Prime Minister Perry Christie says that he should have taken the bold step of regulating web shops ...after coming to office in 2012 ...instead of taking the referendum route

PM regrets referendum

Christie says he should have regulated web shops

By CANDIA DAMES
Guardian News Editor
candia@nasguard.com

Prime Minister Perry Christie has admitted regret over going to referendum on the gambling issue nearly a year ago and said he should have taken the bold step of regulating web shops after coming to office instead of putting it to a vote.

“I ought to have moved immediately to regulate the industry without going to a referendum and to articulate to the people of the country that we were going to have enormous problems in trying to have an environment where it is not regulated, said Christie when asked by The Nassau Guardian if he regrets not ‘having a horse in the race’.

The government refused to take a position ahead of the referendum, and some observers have opined that this contributed to the referendum failing.

Christie said the government will eventually have to do something about the web shops and noted concerns connected to money laundering and unregulated ‘banking’.

“Today, the governor of the Central Bank is demonstrating concern for this because what has happened is there has now been the evolution of a new economy that is underground, a new banking order that is taking place where mortgages are being given and where huge sums of money are moving,” he said in an interview on Friday.

“You always have money laundering concerns when you don’t regulate, but I’m thinking now of when the banks say you can’t bank your money, the Central Bank says you can’t invest in treasury bills, the Central Bank says you can’t export your money, you can’t put it in another country, then you ask the question if that is the case, what is supposed to be happening to the money?

“And so that is a very trying set of circumstances for me now.”

Christie hinted that the government might still regulate web shops.

“As I said in a meeting with the church [on Thursday], I said anyone coming out of the referendum of the kind that we had would require a new level of moral authority to address this issue in the face of the referendum result,” he said.

“That moral authority has to come in a different way. And by that I mean this, if the country was faced with a situation where we were collapsing and things were really very difficult then I have to look at the facts, that I have no alternative but to go to the country and explain to them, I can find $50 million or $60 million or $100 million in an area that can be legitimately acquired and say to them this is what I have to do and live with the results of such a decision.

“I am not at that point yet, but I’m at the point where discussions are being held, as they should be, over this really significant development in our country that has to be addressed.  The good news is it’s not being ignored.”

But Christie said he does not see the failed referendum as a low moment in his public life.

“I think it has been a low result for the country,” he said.

“I don’t have low moments in politics.  This is my 40th year in public life and that’s a lifetime, and so I have been able to introduce in my own life a hardening where I’m able to resist the temptation to feel sorry for myself and to move on.”

On January 28, 2012, voters were asked whether they support the regularization and taxation of web shops, and whether they support the establishment of a national lottery.

The total number of votes cast against the web shop question was 51,146 or 62 percent of the votes cast versus 31,657 or 38 percent of the votes cast in favor of taxing web shops.

Less than 50 percent of registered voters voted.

However, the Christian Council has demanded that the government respect the results of the referendum.

Last week, The Nassau Guardian reported on a Public Domain survey that showed strong support for web shops.

Respondents were asked whether they support the legalization of web shops.

Thirty-seven percent said they “strongly support” and 18 percent said they “somewhat support”.

Thirty-two percent said they “strongly oppose” and another eight percent said they “somewhat oppose”.

Five percent of respondents did not know or did not answer.

“The fact is that although the majority of Bahamians voted against such legalization in last year’s referendum is neither persuasive nor conclusive,” said Philip Galanis, who coordinated the ‘Vote Yes’ campaign.

“We maintain that the referendum results do not represent the national sentiment on this issue, particularly in light of the low voter turnout.”

A legal challenge brought by web shop operators after the referendum remains tied up in courts as their businesses continue to operate in the open.

thenassauguardian

January 20, 2014

Prime Minister Perry Christie is out of his depth when it comes to the environment

Local Attorney Says Prime Minister Is 'Out Of Touch' On Environment

Tribune242


Environmental attorney and consultant Romauld ‘Romi’ Ferreira took to the airwaves recently to express concern over what he called “out of date” thinking by Prime Minister Perry Christie who, he said, called concerns with the environment “foolishness.”

Ferreira and environmental activist Joseph Darville appeared on Ortland Bodie’s ‘Real Talk Live’ show on More 94.9 recently urging Bahamians to sign the Save The Bays petition calling for an Environmental Protection Act, Freedom of Information Act and an end to unregulated development. Mr Ferreira, responded to Prime Minister Christie’s recent dismissal of environmental concerns at Clifton Bay as ‘foolishness,’ labeling those remarks as ‘out of touch’ and reflective of an outdated mode of thinking in The Bahamas.

“It is very regrettable when the Prime Minister of a country can utter a statement like ‘environmental concerns are foolishness’,” says Mr. Ferreira. “This is why this is the fight of our generation. We can’t expect the politicians of yesteryear who regard environmental issues as foolishness to fully appreciate and be cognizant of the issues. We thank Mr. Christie for all of his contributions - he is the longest serving Member of Parliament and he has done wonders, but clearly he is out of his depth when it comes to the environment.”

“Apparently, we’re talking foolishness when we say they (developers) are building in the Marine Protected Area that was proposed (in Bimini), we’re talking foolishness when we say that they’re building the dock on top of the coral reef and we’re talking foolishness when we say the law requires an Environmental Impact Assessment.”

Ferreira, one of several guests on the popular morning talk show, is a leading environmental attorney and consultant who was selected earlier this year by CARICOM to create model legislation for the energy sector for the Caribbean. “This is all the more reason why it takes persons and organizations to show him and elucidate to him that what he may consider foolishness, there are tens of thousands of people in The Bahamas and around the world that don’t think that it is foolishness,” he noted. “We’re not talking foolishness, they’re doing foolishness. I call on every right thinking Bahamian to open their eyes and see what’s happening.”

Also appearing on the show was fellow director of Save The Bays, Joseph Darville, who echoed the sentiment that the environment must be protected and unregulated development checked. “These developers are flocking to us like bees to honey because of what we have to offer as a nation,” said Darville, a retired high school principal and human rights and environmental activist. “What they are foisting on the Bahamian people is totally reprehensible. We are being enslaved by our own people.”

Mr Darville pointed out that organizations like Save The Bays are concerned primarily about the sustainable development of the Bahamas and the preservation of natural resources for generations to come - issues that are relevant to all Bahamians. He encouraged concerned members of the public to go online to www.savethebays.org to sign the organization’s petition to Prime Minister Christie, which has garnered nearly 5,000 signatures to address vital issues such as the lack of an Environmental Protection Act and the implementation of a Freedom of Information Act.

August 12, 2013

Tribune 242 

Caribbean Blog International

Prime Minister Perry Christie says that his government’s commitment to an oil referendum might have been miscommunicated

Christie defends oil exploration plan

PM explains decision on ‘research drilling’

BY TANEKA THOMPSON
Guardian Senior Reporter
taneka@nasguard.com

Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday denied that his administration has flip-flopped on the oil drilling referendum.

He said it was never the intent to interfere with the relevant research needed to determine if The Bahamas has commercially viable oil reserves.

Christie said his government’s commitment to an oil referendum might have been miscommunicated.

“I think at all material times the question probably was not put properly and effectively, but the process was that we were not going to interfere with research and there was a distinction between industrial drilling and research,” he told The Nassau Guardian during the House of Assembly’s recess.

He added that if oil is found but the referendum is not successful at least the country would be informed about its resources.

“People will ask the question, ‘Why should I vote and I don’t even know if there is oil?’”

He also said if significant oil is found in this territory it would be a blessing, but whether that oil would be harnessed would depend on a public vote.

He said it has not yet been determined how revenue from oil drilling would be split between the government and the Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC).

“If God has given The Bahamas oil in the quantities some people say exist, it would be an incredible bounty for our country,” Christie said.

“But we took a position that if there is going to be the exploitation of oil in The Bahamas, it has to be done with the consent of the Bahamian people.”

Yesterday, Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis suggested the government’s stance on the oil drilling referendum has shifted.

Christie has repeatedly pledged to hold a referendum before any drilling is allowed.

However, on Sunday, Minister of Housing and Environment Kenred Dorsett said the government would allow the drilling of an exploratory well before a referendum, to determine if the country has oil in commercial quantities.

Cuba is currently drilling for oil in waters south of Guinchos Cay in The Bahamas.

Christie referenced Dorsett’s recent trip to Cuba to discuss this and said this underscored the need for The Bahamas to create a proper regime for any possible oil drilling.

Some have speculated that if Cuba finds oil near The Bahamas’ borders, this country may also have significant oil reserves.

“I am told that the Cuban wells might be an indication, but because our structures are different to theirs, they believe the structures in The Bahamas are structures that contain oil, whether light crude or heavy crude, but contain oil in commercial quantities,” Christie said.

“So that will only happen when the people will obviously be consulted as to whether or not we should move ahead and drill.”

Minnis, the MP for Killarney, said the government was flip-flopping on oil drilling.

He said strict regulations must be enacted before an exploratory well is dug to ensure that the environment is protected.

“It’s a very dangerous road to tread without having proper regulations in place,” he said.

“We’ve seen what happened in the Gulf [of Mexico]. For something like that to happen in The Bahamas, where 80 percent of our employment depends on tourism, whether direct or indirect, that can be a disaster for this nation.

“Our position [is] no drilling at all until all the regulations are in place to ensure complete safety so that the Bahamian marine resources, tourism, etc, are completely protected.”

On Sunday, Dorsett said he does not expect an oil referendum before the second half of 2015.

He said the exploration data needed to verify if the country has commercially viable oil reserves would not be ready until the end of 2014 or early 2015.

BPC was granted five licenses for oil exploration in April 2007, at the tail end of Christie’s first term as prime minister.

The company has reportedly invested more than $50 million in the country to date; however, most of that has been limited to 3D seismic testing or mapping.

March 12, 2013

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

Prime Minister Perry Christie says that he was surprised by the results of the January 28, 2013 gambling referendum

Christie Surprised By Gambling Referendum Results

By Sasha Lightbourne
The Bahama Journal







Prime Minister Perry Christie admitted he was surprised by the results of the gambling referendum last week.

Mr. Christie was speaking to reporters before he headed into his weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday.
“Yes I probably was surprised by the outcome in the sense that I thought it would be a much closer election,” he said.

“I was prepared for any outcome and I tried to evidence that. The matter is before the courts now so I won’t speak to that issue but we are prepared for whatever decision is made by the courts.”

Bahamians were asked to vote on two questions – “Do you support the regulation and taxation of web shop gaming” and “Do you support the establishment of a national lottery?”

Prime Minister Christie also refuted the fact that many felt he made a mistake by having the referendum when he did.

“You never make mistakes when you are deepening democracy,” he told reporters.

“I promised before the elections that I would have a referendum. I indicated I had no horse in the race. This thing swirled with controversy and it was what it was. The people voted and I acted upon the vote. It is now a matter for the minister of national security and the attorney general.”

The majority of constituencies across the country voted ‘no’ in both questions.

Up to press time last night 43,393 voted ‘no’ and 28,787 voted ‘yes’.

Bains Town and Grants Town and Centreville were the only constituencies that voted ‘yes’.

According to Acting Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall, ballots from some of the constituencies took up to three hours to recount and added that as the figures rolled in it grew increasingly clear that based on the votes the Bahamians are giving two thumbs down to regulating any form of gambling in the country.

“For question number one the total number of votes, unofficial figures, were 30,767 who voted yes and for the same question those who voted no were 48,012,” he said last week.

“For question number two the yes total is 32,170 and the no votes were 46,961.”
The acting parliamentary commissioner added that the recount is a mandatory requirement set out in the Parliamentary Act.

It did not take very long for the results from last week’s Monday’s gambling vote to be known, coming out just 40 minutes after the polls closed.

February 06, 2013

Jones Bahamas

Caribbean Blog International 

Prime Minister Perry Christie's Statements on Web-shops... and the Approaching Gambling Referendum are Very Concerning...

Prime Minister’s Statement….Very Concerning!




For Immediate Release
January 17, 2013


In a recent interview, Prime Minister Perry Christie espoused that the country would have a dilemma if the electorate vote against regularizing the web-shops. He said that if they do not regularize web-shops, people will have to go deeper underground illegally or we will have to find a way to find alternative employment for them.

In addition the Prime Minister stated that his administration will not move on closing the web-shops before the referendum and he continued by saying that it will take a lot of effort and costs a lot of money so to do. The Prime Minister’s words were, “I would not dare open my mouth and tell them they cannot be employed with the yes vote people who they are working for. I would not dare do that because no one else is helping them – social services in some instances will help with rent payments but they need jobs”. The Prime Minister went on to say that, “the government has to be prepared to find jobs and that everyone knows what the economy of the Bahamas is facing”. In this regard, may I remind the Prime Minister of his election campaign promise when the PLP convinced the Bahamian people that they had the answer to job creation.

In the Bahamas it is generally accepted that the web-shop gaming is illegal. There is no legislation on this activity and there is no proposed legislation for the Bahamian people to consider. Surprisingly, the Commissioner of Police a few days ago said that he was too tolerant with this illegal activity. No doubt, if web-shop gaming was legal, we would not be having this discussion.

I am of the view that something is terribly wrong when the Prime Minister of the Bahamas uttered those words…trying to justify an illegal act! Moreover the Prime Minister was very much out of order and I dare say had no authority to make such a pronouncement. If an act is illegal, The Prime Minister does not determine if the illegal act ought to continue. It is the Commissioner of Police to act on the illegality! Now I know that the Prime Minister is in a very difficult position. The fact of the matter is that illegal gaming in the Bahamas has continued to prosper because successive governments have become “silent partners” in these entities by allowing them to operate and refusing to uphold the law of the land. But Mr. Prime Minister…right is right and wrong is wrong!

The Prime Minister of this beloved Bahamas should never be seen to condone wrongdoing. That is what our Prime Minister did. Leaders must lead by example and this is a very poor example to set. No wonder there are some persons in this country that have a blatant disregard for the laws of the land.

No doubt the international community is also watching this process and I am most concern of their perception of our Prime Minister and consequently the Bahamas as a result of the Prime Minister’s comments.

Following up on these comments by the Prime Minister, Mr. Christie is still adamant that he does not have “a horse in the race”. In my view, the Prime Minister made his position quite clear as to what he would like to see transpire on the 28th January 2013, but in any event, we as a people should know what our Prime Minister’s position is on this issue. At the very least, the Prime Minister’s constituents ought to know his position. As a matter of fact…they should insist.

Branville McCartney
DNA Leader

Caribbean Blog International

The government may not include the question of a national lottery on the upcoming gambling referendum ...after consultants had expressed concerns over the feasibility of such a scheme ...says Prime Minister Perry Christie

Lottery question may not make it to referendum

TANEKA THOMPSON
Guardian Senior Reporter
taneka@nasguard.com

The Christie administration may not include the question of a national lottery on the upcoming gambling referendum after British consultants expressed concerns over the feasibility of such a scheme, Prime Minister Perry Christie revealed yesterday.

Christie spoke to The Nassau Guardian minutes after he and Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe, who has responsibility for gaming, ended a conference call with the consultants in London.

He said the advisors expressed worries that a national lottery catering to a small country like The Bahamas might not be as attractive as larger games of chance with higher cash prizes in the nearby United States.

“The consultants have a number of concerns about the feasibility of a lottery in the sense of whether or not there is a sufficient market here to sustain a lottery as opposed to web shop operations,” Christie said, after Cabinet broke for lunch. “Again, we indicated that what we have to do is determine whether the lottery would be a lottery of 300,000 Bahamians or five million visitors that come to The Bahamas or if it’s on the Internet whether there is anything to prevent people in Florida from being a part of the lottery that takes away from Bahamian winnings.

“One of the considerations obviously is that we give very careful consideration to whether or not we want to proceed with the lottery as opposed to the web shops.”

When asked if the question of a national lottery might no longer be included in the gambling referendum, Christie said he was unsure and is awaiting more guidance from the consultants.

“It could be, I’ve indicated the question,” he said. “I don’t know, I’ve asked for a specific advice. It came up in our discussions and you rightly asked the question, the response is they had some concerns about it and they expressed those concerns. The concerns had to do with whether or not it could be a sustainable activity in The Bahamas. So we’ll look at it very carefully moving ahead.

“I said I would bring complete focus to it after the by-election.”

The prime minister said the consultants also spoke of the “urgent” need to regulate web shops due to the large sums of money passing through the establishments unchecked.

“. . .In looking at the web shop operations they have given us some reasons to consider why there is some urgency in being able to regulate them. That for really good order in the country and for consistency in terms of how you regulate people who have access to large sums of money that there is an urgency behind this whole thing that we weren’t quite aware of but now we’re bringing focus to it.”

Christie has previously said that the planned referendum on gambling will ask voters to legalize web shops and/or establish a national lottery. A date for the vote has not been set, however, the prime minister has said that he hopes the referendum would be held by the end of the year.

Christie added that the consultants indicated that government needed to tweak draft gambling legislation left in place by the Ingraham administration.

“So we have been reviewing now who we should really retain to assist us with the drafting of what can be a set of complex regulations to monitor and account for these operations,” he said.

Last week, Christie said he received the consultants’ initial report. He has now requested that the advisors present a more detailed report so that the public can have as much information on the issue ahead of the referendum.

Oct 10, 2012

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

Prime Minister The Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie Pays Tribute to the late Paul Laurence Adderley

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing this morning of one of our nation’s finest sons, my very dear friend, confidante and political colleague of many years, the Honourable Paul Laurence Adderley. This is a grave loss for our country, for myself personally, and for the many thousands of Bahamians whose lives were touched by this truly remarkable human being and nationalist over the course of his more than forty years of distinguished service to the Bahamian people. Mr. Adderley was a man of extraordinary intellectual brilliance. His accomplishments were legion. Indeed it is quite impossible to overstate the importance of his many and varied contributions to the development of our nation.

As the longest serving Attorney-General of the 20th century – a period spanning some 17 years – Mr. Adderley engineered the transition of our colonial legal system into a new era of constitutional sovereignty while overseeing the modernization of our laws in so many vital areas of national life. In so doing, he also expanded the judiciary and helped deepen the Rule of Law as the bedrock of our civilization. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Adderley was the primary architect of the nation’s foreign policy in the founding years of nationhood; a foreign policy based on mutual co-operation and friendship with our neighbours but always within the context of the principles of self-determination and sovereign independence. Mr. Adderley was absolutely determined that The Bahamas, though small, should preserve its integrity as an independent nation and never allow itself to be subjugated to any foreign power.

As Minister of National Security, Mr. Adderley was a courageous warrior against drug-trafficking. He was chiefly responsible for a wide range of anti-drug trafficking measures, including the OPBAT joint interdiction operations; the negotiation of mutual legal assistance treaties; and the introduction of a raft of new laws aimed at curbing the drug trade and bringing traffickers to the bar of justice. Concurrently, Mr. Adderley was responsible for sweeping changes to both the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force aimed at better equipping them to discharge their law enforcement mandates in the face of newly emergent crime threats.

As Minister of Education, Mr. Adderly also achieved notable successes. He introduced a raft of initiatives aimed at raising academic standards in the public school system. He restricted social promotion exercises and instituted the BGCSE examination system. He was also instrumental in expanding the Government’s building programme for new schools while instituting the Cadet Programme as a means of better preparing high school students for the transition into responsible life in the wider community. As Minister of Finance, Mr. Adderley steered the country through the extremely difficult recessionary years of the very early 1990’s, insisting on austerity and fiscal discipline as a means of surviving the crisis. That Mr. Adderley was able to rise to this challenge while privately battling both cancer and heart disease makes it even more awe-inspiring. No finer example of patriotic commitment is to be found in the annals of the modern Bahamas. But even beyond his immense achievements as a minister of the government from 1972 to 1992, Paul Adderley will also be remembered as a leader of the Bahamas Bar for nearly 60 years. He was an advocate of incomparable skill admired by all his colleagues for the depth of his learning, the thoroughness of his research and preparation, his powerful intellect, his spellbinding oratory and, most important of all, his adherence to the highest standards of ethical propriety in all his professional dealings. He was, like his father before him, the Hon. A.F. Adderley, a lawyer of truly legendary standing at the bar.

As a parliamentarian from 1962 to 1967 and then from 1972 to 1997, Mr. Adderley was always a fiery and meticulously prepared debater, whether in the House of Assembly or the Senate. Uniquely, he was the fourth consecutive generation of his family to serve in the Bahamian legislature, having been preceded by his father, the Hon A.F. Adderley; and before that, by his grandfather, Wilfred Parliament Adderley; and earlier still by his great grand-uncle, William Campbell Adderley who was a member of the House of Assembly more than 130 years ago. Faithful to this dynastic tradition, Mr. Adderley enlarged upon the accomplishments of his forebears and always gave an excellent account of himself in the halls of Parliament. Following his retirement from frontline politics, Mr. Adderley continued to serve our country in a variety of ways, most notably as the Co-Chairman of the first Constitution Commission. Even with all of the foregoing to the credit of his name, Mr. Adderley regarded his own family as his finest achievement. He was a family man for whom nothing was more delightful than the time spent with his devoted wife and daughters.

Finally, it needs be said that Mr. Adderley was the very embodiment of personal integrity. He was absolutely incorruptible. He was a public servant of the highest order. And yet he shunned all honours. He refused to even consider taking a knighthood when it was offered to him and reacted in the same way whenever any other honour was offered to him over the years. For Paul Adderley, the greatest honour of all – and the only one that really mattered – was the opportunity to serve the Bahamian people to the very best of his ability. And he did precisely that – with great distinction – for all his adult life. On behalf of the Government and people of The Bahamas, the Progressive Liberal Party of which Mr. Adderley was a long and faithful member and a Stalwart Councillor, on behalf of my wife, Bernadette, and on my own behalf, I extend deepest condolences to Mr. Adderley’s widow, Lilith, and their three children, Catherine, Roseanne and Paula. A State Funeral will be held for Mr. Adderley, details of which will be announced shortly by the Cabinet Office.

September 19, 2012

myplp.org

Caribbean Blog International

The promised referendum on oil drilling in The Bahamas is likely to be held some time in 2013 - according to Prime Minister Perry Christie

Oil Vote To Be Held Next Year


 
By CELESTE NIXON

Tribune Staff Reporter
cnixon@tribunemedia.net


THE promised referendum on oil drilling is likely to be held some time next year, Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday.

Speaking outside Cabinet yesterday, Mr Christie said the government hopes to tackle the issue in 2013, but only if certain other factors fall into place.

“We are continuing to talk to those people who are applicants,” he said, “but as I have indicated before, oil drilling will only take place if the Bahamian people approve it through a referendum.

“It will happen next year some time, and if in fact we are ready, as I anticipate to be with the constitutional review at the end of March. By then (the oil drilling issue) will have the developments that will enable us to look at the question of a referendum.”

Shortly after the election, Environment Minister Ken Dorsett said certain “assessments” had to take place before oil exploration could begin.

According to the 2011 annual report by the Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC), the government is working towards establishing a regulatory framework for gas and oil extraction.

“Completion of the Bahamian elections ahead of their May 2012 deadline and timely progress towards implementation of revised laws, statutes and enabling regulations covering hydrocarbon exploration will promote accelerated activity,” he said. “The government is working to put the regulation in place to oversee oil and gas activity. We expect these regulations to be in place prior to our drilling.”

When the report was released in late May, Mr Dorsett said he could not comment on it.

“I haven’t read the report so I cannot comment on any statements they have made,” he said.

Tensions over oil drilling in the Bahamas increased in the weeks leading up to the election after it became known that Prime Minister Christie was a former consultant for the oil company’s Bahamian legal team.

Mr Christie said he was hired through the law firm of Davis & Co, which was headed by now Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.

Graham Thompson & Co, of which former PLP attorney general Sean McWeeney is a partner, was also listed on the BPC’s website, as was PLP candidate for Killarney Jerome Gomez as its resident manager. However, Mr Gomez lost the Killarney constituency on May 7 to Dr. Hubert Minnis.

In late May, BPC said they are not discouraged by the fact that oil testing off the coast of Cuba yielded no results.

BPC chief operating officer Paul Gucwa said that while successful drilling in Cuba would have been encouraging, the results do not mean there is no oil in the Bahamas, nor does it affect oil drilling efforts.

Dr Gucwa added BPC intends to drill in a different geographical area and from their research it was not unexpected that the Scarabeo-9 drilling off the northwest of Cuba hit a dry well.

“A good result in their drilling would have been good news – however, from our research it was an expected result,” he said.

September 05, 2012   Tribune242  

Caribbean Blog International

The decision by the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to oppose the 2002 referendum to end constitutional discrimination against women was defended by Prime Minister Perry Christie

PM defends PLP’s position on failed 2002 referendum

By Taneka Thompson
Guardian Senior Reporter
taneka@nasguard.com

Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday defended a decision made by the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to oppose a 2002 referendum meant to end constitutional discrimination against women.

The failed referendum, which was held in February 2002, was introduced by the Ingraham administration and included six questions. It was strongly opposed by the PLP, the opposition party at the time.

The new Christie administration on Wednesday committed to bringing another referendum to the public to alter portions of the constitution that discriminate against women.

When asked why his administration planned to hold the referendum when it opposed similar changes a decade ago, Christie said the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) was not fundamentally against ending gender discrimination.

He said at the time the party sided with members of the religious community who said the government did not consult them about the proposed changes.

“We opposed last time on a specific ground,” Christie told reporters on the sidelines of a conclave for parliamentarians at the British Colonial Hilton.

“I went to the Seventh Day Adventist annual gathering. I remember the then leader of the Seventh Day Adventist [Church] saying they weren’t consulted and that because they weren’t consulted they couldn’t’ participate.

“I then checked and found out that all of the churches were saying they weren’t consulted, and I went to my colleagues and said, for the purposes of the lack of consultation, we must oppose this unless [then Prime Minister Hubert] Ingraham decides to stop it and consult, and he didn’t and that is how we got to do it.”

When asked by The Nassau Guardian if the PLP’s stance against the 2002 referendum was a setback to women, Christie said, ‘No.’

He added: “I think the PLP’s opposition to the referendum was that you should never do something against the will of the people, and the FNM was actually acting against the will of the people.

“It was not a question of a judgment as to the substance of it; it was a judgment of the process. We attacked the process and we were successful in attacking the process.

“Now the by-product of it was that you say it wasn’t passed. Yes, it wasn’t passed, but we were never motivated against any issue on the referendum.  We were motivated against the fact that it was being imposed on the Bahamian people against their will.”

On Wednesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell said that Article 26 and the preamble to Article 15 of the constitution would have to be changed if the referendum is passed.

Mitchell did not say exactly when the referendum would be held, but said the PLP intends to hold it before the end of its five-year term.

The government also plans to call a referendum on gambling before the end of the year.

During the election campaign, the PLP said it would also hold a referendum on oil drilling if it were voted into office.

July 27, 2012

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

Urban Renewal 2.0 is bigger than politics ...and for it to work effectively it has to be “above politics” ... says Prime Minister Perry Christie

Renewal 'Bigger Than Politics'

 

By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport  Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net


FREEPORT - Prime Minister Perry Christie says Urban Renewal 2.0 is bigger than politics and for it to work effectively it has to be “above politics”.

“Our politics must always take second place to the essential issue of moving the Bahamas forward,” Mr Christie said on Wednesday at the official launch of the programme in Grand Bahama at the Hilton Outten Convention Centre.

 Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, and other cabinet ministers, including National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage, Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna-Martin, and Labour Minister Shane Gibson were also present.

Mr Christie expressed his complete confidence in the appointment of Algernon Allen, former FNM Cabinet minister, and Cynthia “Mother” Pratt, former PLP Deputy Prime Minister, to head the Urban Renewal commission.

He said both are distinguished Bahamians who have a feel for people and who have the capacity to rise above politics.

“As Prime Minister, I have to call on the all the people regardless of their politics. The MPs in Grand Bahama all of them should understand that it is bigger than them.  

“We are all in transition and this is about establishing a culture in this country where young men know that if they walk into somebody’s house and rape or try to rape, they will be caught and they will be severely punished.

“This is the reason why in our selection for the leaders of the Urban Renewal commission, we chose two distinguish Bahamians – Algernon Allen, a former minister in the FNM government, is that he has demonstrated in a public capacity a feel for people, and young people in this country.

“And co-leader, Cynthia Pratt, who served as DPM, brings to this mission an incredible feel for people and one, who I think, like Algernon, has the capacity to rise above politics.”

In his remarks, Mr Allen said he comes “as a spiritual son of Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield, but also a philosophical brother of Prime Minister Perry Christie.”  

He said that Urban Renewal is about changing lives – transforming a home, a street, and a community and uplifting those in need.

“This will be above politics. We send a clarion call to all to join us,” Mr Allen said.

July 19, 2012

Tribune242

Caribbean Blog International

The 2012 general election is behind us now... and nation building requires all of us to join Team Bahamas ...and put our full support behind Prime Minister Perry Christie... as we move this country forward, onward, upward, together

Beyond Election 2012

CFAL Economic View

On Monday past The Bahamas held its eight election; an event which is best described as perhaps the most pivotal election since independence and the manner in which it was conducted took the process to a new level.  It also resulted in the changing of the guard and will no doubt usher in a new cadre of political leaders.

We wish to congratulate Perry G. Christie, the new prime minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, on his election victory.

The election was a hard, tough and rugged battle for all the contestants.  Much resources, man-hours and capital were expended in the process.  It is behind us now and nation building requires all of us to join Team Bahamas and put our full support behind Christie as we move this country forward, onward, upward, together.

What are we to expect in the next five years?  To begin with, there are many challenges as well as opportunities to face over the coming years and our success as a country would demand full engagement and co-operation by all.  It’s up to the new administration to chart a course for “Bahamas Incorporated” in order to ensure a safe journey on our destination to a prosperous Bahamas.  It must be an all-inclusive plan for the entire Bahamas involving all political groupings; an undertaking which we believe Christie can fully support.

It is our hope that the new administration will seek out and use the talents and intellect of all Bahamians from anywhere but especially, bright, smart young Bahamians, no matter what their political affiliations may be.  In the past, immediately following an election, it was not unusual to see the usual list of suspects being appointed either as consultants or heads of various government boards irrespective of their credentials or even a track record for successfully managing anything.  The almost deliberate oversight of young people in the past was not helpful to nation building and we are hopeful that going forward, our young people will be given opportunities to serve in a meaningful way in government agencies and institutions and on government boards and committees.

Perhaps the single biggest issue facing the new government is that of job creation.  This matter is particularly challenging because it is highly dependent on external factors over which we have no control.  In this regard, it would be useful for us to begin to focus quickly on a “plan” for Bahamas 2020.  This would enable us to determine our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) and develop a plan which maximizes our strengths, minimizes our weaknesses, while taking advantage of the opportunities and appreciating the threats to our economy.  In the short-term, we need to continue to grow and diversify within our two major financial pillars while at the same time, developing new pillars to minimize any future external shocks to “Bahamas Incorporated”.  We need to continue to encourage foreign direct investment (FDI) as well as to provide appropriate opportunities (incentives) for increased local direct investment (LDI).

We also need to explore new industries and build upon some of the less successful industries to date, which for whatever reason, were left unattended or not pursued.  We need to focus on industries such as agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, light manufacturing and high-end service centers, while continuing the “oil drilling” dialogue.  We must be mindful that it is a mistake to believe that oil drilling will be the panacea for wiping out the national debt and a solution to all our problems.  The reality is that it would take years to see any sustainable economic impact on The Bahamas.  Based upon the information available to us, it would appear that the current structure needs to be re-negotiated more favorably in the economic interest of The Bahamas.  We have no doubt that Christie and his government would act in the best interest of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and do the right thing in this regard.

We take this opportunity to congratulate the new Cabinet and we look forward to seeing any new policies and programs unveiled by the new administration.

• CFAL is a sister company of The Nassau Guardian under the AF Holdings Ltd. umbrella. CFAL provides investment management, research, brokerage and pension services. For comments, please contact CFAL at: column@cfal.com

May 09, 2012

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International