Politicians should take note from Patrick Manning and Bruce Golding

by Oscar Ramjeet:


Politicians, especially the senior ones who hold high offices like prime ministers or ministers of government, should not live in ivory towers and behave as if they are better than the electorate -- the people who put them in office. They should remember that they work for the people and behave as such and not project the image that they are demigods.

I make the comment because of the situation in Trinidad and Tobago, where outgoing Prime Minister Patrick Manning was humiliated by his own supporters at his PNM party's General Council meeting. He was booed by angry PNM members, who shouted "Manning must go" and, as he was leaving, his vehicle was mobbed by angry party members, which forced officers from the Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB) to rush to his assistance.

It is unfortunate that a man who served 23 long years as political leader should be chased out from his own party headquarters, Balisier House. Observers pointed out that never in the history of the party did a leader have to leave the headquarters in such a unpleasant manner.

At the General Council meeting, Manning read out his resignation as leader of the PNM, and explained to the meeting that the constitution does not provide for the General Council to appoint a political leader other than through a convention and there is a procedure to be followed. He added that, in the circumstances, he was prepared to stay as Political Leader and as Opposition Leader and appoint senators for that duration. After he said that, the entire General Council hooted, "No. No." and exclaimed that Manning must go immediately

After Manning departed, a motion was passed by the General Council advising the PNM parliamentarians to write to the President informing him that they were supporting Keith Rowley, who was at loggerheads with Manning, to be the Leader of the Opposition.

Earlier, Diego Martin North East Member of Parliament, Colm Imbert, had indicated that he would like to run for leadership of the PNM, but a hostile crowd vigorously rejected his offer stating, "We want Rowley, we don't want anybody else. Rowley is the man. Manning make we lose the election."

Manning was flying high during his last few years as leader of the oil rich country. He ceased to use commercial airlines, but jetted to countries with large entourage and spent tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars in hosting two high powered international conferences last year, which were attended by Queen Elizabeth of England, US President, Barack Obama, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and scores of leaders from the Commonwealth and other parts of the world.

It is said that, in his last couple of years, he was far removed from the people and spent large sums of money in renovating and redecorating the Official Residence of the Prime Minister. Some critics say that they are glad that he only enjoyed the luxuries for a short while, because he had to leave for the new prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

A woman posted this on the website, "It is a shame Manning had to end his reign like that. Ah glad he gone. There is nothing wrong with PNM or UNC, the problem is the picaroon politicians who stood under the PNM and UNC umbrella. Well, now T&T will see how true WOMAN IS BOSS.”

Another said, "What a sad day... shame on the PNM supporters for their uncivilised behaviour, but that is what Patrick encourages, so it has come to haunt him, unfortunately."

Over in Jamaica, Prime Minister Bruce Golding believed that he was the boss of all time and refused to extradite drug lord, Christopher "Dudus” Coke. When he finally decided to do so after mounting pressure, there was and still is chaos, and up to the time of writing more than 75 persons were brutally killed. Now Golding’s own supporters want him to go, and former leader of his Jamaica Labour Party, Edward Seaga, who was also prime minister, said that Golding should resign immediately and added, "I have never known a prime minister to display such a lack of moral rectitude."

It is said when prime ministers are in office for a very long time, they believe they own the country and they do as they please. But Golding only took over from Portia Simpson Miller on September 11, 2007, and is a first term prime minister and should not behave in such an arrogant manner.

May 29, 2010

caribbeannetnews

Bahamas Blog International

Father Etienne Bowleg has renounced all allegiance as a priest of the Anglican Diocese of the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos with immediate effect

Fr Bowleg quits Anglican Church
By KARIN HERIG
kherig@tribunemedia.net:


FATHER Etienne Bowleg has renounced all allegiance as a priest of the Anglican Diocese of the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos with immediate effect, Bishop Laish Boyd informed his clergy.

In an unprecedented move in the diocese of the West Indian province, Bishop Boyd stated that Father Bowleg, the former rector of the Holy Trinity Church, informed him of his decision by letter on May 17.

"I accept his renunciation and have acknowledged the same in writing.

"This means that by his own choice, intent and assertion Father Bowleg no longer holds a licence to function in this diocese," Bishop Laish said in a memorandum to the Anglican clergy this week.

This comes just weeks after a protracted court battle involving Father Bowleg and the Anglican Archdiocese came to an end.

In March, Senior Justice Jon Isaacs lifted an injunction that prohibited the removal of Father Bowleg as rector of the Most Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Stapledon Gardens.

Just hours after the ruling, locksmiths were busy on the church grounds changing the locks.

The court battle stemmed from a dispute that had arisen over Father Bowleg's contention that he is 64 years old, although with a 1937 birth certificate, he is recognised by the Anglican Diocese as being 72 - two years beyond the mandatory retirement age for Anglican priests.

Normally, the retirement age of Anglican priests is 65, but the bishop can extend that limit by another five years.

However, under church law, the absolute maximum age for a priest to be allowed to serve is 70.

Bishop Boyd described Father Bowleg's renunciation as a "sad and serious occurrence in the life of the Diocese of the (West Indian) province."

"It is unprecedented in that it comes at the culmination of a chain of events and actions that were disrespectful to, hostile toward and adversarial against the diocese," he said.

Bishop Boyd said he takes the decision to mean that Father Bowleg has renounced fellowship with the Diocese of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Province of the West Indies and all other dioceses and provinces that are in communion with the See of Canterbury, meaning the worldwide Anglican Communion.

"This is the obvious conclusion to the drawn, since, if he were continuing with the Anglican Communion and transferring to another diocese his proper course of action would have been to have asked for letters of commendatory. Up to this point no request for such documentation has been submitted," the bishop said on Wednesday.

Bishop Boyd further wished to impress the seriousness of Father Bowleg's renunciation on the Anglican clergy.

"The lack of a General Licence means that Father Bowleg is not allowed to function - officiate, celebrate, preach, vest, process, sit in the chancel or sit in the sanctuary - at any service or event of the diocese or the province, or under the auspices of the diocese or the province.

"All of the courtesies normally extended to one of our clergy can no longer be extended to him," he said.

"Of course he is welcome to worship in any our services or to attend any of our events as such would be open to all persons who wish to attend same.

"We continue to bear him all goodwill, Christian charity and the prayerful support that we offer to all people," Bishop Boyd added.

The Tribune was unable to reach Father Bowleg for comment yesterday before press time.

Father Bowleg last year also experienced familial challenges when is son, Etienne Bowleg Jr, was charged with 12 offences in connection with a high-speed police chase. These charges include possession of an illegal firearm with the intent to endanger life and causing damage to a police vehicle.

The matter is ongoing before the courts.

May 29, 2010

tribune242

Bahamas Blog International

Archbishop Patrick Pinder Plays Caesar on The Issue of Legalized Gambling for Bahamians in The Bahamas

By Dennis A. Dames
Nassau, Bahamas:


I write in reaction to our Roman Catholic Archbishop Patrick Pinder’s response to the issue of legalized gambling for Bahamians in The Bahamas.

Like the Anglican Bishop’s reply to the subject matter – I do not understand my archbishop’s reasoning.

For example, my Bishop stated the following: I as the leader of the Roman Catholic community in the Bahamas do not support a change in the current law which would allow the legalization of gambling.

So, His Grace has essentially said that: he does not support a change in the current law which would allow the legalization of gambling for Bahamians in their beloved country.

His Grace no doubt supports lawful gambling for tourists - nonetheless. Here is where both Anglican and Catholic Bishops’ perspectives on the gambling for Bahamians question lack spiritual and honorable creditability.

To basically say to a member of the Catholic communion in The Bahamas that gambling is wrong for them, but right for visitors to our shores – is a sinful insult.

How did the bishops find themselves in such a morally compromising position on a political matter that should have been exclusively resolved in the Bahamian political arena in the first place - in my view?

Well, I believe that that answer could be found in their apparent aversion and abandonment of the Gospels in public life. In fact, everyone wants to be the chief politician nowadays - who is dictator of all the land. Yes, to be Caesar is more fashionable than to be Christ like nowadays; hence – the gospels are being abandoned; and church leaders in The Bahamas have clearly forsaken their divine roles according to God’s will, in my opinion.

The devil is truly busy and successful in his mission to deceive church leaders in The Bahamas – in my humble estimation.

Bahamas Christian Council applauds decision not to legalise the numbers business

Christian Council applauds decision not to legalise the numbers business
By ALISON LOWE
Tribune Staff Reporter
alowe@tribunemedia.net:


THE Bahamas Christian Council expressed its pleasure yesterday at the government's decision not to legalise the numbers business at this time.

In a statement issued after the government announced it had shelved plans to legalise the numbers business despite initial assessments determining that it could bring $30 million to $40 million in revenue into the public treasury annually, the BCC said the decision is "a good step" and one "in the right direction."

The church organisation also stressed that "fundamental long-term changes" are needed if the country is to get through its present economic predicament, which Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham has indicated to be quite dire, with the government having difficulty finding the money to fund essential services.

Referring to the gambling question, the Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) held that a country addicted to gambling and "all the social ills that are inextricably tied to it" condemns its people and generations to come to a society "void of creativity and productivity."

Evil

As an "instrument created by God", government should "secure each person and their property, equality of justice between individuals, and constrain the forces of evil in civil society," the BCC said.

Suggesting that the legalisation of the numbers business would encourage more Bahamians to gamble - although it is widely recognised that thousands of Bahamians from all areas of society do so at present, and generally with impunity - the BCC said that "laws shape society" and "human beings generally follow the laws that are set in a society."

The government stated over the weekend that it has encountered strong opinions on both sides of the debate for and against the legalisation of numbers and would put off further consideration of the issue until a referendum can be held after the next general election. The prime minister met with the BCC last month to discuss the possibility of legalising the numbers business.

Speaking to the country's financial situation, the BCC said: "There are some fundamental long-term changes that are required. These adjustments may not be considered favourable in the short-term but are critical to our overall long-term well-being and sustainability."

"The Bahamas Christian Council pledges our support to the government to assist with the sensitising of our people to the need for such measures to be implemented.

"We would also be very willing to participate in any national discussion to devise a national plan for the long-term sustainability of the Bahamian economy," the BCC said.

The organisation suggested that think-tanks with a diverse membership could also help devise solutions to the country's economic challenges by "coming up with alternative solutions to produce and create wealth in our country."

May 26, 2010

tribune242

Bahamas Blog International

Bahamas: Lessons to be learned from Jamaica

Lessons to be learned from Jamaica
tribune242 editorial:


THERE ARE many lessons that Bahamians, including politicians, can learn from the alarming situation in Jamaica. It was reported late yesterday that at least 30 persons were killed by that country's well armed criminal element, now challenging the state's attempt to arrest their drug lord "president."

For too long the Jamaican police and the government have turned a blind eye to Jamaica's slums. Known as garrisons they have been taken over by criminal dons, who have turned them into their personal kingdoms.

Everything came crashing down last year when the US government moved to have Dudus Coke extradited to the United States on charges of drug and gun running. For nine months Prime Minister Bruce Golding's government fought off the request, finally capitulating and agreeing that Coke should face a Jamaican court where the charges against him would be evaluated for extradition.

"Dudus" was the don, who delivered the votes for Golding's party from West Kingston, so, it is obvious that he expected his "main man" to protect him in his Tivoli Gardens fiefdom.

"Along the pitted and trash-strewn streets of West Kingston," reported Associated Press yesterday, "residents say Coke is feared for his strong-arm tactics, but also is known for helping out slum dwellers with grocery bills, jobs and school fees.

"Coke solidified his authority by taking charge of punishing thieves and other criminals in the ghettos, where the government has little presence and police rarely, if ever, patrol."

Today Tivoli Gardens is fortified with barricades, protected by gangsters with high powered rifles and supporters carrying placards declaring that "Jesus died for us; we will die for Dudus."

Here is a lesson for our own police force. There should be no area in New Providence or any of our islands where the Royal Bahamas Police Force cannot, or do not enter frequently.

And as for our politicians if they were wise they would be very careful of the company they keep. In the past some of them have had very embarrassing experiences.

We recall the support that our own home grown drug lord had when the Americans sent for him. It was surprising the following "Ninety" Knowles had and who were among those who turned out to protest when he was taken to court for his extradition hearing. Everyone knew of his illegal activities, of his own gangs and his own orders that were executed, yet when the time came to pay the piper, all we heard was how Ninety fed his neighbours, paid the school fees and took care of his community. And so, like Dudus, when the time came his supporters gathered round, and marched to the court. Ninety's generosity had solidified him in their hearts and their community, and despite their proud boast that this is a "God fearing" nation, Ninety was one man who could break the Ten Commandments, yet still demand their loyalty. Today he is all but forgotten in a prison cell in the US.

We also recall how drug dealers under the Pindling administration, rightly or wrongly, considered the PLP their party. They agitated for the day when the PLP would be returned to power so that they could get back to "the trade." As a matter of fact the rumour around Eleuthera during the 2002 election was that as soon as the PLP won, the dealers' fast-boats would be in the water, and they would return to their illicit trade. Fortunately, it did not work out that way. But, it certainly should have taught the politicians a lesson.

What is now happening to Prime Minister Golding in Jamaica should underscore for all what can happen when one plays fast and loose with law breakers.

May 26, 2010

tribune242

Bahamas Blog International

The Government's Missed Opportunity on Legalized Gambling for Bahamians

Missed opportunity on gambling
thenassauguardian editorial:



In democratic societies, laws exist with the consent of the people. Without that consent, no law can be enforced. It can even be argued that no law is legitimate if the people do not support it.

It is clear from the large number of number houses that openly operate in The Bahamas that a significant number of Bahamians want to gamble.

The number houses advertise in the media, they donate to state agencies, they announce the numbers of the day on television and some have corporate offices in the center of Nassau.

Yet we as a nation still seek to run away from the logical position that the law should be changed, allowing Bahamians to gamble.

Keeping rules in place that cannot be enforced sends the message that people can defy the law, and there are no consequences to this defiance.

And yet again, the church is standing in the way of logic and reasonableness.

Gambling is legal in many parts of the United States. Its unemployment rate is around 10 percent. Gambling is legal in Canada. Its unemployment rate is around 8 percent.

Gambling is illegal for Bahamians and our unemployment rate is near 15 percent. The legalization of gambling has not destroyed those countries and caused mass poverty.

The church has a right to advocate its position. It should not be allowed to dictate policy, however.

The government is in financial crisis. It has to borrow to meet its responsibilities.

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham says they project that the government could take in $30 to 40 million in tax revenue from a fully legalized gambling business.

Having backed down largely from the threat of going to war with local clerics, where now is the government going to get this revenue from in a time of financial crisis?

The church won't provide the funds. Its operations are virtually tax-free. Governments of The Bahamas have also given churches deep concessionary rates on the purchase of Crown land for their operations.

Instead of bringing this industry into the open and taxing number bosses who make millions annually, and those who wish to play, the government will now hike taxes in other areas to compensate for the lost revenue.

The prime minister missed an opportunity to end this decades long debate on gambling with decisive action. However, his announcement that the Free National Movement will commit to a referendum offers some hope.

If the FNM wins the next general election, and the referendum takes place, right thinking Bahamians need to make sure their voices are heard on this issue once and for all.

Those who do not want to gamble do not have to. This is a free society.

Bahamians should be free to choose how they wish to spend their money on reasonable activities just as church leaders are free to spend church funds on what they wish to.

May 26, 2010

thenassauguardian

Bahamas Blog International

...a shift in wind patterns is expected to propel the oil slick towards The Bahamas

Oil spill may reach Bahamas by weekend
By JASMIN BONIMY ~ Guardian Staff Reporter ~ jasmin@nasguard.com:



The worst natural disaster to hit the Gulf Coast is likely to reach local coastlines by the weekend, according to Chief Climatological Officer Michael Stubbs, who said a shift in wind patterns is expected to propel the oil slick towards The Bahamas.

In an interview with The Nassau Guardian yesterday Stubbs said that in pervious weeks weather conditions have kept the oil slick contained in the Gulf of Mexico.

"As it stands now the wind is not supporting movement out of the Gulf. It's keeping the oil particles that are floating along the surface in the Gulf of Mexico," said Stubbs.

"However as Friday approaches we see the weather pattern changing and what would happen then is the winds in the area would be flowing clockwise, making it possible for oil floating on the surface to make it to the notorious loop current. So once the particles move into the loop current the chances are [higher] for it [the oil] to reach our area."

The oil spill began on April 20 after an oil rig exploded and sank in the Gulf, killing 11 people. It is estimated that oil is escaping from the collapsed rig's underground pipeline at the rate of 95 thousand barrels, or four million gallons, a day.

Stubbs, who heads a meteorological task force set up by the Ingraham administration to monitor the oil spill, said once the surface winds shift, oil sediments will most likely reach the Cay Sal Bank, Bimini, and western Grand Bahama - key fishing areas for the marine industry.

He said for this reason the government has already been warned to prepare for the likely arrival of oil in Bahamian waters.

"Some sort of action is necessary at least before the weekend so we can know where to access resources," he said. "Currently as it stands the government has taken a proactive position in that they have deployed vessels out there with scientists to get base line samplings. From that we can do some sort of clean-up plan or find ways to divert the oil using tools like booms."

On Monday, Minister for the Environment Earl Deveaux told The Nassau Guardian that the government is doing all it can to tackle the issue which has persisted for more than a month.

However, just five days earlier in a press conference, Deveaux admitted that The Bahamas is not prepared for the level of calamity that the growing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico could cause the country.

He also explained that international and local agencies have been notified and will assist in the clean up efforts if the spill reaches Bahamian waters.

He added that local agencies are preparing to ensure that they have a response in time to mitigate a worst-case scenario.

Still, Stubbs insisted given the magnitude of the spill, it is a problem that will persist for months to come.

"We have to take into consideration that we are now approaching the official beginning of the hurricane season and we know that we are going to be faced with quite a bit of tropical disturbances, which means that even efforts by the relevant authorities to stop the leak or to clean up is going to be hindered more so as the season progresses.

"We also know that this time of the year the formation of cyclones usually originates around the Gulf of Mexico or the northern Bahama islands. So this means whatever actions we are going to take, we need to coordinate our efforts to make certain that we take the best measures towards our area becoming contaminated."

As local experts prepare for the impending threat, British Petroleum (BP), the company responsible for the sunken oil rig, has tried twice to stop the leak. The company's first attempt to divert oil leaking from the well using a 40-foot contaminant box failed on May 8.

The second effort to capture oil using a tube inserted in a pipe has been able to recover an average of 1,885 barrels of oil a day, according to a BP spokesman.

The company said on Monday that the spill cost BP about $760 million, or $22 million a day.

May 26, 2010

thenassauguardian

Bahamas Blog International