launched a comprehensive public relations initiative to correct what it feels could be a damaging perception.

"I believe that once people look at the facts and once people have the benefit of having access to the facts and they review those facts with an objective mind, they will come to the conclusion that this is perhaps the fastest starting government in the history of The Bahamas," said Raynard Rigby, the party's national chairman.

That was a claim Free National Movement leader Senator Tommy Turnquest would probably find laughable.

"This really is a do-nothing government," Mr. Turnquest declared Tuesday, while speaking with the Bahama Journal.

The PLP will take a ministry-by-ministry approach to the advertising campaign, Mr. Rigby said.

"I think the way you judge [whether we are the fastest starting government] is by looking at the first 23 months of this PLP government and by looking at the first 23 months of the FNM government.

“If you do that comparative analysis, we believe that the evidence is overwhelming, is compelling that this PLP government is much further ahead after 23 months in government, than the FNM was," he said.

Mr. Rigby said that the government is not facing a PR crisis as it carries out a "very responsible" campaign.  Once again he asserted that all is well with the governing PLP.

But Mr. Turnquest thinks otherwise.

He said the PLP "is obviously running, trying to counteract the prevailing feeling in this country, but they need to do it with factual information."

"I think the Bahamian people have been disappointed with their performance," he added.

Already, the PLP has started running radio ads informing listeners that it has constructed more than 500 houses since it came to office on May 2, 2002.  The ad says this compares to the more than 700 houses it claims the FNM constructed in 10 years.

"If [Housing Minister Shane Gibson] continues, in our first term, it is likely we would have built by far more houses than the FNM built in 10 years," Mr. Rigby said.

"If the minister can build all of those houses, it tells us he must be doing something.  He's not sitting at his desk twiddling his thumbs.  He's working for the Bahamian people."

But Mr. Turnquest found it "curious" that the government has chosen to start the campaign by focusing on its successes in housing.

"We intend to answer them in great detail," he said, revealing that his party plans to hold a rally at the R.M. Bailey Park on May 3.  It is the same night the prime minister has set aside for his second forum with the media to answer questions on national television.

Mr. Turnquest believes the government has a long way to go to change the negative perception held by some Bahamians.

"It is very clear to me and to thousands of Bahamians that the government is losing support and that people are becoming increasingly disenchanted with the PLP government," he said.  "They are not satisfied that sufficient attention and focus is being paid to governance.

"The PLP is now trying to counteract these claims by putting on advertisements and while that is good for radio stations and newspapers...that doesn't explain away their inactivity in terms of what they are doing."

Only two days ago, Prime Minister Perry Christie made a move of his own to set the record straight.

While speaking at the opening of the Golden Sun Development, a new housing project near Golden Gates, he dismissed what he called "little silly distractions" being put forth by "silly people."

Mr. Turnquest said he was disappointed by that comment.

"He must not use intemperate language when talking about Bahamians," Mr. Turnquest said."  Bahamians have a right to criticize particularly when his government is doing nothing."

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 3

The Bahamas Haitian Situation ‐ Part 3

By Apostle Cedric Moss
March 25, 2004

It is sad to watch people work feverishly to try to prevent something they are not aware has already happened.  They slam the gate shut, put a lock on it, and wipe their sweaty brow, ignorant to the fact that the horse has already stampeded out.  As I listen to Bahamians generally express the ways they do not want Haitians to 'take over' The Bahamas, I am amazed that they do not realize that much of what they do not want has happened and will continue to happen.  And it's too late to change it.

Get Used To It

Several months back, I followed a long discussion on the Haitian situation on the local discussion website, www.bahamasissues.com.  The title was, 'Not the Haitian Flag'.  The thread was started with the following comments: "I don't know about you, but I have a problem with the amount of Haitian flags I see popping up on cars.  In the midst of my celebrating my independence, while I am proudly displaying my flag, the Haitians are displaying theirs.  What is that all about?  It is an insult to me.  If they are proud of their country then they should go home and put up their flag. How dare you come in my land and put up your flag.  Wake up my people.  This is a serious time; this may seem like a small thing but is only the beginning.  Today it is the flag, tomorrow it will be streets named after them, they will be running for public office soon, and then in the very near future peas and rice, and names like Cox and Bain will be replaced by Haitian names and dishes.  They have already started to open businesses and guess whom they employ?  This up and coming generation is in for the fight of their lives; we must fight to keep this land for our children.  THIS LAND IS MY LAND.  Sail away my friends."

Perhaps the most obvious point that was missed by the person who offered those comments is that many of the persons donning Haitian flags on their vehicles are Bahamians with Haitian parentage or affinity.  In addition, this land is no longer just 'our' land since many Bahamian-Haitians own land too.  And they will not sail away ‐ they are here to stay with their expressions of Haitian patriotism.  So we must get used to it.

Managed Assimilation

Even if every Haitian living illegally in The Bahamas decided to go back to Haiti, we would still have tens of thousands of Haitians and Bahamians of Haitian descent living here.  Either way, we have a sub-culture within a culture.  What are we going to do?  Continue to ignore them?  While this might have been acceptable many years ago when Haitian communities were allowed to exist in The Bahamas because they were not looked upon as being permanent, to continue to respond in this way, in my opinion, is a threat to our national security.  Prejudices already run deep, primarily Bahamians against Haitians.  There is also resentment on both sides for different reasons.  In my view, we have all the essential ingredients for our own 'ethnic' time bomb.  How do we diffuse it?  I trust that we do not attempt massive rounding up and repatriation because these acts could very well detonate it.  Instead, I believe an intentional process of managed assimilation will effectively diffuse it.

One People, Two Cultures

The goal of a managed assimilation process for regularized Haitians and Bahamians of Haitian parentage should not be to create one culture.  Instead, it should be to create one people while recognizing two cultures.  No doubt some will object to such a process.  However, since there is nothing we can legally do about a significant number of the Haitians and Bahamian-Haitians living here, we would be better off trying to forge one people with two cultures than allowing two people and two cultures.  If we continue to allow two people with two cultures living in hostility in one land, we will become the Caribbean version of the Jews and Palestinians.  I pray we do otherwise. 

Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Commentary and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org.

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 1>>>

The Haitian Situation in The Bahamas - Part 2>>>

The Central Bank of The Bahamas has placed lending restrictions on Commercial Banks to protect the country's foreign reserves from being depleted

Bahamas Commercial Banks Losing Money

By Candia Dames

Nassau, The Bahamas

candiadames@hotmail.com

24/03/2004

 

Lending restrictions imposed two and a half years ago by the Central Bank are suppressing government revenue and hurting profits of commercial banks, according to a Cabinet Minister and a group of bankers.

 

But the Central Bank appears unlikely to raise those limits anytime soon.

 

State Minister for Finance James Smith recently blamed disappointing government revenue collections on the restrictions.

 

He told the Bahama Journal that, "If there is no credit growth, then clearly there is no appreciable growth in imports and consequently we have less in terms of customs duties."

 

In September 2001, the Central Bank placed the lending restrictions on banks to protect the foreign reserves from being depleted.  For the entire system as a whole, the restrictions limit the total lending to $3.7 billion.

 

Essentially, banks are restricted from lending more than what they are collecting in loan payments.

 

Central Bank Governor Julian Francis is set to meet with his Monetary Policy Committee Wednesday and wished not to comment on the continued effects of the limits.  The Committee, which meets once a month, is expected to review the present policy.

 

Governor Francis told the Bahama Journal in an earlier interview that, "If the banks became overly aggressive and were imprudent in their lending activity, then the Central Bank limit would come into play.

 

"And those limits are in place to protect the external reserves during a time of relatively slow economic activity when our economy is not generating the level of foreign currency which it would normally generate if the economic activity were stronger."

 

Mr. Francis also explained that if there is more to borrow, it costs less to borrow so more people tend to get loans, which is why the Central Bank restrictions are so important.

 

He has said that the Bank continues to review this policy and would only make adjustments if they were in the best interest of the overall economy.

 

The Governor reportedly told a meeting of commercial bankers two weeks ago that he is not now prepared to raise or eliminate the ceiling.

 

The restrictions continue to create a high level of liquidity in the system and commercial bankers continue to press the Governor to relax his position.

 

According to John Rolle, deputy manager of research at the Central Bank, the surplus stands at around $200 million.

 

One banker told the Journal Tuesday that, "Everybody (commercial banks) has a whole lot of money."

 

He said, "What it's going to do is drive deposit rates down.  If you're selling shoes and you have a store full of shoes and the Central Bank or some other body stops you from selling the shoes, the question is, are you going to order anymore shoes?  The answer is no.  Why should the banks continue to take deposits if they have no avenue to lend the money out?  The government has already said it is hurting them and it is hurting the consumer."

 

Foreign reserves, meanwhile, remain at a healthy $550 million.

 

But Mr. Rolle said while the reverses have been increasing in recent months, "the growth in reserves that we've seen is a bit deceptive."

 

"Some of that growth continues to occur because we are very restrictive on the credit side," he said.  "At the same time, the growth is reflecting the fact that there is a gradual firming in the momentum of tourism and we certainly hope that it will accelerate now that we enter the most important part of the tourist season."

 

Mr. Rolle said to remove the restrictions would be to presuppose that there are strong inflows coming into the economy that would support increased demand for imports.

 

"Increased demand for imports is going to be one of the results of removing the ceiling," he explained.

 

Mr. Rolle added, "When we talk about seeing improvements in the economy, we also know that when the improvements start to occur, it will also be evident in the government's position.  The majority of the imports in this country are not financed by credit.  They are financed by the general level of economic activity.  So as the general level of economic activity picks up so will imports and the government will see a return from that avenue."

From Landholders to Landless Bahamians in The Bahamas

Bahamian workers need to be critically concerned about our land resources in The Bahamas, and how they are used in relation to national development

Transforming Landholders Into Landless Bahamians

By Charles Fawkes

Nassau, The Bahamas

19/03/2004

At this stage of our National development, Bahamian workers need to be critically concerned about our land resources and how they are used in relation to national development.  First, we need to be overly concerned about the use of the Quieting of Titles Act as a method of raping poor Bahamians of land they have had access to for centuries.

And secondly, there needs to be a critical examination of the extension of the Stafford Sands model of economic development which allows for the building of massive high rise hotels on each of our family islands coupled with a casino as instruments of development.  All successive governments to date including the current one have used this model of development, instead of being creative in the areas of manufacturing, technology, agriculture and the development of our marine resources.

Workers must shudder when they think about the gleefulness of Prime Minister Perry Christie’s approach of signing the countless Heads of Agreement that signs away so many acres of land when the ink quickly dries on these agreements.

This government is prepared to sign away 870 acres of land in Rum Cay, and additional acreage in Crab Cay.  In Bimini, there is the Bimini Bay development and the Bimini Bay Game Fighting Club by a Malaysian company.

In Abaco there is the Winding Bay development in Cherokee Sound and Island Fresh Dairy Ltd.  In the Berry Islands there is the Prestine Resort, Chub Cay and Whale Cay development.  In Cat Island there are several give aways of large acreage including the Hawk’s Nest and Orange Creek development.

In Eleuthera in the advance planning stages are two developments at Salsa Beach, plus at Half Sound, Winding Bay and Hatchet Bay.  All of these the current administration could sign away at the “ bat of an eye”.  In West Grand Bahama $2,150 acres of the old Sammons Bay are being considered and the beat goes on and on.

When our politicians announce these projects they tell us only about the thousands of jobs, but not about the transfer of land from Bahamian hands to foreign land grabbers and speculators.  Indeed, with these transfers we are transforming The Bahamas, but more importantly transforming Bahamians from landholders to landless people.

I have noted before in this column that too much of our land is already in foreign hands.  For example, the company of the late E.P. Taylor owns one tenth of New Providence, which he obtained under the UBP and has retained under the PLP.

The gamblers and the developers own Paradise Island, The Grand Bahama Port Authority controls 230 miles of Grand Bahama that has culminated in Freeport seeming like a foreign city.  There is an American company called Columbus Landing, which reportedly controls 75% on the land on San Salvador.

It appears that a great many of the Berry Islands are foreign owned and the same is true of the Exuma Cays.  The parties of the PLP and FNM/UBP have caused the best beaches and the best lands of the country to be in non-Bahamian hands with the result that most Bahamians will never own a piece of this good earth.

Additionally, all true Bahamian patriots are appalled by the provision of the Investment Incentive Bill (IIB) for its objectives are to promote the development of the Bahamas by granting the developers the right to control large acres of land, to levy duties and grant licenses.  In fact, the concessions granted to developers under this bill virtually set up a state within a state.

The end result of these two pieces of legislation is the same: Bahamians will be robbed of their land.  On one hand the IIB will result in Bahamian settlement being hemmed in or squeezed out by some foreign or local behemoth.  And on the other hand, under the Quieting of Titles Act (QTA) Bahamians have been robbed by the local land grabbers.  In fact if I were Attorney General, Alfred Sears, I would rename these two pieces of legislation The Land Grabbers Act.  The Quieting of Titles Act however, has cancerous effects on the land situation in the Bahamas.

This act, which came into effect on November 1, 1959, has turned out to be a nightmare –virtual scourge on the poor Bahamian worker who has been fortunate enough to become legally involved with it.  For the local lawyers, however, this Act has been a boon – a bonanza for this already bloated profession.  For the unscrupulous land grabber, it has produced the perfect situation for him to ply is trade and swindle the poor landowner.

This present lawyer dominated government is aware of the hardships the Act has inflicted on the Bahamian masses over the years, and the reasons why they have not attempted to rectify this unnecessary and unjust hardship are very strongly suspect.  This unfortunate piece of legislation was introduced by the UBP exploiters and presented in the House of Assembly by Mr. Godfrey T. Kelly.  The sated reason given for the Bill at that time was to enable persons who own generation property and other land, and who because historical reasons could not produce marketable title to be able to do so.  Prior to this informal arrangements regarding land transactions were common.

The hardship caused by the inability to produce good title was most severely felt in the Family Islands, but is was also thought by the ruling class at that time that the impreciseness as to land ownership hampers economic development.

Although a few workers benefited form this Act it is primarily used up this day, by the ruling class and other criminals to rob the poor unsophisticated and unsuspecting owner of his land, and the Pindling, Ingraham and Christie governments has made no effort to correct the practice.

This Act allows fake landowners to petition to the courts for Certificates of Title accomplished by fraudulent affidavits and sworn statements.  The petitioners on completion of the legal exercise are then granted land rightfully owned by others without the true owners knowing it, sometimes for years.

The court as institutions of the ruling class, are notorious for handing down decisions in land disputes in favor of the ruling class exploitators, the Higgs and Forbes land cases are glaring examples of this.

Legal transactions involving the Quieting Titles Act are lucrative and the Act is one of the bread and butter tools of the legal profession so to expect the average lawyers to protect the interest of the masses in this is like leaving the wolf to protect the sheep.

All the exploitaters like the owners of New Providence Development, the Grand Bahama Port Authority and Paradise Island etc. have benefited directly or indirectly from using this law.  The Port Authority was so ruthless in its land grabbing that adjacent landowners in Grand Bahama had to take up the shotgun to protect their property.

The worker facing a battery of high-powered lawyers, exorbitant legal fees and legal institutions are in a hopeless no-win situation.  In such confrontation the ruling class often sometimes winds up winning by default.  As I have attempted to demonstrate so often in these columns the average Bahamian in this country will never get justice, will never have institutions functioning in their interest, until they the workers control the country government in The Bahamas.  The land fraud phenomenon shows how well the institution functions to protect the monied class and those who are in power.

Charles Fawkes is President of the National Consumer Association, editor of the Headline News, The ConusumerGuard and the Workers Vanguard, Consumer columnist for the Nassau Guardian.