Protest against the sale of the BTC is odd
By RICK LOWE
ACCORDING to news reports, 800 to 1,000 people blocked Bay Street last week to protest the sale of BTC to Cable and Wireless/LIME and it all seems odd.
Some people were saying that rights are being violated by selling BTC. But what rights are being violated?
Yes, sometimes Mr. Ingraham can be brash, but does that mean he is uncaring, a dictator, or corrupt, or violating rights as alleged? It's doubtful.
Using emotive language and trying to rile people up as some are doing could violate rights for sure.
What the protesters are missing is BTC is not owned by Bahamians. That's an illusion. A political construct. It is owned by the Bahamas Government.
Over the years successive governments have led us down the garden path by wasting and borrowing beyond the country's ability to sustain, and the sale of BTC might help keep the Bahamian dollar stable and reduce some of the debt that we all have to pay one way or the other.
The Opposition seems shameless on this one, after trying to sell BTC themselves under similar circumstances to a company called Bluewater, now it would seem that some are trying to incite people.
Another turnabout by the Opposition was the Constitutional Referendum of 2002. Both parties agreed in principle in the House of Assembly, then one campaigned against it, confusing the electorate.
The latest reason not to sell is there are complaints about LIME posted on the Internet.
If you research every company in the world online it seems you will find bad comments. We survey some of our clients, and last quarter we had an 84 per cent approval rating (our goal is 85 per cent), but the one client that complained, really complained, bringing the results of all the good comments lower. Is that what is happening with CWC? We also find that often it's people with complaints that fill the survey out. Those that had no issues, do not take the time to respond.
Are there similar complaints about BTC going around on the Internet?
Could the government have been more open? No doubt. Both the FNM or PLP governments over the years could have been more open. Promises of a Freedom of Information Act have been made by each of them. Let's see who passes it into law. That might help with government transparency in the future.
There were apparently no dissenenters before BTC was sold, at least publicly. So why the dissent now? The government corporations should be sold if for nothing more than to get politics and politicians out of it.
All this protesting is odd. When you dig a little deeper unseemly politics appear to be at work?
March 01, 2011
tribune242
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
A Message From Branville McCartney - MP - Bamboo Town
A Message From MP McCartney
...That all elected officials may respond to the needs of their community and serve the common good – we pray to the Lord – Lord hear our prayer.
We are so very fortunate to be blessed by God with such a beautiful country and, indeed, for the most part, beautiful, kind, generous and God fearing people. I, just like so many other persons, am convinced that there is no other place in this world like the Bahamas! But what are we doing or not doing to our beloved country? Are we settling for mediocrity and accepting it as the best we have?
Are we letting politics get in the way? I have no doubt that The Bahamas ought to be more than a “Little Switzerland” in the Atlantic, but are we doing our part?
A few weeks ago, while at church, I listened intently to the intercessory prayer – “that all elected officials may respond to the needs of their community and serve the common good – we pray to the Lord – Lord hear our prayer”. This intercessory stuck in my mind and I wondered if our elected officials, including me, respond to the needs of their community. Now I take that to mean the community of the Bahamas and its welfare. For the most part, I think we respond, but in the wrong way and for the wrong reasons. In my humble view, I think that we have become so polarized/political/partisan that we lose sight of what is the “common good” of the community; what is indeed the common good of The Bahamas and the Bahamian people. We tend to put PLP and the FNM and their respective colours before the people of the Bahamas. This should not be! We should be at a stage where we have moved beyond petty politics.
Now do not get me wrong, there is a time and a place for politics, but the interest and the welfare of the Bahamian people must be priority number one! I am not sure we, as politicians, appreciate this notion.
In Bamboo Town, my theme colour is the olive green – not red and white,not yellow, but the olive green. That colour signifies that I am extending the olive branch to all members of my constituency, inclusive of – FNMs, PLPs and ABCs. You see, if I were to have the FNM’s colours, the odds are, only the FNMs will participate in the many programs we have in the community. What then happens to those who are not FNM or those who do not vote, perhaps became of religious or other reasons? The idea, put simply, is for ALL to participate! It does not matter to me what political persuasion you are. I am the representative for all and my aim is for the common good. As a result, I have had the good fortune of persons of different political persuasions, and quite pleasantly surprisingly persons who do not participate in the political process for one reason or the other, join and assist in programs that we have in Bamboo Town. That is because we are about community not politics.
I do pray to the Almighty that we do not become like some of our neighbouring countries to the south where violence is the order of the day when it comes to politics. Let us not follow in their footsteps.
In my resignation statement, I said that I fear that we are going in the wrong direction politically. This is what I meant. It is time that we respond to the needs of our respective communities and serve the common good – Lord hear our prayer.
Taken from: REPRESENT!
Your voice in Bamboo Town
Vol. 1 Issue 15
January 2011 Edition
Bahamas Blog International
...That all elected officials may respond to the needs of their community and serve the common good – we pray to the Lord – Lord hear our prayer.
We are so very fortunate to be blessed by God with such a beautiful country and, indeed, for the most part, beautiful, kind, generous and God fearing people. I, just like so many other persons, am convinced that there is no other place in this world like the Bahamas! But what are we doing or not doing to our beloved country? Are we settling for mediocrity and accepting it as the best we have?
Are we letting politics get in the way? I have no doubt that The Bahamas ought to be more than a “Little Switzerland” in the Atlantic, but are we doing our part?
A few weeks ago, while at church, I listened intently to the intercessory prayer – “that all elected officials may respond to the needs of their community and serve the common good – we pray to the Lord – Lord hear our prayer”. This intercessory stuck in my mind and I wondered if our elected officials, including me, respond to the needs of their community. Now I take that to mean the community of the Bahamas and its welfare. For the most part, I think we respond, but in the wrong way and for the wrong reasons. In my humble view, I think that we have become so polarized/political/partisan that we lose sight of what is the “common good” of the community; what is indeed the common good of The Bahamas and the Bahamian people. We tend to put PLP and the FNM and their respective colours before the people of the Bahamas. This should not be! We should be at a stage where we have moved beyond petty politics.
Now do not get me wrong, there is a time and a place for politics, but the interest and the welfare of the Bahamian people must be priority number one! I am not sure we, as politicians, appreciate this notion.
In Bamboo Town, my theme colour is the olive green – not red and white,not yellow, but the olive green. That colour signifies that I am extending the olive branch to all members of my constituency, inclusive of – FNMs, PLPs and ABCs. You see, if I were to have the FNM’s colours, the odds are, only the FNMs will participate in the many programs we have in the community. What then happens to those who are not FNM or those who do not vote, perhaps became of religious or other reasons? The idea, put simply, is for ALL to participate! It does not matter to me what political persuasion you are. I am the representative for all and my aim is for the common good. As a result, I have had the good fortune of persons of different political persuasions, and quite pleasantly surprisingly persons who do not participate in the political process for one reason or the other, join and assist in programs that we have in Bamboo Town. That is because we are about community not politics.
I do pray to the Almighty that we do not become like some of our neighbouring countries to the south where violence is the order of the day when it comes to politics. Let us not follow in their footsteps.
In my resignation statement, I said that I fear that we are going in the wrong direction politically. This is what I meant. It is time that we respond to the needs of our respective communities and serve the common good – Lord hear our prayer.
Taken from: REPRESENT!
Your voice in Bamboo Town
Vol. 1 Issue 15
January 2011 Edition
Bahamas Blog International
Leon Williams: Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) missed out on opportunities that would have made it even more competitive and valuable
“BTC Missed Out On Opportunities,” Says Williams
By Scieska Adderley
Former Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) President and CEO Leon Williams believes that the country’s telecommunications provider is the most profitable government entity, despite missing several opportunities that would have made the company even more competitive and valuable.
Mr. Williams was the keynote speaker at the Rotary Club of West Nassau’s weekly meeting yesterday.
During his address, he explained that he had a certain vision for BTC while he was at the helm.
According to Mr. Williams, his main goal was to raise enough money so that BTC could grow outside of The Bahamas.
"We went to Haiti where we built a $6 million cable to Haiti. The Government of Haiti offered us the first right of refusal for a DSL and a wireless network. It would have cost $30 million to do the GSM in Haiti. We did not see and when I say we did not see, other people did not see the value of Haiti."
Mr. Williams said if BTC had gotten its services off the ground in Haiti, using just 10 per cent of that country’s customers, in three years that alone would have generated BTC’s annual profits.
He noted that Digicel tapped into that market and within the first three months, the company had 500,000 customers, then in its first year, that number increased to 1.6 million customers.
Currently, Digicel has 2.6 million customers in Haiti.
Mr. Williams explained that BTC has also missed out on marketing its VIBE phone service internationally.
"We then created the VIBE network. We had the Bahamian girl on the box, a Jamaican girl on the box and we had a Haitian girl on the box. The idea was to go to Miami and sell the VIBE in Miami, 1.8 million in Miami. We even had it on Concourse D at the Miami International Aiport. We were even advertising where no one else was advertising in that same area in the United States."
Mr. Williams said it is important to expand the market beyond The Bahamas.
He compared it to Cable Bahamas, which has over the years expanded its services to countries such as Barbados, Jamaica, Curacao and the Dominican Republic.
Overall, Mr. Williams noted there are 20 million customers on The Bahamas’ border-markets that can be exploited, but unfortunately have not.
February 28, 2011
jonesbahamas
By Scieska Adderley
Former Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) President and CEO Leon Williams believes that the country’s telecommunications provider is the most profitable government entity, despite missing several opportunities that would have made the company even more competitive and valuable.
Mr. Williams was the keynote speaker at the Rotary Club of West Nassau’s weekly meeting yesterday.
During his address, he explained that he had a certain vision for BTC while he was at the helm.
According to Mr. Williams, his main goal was to raise enough money so that BTC could grow outside of The Bahamas.
"We went to Haiti where we built a $6 million cable to Haiti. The Government of Haiti offered us the first right of refusal for a DSL and a wireless network. It would have cost $30 million to do the GSM in Haiti. We did not see and when I say we did not see, other people did not see the value of Haiti."
Mr. Williams said if BTC had gotten its services off the ground in Haiti, using just 10 per cent of that country’s customers, in three years that alone would have generated BTC’s annual profits.
He noted that Digicel tapped into that market and within the first three months, the company had 500,000 customers, then in its first year, that number increased to 1.6 million customers.
Currently, Digicel has 2.6 million customers in Haiti.
Mr. Williams explained that BTC has also missed out on marketing its VIBE phone service internationally.
"We then created the VIBE network. We had the Bahamian girl on the box, a Jamaican girl on the box and we had a Haitian girl on the box. The idea was to go to Miami and sell the VIBE in Miami, 1.8 million in Miami. We even had it on Concourse D at the Miami International Aiport. We were even advertising where no one else was advertising in that same area in the United States."
Mr. Williams said it is important to expand the market beyond The Bahamas.
He compared it to Cable Bahamas, which has over the years expanded its services to countries such as Barbados, Jamaica, Curacao and the Dominican Republic.
Overall, Mr. Williams noted there are 20 million customers on The Bahamas’ border-markets that can be exploited, but unfortunately have not.
February 28, 2011
jonesbahamas
Monday, February 28, 2011
Loretta Butler-Turner: ...much work to do in The Bahamas to increase women and girls participation in the field of education, training, science and technology
The Bahamas reaffirms commitment to gender equality and advancement of women
tribune242
EVEN while lauding progress on gender equity in education and employment opportunities, Minister of State for Social Development Loretta Butler-Turner said that with the rapid advancement in information and communication technology (lCT) shaping the global environment, there is still much work to do in the Bahamas to increase the level of participation by women and girls in the fields of education, training, science and technology.
Mrs. Turner was addressing the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which convened at the UN under the theme "access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women's equal access to full employment and decent work." During her address, Mrs. Turner reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of The Bahamas to globally recognized goals for access for women and girls to education and employment and urged the elimination of gender barriers in order to empower women and girls to fully participate in the scientific and technical global environment.
The minister said that the Educational and Employment Acts of The Bahamas ensure equal educational rights for boys and girls and full employment and decent work for men and women.
"Increasingly girls are pursuing subjects that have traditionally been regarded as 'male' subjects in response to the changing demands of the local labour market," she reported.
"One of The Bahamas' success stories in promoting non-traditional educational training and employment opportunities for young people is the establishment of The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), which has seen greater numbers of females seeking careers in agriculture, construction engineering, electronics, and automotive and electrical engineering and technology."
Mrs. Turner also pointed out that a significant number of women currently hold high-level administrative and faculty positions throughout the educational system of The Bahamas, including several leading associate and assistant professors in the natural sciences and environmental studies and some who have served as Chair of the Natural Sciences Division at the College of The Bahamas.
"While these are notable achievements, I am well aware that this is not enough," the minister said. "With the rapid advancement in information and communication technology (lCT) shaping the global environment, we still have much work to do in The Bahamas to increase women and girls participation in the field of education, training, science and technology. An overwhelming number of female graduates are still inclined to pursue careers in the humanities, social sciences, and judicial fields."
February 28, 2011
tribune242
tribune242
EVEN while lauding progress on gender equity in education and employment opportunities, Minister of State for Social Development Loretta Butler-Turner said that with the rapid advancement in information and communication technology (lCT) shaping the global environment, there is still much work to do in the Bahamas to increase the level of participation by women and girls in the fields of education, training, science and technology.
Mrs. Turner was addressing the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which convened at the UN under the theme "access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women's equal access to full employment and decent work." During her address, Mrs. Turner reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of The Bahamas to globally recognized goals for access for women and girls to education and employment and urged the elimination of gender barriers in order to empower women and girls to fully participate in the scientific and technical global environment.
The minister said that the Educational and Employment Acts of The Bahamas ensure equal educational rights for boys and girls and full employment and decent work for men and women.
"Increasingly girls are pursuing subjects that have traditionally been regarded as 'male' subjects in response to the changing demands of the local labour market," she reported.
"One of The Bahamas' success stories in promoting non-traditional educational training and employment opportunities for young people is the establishment of The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), which has seen greater numbers of females seeking careers in agriculture, construction engineering, electronics, and automotive and electrical engineering and technology."
Mrs. Turner also pointed out that a significant number of women currently hold high-level administrative and faculty positions throughout the educational system of The Bahamas, including several leading associate and assistant professors in the natural sciences and environmental studies and some who have served as Chair of the Natural Sciences Division at the College of The Bahamas.
"While these are notable achievements, I am well aware that this is not enough," the minister said. "With the rapid advancement in information and communication technology (lCT) shaping the global environment, we still have much work to do in The Bahamas to increase women and girls participation in the field of education, training, science and technology. An overwhelming number of female graduates are still inclined to pursue careers in the humanities, social sciences, and judicial fields."
February 28, 2011
tribune242
Sunday, February 27, 2011
ZNS, while still having advantages over other news outlets, has been failing in its mandate to “inform, educate and entertain” the public
Does ZNS deserve a dime?
thenassauguardian
Corporation’s restructuring yet to bear fruit
Three months after the government released 80 people from the ZNS Network in a controversial restructuring exercise, ads running on the Parliamentary Channel declare that the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (BCB) is now seeking to hire reporters and other employees.
ZNS still appears to be critically challenged and the public has a front row seat to witness whether the recent restructuring would indeed result in an improved operation.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham cannot coast forever on the fact the he liberated the airwaves after he first came to power nearly 20 years ago. It is perhaps why the administration has taken the action it says would lead to improvements at the state-owned corporation.
When Ingraham initially became prime minister, media-wise The Bahamas was in the dark ages after decades of the ZNS broadcast monopoly.
Many years of mismanagement and inappropriate intervention by the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) — which has no moral authority to lecture anyone on what has happened at ZNS — left many Bahamians misinformed and pretty much beholden to government for whatever scraps of information it would offer about its achievements.
As far as public transparency, things have gotten somewhat better in the years since.
However, as far as making substantive information freely available, the Free National Movement and the PLP leave much to be desired.
Politicians still use ZNS as a tool for propaganda, asserting their own importance and efficiency as often as possible.
It seems as if the politicians’ view is that the primary function of ZNS is to show how much they are doing for the very people they ask to pay for the state broadcaster.
ZNS’ financial situation
A recent report by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) noted that levels of public funding for ZNS are low by international standards.
In 2009/10, the corporation’s unaudited total income was $14.7 million. Of this, $6.2 million, or 44 percent of the total, was derived from commercial means, according to URCA.
The government provided a public grant of $8.5 million, representing the other 56 percent of ZNS' income over the year.
For the financial year 2010/11, the corporation’s public grant was slashed in half and now stands at $4.25 million.
According to URCA's research, the government grant in 2009/10 was the equivalent of spending $28 per person in the country.
URCA said that compared to PSB spending in 18 other countries, The Bahamas came in on the low-end of the scale.
URCA said other countries showed a per capita spend of around $40 to $60, and in some cases $80 to $110 per head on PSB.
ZNS, while still having advantages over other news outlets, has been failing its mandate to “inform, educate and entertain” the public.
Just looking at the information aspect of its mandate, ZNS has a long way to go and has been lagging for quite some time.
Staff changes
In 2009, ZNS radio anchor and reporter Julian Reid left the editorial department to work in programming.
He hosted a monthly show about the environment, ‘The Bahamas Naturally’.
Charlene Ferguson became the regular morning news anchor.
A few weeks before the corporation’s spectacular meltdown in November, long-time reporter Sherman Brown was forced to resign from the corporation after being caught up in some controversy involving the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) and Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard, who lives in Lyford Cay.
As part of the restructuring, Ferguson and Reid were let go.
Marcellus Hall, who was a sports editor, claimed he found the way ZNS handled the downsizing to be distasteful, so he voluntarily accepted a retirement package.
Jerome Sawyer, unquestionably the most qualified broadcast television talent at ZNS, was removed as anchor and from news altogether and given a one-year contract at a severely reduced salary to produce a show called ‘The Sawyer Report’.
Keishla Smith became the national television news anchor.
‘The Sawyer Report’ does not always air consistently, apparently because the studio space Sawyer was given to do his new show is now occupied by the new set for ‘The Bahamas Tonight’ evening newscast.
Sawyer also apparently has few resources to do his show, which is still no excuse for the irregularity of the broadcasts.
With Ferguson gone, Altovise Munnings, who was hired at ZNS about midway through 2010, is now responsible for the radio news and required to do TV reporting, which is normal in the industry.
Beverly Curry was removed as news director and offered the post of director of the Parliamentary Channel. She decided to accept a retirement package instead.
It is reported that she has since returned and accepted the job she was offered during the restructuring.
Anthony ‘Ace’ Newbold, who was formerly deputy general manager of the Parliamentary Channel, replaced Curry as news director.
Opal Roach and Betty Thompson were returned to news reporting from Parliamentary Channel duties.
Vaughnique Toote, a TV and radio reporter, was moved to the Parliamentary Channel.
She lasted less than two months and now works for The Nassau Guardian as the main news anchor for Star 106.5 FM.
So ZNS lost four reporters, one news anchor, and a sports anchor in the space of just a few months.
Now, after the frenzy that was the restructuring exercise, the BCB is looking for people to fill several positions.
In the meantime, reporters continue to host various shows.
Clint Watson has been hosting a news week-in-review program for some time now.
And Shenique Miller has been hosting the seasonal weekly show ‘Press Pass’ for more than a year now, although it is said to be heavily censored.
Since ZNS axed Julian Reid, reporter Giovanni Stuart has been hosting ‘The Bahamas Naturally’.
Syann Thompson also has a monthly culture show going on.
As ZNS added those responsibilities to some reporters, it has also increased the frequency of its radio and TV updates.
As part of the restructuring, ZNS recently abruptly stopped the national broadcast of television news from Grand Bahama.
The claim was that the cost was too much to bear, even though it was less than $100,000 per year to carry the broadcast.
That price does not seem exorbitant when one considers the value of properly informing the wider population on what is going on in the northern region.
ZNS also reportedly has an unwritten policy that ‘The Bahamas Tonight’ should not feature crime too prominently.
This sentiment was echoed by pastors at a recent press conference with police.
Apparently, the feeling amongst pastors and police is that the media sensationalize crime.
Anyone who cannot see how bad the crime problem is must be considered delusional and not allowed to make major decisions.
If the issue is not constantly highlighted and the police pressured to continually push back against criminals, the situation would only worsen.
ZNS also has a bad habit of making most stories about Cabinet ministers.
These high-ranking officials are important figures, but usually the story only tangentially involves them. It does not always begin and end with them.
And if the story is about the minister, tough questions should be asked.
As a result of all that has happened, ZNS has painted itself into a corner.
If ZNS does not correct itself very soon, the public may begin to doubt the veracity of information it broadcasts.
Now what?
ZNS Executive Chairman Michael Moss has rightly stated that ZNS has to be free of political influence. That might not happen anytime soon. The current prime minister seems unwilling to do this.
The PLP has slammed Ingraham for the downsizing.
If Perry Christie returns to power, it is unclear if he would rehire the laid off workers despite the drag on public finances.
Evidently, this mantra about the BCB being released from a political choke hold and transformed into something similar to what we see in industrialized countries has yet to bear fruit.
2/21/2011
thenassauguardian
thenassauguardian
Corporation’s restructuring yet to bear fruit
Three months after the government released 80 people from the ZNS Network in a controversial restructuring exercise, ads running on the Parliamentary Channel declare that the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (BCB) is now seeking to hire reporters and other employees.
ZNS still appears to be critically challenged and the public has a front row seat to witness whether the recent restructuring would indeed result in an improved operation.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham cannot coast forever on the fact the he liberated the airwaves after he first came to power nearly 20 years ago. It is perhaps why the administration has taken the action it says would lead to improvements at the state-owned corporation.
When Ingraham initially became prime minister, media-wise The Bahamas was in the dark ages after decades of the ZNS broadcast monopoly.
Many years of mismanagement and inappropriate intervention by the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) — which has no moral authority to lecture anyone on what has happened at ZNS — left many Bahamians misinformed and pretty much beholden to government for whatever scraps of information it would offer about its achievements.
As far as public transparency, things have gotten somewhat better in the years since.
However, as far as making substantive information freely available, the Free National Movement and the PLP leave much to be desired.
Politicians still use ZNS as a tool for propaganda, asserting their own importance and efficiency as often as possible.
It seems as if the politicians’ view is that the primary function of ZNS is to show how much they are doing for the very people they ask to pay for the state broadcaster.
ZNS’ financial situation
A recent report by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) noted that levels of public funding for ZNS are low by international standards.
In 2009/10, the corporation’s unaudited total income was $14.7 million. Of this, $6.2 million, or 44 percent of the total, was derived from commercial means, according to URCA.
The government provided a public grant of $8.5 million, representing the other 56 percent of ZNS' income over the year.
For the financial year 2010/11, the corporation’s public grant was slashed in half and now stands at $4.25 million.
According to URCA's research, the government grant in 2009/10 was the equivalent of spending $28 per person in the country.
URCA said that compared to PSB spending in 18 other countries, The Bahamas came in on the low-end of the scale.
URCA said other countries showed a per capita spend of around $40 to $60, and in some cases $80 to $110 per head on PSB.
ZNS, while still having advantages over other news outlets, has been failing its mandate to “inform, educate and entertain” the public.
Just looking at the information aspect of its mandate, ZNS has a long way to go and has been lagging for quite some time.
Staff changes
In 2009, ZNS radio anchor and reporter Julian Reid left the editorial department to work in programming.
He hosted a monthly show about the environment, ‘The Bahamas Naturally’.
Charlene Ferguson became the regular morning news anchor.
A few weeks before the corporation’s spectacular meltdown in November, long-time reporter Sherman Brown was forced to resign from the corporation after being caught up in some controversy involving the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) and Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard, who lives in Lyford Cay.
As part of the restructuring, Ferguson and Reid were let go.
Marcellus Hall, who was a sports editor, claimed he found the way ZNS handled the downsizing to be distasteful, so he voluntarily accepted a retirement package.
Jerome Sawyer, unquestionably the most qualified broadcast television talent at ZNS, was removed as anchor and from news altogether and given a one-year contract at a severely reduced salary to produce a show called ‘The Sawyer Report’.
Keishla Smith became the national television news anchor.
‘The Sawyer Report’ does not always air consistently, apparently because the studio space Sawyer was given to do his new show is now occupied by the new set for ‘The Bahamas Tonight’ evening newscast.
Sawyer also apparently has few resources to do his show, which is still no excuse for the irregularity of the broadcasts.
With Ferguson gone, Altovise Munnings, who was hired at ZNS about midway through 2010, is now responsible for the radio news and required to do TV reporting, which is normal in the industry.
Beverly Curry was removed as news director and offered the post of director of the Parliamentary Channel. She decided to accept a retirement package instead.
It is reported that she has since returned and accepted the job she was offered during the restructuring.
Anthony ‘Ace’ Newbold, who was formerly deputy general manager of the Parliamentary Channel, replaced Curry as news director.
Opal Roach and Betty Thompson were returned to news reporting from Parliamentary Channel duties.
Vaughnique Toote, a TV and radio reporter, was moved to the Parliamentary Channel.
She lasted less than two months and now works for The Nassau Guardian as the main news anchor for Star 106.5 FM.
So ZNS lost four reporters, one news anchor, and a sports anchor in the space of just a few months.
Now, after the frenzy that was the restructuring exercise, the BCB is looking for people to fill several positions.
In the meantime, reporters continue to host various shows.
Clint Watson has been hosting a news week-in-review program for some time now.
And Shenique Miller has been hosting the seasonal weekly show ‘Press Pass’ for more than a year now, although it is said to be heavily censored.
Since ZNS axed Julian Reid, reporter Giovanni Stuart has been hosting ‘The Bahamas Naturally’.
Syann Thompson also has a monthly culture show going on.
As ZNS added those responsibilities to some reporters, it has also increased the frequency of its radio and TV updates.
As part of the restructuring, ZNS recently abruptly stopped the national broadcast of television news from Grand Bahama.
The claim was that the cost was too much to bear, even though it was less than $100,000 per year to carry the broadcast.
That price does not seem exorbitant when one considers the value of properly informing the wider population on what is going on in the northern region.
ZNS also reportedly has an unwritten policy that ‘The Bahamas Tonight’ should not feature crime too prominently.
This sentiment was echoed by pastors at a recent press conference with police.
Apparently, the feeling amongst pastors and police is that the media sensationalize crime.
Anyone who cannot see how bad the crime problem is must be considered delusional and not allowed to make major decisions.
If the issue is not constantly highlighted and the police pressured to continually push back against criminals, the situation would only worsen.
ZNS also has a bad habit of making most stories about Cabinet ministers.
These high-ranking officials are important figures, but usually the story only tangentially involves them. It does not always begin and end with them.
And if the story is about the minister, tough questions should be asked.
As a result of all that has happened, ZNS has painted itself into a corner.
If ZNS does not correct itself very soon, the public may begin to doubt the veracity of information it broadcasts.
Now what?
ZNS Executive Chairman Michael Moss has rightly stated that ZNS has to be free of political influence. That might not happen anytime soon. The current prime minister seems unwilling to do this.
The PLP has slammed Ingraham for the downsizing.
If Perry Christie returns to power, it is unclear if he would rehire the laid off workers despite the drag on public finances.
Evidently, this mantra about the BCB being released from a political choke hold and transformed into something similar to what we see in industrialized countries has yet to bear fruit.
2/21/2011
thenassauguardian
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Teen pregnancy appears to have gone wild in The Bahamas
The effects of teenage pregnancy
By ADRIAN GIBSON
ajbahama@hotmail.com
THE social issues we now face in the Bahamas are due, in part, to the large number of children who are having children. Teenage pregnancy appears to have gone wild!
Teenage pregnancy is a major contributing factor to the social disintegration our country now faces. In the Bahamas, we are shifting from one generation to another too speedily, and thus resulting in a nation of poorly socialized, ill-mannered brats who are disgruntled and intent on ruining any thread of public harmony.
The term teenage pregnancy refers to any teenage girl who falls pregnant during her adolescent years. Teenage pregnancies carry a social stigma, lead to poorly educated adults, increase poverty and harmfully affect the lives of the children being born. In a report by the Save the Children organization, it was found that every year, about 13 million children (worldwide) are born to teen mothers under age 20, primarily in developing countries. According to local statistics, the percentage of births to teenage mothers lingers around 13 per cent of the national total.
Just last week, as I left a law firm on Dowdeswell Street, there walked a contingent of young girls, wearing baby-blue outfits (presumably students of the PACE--Providing Access to Continued Education--programme) and speaking garishly, all with protruding bellies. These youngsters were on average between ages 13 to 16. I recall one of them telling the other how she couldn't wait to have her baby, leave the PACE programme and return to regular school.
According to the PACE Foundation website, the PACE programme was initiated by Nurse Andrea Elizabeth Archer in 1970 and "has sought to pioneer ways and means to address the problem of teen pregnancy, and, in its many years of existence, has certainly impacted the lives of numerous teens and their babies."
The website says: "Over the years, it would have provided assistance to more than 3000 teenage mothers, helping them to complete high school thus ensuring them a better chance of breaking the cycle of poverty and hopelessness. However, PACE continues to face numerous problems that affect its functionality. Entry into the PACE programme is voluntary and available only to first-time teen mothers. However, less than half of the nation's first-time mothers enter the programme yearly.
Parenting
"The aim is to intervene in the lives of more first-time teen mothers with a view to ensuring that such girls achieve a minimum of a high school diploma, and preventing further pregnancies until they have achieved independent means by which they can care adequately for all their offspring. At present, our children are at risk of growing up in economically disadvantaged circumstances and with mothers who are ill-prepared for parenting and, in fact, need parenting themselves. The cost of ignoring this problem is great; therefore it demands our immediate attention," the Foundation's website read.
It further stated that "(a) principals of government secondary schools are reluctant to allow teen mothers re-entry into regular school for fear that they will have a negative influence on fellow students, both female and male; (b) the programme remains fragmented, as services such as antenatal care and others are offered in different locations; (c) there are no facilities for emergency housing or for on-site childcare; and (d) the programme is generally under funded."
The PACE programme nobly states the view that in accordance with article 23 of the Education Act 1996 "school is compulsory age between the ages of 5 and 16, underscoring that no citizen is more entitled to education than the other." The programme asserts that "it is further understood that education is important for the purposes of nation building and directly improves the standard of living and full development of human beings. With the existing make up of the economy of our country, there is little possibility of economic survival of a young teen with a child to support."
Indeed, the government, and private sector entities and citizens, must see to it that worthwhile programmes such as PACE are properly subsidized.
How can values be taught when there are 20-year-old mothers with children in primary school?
Our national conscience is surely in smithereens when we now have 32-year-old grandparents and it is being viewed as relatively normal due to its growing prevalence!
Today, our country is plagued by a spree of abhorrent crimes and senseless murders, most likely due to an absence of role models, poor social skills and a lack of values. How can ethics be taught when many of the children born are being parented by boorish youngsters?
The spate of violence at our public schools is again another example of our society's failure to confront many of the underlying social problems, instead simply choosing to adopt a reactionary approach to problem solving while hardly ever proposing credible, tangible solutions. It appears that many Bahamians have become desensitized and are of the view that if an issue is not directly affecting them, why care? We must adopt a proactive approach confronting an issue before it mushrooms and/or arrives at our doorsteps.
The PACE Foundation holds even more compelling views about the impact of teenage pregnancy upon society, stating:
"Owing to the fact that the mothers are single and have limited education, their children are at increased risk of growing up in poverty. Inadequate education also correlates with diminished awareness of the importance of proper health care, regardless of the fact that prenatal care, delivery, and childcare are free at government health institutions. Failure to access this care translates into more complications of pregnancy, low birth rates and increased incidences of morbidity and mortality in children of adolescent mothers."
Societal issues such as teen pregnancies, gang-banging and any other misdeeds, stem from a breakdown in the family, a lack of supervision, external influences and an erosion of our moral code.
In the Bahamas, there is usually a considerable age gap between adolescent girls and the men who impregnate them, with such marauding chaps typically being lousy predators in their late 20s or much older. Many school girls from adverse family environments seek the affection of older men, who are usually sought to fill a void left by an absentee father. Locally, it's assumed that many of the men engaging in relationships with underage girls are those who interact with them daily, that is, persons such as bus drivers, neighbours and even some professionals who ensnare them with money or a joy ride in a posh vehicle or some pie-in-the-sky promise. Some Bahamians would be surprised by the number of young girls who are enticed by men driving cars with flashy rims and a loud sound system!
In his song "Brenda's Got a Baby," the late rap legend Tupac Shakur famously stated what has become the norm in the Bahamas when he said:
"Now Brenda's (and one can fit any other name here) belly is getting bigger
"But no one seems to notice any change in her figure
"She's 12 years old and she's having a baby
"In love with the molester, who's sexing her crazy..."
As it relates to the protection of teenage girls from predators, the legal protections against sexual abuse and indecent assault must be stiffened, a database of paedophiles and sex offenders must be established, ankle bracelets tracking these predators must be used and, moreover, some good old fashioned parental love would go a long way.
Teenage pregnancy is a social epidemic that, if not effectively addressed, could further ruin our already volatile society. Frankly, sex education and Planned Parenthood programmes must be developed and further promoted and there must be greater community and parental support to curb the incidences of teenage pregnancy.
In the United States, schools are encouraging abstinence while certain community and religious groups are promoting virginity pledges. In Holland, sex education is a part of every school's curriculum, the media advances public discourse and health-care professionals--at all levels--are prudent and discrete about such matters. Why can't the same approach be taken locally?
Further, the PACE Foundation also states that:
"For the period from 1996-2000, 72.1 per cent (2599 of 3604) of the total hospital discharge diagnoses for adolescent females were complications of pregnancy, hinting at the impact of the teen pregnancy on the national health care budget. Over this same time frame 331 abortions were recorded in this age group. The breakdown is as follows: 14.4 per cent spontaneous, 0.8 per cent legal and 84.9 per cent unspecified."
In the Bahamas, children born to teen mothers are often poor academic performers, social deviants and high school dropouts. Without positive influences and constructive intervention, it is very likely that the daughters of teen mothers will become adolescent parents themselves and that the sons of teen mothers will, more often than not, serve time in prison. Unfortunately, the children of teen mothers or households with absentee fathers, many times become societal miscreants, that is, the problematic, community menaces with behavioral issues that began during their formative years.
Our collapsing society will only be built up when children are once again cultured and taught that "manners and respect will take you throughout the world!"
February 25, 2011
tribune242
By ADRIAN GIBSON
ajbahama@hotmail.com
THE social issues we now face in the Bahamas are due, in part, to the large number of children who are having children. Teenage pregnancy appears to have gone wild!
Teenage pregnancy is a major contributing factor to the social disintegration our country now faces. In the Bahamas, we are shifting from one generation to another too speedily, and thus resulting in a nation of poorly socialized, ill-mannered brats who are disgruntled and intent on ruining any thread of public harmony.
The term teenage pregnancy refers to any teenage girl who falls pregnant during her adolescent years. Teenage pregnancies carry a social stigma, lead to poorly educated adults, increase poverty and harmfully affect the lives of the children being born. In a report by the Save the Children organization, it was found that every year, about 13 million children (worldwide) are born to teen mothers under age 20, primarily in developing countries. According to local statistics, the percentage of births to teenage mothers lingers around 13 per cent of the national total.
Just last week, as I left a law firm on Dowdeswell Street, there walked a contingent of young girls, wearing baby-blue outfits (presumably students of the PACE--Providing Access to Continued Education--programme) and speaking garishly, all with protruding bellies. These youngsters were on average between ages 13 to 16. I recall one of them telling the other how she couldn't wait to have her baby, leave the PACE programme and return to regular school.
According to the PACE Foundation website, the PACE programme was initiated by Nurse Andrea Elizabeth Archer in 1970 and "has sought to pioneer ways and means to address the problem of teen pregnancy, and, in its many years of existence, has certainly impacted the lives of numerous teens and their babies."
The website says: "Over the years, it would have provided assistance to more than 3000 teenage mothers, helping them to complete high school thus ensuring them a better chance of breaking the cycle of poverty and hopelessness. However, PACE continues to face numerous problems that affect its functionality. Entry into the PACE programme is voluntary and available only to first-time teen mothers. However, less than half of the nation's first-time mothers enter the programme yearly.
Parenting
"The aim is to intervene in the lives of more first-time teen mothers with a view to ensuring that such girls achieve a minimum of a high school diploma, and preventing further pregnancies until they have achieved independent means by which they can care adequately for all their offspring. At present, our children are at risk of growing up in economically disadvantaged circumstances and with mothers who are ill-prepared for parenting and, in fact, need parenting themselves. The cost of ignoring this problem is great; therefore it demands our immediate attention," the Foundation's website read.
It further stated that "(a) principals of government secondary schools are reluctant to allow teen mothers re-entry into regular school for fear that they will have a negative influence on fellow students, both female and male; (b) the programme remains fragmented, as services such as antenatal care and others are offered in different locations; (c) there are no facilities for emergency housing or for on-site childcare; and (d) the programme is generally under funded."
The PACE programme nobly states the view that in accordance with article 23 of the Education Act 1996 "school is compulsory age between the ages of 5 and 16, underscoring that no citizen is more entitled to education than the other." The programme asserts that "it is further understood that education is important for the purposes of nation building and directly improves the standard of living and full development of human beings. With the existing make up of the economy of our country, there is little possibility of economic survival of a young teen with a child to support."
Indeed, the government, and private sector entities and citizens, must see to it that worthwhile programmes such as PACE are properly subsidized.
How can values be taught when there are 20-year-old mothers with children in primary school?
Our national conscience is surely in smithereens when we now have 32-year-old grandparents and it is being viewed as relatively normal due to its growing prevalence!
Today, our country is plagued by a spree of abhorrent crimes and senseless murders, most likely due to an absence of role models, poor social skills and a lack of values. How can ethics be taught when many of the children born are being parented by boorish youngsters?
The spate of violence at our public schools is again another example of our society's failure to confront many of the underlying social problems, instead simply choosing to adopt a reactionary approach to problem solving while hardly ever proposing credible, tangible solutions. It appears that many Bahamians have become desensitized and are of the view that if an issue is not directly affecting them, why care? We must adopt a proactive approach confronting an issue before it mushrooms and/or arrives at our doorsteps.
The PACE Foundation holds even more compelling views about the impact of teenage pregnancy upon society, stating:
"Owing to the fact that the mothers are single and have limited education, their children are at increased risk of growing up in poverty. Inadequate education also correlates with diminished awareness of the importance of proper health care, regardless of the fact that prenatal care, delivery, and childcare are free at government health institutions. Failure to access this care translates into more complications of pregnancy, low birth rates and increased incidences of morbidity and mortality in children of adolescent mothers."
Societal issues such as teen pregnancies, gang-banging and any other misdeeds, stem from a breakdown in the family, a lack of supervision, external influences and an erosion of our moral code.
In the Bahamas, there is usually a considerable age gap between adolescent girls and the men who impregnate them, with such marauding chaps typically being lousy predators in their late 20s or much older. Many school girls from adverse family environments seek the affection of older men, who are usually sought to fill a void left by an absentee father. Locally, it's assumed that many of the men engaging in relationships with underage girls are those who interact with them daily, that is, persons such as bus drivers, neighbours and even some professionals who ensnare them with money or a joy ride in a posh vehicle or some pie-in-the-sky promise. Some Bahamians would be surprised by the number of young girls who are enticed by men driving cars with flashy rims and a loud sound system!
In his song "Brenda's Got a Baby," the late rap legend Tupac Shakur famously stated what has become the norm in the Bahamas when he said:
"Now Brenda's (and one can fit any other name here) belly is getting bigger
"But no one seems to notice any change in her figure
"She's 12 years old and she's having a baby
"In love with the molester, who's sexing her crazy..."
As it relates to the protection of teenage girls from predators, the legal protections against sexual abuse and indecent assault must be stiffened, a database of paedophiles and sex offenders must be established, ankle bracelets tracking these predators must be used and, moreover, some good old fashioned parental love would go a long way.
Teenage pregnancy is a social epidemic that, if not effectively addressed, could further ruin our already volatile society. Frankly, sex education and Planned Parenthood programmes must be developed and further promoted and there must be greater community and parental support to curb the incidences of teenage pregnancy.
In the United States, schools are encouraging abstinence while certain community and religious groups are promoting virginity pledges. In Holland, sex education is a part of every school's curriculum, the media advances public discourse and health-care professionals--at all levels--are prudent and discrete about such matters. Why can't the same approach be taken locally?
Further, the PACE Foundation also states that:
"For the period from 1996-2000, 72.1 per cent (2599 of 3604) of the total hospital discharge diagnoses for adolescent females were complications of pregnancy, hinting at the impact of the teen pregnancy on the national health care budget. Over this same time frame 331 abortions were recorded in this age group. The breakdown is as follows: 14.4 per cent spontaneous, 0.8 per cent legal and 84.9 per cent unspecified."
In the Bahamas, children born to teen mothers are often poor academic performers, social deviants and high school dropouts. Without positive influences and constructive intervention, it is very likely that the daughters of teen mothers will become adolescent parents themselves and that the sons of teen mothers will, more often than not, serve time in prison. Unfortunately, the children of teen mothers or households with absentee fathers, many times become societal miscreants, that is, the problematic, community menaces with behavioral issues that began during their formative years.
Our collapsing society will only be built up when children are once again cultured and taught that "manners and respect will take you throughout the world!"
February 25, 2011
tribune242
Friday, February 25, 2011
Continuing budget deficits and the national debt... Bahamas
The mid-term budget
thenassauguardian editorial
The prime minister and minister of finance has presented to Parliament a statement on the fiscal affairs of the country for the six month period ending 31st December, 2010. It seems clear that the country is still being severely challenged on the fiscal front and the economy has yet to emerge from the depths of the global recession.
The most important budgetary item, total revenue, is trailing estimates by $50 million despite the tax hikes and the improved revenue administration announced at the start of this current budgetary cycle.
That outcome is not surprising when one considers that in our economy, our major source of government revenue is customs duties, which are determined by the level of imports, which in turn is determined by employment levels and tourists arrivals.
Unemployment is in the mid-teens, according to the latest available figures which have not been released since 2009, and air-arrivals — the most important tourist category — is seemingly stagnant at 1.3 million; a figure that has hardly changed in two decades.
From a policy perspective, it seems clear that efforts to boost tourist arrivals (by air) and at the same time expand employment opportunities are of critical importance going forward.
Although the budget statement gave a hint of cautious optimism regarding the outlook for economic growth and development over the short term, it is difficult to overlook the ominous threat to that growth also contained in the statement in reference to the almost 24 percent increase in gas prices at the pump and the 37 percent increase in the surcharge applied by B.E.C. to our electricity bills.
It would appear that the consumer, who continues to buckle under the more than $1 billion in loan arrears at the bank (mostly in mortgages), will continue to face serious financial challenges for the rest of the year.
The mid-term budget permits, among other things, for Parliament to approve by way of a supplementary expenditure Bill any additional funding that is needed for specific line items in the original budget. In this exercise, an additional $10 million was needed for the e-government initiative; $18 million is earmarked for payment to the utility companies; nearly $4 million for the police; and another $4 million for medicine.
On the Capital Budget side, $5 million went to Broadcasting Corporation and some $8.8 million to the Water and Sewerage Corporation. These cost-over runs are partially offset by under-spending on other items.
What is somewhat surprising about the listing, however, is the absence of any additional funding for Bahamasair, which is usually at the head of the line when it comes to government hand-outs. The expenditure items, both recurrent and capital, are largely within the estimates which were earlier approved by Parliament and given the fixed nature of the major items, Personnel Emoluments (wages, salaries, gratuities and pensions) that is not surprising but it is cause for concern in the face of sluggish revenue performance and the historical stance taken by successive governments not to make any major adjustments to staff levels in the public services sector.
The combination of sluggish revenue performance and rigid expenditure levels, which have become hallmarks of government’s budgets, could only lead to continuing deficits; deficits which are invariably financed by further additions to the national debt, which at an unprecedented 56% of GDP, is approaching a threshold that should be of paramount concern to all of us, especially the younger generation who no doubt would have to pay it off sometime in the future.
2/24/2011
thenassauguardian editorial
thenassauguardian editorial
The prime minister and minister of finance has presented to Parliament a statement on the fiscal affairs of the country for the six month period ending 31st December, 2010. It seems clear that the country is still being severely challenged on the fiscal front and the economy has yet to emerge from the depths of the global recession.
The most important budgetary item, total revenue, is trailing estimates by $50 million despite the tax hikes and the improved revenue administration announced at the start of this current budgetary cycle.
That outcome is not surprising when one considers that in our economy, our major source of government revenue is customs duties, which are determined by the level of imports, which in turn is determined by employment levels and tourists arrivals.
Unemployment is in the mid-teens, according to the latest available figures which have not been released since 2009, and air-arrivals — the most important tourist category — is seemingly stagnant at 1.3 million; a figure that has hardly changed in two decades.
From a policy perspective, it seems clear that efforts to boost tourist arrivals (by air) and at the same time expand employment opportunities are of critical importance going forward.
Although the budget statement gave a hint of cautious optimism regarding the outlook for economic growth and development over the short term, it is difficult to overlook the ominous threat to that growth also contained in the statement in reference to the almost 24 percent increase in gas prices at the pump and the 37 percent increase in the surcharge applied by B.E.C. to our electricity bills.
It would appear that the consumer, who continues to buckle under the more than $1 billion in loan arrears at the bank (mostly in mortgages), will continue to face serious financial challenges for the rest of the year.
The mid-term budget permits, among other things, for Parliament to approve by way of a supplementary expenditure Bill any additional funding that is needed for specific line items in the original budget. In this exercise, an additional $10 million was needed for the e-government initiative; $18 million is earmarked for payment to the utility companies; nearly $4 million for the police; and another $4 million for medicine.
On the Capital Budget side, $5 million went to Broadcasting Corporation and some $8.8 million to the Water and Sewerage Corporation. These cost-over runs are partially offset by under-spending on other items.
What is somewhat surprising about the listing, however, is the absence of any additional funding for Bahamasair, which is usually at the head of the line when it comes to government hand-outs. The expenditure items, both recurrent and capital, are largely within the estimates which were earlier approved by Parliament and given the fixed nature of the major items, Personnel Emoluments (wages, salaries, gratuities and pensions) that is not surprising but it is cause for concern in the face of sluggish revenue performance and the historical stance taken by successive governments not to make any major adjustments to staff levels in the public services sector.
The combination of sluggish revenue performance and rigid expenditure levels, which have become hallmarks of government’s budgets, could only lead to continuing deficits; deficits which are invariably financed by further additions to the national debt, which at an unprecedented 56% of GDP, is approaching a threshold that should be of paramount concern to all of us, especially the younger generation who no doubt would have to pay it off sometime in the future.
2/24/2011
thenassauguardian editorial
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