Specify the nature of the national security threat or withdraw the remarks ‘Tommy’ Turnquest

Please Specify the Threat
The Bahama Journal Editorial


Information reaching us notes that, this nation’s armed forces have been put on alert – with this alert being sounded because of some unspecified threat to the national security of the Bahamas.

We are also hearing it said that, the Hon. Orville A. T. ‘Tommy’ Turnquest believes that there is a credible threat to this nation’s security.

While we have our full share of doubts about this matter, we are today respectfully calling on the Minister of National Security to step forward; this with a view to specifying the nature of this threat or – in the alternate- withdraw these remarks.

Indeed, there is information coming in suggests that, the unions' fight to oust Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) as the purchaser of the majority stake in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) constitutes some kind of threat to this nation’s security; this according to the same Minister of National Security, the Hon. O.A.T. ‘Tommy’ Turnquest.

We cannot and will not believe this of the unions in question; and for sure, we agree with them when they say that, the charge made is unwarranted and unfair.

We are also somewhat discomfited by information coming in that suggests that the same Minister is on record as saying that, the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) and Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) are on alert for any signs of a "threat" as a result of the sale of BTC to CWC.

This statement is at best gratuitous; since the police should always be on alert. The question here should more rightly be turned on the question, alert for what!?

Yet again, new information reaching us indicates that, “…when asked if the unions' fight against CWC represented a national threat, Turnquest said simply, "Absolutely."

This Minister either misspoke or is dreadfully misinformed.

And so today, we make the point – and here point blank – we do believe that workers and their representatives do have a right to protest any decision or proposal made by any administration in a free and sovereign Bahamas.

By necessary implication, then, we are in total disagreement with the Minister of National Security when he intimates that, the unions’ current opposition to the BTC- Cable and Wireless deal for whatever reason represents a so-called threat to either national development or security.

Claiming that he and his colleagues know what they know – and that [furthermore] they are prepared for what they [now] know, the Hon. Tommy Turnquest darkly hints and claims that, they are also quite ready for any threat.

These obscure statements apparently have something or the other to do with demands and statements made by certain union leaders and their followers who are opposed to that deal in the works that seems set to give Cable and Wireless a 51% stake in BTC.

As far as we know and understand the extent to which Bahamians have rights in this country is to the effect that, they surely do have a right to movement, expression and to sharing such with their fellows here, there and all around the world.

These people also have a right to express their [peaceful] opposition to any stance taken by any government. And clearly, when workers vote, they have a right to turf one party out and invite another in.

This is part and parcel of how things are done in a democracy.

By the same token, the government of the day has a duty to do its best within the four corners of the law; all the while knowing that whenever they are so minded, the people can elect and select others to lead them.
Yet again, this is part and parcel of how things are done in a democracy.
Here we are certain that the Hon. Minister of National Security is fully aware of these facts of life in a land where sovereignty inheres in the people.

Clearly then, the ‘rights’ whereof we speak are rights that are guaranteed in the fundamental law of the land as that law is to be found in the Constitution; itself a creation of the Bahamian people –united in service and love.

While not saying what information the RBPF and RBDF have about the unions and their plans, or how the information is being acquired, the minister intimated that both of those entities have credible information.

This report merely begs the question – show us the evidence!

Clearly then, when any Minister suggests that, unions and their leaders might for whatever reason pose a threat to the national security of the Bahamian nation, they should feel honor-bound to back up this statement with facts that are easily verifiable.

Otherwise, he should now specify and substantiate the claim he has made – or do the next best thing.

January 13, 2011

The Bahama Journal Editorial

Bahamas Blog International

...the Christie government's secret negotiations with Bluewater...

Bahamians being offered better deal
tribune242 editoial



WE ARE baffled by Opposition Leader Perry Christie's harping on the "secrecy" surrounding government's memorandum of understanding with Cable & Wireless (LIME). Surprised because on the desk in front of us is a file of the Christie government's secret negotiations with Bluewater that were then too sensitive to be shared with the public and of which no one knew the details until the Ingraham government came to office and opened the books. The union, by its own and Mr Christie's admission, was a part of the negotiations and approved the sale.

A week before the election, which resulted in the Christie government's removal from office, it was discovered that the privatisation committee for the Bluewater sale had submitted its report, which was approved by cabinet, but not signed by Mr Christie.

Today the public knows more about the Cable and Wireless proposal than it ever did about the Bluewater deal -- and even now information is coming out about Bluewater that the public is hearing for the first time.

Prime Minister Ingraham has promised that all information on the BTC sale with all documents attached will be made public two weeks before being presented to the House for a vote.

This full disclosure, we can assure our readers -- judging from the PLP's track record, especially recalling the "secret" land-giveaway in the Baha Mar Cable Beach deal -- would have never happened under the Christie government.

And so why does Mr Christie continue to harp on a deal being "clandestinely" dealt with "deep in secret" when there is nothing secret about it?

He believes government, avoided parliament yesterday morning, because it is afraid of the issue.

"They know that they are riding a tiger and you know old Confucius' saying: 'He who ride rides tiger dare not fall off,'" said Mr Christie.

We know that Confucius was a wise man, but this particular saying cannot be attributed to him. It is an ancient Chinese proverb, which says: "He who rides a tiger can never get off or the tiger will devour him."

Is this why Mr Christie cannot give up the secrecy myth? Maybe, he and the union representatives, who admit they were a part of the whole Bluewater negotiations, should come clean and tell the public why they were so secret when they were trying to hand over the Bahamian people's "jewel" to a group that had not been tested and had no track record in communications? No, Mr Christie, this is one tiger you will have to keep riding because if you fall off the people will indeed see that the Emperor has no clothes.

In yesterday's demonstration when a union member broke through the restraining barriers on Bay Street and was confronted by police, he taunted his colleagues, who remained behind the barricades: "They have y'all corralled like a bunch of animals. That is how they have you. Y'all look like a bunch of animals!"

Not only did they look like a bunch of corralled animals, but they were behaving as such without an independent brain in their heads. Imagine mounting a demonstration on the emotional hot air of politicians and union leaders without accepting the invitation to sit down with Cable and Wireless to discover for themselves what the negotiations are all about and the important role Bahamians are to play in it.

Today they now have a chance to sit down in the quiet of their homes and read the Cabinet's statement on page 7 of today's edition and see the bill of goods that the PLP was trying to sell them -- and if it were not for the election would have got away with -- and what they are being offered today.

This week a union leader accused government of giving away the country's cash cow. Indeed it is a cash cow that consumers are paying for dearly and unionists are milking without shame.

The backwardness of BTC has retarded the growth of this country's financial industry as well as local businesses that have been forced -- thanks to the computer -- to try to avoid the BTC monopoly as far as possible.

All we have heard so far is what the unionists want of BTC. It is now time for the consumers to be heard. Consumers want lower prices, better service and an ability to enter the world market without being hemmed in by suffocating monopolies.

Read the Cabinet statement and understand how Bahamians are being hoodwinked by politicians -- there is indeed no comparison with the Christie-backed Bluewater deal to what is being offered today by Cable and Wireless Communications.

December 16, 2010

tribune242 editoial

Bahamas Blog International

In Opposition to the BTC Deal

The Bahama Journal Editorial


That we live in perilous times is no longer a matter that incurs debate; it is simply taken as a given that, these are surely times when practically everything that was once stable seems hell-bent on being ripped from its moorings.

In this we would surely include certain givens as they related to how the Bahamas could and should orient itself to the region and to the world market.

In this regard, we would place all of what we once took for granted as it pertains to the supremacy and desirability of relying on foreign direct investment; and here sometimes to the exclusion of Bahamian investment.

For a fairly long season, this idea worked its magic; and here it had the salutary result of creating a fairly self-confident middle class [albeit one that lived heavily off borrowed money]. But as some of our people would attest and confirm, for a fairly long while, it sure did seem as if this kind of scenario would persist for a while longer.

And then, there was that other emerging trend where and when there arose such a high respect for the magic that was said to be inherent in market forces. As a consequence, very many governments around the world soon came to find themselves dragooned into becoming true believers in the new mantra.

This slew of new and true believers in the so-called magic of the market place included some of our leaders and their myriad of followers.

Indeed, such was the magnetic force of the new idea that some who should have known better were soon enough found to be dancing and sometimes even prancing to the same tune.

As we recall, this was the context wherein there emerged that consensus behind ideas to privatize this or that public owned entity.

Early on the Bahamas Telecommunications Corporation was identified for the privatization experience and treatment.

While the times have obviously changed and while practically no-one with an iota of sense continues that blather about the so-called magic inherent in so-called market-forces, BTC is set to be divested of majority control on the Bahamian side; with that control going to Cable and Wireless.

And yet again, we are learning that, there is currently a Memorandum of Understanding [MOU] that the government signed with the regional communications giant (which is known as LIME throughout the Caribbean) provides for the sale of a 51 percent stake in BTC for $210 million.

We are also told that an additional $21 million will be collected by the government from the 10 percent stamp tax associated with the sale.

Note also that the said MOU also provides that the government will leave $15 million of BTC's cash in the bank to provide operating capital for LIME.

As reported, BTC had just under $66 million in cash at the end of September, according to financial records obtained by our Journal.

Evidently, this implies that if the sale is concluded in the next several months and BTC's cash reserves are significantly impacted, at least $51 million of that cash would go to the public treasury.

At this juncture, then, the word we get is to the effect that, if BTC maintains the cash it now has until the targeted sale date of February 15, 2011, the money generated by the sale of BTC would amount to more than $282 million.

While this is good as far as it goes, we are loath to support this move.

In this regard, [and as everyone would know], the potential buyer is Cable and Wireless.

In addition, we are now being told that, the proposed sale of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) to Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) could net the government nearly $300 million by the time the deal is done.

While this is apparently a done deal, we are adamant in our conclusion that, more effort should have been put into seeing to it that this entity stayed in Bahamian hands.

This is our view not only because of our enduring concern for the well-being of our country and its people; but because we are absolutely convinced [as in the case of Cable Bahamas] BTC could and should be owned by Bahamians.

And clearly, we continue to be impressed by arguments that tell us that, there are some utilities such as those relating to water, electricity and communications that should – in the interests of national security- remain in the hands of Bahamian nationals.

Furthermore, we are absolutely convinced that, there remains a crying need for the Bahamian economy to stand –as it were - on two feet; with one firmly planted in the Bahamas by Bahamians and with the other just as firmly planted by foreigners.

Such a move would put this country of ours on a much firmer footing.
And for sure, this is precisely why –in principle- still opposed to this proposed link-up by BTC with Cable and Wireless.

December 8th, 2010

The Bahama Journal Editorial

Bahamas Blog International