The Bahamas Lack Political Leadership

Bahamians are losing out in their country, The Bahamas

Former Minister of National Security A. Loftus Roker says that The Bahamas need to get serious about its illegal immigration crisis

‘This country lacks leadership’

Roker worried Bahamians increasingly marginalized

By Candia Dames, Executive Editor of The Nassau Guardian

 

Former Minister of National Security A. Loftus Roker, who is still widely known for the tough stance he took against illegal immigration when he was minister responsible for immigration, said yesterday he remains concerned that Bahamians are losing out in their country, and lamented what he said is a lack of political leadership.

“When you have no more country, you see where you can go and claim anything,” said Roker, who was asked his views on the controversy surrounding the release of a large group of Chinese nationals found at the British Colonial Hotel without any legal status in The Bahamas earlier this year.

Minister of Immigration Keith Bell has said it was “unnecessary” to transport them to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, where individuals found to be in The Bahamas illegally are held.  According to Bell, the “irregularities” found at the work site “were expeditiously cured by the employer”.

Roker warned, “All I say is one day Bahamians will find we don’t have our own country.  That’s what I’m worried about.

“The country lacks leadership.  Imagine you had dozens of Chinese without work permits here.  How the hell did they get here? … How did we allow them to land?  We trying to fool ourselves.  We don’t have any leadership.  If you had leadership, you’d know what’s going on.  But what we are doing is keep postponing our problems.  That’s what we’re doing.”

Details surrounding how the Chinese nationals got in The Bahamas and whether they still are currently in country are unknown as Bell nor any other authority has yet to thoroughly explain the matter.

Meanwhile, it is understood that in Progressive Liberal Party circles there is widespread concern over the political impact the controversy ensnaring the immigration minister could have.

Roker wished not to comment directly on a statement made by Director of Immigration Keturah Ferguson in a correspondence to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Immigration Cecilia Strachan that “it also appears that the expatriate has more rights in The Bahamas than Bahamians”, but he said, “One thing for sure, we don’t believe in Bahamians.  Anybody else better than us.  All I’m saying is we lack leadership.”

Ferguson’s correspondence was sent a day after the Chinese were ordered released not long after the immigration exercise was conducted.

As reported in the media on Monday, Ferguson said in her correspondence that immigration officials received a directive from Bell to have the immigration officers stand down on the operation and that any breach will be remedied the following day.

Even as the firestorm over the immigration matter – including Bell’s swearing in of a family as citizens of The Bahamas during a funeral service last month – builds, Prime Minister Philip Davis has remained silent, with his office saying only that the facts are being gathered in respect of the various immigration issues at hand.

Meanwhile, a purported report to an immigration superior from the immigration officer who oversaw the January 17 exercise at the British Colonial was circulated on social media yesterday.

According to the document, only three of the 65 Chinese nationals found at the hotel were able to produce passports or identification for immigration officials, while all others claimed they had no passports in their possession and were unable to contact the people who may have them.

“On arrival at the hotel, we observed lighting and clothing hung in the windows of some of the rooms.  Shortly thereafter, we noticed an Asian male in the window of one of the rooms,” the document states.

“Based on this, we approached the security officer and advised him of our suspicions.  The officer attempted to obstruct us from entering the building and checking the status of the individual, therefore, I advised him under extreme caution that I was prepared to arrest him for obstruction and continued the execution of my duties.

“The officer then removed himself from the entrance and I instructed the officers to search the first floor of the building.”

The officer wrote, “In the initial search, the officers reported a total of 10 persons, but, after a more intense search, we were able to gather approximately 65 Chinese nationals.

“All subjects were asked to produce their passports and any other evidence of legal status.  Out of the 65 subjects, only three were able to produce passports or identification.

“All of the others claimed they had no passports in their possession and [were] unable to contact the persons who may have them.”

While he did not delve into the details emerging in relation to the various immigration controversies, Roker said yesterday there’s a need for The Bahamas to get serious about its illegal immigration crisis.

Source 

Haiti Crisis and Its Impact on The Bahamas

Haiti Crisis and Its Impact on The Bahamas Relationship 

Bahamian Diplomats extracted from Haiti

Statement from The Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs

January 27, 2023 -The ministry is able to confirm that this morning all seven Bahamian diplomats, including the spouse of the Chargè d"affaires were airlifted out of Port au Prince by helicopter and have landed safely in the Dominican Republic.

The prime minister has expressed his deep gratitude and highest consideration to the President of the Dominican Republic Luis Abinadar and the Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic Roberto Alvarez for the execution of this process.

The diplomats are likely to proceed home shortly.

What about a Domestic Agenda, Mr. Prime Minister?

“Global Warming!"

There needs to be a true plan of action if real change is to take place in our country - The Bahamas. We need new ways of diversifying our economy so the trickledown effect can become a reality. Innovation needs to be the order of the day. A new day must include not just the Bahamian elites, but every Bahamian as a whole

By: Dr. Kevin Turnquest-Alcena

LLB (Hon-1st Cl.), LLM (Hon-1st Cl.)

PhD in Economics / Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology

Ph.D. in Public Health / PhD in Herbal and Holistic Medicine

Titular Professor

Lawyer & Fellow—FCILEx; ACIArb; & Snr. Fellow–AMLA

“Some say the planet is sick and humans are the virus, it is undeniably we as a species have destroyed this beautiful planet at an alarming rate. Putting aside global warming and climate change, no species is as greedy as the human race, we take more than we need and leave a trail of destruction.”

Global warming! Climate change! Melting glaciers! Rising sea levels! Sinking lands! Eroding coasts! The world is in a panic; fear of the future like the resounding roar of a lion! Scientist predicting a bleak, dark and uncertain tomorrow. It has been said that by 2100 the sea levels would have risen up to 70%, thus being the catalyst for the loss of many coastal regions.

With that said, God has a divine plan for man and this earth He created. He is the God, the Chronos and the Kairos time and because He supersedes time, He controls everything. Genesis 9:11 states, "And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there anymore be a flood to destroy the earth." Man does not have the capacity to comprehend God or the things He does and thus can never predict the outcome of one's future.

With that being said, it cannot be denied that the drastic effects of climate change have resulted in many countries looking for an outlet to reduce their carbon fingerprint. As a result, a country like Denmark has committed to offering 13.4 million dollars to developing nations damaged by climate change. This excessive damage has resulted in the concept of carbon credits. Carbon credits are carbon allowances giving a company permission to generate 1 ton of CO2 emissions.

Prime Minister Davis, stated that, "We intend to be the first country to offer Blue Carbon Credits... It creates for the first time a framework to compensate The Bahamas for the significant role we play as a carbon sink." However, one must ask, Mr. Prime Minister, will we really receive the compensation being suggested? How will this affect the environment? If you, sir, are truly depending upon other countries to compensate this country, good luck! Like Jeremiah 17:5 “Thus the Lord. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord."

However, Mr. Prime Minister, while a global agenda is great! The burning questions still remain. What about a domestic agenda? What does your manifesto say in regard to the National debt? How does a $4.2 million dollar travelling budget eradicate the mounting debt? Could not this money have been spent on developing a program focused on decreasing unemployment? May I remind you sir that next June over 5,000 students leaving school, with only 20% going to college. What happens to the other 80% that will be looking for work?

Moreover, what plan is in place to assist those students that are educated yet having difficulty obtaining gainful employment as citizens in their own country? Although it is good to help those that have no options or talents, helping those that do will be an asset.

There needs to be a true plan of action if real change is to take place in our country. We need new ways of diversifying our economy so the trickledown effect can become a reality. Innovation needs to be the order of the day. A new day must include not just the elites, but everyone as a whole.

“Mother earth is crying. We humans have done enough damage and still can’t open our eyes. We are so arrogant that we convince others that we have to save the earth, but earth’s real cancer is human’s behavior. We have to put our ego and arrogance aside and take some serious and strong steps to protect ourselves and our future, or will have to be ready to die sooner or later.”

November 19, 2022 

Source/Comment

CUBA-US RELATIONS: TIME WAITS FOR THE BAHAMAS NO MORE

By Gilbert Morris:

 


Actually, time never had time for us because we are too wasteful. Now, after all this time, in what state are we to face whatever blows in from this Cuban-American possibility? Whatever comes has already happened. It is the realisation of what it has done and will do to us that will come slowly; because we will be in our habit of denial for decades to come. You should note that the in the Bahamas, there has not been a significant investment from an American investor in 25 years.

The analysis on us is that The Bahamas is where investments go to die. We had our chance 30 years ago. And when our mojo was lost, we responded by saying "Its Better in The Bahamas", even as we erected further impediments to good investment. And as usual, we will not innovate to meet the challenge caused by our venality, self-indulgence and plain stupidity. Instead, our cronyocracy will act to snatch every opportunity to reduce potential broad economic activity to personal 'fee collection'.

They will not respond with strategies to correct decades of slothfulness. Instead they will react to protect their personal hides; sighing that our shrinking economic prospects is from the impacts of "globalisation". They will send itinerant fools to evangelise this nonsense and our people, (swaddled with bad education, holding politicians high with such 'messianic fervour' that a basic job is now a political favour ), will prove unable to be that check in democratic terms, to force their hopes for, or vision of themselves upon those who presume to govern them.

Soon the offices of the state will be used openly to secure personal advantages against any striving Bahamian with ambition. These forebodings are not unique to The Bahamas. This is the road to the death of prosperity and the result of cronyist lackeynomics, poor education and societal malaise that fuels the engine of criminality that ensures the efficient destruction of generations upon generations.

It is the result of decades of bumptious tomfoolery and convoluted excuses masquerading as a concept of life. In one real sense Cuba has already 'eaten our lunch'. A nation under a half century embargo by the largest economic power in human history and yet, they surpassed us in tourism - an industry we pioneered - a decade ago, and, disgracefully - we are sending our students to them for education.

Our country does not appear on a single world leading benchmark. (Oh dear, I made an error. We have amongst the highest homicide rates in the world. I do not wish to diminish our accomplishments). Our Ministers of the cloth cling to every vice as the nation rots; the lights are on in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and we cannot keep power in Nassau; a city named after the Prince of the most efficient country in the world; our young people wail concerning the incompetence of their governments, only to find their governments, which do not have time for governing, with all the time in the world to counterattack them for expressing their fears; we have placed our entire birthright in the future value of beachfront property, which is more likely to lose value in the next 20 years; we are capitulating to join a trade organisation - the responsibilities of which will increase red tape and the slow pace of governance processes - when our greatest economic opportunity in 50 years is in services; our government Ministers are trading on their positions in the very face of the public, whilst imposing draconian rules to punish poor Bahamians for failing to meet tax obligations they themselves have not met, despite a stranglehold on the nation's resources through their crony networks. What of vision and the future?

I wrote in 2012 that the Bahamas and Cayman Islands should be to Cuba what Singapore is to China. But of course, we are too busy busting up, shoving down and undermining fellow Bahamians - under two lunacies called PLP and FNM - as we run down our true potential for deals like Baha Mar, or pursing foolishness such as VAT, WTO and rescuing Bank of The Bahamas. As usual, we will have convenient excuses...even where none are possible. And we will twist ourselves as if in the Exuma wild oceans currents, to explain our only resilience: wutlessness as worthfulness.

Gilbert Morris - FaceBook

The Bahamas supports the movement to end the United States embargo against Cuba

Christie courts Cuba partnership

By K. QUINCY PARKER
Guardian Business Editor
quincy@nasguard.com

The Bahamas affirmed its support for a move to end the United States embargo against Cuba, as the heads of state of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba adopted the Declaration of Havana on Monday at the close of the fifth CARICOM-Cuba Summit.

Prime Minister Perry Christie asserted that CARICOM and Cuba have always been able to overcome challenges and to develop strategies for mutual advantage.

“In fact, our forty-one years of diplomatic relations have been markedly fruitful as a result of functional cooperation in the areas of health, education, sports, culture, agriculture, disaster management, energy and construction,” Christie said, addressing the summit in Havana on Monday.

“We must continue to support each other in international fora, always providing reciprocal support for our initiatives, whether it is in advocacy for the rejection of any blockade against Cuba; support for the reclassification of middle income economies; negotiations for a strong post-2015 agenda that favors small island developing states; support for Cuba’s leading role in the CELAC process; and support for candidacies for election or appointment to multilateral bodies,” he said.

The prime minister said that The Bahamas and Cuba must continue dialogue on facilitating joint ventures in the tourism industry, particularly in concretizing the concept of multi-destination marketing initiatives and packages.

“This would surely make our region more competitive with other regions in the global tourism market,” he said.

Noting that transportation is key to national and economic development and the travel routes of both countries’ national carriers, Christie said Bahamasair and Cubana need to be further expanded to facilitate tourism, travel and international trade.

“The Bahamas, like Cuba, is also interested in seeking out new strategic partnerships for investment in renewable energy; partnerships that will facilitate access to new capital, more efficient technologies and new markets,” he said.

Christie also welcomed ongoing progress towards the finalization of a CARICOM-Cuba trade agreement, and said that at a bilateral level, negotiations for two Bahamas/Cuba Agreements for Cooperation in Animal Health and Plant Health are now well advanced.

Those issues and more were enshrined in the Declaration of Havana adopted on Monday, wherein CARICOM and Cuba committed to strengthen South-South cooperation as an expression of solidarity and the promotion of bilateral and regional programs as well as triangular cooperation for development.

In the declaration, heads of state - citing the cooperation between Cuba and CARICOM in health, the development of human resources, construction and sports - reiterated a commitment to continue promoting social initiatives as well as the implementation of projects to improve air and sea infrastructure and connectivity, and to broaden economic and trade relations through the implementation of the revised trade and economic cooperation agreement between CARICOM and Cuba.

The declaration also hails progress in the negotiations to expand market access and improve economic cooperation under the trade and economic cooperation agreement. Heads of state noted a desire to conclude negotiations by the end of the second quarter of 2015.

December 10, 2014

thenassauguardian

Go to Haiti instead of The Bahamas Ms. Daphne Campbell

By Dennis Dames:

I have been following the illegal immigration debate in our beloved country with great interest.  I was moved to provide my views on it in writing after hearing Ms. Daphne Campbell, Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives give her take on the matter.

Like so many Haitians and those of Haitian descent, Ms. Campbell wants to dictate immigration policies to the Bahamian Government.  She sounded crazy when she said: The Bahamian government officials have one week to apologise and reverse the new policies, or she will travel here with a delegation to address them face-to-face.

Ms. Campbell needs to travel to Haiti instead of The Bahamas to insist to the Haitian Government and people there that they need to plug the illegal migration of Haitians from Haiti.  There is where the outrage should be Ms. Campbell.

For too long the government of Haiti and the elite Haitians have turned a blind eye to the pressing and vexing matter of illegal migration from its shores.  The Bahamas has been delinquent in dealing vigorously and effectively with illegal immigrants for too long.  It’s about time that we restore law and order in our land, and addressing the illegal immigration issue is a major component in our crime fight.

It’s illegal and immoral Ms. Campbell, for illegal Haitians in particular – to feel that they and their children have rights to be citizens in a country where they have entered illegally and have babies galore.  It’s utter madness.

So, instead of advocating the boycott of The Bahamas by all and sundry Ms. Campbell, you should let Haitians leaving Haiti illegally know that they should boycott The Bahamas on their way north and join you in Florida.  That’s a better proposition.

This Nation’s Bevy of Challenges

The Bahama Journal Editorial



With this nostrum as opening gambit, we take note of the fact that, for what now seems a fairly long season, the Bahamas seemed to conclusively demonstrate that development in a small island developing country could be successfully driven by foreign direct investment.

And for sure, Bahamians could and did exult in their good fortune by assuring themselves that, these salutary changes had come about due to their own initiatives.

Indeed, there was every indication that, the Bahamas had somehow or the other managed to escape its long history of boom and bust at the economic level.

And so it arose that, they decided to praise the late Sir Stafford L. Sands for being the financial genius behind the so-called miracle of year-round tourism to the Bahamas.

We now know that this was an illusion.

As the same record would attest and confirm: while Sir Stafford was –in truth and in fact – a major player in the development of the tourism industry, other forces – most of them external to the Bahamas- played crucially important roles in this transformative process.

Highest on the list of external forces would be the on-set of the Cuban Revolution and Cuba’s isolation from trade with the United States of America.

It was this external factor that has driven the Bahamian economy over the course of the past fifty years or so.

With this development came that transformation of the Bahamas which allowed the bulk of its people a first opportunity to turn its collective back on a development model predicated on seasonal tourism, niche banking, fishing, farming and other allied occupations.

This development brought with it ancillary political changes – some of which promised Majority Rule and some economic empowerment for those who were heretofore socially excluded and economically marginalized.

While some successes have been scored; there is every indication that some of these now run the real risk of being lost as a consequence of the hard times that now prevail.

In addition, there is every indication that things are set to be difficult for at least the next decade or so.

This situation stands in direct contrast to those days when money was in abundance and when practically everybody who was anybody could make a fairly decent living.

Things are now trending downwards; and so, as things go and grow from bad to worse – Bahamians on either side of the political divide have taken to blaming each other for this nation’s bevy of distresses.

While this ‘game’ might provide entertainment galore for those who are tuned in; we daresay that, this does the nation itself no real good.

For our part, then, we would sincerely suggest that, having grown accustomed to one version of the so-called good life [that is to say, a life driven by easy money] very many Bahamians are today panicking; this coming packaged in with the prospect that hard times might be here to stay.

While we are optimistic as regards our prospects for the long-term; we are today pessimistic for the short-term; this due to the fact that, the Bahamian people are yet to determine what they want and would have as regards real leadership.

In the interim, things threaten to disintegrate into a state akin to chaos.

And of course, this can lead to its own sad denouement in even more social distress.

Here take note that on occasion, we have bemoaned the fact that, the Bahamian people are being routinely failed by their leaders.

Evidence for this failure can be seen in practically every major institution; whether reference is to those who would lead in the field of faith and belief; education; government; the home or at the work place.

In addition, there is no gainsaying the fact that, there are very many Bahamians who are today mired in distress; with some of them teetering on the edge of despair.

And yet there is more bad news; this time around the reference we make has to do with what seems a Bahamian penchant towards dependency and lack of confidence in their own innate ability.

This neatly explains how it arises in case after case that Bahamians are loath to respect their own when they are put in positions of authority and power – thus the pre-eminence they give to foreigners and to most things foreign.

For a season, this way of things surely worked its magic.

But since nothing lasts forever, these balmy days are now receding. As they become history, a new order beckons; this being one where Bahamians will be obliged to work harder, produce more so as to become more self-reliant.

In this regard, we envisage the coming of that day when, the Bahamian people will have a national economy that walks – so to speak- on two legs; with one being foreign and the other Bahamian.

December 29, 2010

The Bahama Journal Editorial

Bahamas Blog International

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell comments on Bahamas' UN human rights vote abstention

By BRENT DEAN ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ brentldean@nasguard.com:


The recent criticism of voting practices of The Bahamas by U.S. Ambassador Nicole Avant should show the government that countries have interests that are separate and aside from personal friendships and relationships, former Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said yesterday.

"The FNM tried to make a meal out of the fact that the PLP had principled positions at the UN and in its foreign policy which was in the best interest of The Bahamas. But they took the opportunity when they were in opposition to score cheap political points, saying we were being anti-American," said Mitchell, the PLP MP for Fox Hill.

"So what is their explanation now? Are they being anti-American because they voted the way they did at the United Nations?"

In an Op-Ed published in The Nassau Guardian on Saturday, Ambassador Avant criticized The Bahamas for its decision to abstain from part of a vote at the United Nations on resolutions on the human rights situations in Iran, Burma and North Korea.

"It is our fervent hope that The Bahamas and others in the Caribbean region who abstained or voted against these resolutions will reconsider their positions. We cannot stand by and wait when people's lives are at stake and the principles that we all purport to share — respect for democracy, the rule of law and human rights — are in jeopardy," said Avant.

The votes on the resolutions condemning the human rights practices in the three countries were held on November 19 and 20, at the United Nations General Assembly's Third Committee.

The three resolutions passed.

The General Assembly allocates to the Third Committee a range of social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues.

Mitchell said that as sovereign countries both The Bahamas and the U.S. have the right to their respective positions on the issue. He said historically The Bahamas and Caribbean countries have stayed away from resolutions specifically condemning countries, as was the case with the recent abstentions.

However, added Mitchell, the last PLP government moved away from this position, siding with the U.S. government on several resolutions at the request of former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

When asked about the issue last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Brent Symonette said, "We voted in favor of the resolution. We abstained from the second part of the resolution which requires affirmative action. The resolution this year, to the best of my knowledge, dropped or left out certain other countries which it included last year.

"When we abstained from that vote, we also submitted an explanation — which I think the U.S. ambassador or certainly the State Department would have been fully aware of — which explains our situation. We have been approached by the Canadians and the Americans with regard to our actions and I am in the process of drafting a response to them."

December 22, 2009

thenassauguardian

Bahamas Blog International

CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Raging Debate in The Bahamas Dies A Sudden Death

CSME Shelved

By Candia Dames

candiadames@hotmail.com

Nassau, The Bahamas

14th June 2005

Seeking to bring an end to the raging national debate on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell on Monday announced that the government will not be signing the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas anytime soon.

In fact, Minister Mitchell said that it does not appear that the government will sign the Treaty, which establishes CSME, during this present term in office, which expires in 2007.

"There is a clear disconnect between the government and the wider community on this matter," said the Minister, who used the entire two hours allocated to him to contribute to the budget debate to address the CSME and other foreign affairs matters.

This meant that there was no room to address public service related issues or matters concerning his Fox Hill constituents.

Minister Mitchell said as it relates to the CSME, The Bahamas has reached the point where it must stop and review.

"The Bahamian people or more properly those who have created the din on the radio and in the press now have their wish," he announced.

"But they must know that it is not to me that they will have to answer for this, but to the future of this country."

Minister Mitchell said he was not panicked by the level of debate that led the government to decide to hold off on signing the Revised Treaty.

"The Bahamas has not signed the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and cannot now sign in these present circumstances," he said.  "What we are now engaged in is a programme of public education and discussion on the issue.

"This has become a matter on which people are attacking me personally on a policy which is the decision of the government.  I told both the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister that I believe that my truthfulness has been called into question and my integrity challenged.  No Minister has to seek to ask permission of anyone to seek redress for attacks on his or her personal integrity."

He said what is particularly regrettable is that the forces who opposed the independence of The Bahamas in 1972 now seek to impugn his character by suggesting that he would compromise the sovereignty of The Bahamas.

Minister Mitchell said, "They are false prophets and crying crocodile tears because we know that they did not want The Bahamas to be free in the first place.  There is not a possible chance that this Minister, this individual, would compromise the sovereignty of The Bahamas."

Seeking to clarify what he called misinformation associated with the CSME debate, Minister Mitchell said, "It is clear that this matter of our participation in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas will not be decided within this present term.

There is too much misinformation, disinformation and emotion; too much political dishonesty.  There is simply too much politics.  Accordingly, the Minister of Trade kindly agreed for me to speak to The Bahamas Commission on Trade.

"The Trade Commission's co-chair, Raymond Winder, has indicated by letter that subject to certain clarifications, they are ready and willing to work on the issues...The politics will hopefully then be out of the matter, the Commission will be free to review all the issues arising from the current debate, without a deadline, and the Ministry can now continue with other valuable projects in our Foreign Affairs.

It is only left for the government to provide a formal remit.  It is my hope that this effectively brings an end to this matter."

The Minister also said there has been "considerable misinformation and deliberate disinformation" about the matter or reservations to the Treaty.

The government has said repeatedly that if it signs the Revised Treaty, it would seek reservations on the free movement of people; the monetary union; the Caribbean Court of Justice at the appellate level; and the common external tariff.

Addressing the confusion surrounding whether the reservations would have an expiration date, the Minister said, "The reservations that are proposed are without end.

With regard to this treaty; once you sign a treaty with a reservation, the provisions of the treaty against which there are reservations do not apply to The Bahamas, neither can they be questioned in any court.  These are sovereign decisions of a sovereign government."

Minister Mitchell said that the CCJ reservation has been the cause of "considerable confusion."

"The confusion has been engendered by unintelligent ‐ at the very least disingenuous ‐ commentary by attorneys who ought to know better," he said.

Minister Mitchell announced that he will be representing Prime Minister Perry Christie at the next Heads of Government meeting set for St. Lucia early next month.

"The process of public education on this matter is nowhere near complete and so the question of signing anything in July does not arise," the Minister added.

He also spent much of his time lashing out at detractors whom he said have been spreading half-truths.

Minister Mitchell pointed to former Minister of Finance Sir William Allen, and former Minister of Economic Development Zhivargo Laing, saying, "They have been fudging, half truths and shades of deception, confused the public on this issue...This is the political season and no matter what the truth is, the response will be fudging, misinformation and mix up."

While he gave no attention to the public service in his address, Minister Mitchell, under whose portfolio the public service falls, also took a stab at John Pinder, president of The Bahamas Public Services Union.

"He is involved now in a campaign for reelection," the Minister pointed out.  "I can only imagine that anything will be said for headlines.  I have accused him before of always wanting to engage in the politics of rowing.  I did not believe for one moment that he would resort to a deliberate untruth which should be clear to him and clear, as the lawyers say, on the face of the record."

Minister Mitchell said it is "nonsense" for Mr. Pinder to say that the government signed the Revised Treaty on December 21, 2004.

The Minister also slammed Chairman of The Bahamas Financial Services Consultative Forum Brian Moree, who has criticized the government for its handling of the whole debate, and has urged the Christie Administration not to sign the new Treaty.

Mr. Moree has said that it makes no sense to sign such a treaty and opt out of four of its major provisions.

But Minister Mitchell indicated that he's baffled that Mr. Moree is vehemently opposed to the free movement of people under the CSME, when only a few months ago, he, as chairman of the Forum, released a controversial report strongly asking the government to liberalize its immigration laws.

"There are other critics," Minister Mitchell said.  "They have said some pretty appalling things about me personally and about the government.  One group that comes with the unfortunate acronym of BARF seems especially personally motivated...I only say this to the public: one should always look to see why a comment is being made and what interest is being served by that comment."

He said that it is clear that the detractors of his government on the CSME issue have one motto, and that is not to let the truth get in the way of a good story. 

Bahamas-Haiti Relations Cordial

Bahamian-Haitian Relation's Cordial

 

By Gladstone Thurston

Bahamas Information Services

BahamaSeaWeed@groups.msn.com

01/February/2004

 

 

Kingston, Jamaica - Relations between the Bahamas and Haiti remains very cordial, Ambassador Dr Eugene Neury said.

 

He insisted there were no anti-Bahamas or Caricom demonstration outside the Bahamas' embassy following last week's meeting with Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in Haiti.

 

Dr Neury also denied reports that Haitians were unhappy that the Bahamas and Caricom were "interfering" in their internal political affairs.

 

"On the contrary", said Dr Neury, "the average Haitian is happy that people care enough for them to (mediate a settlement to the political impasse that has threatened to send Haiti into civil war)."

 

Dr Neury was a member of Prime Minister Perry Christie's delegation to the third in a series of talks aimed at saving the fledgling Haitian democracy.

 

Also from the Bahamas were Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell, Education Minister and Attorney General Alfred Sears, Ministry of Foreign Affairs undersecretary Carlton Wright.

 

Five Caricom prime ministers, and representatives from the United States, Canada, the OAS, the European Commission, and the European Presidency hammered out a series of political reforms with President Aristide during their meeting at Jamaica House in Kingston on Saturday.

 

Dr Neury said Haitians "love the fact that people are paying attention to try to help them get out of this predicament. They feel that this is what neighbours do. A friend in need is a friend indeed."

 

Following the third meeting - the first in Nassau and the second in Haiti ¯ "there are good reasons to look with optimism to the future", said Dr Neury.

 

"If the president can achieve the things that he has committed himself to then I think the whole region, especially the Bahamas, will benefit."

 

Haitians admire the Bahamas as a successful neighbour "very much", he said

 

"The average Haitian does not want to come to the Bahamas", Dr Neury added.  "That's a Bahamian perception. However, the Haitians would like for their country to be like the Bahamas in terms of the economic success.

 

"Most Haitians in Haiti have a very serious perception of the integration of their brothers and sisters in the Bahamas.  The presence of Haitians in the Bahamas has economically helped the Haitian population back home.

 

"It is very much like when the people in the days of the project in the United States sent money back home to the Bahamas. Haitians send back literally hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars from the Bahamas to Haiti every year.

 

"But that's earned money. It isn't as though they went there and took the money. So Haitians admire the Bahamas. It is wrong to think it any other way."

 

Dr Neury described Bahamians as "a very accommodating people.  In percentage terms, the Bahamas probably more than any other country in the world has successfully integrated thousands of Haitians and their families without any bloodshed and without any violence."

 

Dr Neury said the gathering of thousands of Haitians on the park opposite the Bahamas' embassy in Haiti had nothing to do with any ill-will towards either the Bahamas or Caricom as was earlier reported.

 

"There was no confrontation", he insisted. "I was at the embassy."

 

He denied that his vehicle was jostled by the angry crowd.

 

"My car never stopped for one moment and in fact the leaders from the opposition groups opened the way for my car", said Dr Neury. "There was some misinterpretation of what people were seeing.

 

"It is insulting to suggest that the people from the opposition were not aware that the Bahamas' embassy including its gate is a foreign country and that to attack a foreign embassy is to attack the country which that embassy represents."

 

Except for Haiti, no other country stands to benefit more from these negotiations than the Bahamas.  After three meeting Dr Neury was asked for a prognosis.

 

"This is the first time that any international group has been able, on such a sustained even short period of time, to achieve what has been achieved in the last two weeks, and the whole international community benefits from this."

 

But, unless the opposition in Haiti accepts the reforms including the release of political prisoners and police protection for opposition demonstrations, and compromise on its insistence that President Aristide steps down, then there will be no movement.

 

"You have to understand the Haitian mentality of bargaining", said Dr Neury.  "Haitians are masters at bargaining."

Randol Fawkes' Appeal to The United Nations for Independence of The Bahama Islands

RANDOL FAWKES’ APPEAL TO THE UNITED NATIONS ON BAHAMAS NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE

MR CHAIRMAN,

 

DISTINGUISHED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMITTEE ON COLONIALISM

I am here today to secure the encouragement and the concrete assistance of the United Nations in the efforts of the people of the Bahama Islands to prepare themselves for independence.

In this we seek your expert advice and technical assistance in the promotion of the political, economic, and social advancement of The Bahamas that would make a transition from colonialism to freedom less painful than it otherwise would be.

It is our conviction that eternal colonialism in the Bahamas prevents the development of international and economic cooperation, impedes the social, economic and cultural development, and violates the spirit and letter of the Charter of the United Nations.  We therefore hope that the United Nations will recognize the indisputable right of The Bahamas to complete freedom and will help us to achieve and exercise our sovereignty and the intergrity of our national territory.  In faith believing, I relate the following:

On September 1966, your petitioner requested a select committee to take into consideration the advisability of inviting the government of the United Kingdom to convene a constitutional conference with a view to establishing the independence of the Bahama Islands.

Before the speaker could reach the item on the agenda calling for the appointment of select committees, The Premier, Sir Roland Symonette read the following prepared communication:  “I wish to make the following communication to the House in view of the public interest that has been aroused on the question of a constitutional conference on independence.  This is a statement that I would have given to the House on Thursday the 25^th August if the motion on the agenda for the appointment of a select committee on the subject had been proceeded with on that day:

As a result of the 1963 Constitutional Conference, the Bahamian Islands now enjoy a constitution which gives the people, through their representatives, virtually full control of their internal governmental affairs.

It has been suggested that because some other countries - perhaps less able to accept full autonomy – have become or are becoming independent, The Bahamas should do the same.  The government regards this attitude as misconceived.  Independence could be requested, and would no doubt be granted, and this government would be glad to manage the external affairs of the country but the facts must be looked squarely in the face.

Complete independence would impose on our country the financial burden of responsibility for security, defence and external affairs.  This burden is at present largely borne by Her Majesty’s government, at small cost within the framework of Britain’s defense and diplomatic commitments, but it would be extremely expensive, both in money and in manpower for The Bahamas government to take on the task of establishing embassies and high commissions abroad, and of raising and the equipping its own armed forces.  Considerable government funds would have to be diverted for these purposes which, in the view of this government, would be much better spent on the progress and development of the Bahama Islands for the good of all the inhabitants.  For these reasons the government cannot support proposals for a constitutional conference at the present time.”

In due course, the motion was put but was lost by a vote of thirteen to seven.   Both Progressive Liberal Bahamian Party and the National Democratic Party supported the motion, but the United Bahamian Party not only denied the courtesy of a select committee, but no member of the party participated in the debate.

Now if we were to examine the statement of the Premier, we will find that his argument against independence is facetious.  The premier stated that The Bahamas could not take on the expense of establishing embassies and high commissions abroad, but Gentlemen The Bahamas government is now maintaining very highly paid administrative offices in major cities of the world.  Some of them in London, Miami, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, St. Louis, Washington, and even in Bonn, Germany.

In many of these offices, Bahamian personal is either nil or negligible.  So the excuse that we cannot maintain an embassy is tenuous indeed.

According to the United Kingdom, we are not Africans, yet “Bahamians” is not a legal term under the constitution, and no one can say with any degree of truth that we are British.  As a people we are without history, without culture, and without a national identity.  We study British history, British culture, and even British weather, but about ourselves, we have no past – and in colonialism, no future.

Because of the colonial status, the value of the Bahamian dollar is questionable.  Should the British pound be devalued, it would have serious consequences on the economy of The Bahamas.

Because of our colonial status, Bahamians pay a penalty in the form of high custom duty for trading with countries other than the British Commonwealth.  Our economy is tied to the Western Hemisphere.  Indeed everything we eat and wear comes from the Caribbean, North or South America.

It has been suggested that The Bahamas has a democratic constitution based on municipal suffrage – one man, one vote.  Because members in the House of Assembly are not paid, only the rich are financially able to represent their districts – hence membership in the present assembly is composed mainly of the merchants and professional class, but the labouring class has only very limited representation.  In the past 200 years, only on two or three occasions have the Out Islands been able to have representation by a person who resides in the Out Islands.

This situation is aggravated by the fact that there is no local government of the Out Islands.  These areas are governed only by an appointed commissioner, but there are other elected bodies to assist in the administration.  Without more education and greater participation in government, the people will not be prepared to master the responsibilities of independence.

We therefore, request that the United Nations take swift action to influence Britain to set a time-table for the eventual independence of the Bahamas and; in the meantime a commission of United Nations experts should be appointed to make a survey of the political, economic and social conditions of The Bahamas with a view to introducing adequate measures that would prepare the Bahamian people to master their own responsibilities.

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