By CANDIA DAMES ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
Progressive Liberal Party leader Perry Christie last night alleged that there were unfair electoral practices in Elizabeth ahead of Tuesday's by-election.
"The people of Elizabeth are witnessing and experiencing offers of temporary jobs, paving of roads and even track roads, installation of street lights, fancy promises about taking care of them, all to get them to vote against Ryan Pinder and the PLP," Christie alleged at a rally in the constituency last night.
"There is no doubt that the people of Elizabeth deserve everything that they can get and we support their receiving such entitlements. But the question must be asked, why wait until now?"
Christie said he found it interesting that after all this time in office, the FNM government "is only now just showing its face in Elizabeth."
"Santa Claus is coming to town in February," he said. "Imagine that."
In the weeks since attorney Malcolm Adderley resigned his Parliamentary seat, the national spotlight has been focused on Elizabeth, with constituents' needs being highlighted by the five candidates in the race.
Matching the articulation of those needs have been a slew of promises on how they will be addressed.
Christie urged residents last night not to be fooled by the election.
"The only party in this race that really cares about you is the same party that has always cared about struggling Bahamians - the Progressive Liberal Party," he said.
Christie also encouraged Elizabeth constituents to show the Free National Movement just how smart they are.
"Let them know that you don't want to go just a little way with a few handouts," he said. "Tell them that you want to go all the way to freedom and dignity with the PLP. Tell them that this is politics at its most cynical level and that you reject it thoroughly."
Christie said Elizabeth voters have every right to ask the FNM government and the FNM's candidate Dr. Duane Sands where they have been over the past two years.
He again expressed confidence in the outcome of the approaching election.
"I feel confident that at the end of the five days that remain, a new day for the people of Elizabeth will come to life; a new day will dawn; a new day that will bring in a new era of caring and compassionate representation; a new era of imaginative and innovative representation...," Christie said.
But the PLP leader told supporters, "We are almost there, but we're not there yet. Let's not lose sight of that fact. We've come a long way over the last couple of weeks but we still have some ways to go. There is still ground to be covered. There are still five days left and these last five days will be the hardest ground of all to cover."
He also said Pinder would play an important role in the next government.
"If you're looking for a stand-up political fighter who is not afraid to go toe-to-toe with his opponents and to debate them in public on the issues, then Ryan is your man," said Christie in a clear swipe at Sands for not participating in Jones Communications' candidates debate on Tuesday night.
Heaping more praise on Pinder, the PLP leader called the candidate "someone with bright, new, clearly-thought-out ideas for fixing the social and economic problems" that Elizabeth constituents face.
He also characterized Pinder as someone who feels deeply about the plight of disaffected youth, the unemployed and residents fearful of escalating crime.
Pinder told supporters last night that he is not the kind of candidate will would be reachable only when he needs votes.
"So Elizabeth, on this short march to victory, on which I hope you will partner with me, you can be sure of a PLP candidate who has your welfare and your future as priority, and who will offer sensible and realistic solutions to everyday problems," he said.
February 11, 2010
thenassauguardian
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Dr. Duane Sands: I support National Health Insurance (NHI)
By Candia Dames ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
In 2006 when the debate over National Health Insurance (NHI) was raging, Dr. Duane Sands emerged as a key opposition voice to the plan as presented by the Christie administration.
Today, as the Free National Movement's candidate in the approaching by-election, Sands is making headlines for other reasons, but his opponents are quick to remind voters that four years ago he fought the battle against the highly touted program.
"My impression was he did not support National Health Insurance," said Dr. Bernard Nottage, who was minister of health in 2006 and is now the Progressive Liberal Party's coordinator for its Elizabeth by-election campaign.
"Indeed, my impression was he did not support universal health insurance. Dr. Sands is an influential physician who has worked in our system in both the private and public [sectors] for many years. And he knows the weaknesses and the faults of the system. He knows that there are people in this country who when they fall ill are denied care because they do not have the money to pay."
Sands on the other hand suggested that because he has worked in the system for such a long time, he has a good idea of what is realistic and what is not. And what the PLP was proposing in 2006, he said, was just not realistic.
"It's interesting that much of what is being said about me now is that I opposed National Health Insurance (NHI)," Sands said yesterday. "There's nothing further from the truth. I did not oppose National Health Insurance. I didn't then and I don't oppose it now.
"What I did oppose was something that was poorly conceived and likely to be poorly executed, and I thought that we were trying to sell the Bahamian public a bill of goods for political mileage. I say that without fear of contradiction. At the time, when I was a technical person in the Ministry [of Health], I said this cannot work, this will not accomplish what it is setting out to do."
In 2006, Sands was part of the National Coalition for Health Care Reform.
Back then he said, "I have absolutely no problem with a National Health Insurance Plan.
"I think it should happen now. I think we need to make dramatic changes in the way health care is delivered. We need to improve access for our Bahamian people, but I've gone on record, and I go on record today, as saying this plan as currently touted will not do what it's intended to do, and more importantly, I believe that we're not terribly far off from the proponents of the current [proposed] National Health Insurance Plan.
"I believe that there's enough talent in this country that if we sit down together and hash out the differences we can all develop a National Health Insurance Plan which we can be proud of, which would be sustainable and which would achieve the noble goals set out by the Blue Ribbon Commission [on National Health Insurance]. We're not terribly far off."
When the National Health Insurance Bill came to Parliament in 2006, Free National Movement members supported it, although they repeatedly pointed to what they called flaws in the Christie government's NHI plan.
In his contribution to the debate on December 6, 2002, then leader of the opposition Hubert Ingraham pointed out that the bill would not have created NHI.
"If, according to them (the PLP) people are dying because there is no National Health Insurance, then people will continue to die because this bill is most certainly not delivering National Health Insurance," Ingraham said.
The bill was passed, but had a short shelf life as it came mere months before the Christie administration's one term in government ended. Under the Ingraham administration, talk of NHI has taken on new form.
The government has said its national drug prescription plan is the first step to NHI and that there will be other steps in its planned phased approach, although no timelines have been given.
But Nottage is doubtful that any meaningful National Health Insurance Scheme will ever develop under the current administration.
"If poor people can't afford it now, how are they going to be able afford it in the future unless there is a national system which we were trying to implement, a system by the way which requires every person who is employed to make a contribution toward health care in the country, pooling the resources so that everybody pays and when one of us becomes ill [we] would not have to worry about having the cash to pay," he said yesterday.
The former health minister said some members of the medical profession are ambivalent about National Health Insurance.
"They want people to have good health care but they don't want to make the sacrifices that are required for them to have good care," he said. "And some of those sacrifices include having to forgo many of the benefits that health professionals have, and so I think it is that ambivalence that has created this opposition."
Sands said in 2006 that he is prepared to work with anyone to come up with a plan that will be sustainable and realistic.
Yesterday he said, "Let's not offer people something that it isn't. National Health Insurance, universal health care, health care reform are emotionally charged buzz words because health care is so critical in a personal way and in a national way. You've got to be very careful that you don't take people's emotions and run with them in a way that you hold out something that is not real. That's lying to people.
"What you need to be able to do is say 'here's where we are, here's where we'd like to go and we think this is where we can get to'. You've got to be honest. I think people understand and appreciate honesty."
February 11, 2010
thenassauguardian
In 2006 when the debate over National Health Insurance (NHI) was raging, Dr. Duane Sands emerged as a key opposition voice to the plan as presented by the Christie administration.
Today, as the Free National Movement's candidate in the approaching by-election, Sands is making headlines for other reasons, but his opponents are quick to remind voters that four years ago he fought the battle against the highly touted program.
"My impression was he did not support National Health Insurance," said Dr. Bernard Nottage, who was minister of health in 2006 and is now the Progressive Liberal Party's coordinator for its Elizabeth by-election campaign.
"Indeed, my impression was he did not support universal health insurance. Dr. Sands is an influential physician who has worked in our system in both the private and public [sectors] for many years. And he knows the weaknesses and the faults of the system. He knows that there are people in this country who when they fall ill are denied care because they do not have the money to pay."
Sands on the other hand suggested that because he has worked in the system for such a long time, he has a good idea of what is realistic and what is not. And what the PLP was proposing in 2006, he said, was just not realistic.
"It's interesting that much of what is being said about me now is that I opposed National Health Insurance (NHI)," Sands said yesterday. "There's nothing further from the truth. I did not oppose National Health Insurance. I didn't then and I don't oppose it now.
"What I did oppose was something that was poorly conceived and likely to be poorly executed, and I thought that we were trying to sell the Bahamian public a bill of goods for political mileage. I say that without fear of contradiction. At the time, when I was a technical person in the Ministry [of Health], I said this cannot work, this will not accomplish what it is setting out to do."
In 2006, Sands was part of the National Coalition for Health Care Reform.
Back then he said, "I have absolutely no problem with a National Health Insurance Plan.
"I think it should happen now. I think we need to make dramatic changes in the way health care is delivered. We need to improve access for our Bahamian people, but I've gone on record, and I go on record today, as saying this plan as currently touted will not do what it's intended to do, and more importantly, I believe that we're not terribly far off from the proponents of the current [proposed] National Health Insurance Plan.
"I believe that there's enough talent in this country that if we sit down together and hash out the differences we can all develop a National Health Insurance Plan which we can be proud of, which would be sustainable and which would achieve the noble goals set out by the Blue Ribbon Commission [on National Health Insurance]. We're not terribly far off."
When the National Health Insurance Bill came to Parliament in 2006, Free National Movement members supported it, although they repeatedly pointed to what they called flaws in the Christie government's NHI plan.
In his contribution to the debate on December 6, 2002, then leader of the opposition Hubert Ingraham pointed out that the bill would not have created NHI.
"If, according to them (the PLP) people are dying because there is no National Health Insurance, then people will continue to die because this bill is most certainly not delivering National Health Insurance," Ingraham said.
The bill was passed, but had a short shelf life as it came mere months before the Christie administration's one term in government ended. Under the Ingraham administration, talk of NHI has taken on new form.
The government has said its national drug prescription plan is the first step to NHI and that there will be other steps in its planned phased approach, although no timelines have been given.
But Nottage is doubtful that any meaningful National Health Insurance Scheme will ever develop under the current administration.
"If poor people can't afford it now, how are they going to be able afford it in the future unless there is a national system which we were trying to implement, a system by the way which requires every person who is employed to make a contribution toward health care in the country, pooling the resources so that everybody pays and when one of us becomes ill [we] would not have to worry about having the cash to pay," he said yesterday.
The former health minister said some members of the medical profession are ambivalent about National Health Insurance.
"They want people to have good health care but they don't want to make the sacrifices that are required for them to have good care," he said. "And some of those sacrifices include having to forgo many of the benefits that health professionals have, and so I think it is that ambivalence that has created this opposition."
Sands said in 2006 that he is prepared to work with anyone to come up with a plan that will be sustainable and realistic.
Yesterday he said, "Let's not offer people something that it isn't. National Health Insurance, universal health care, health care reform are emotionally charged buzz words because health care is so critical in a personal way and in a national way. You've got to be very careful that you don't take people's emotions and run with them in a way that you hold out something that is not real. That's lying to people.
"What you need to be able to do is say 'here's where we are, here's where we'd like to go and we think this is where we can get to'. You've got to be honest. I think people understand and appreciate honesty."
February 11, 2010
thenassauguardian
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham admits non-disclosure
By JUAN MCCARTNEY ~ Guardian Senior Reporter - juan@nasguard.com:
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham yesterday admitted that like many other members of Parliament, he has not been complying with the Public Disclosures Act for the past several years.
"The last one I did was the day before the election in 2007," said the prime minister in a candid interview with The Nassau Guardian in his office at the Churchill Building yesterday.
Ingraham was responding to questions raised after a Guardian investigation uncovered that published public disclosure among elected and publicly appointed officials has basically become a thing of the past.
"I saw your story and we will give some attention to that," Ingraham said when asked if he was aware of the issue. In fact, Ingraham admitted that, "the Public Disclosures Act is not being adhered to by members of Parliament."
The last disclosures published were done on November 3, 2004. However, that information was only current up to the end of 2000.
On Tuesday, the prime minister said that he has all of his financial statements up to end of last year in order and has only to turn them in.
"I brought all of mine up to date," Ingraham said. "I've prepared all the others for 2007 and 2008. I haven't filed them yet, but I'll file '07, '08 and '09 between now and the end of March and early April."
With an entrance tucked in a corner behind the Office of Government Publications and next to the Royal Bahamas Police Force Drug Enforcement Unit's Marine Division on East Bay Street, it's easy to see how somebody could have difficulty locating the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) if no one explained exactly where it is located.
The secreted location of the PDC might be one reason public officials have trouble turning in their disclosures.
For years, various parliamentarians have claimed that the disclosure laws are more to allow the public a glimpse into their private lives.
However, the law - drafted in 1976 - was created specifically to ensure that elected and publicly appointed officials do not enrich themselves off of the public purse.
As far as how the Ingraham administration will address its own elected and publicly appointed officials' delinquencies, Ingraham said that he was in no position to tell other public officials to disclose their financial information in light of his own transgressions.
"The first thing I must do is bring myself up to date before I have the moral authority to ask others to do so," Ingraham said. "I've done so up to 2007 and I haven't done so since. I don't seek to find any excuse for not having done so. I just haven't done it. But I'll do it."
The penalty for not disclosing the information or providing incorrect information is a $10,000 fine and/or two years in prison.
To be fair, even though the information is ultimately forwarded to Cabinet, the process for public disclosure is that all information is to be submitted to the PDC, then audited by its appointed board, according to sources within the PDC.
Why two administrations have passed and a third has almost reached the halfway mark with no new information having been published since 2004 is a question that has yet to be answered.
When contacted last week, the head of the PDC, Oswald Isaacs, said he wasn't prepared to sit for an interview because he had only recently been appointed to the post.
Isaacs referred The Guardian to the secretary of the commission, who did not return messages left for him.
What was gathered from multiple sources is that the hold up usually occurs in Cabinet. Getting anyone connected to Cabinet to confirm that proved fruitless. Cabinet meetings are considered top secret.
It is also understood that if even one person required to make public disclosure fails to do so, the entire process is held up.
Also, the verification process was said to take quite some time.
But how a government that produces a yearly budget for dozens of government departments outlining thousands of line items in minute detail, cannot compile the financial data of fewer than 100 people on a yearly basis is a question that might never be answered.
February 10, 2010
thenassauguardian
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham yesterday admitted that like many other members of Parliament, he has not been complying with the Public Disclosures Act for the past several years.
"The last one I did was the day before the election in 2007," said the prime minister in a candid interview with The Nassau Guardian in his office at the Churchill Building yesterday.
Ingraham was responding to questions raised after a Guardian investigation uncovered that published public disclosure among elected and publicly appointed officials has basically become a thing of the past.
"I saw your story and we will give some attention to that," Ingraham said when asked if he was aware of the issue. In fact, Ingraham admitted that, "the Public Disclosures Act is not being adhered to by members of Parliament."
The last disclosures published were done on November 3, 2004. However, that information was only current up to the end of 2000.
On Tuesday, the prime minister said that he has all of his financial statements up to end of last year in order and has only to turn them in.
"I brought all of mine up to date," Ingraham said. "I've prepared all the others for 2007 and 2008. I haven't filed them yet, but I'll file '07, '08 and '09 between now and the end of March and early April."
With an entrance tucked in a corner behind the Office of Government Publications and next to the Royal Bahamas Police Force Drug Enforcement Unit's Marine Division on East Bay Street, it's easy to see how somebody could have difficulty locating the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) if no one explained exactly where it is located.
The secreted location of the PDC might be one reason public officials have trouble turning in their disclosures.
For years, various parliamentarians have claimed that the disclosure laws are more to allow the public a glimpse into their private lives.
However, the law - drafted in 1976 - was created specifically to ensure that elected and publicly appointed officials do not enrich themselves off of the public purse.
As far as how the Ingraham administration will address its own elected and publicly appointed officials' delinquencies, Ingraham said that he was in no position to tell other public officials to disclose their financial information in light of his own transgressions.
"The first thing I must do is bring myself up to date before I have the moral authority to ask others to do so," Ingraham said. "I've done so up to 2007 and I haven't done so since. I don't seek to find any excuse for not having done so. I just haven't done it. But I'll do it."
The penalty for not disclosing the information or providing incorrect information is a $10,000 fine and/or two years in prison.
To be fair, even though the information is ultimately forwarded to Cabinet, the process for public disclosure is that all information is to be submitted to the PDC, then audited by its appointed board, according to sources within the PDC.
Why two administrations have passed and a third has almost reached the halfway mark with no new information having been published since 2004 is a question that has yet to be answered.
When contacted last week, the head of the PDC, Oswald Isaacs, said he wasn't prepared to sit for an interview because he had only recently been appointed to the post.
Isaacs referred The Guardian to the secretary of the commission, who did not return messages left for him.
What was gathered from multiple sources is that the hold up usually occurs in Cabinet. Getting anyone connected to Cabinet to confirm that proved fruitless. Cabinet meetings are considered top secret.
It is also understood that if even one person required to make public disclosure fails to do so, the entire process is held up.
Also, the verification process was said to take quite some time.
But how a government that produces a yearly budget for dozens of government departments outlining thousands of line items in minute detail, cannot compile the financial data of fewer than 100 people on a yearly basis is a question that might never be answered.
February 10, 2010
thenassauguardian
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham predicts FNM Elizabeth by-election win
By Krystel Rolle ~ Guardian Staff Reporter ~ krystel@nasguard.com:
Charging that the Progressive Liberal Party is a "neglectful bunch" that does not have the wherewithal to help the people of Elizabeth, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham yesterday predicted that the Free National Movement would win the by-election.
"[PLP leader] Perry Christie is screaming and hollering now," Ingraham said last night during the opening of the FNM's Trinidad Street headquarters.
"You think he's scared? Well he better be scared because on the 16th, we (the FNM) will put it on him. Papa will cut his behind on the 16th. Papa is going to get a brand new man. Papa [is] never scared," said Ingraham, referring to himself as Papa.
The FNM leader said the PLP has been neglecting the Elizabeth constituency since the area was known as Malcolm Street in the 1990s.
"It does not make sense from your point of view to go with them. They didn't deliver for you before," Ingraham said speaking to supporters.
He challenged voters to ask themselves several questions before they decide who they want to vote for.
"What can they (the PLP) do for you now? What did they do for you when they had power? If they didn't do anything for you when they had power, what can they do for you without power? If you vote for the PLP on election day, ask yourself, what is in this for me?" continued Ingraham.
The Elizabeth seat became available last month when former PLP MP Malcolm Adderley resigned from the House of Assembly. He also resigned from the party.
His resignation came at the halfway mark of the Ingraham administration's third, non-consecutive term in office.
"I've come tonight to ask you to give us (the FNM) the remaining two and a half years," Ingraham told supporters. "We are in the pick-up business and we'd like that two and a half years."
Turning his attention to the ongoing controversy regarding fraudulent voters, Ingraham said the party has put plans in place to ensure that people who are not entitled to vote, do not get away with it.
Ingraham announced that the register of the list of voters in the Elizabeth constituency would be published in The Nassau Guardian on Wednesday.
"We are publishing it for the purpose of making sure that the public of The Bahamas can know whose names appear there, and where they say they live. Citizens will be able to tell us and tell others, 'I know he don't live there'. So Wednesday, get The Guardian and you'll see the registered voters," he said.
He reiterated his appeal to people seeking to vote illegally against attempting to do so.
"Everybody who is on the registry is able to vote on election day. People who don't live in the constituency should not vote. People who weren't living here for three months, they should not vote either. But if they chose to vote, they can vote."
"Now the law says you should not thief, you should not kill, but people still do that. So when they do that and they are caught, there are consequences. So people who don't live in Elizabeth, we know they don't live here, we will challenge them on election day, or the PLP will challenge their vote or the parliamentary people will challenge the vote."
Ingraham said if people who are not entitled to vote still chose to do so they will face the repercussions.
"And if they bus you in from Englerston, from Bain and Grants Town, from Chippingham, don't bother with that because they (the people responsible for busing you in) [are not] going up there with you," he said referring to prison.
"There is no point of being a fool in this business. That's a very personal thing. No one [can] serve that for you. You have to serve that for yourself," he continued, referring to a prison sentence.
Meantime, FNM candidate Dr. Duane Sands announced last night that he has resigned from the board of the Central Bank and as president of the Medical Council.
He said his full attention has been turned to addressing the needs of the people of Elizabeth.
He said after spending the last seven years in the "wilderness" it's about time the people of Elizabeth get real representation.
If he is chosen to represent the constituency, Sands has committed to extending the hours of operation at the constituency's local clinic and library.
He said the library, which closes at 5 p.m., will remain open for some additional hours to allow school children longer periods to complete their work. He added that the library would be staffed by College of The Bahamas students, or teachers who will be charged with assisting the school children.
Additionally, he said the clinic would remain open so that single mothers could take their children for check-ups after working hours.
"I will respond to your needs," he promised.
"I will not let you down."
Ingraham appealed to voters to choose Sands.
"In Duane Sands you have a patriotic Bahamian. He is a full-blooded Bahamian, loyal to The Bahamas, he is only a Bahamian - not duel, single," Ingraham said, throwing a jab at the PLP, whose candidate Ryan Pinder has duel citizenship for The Bahamas and the United States.
February 09, 2010
thenassauguardian
Charging that the Progressive Liberal Party is a "neglectful bunch" that does not have the wherewithal to help the people of Elizabeth, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham yesterday predicted that the Free National Movement would win the by-election.
"[PLP leader] Perry Christie is screaming and hollering now," Ingraham said last night during the opening of the FNM's Trinidad Street headquarters.
"You think he's scared? Well he better be scared because on the 16th, we (the FNM) will put it on him. Papa will cut his behind on the 16th. Papa is going to get a brand new man. Papa [is] never scared," said Ingraham, referring to himself as Papa.
The FNM leader said the PLP has been neglecting the Elizabeth constituency since the area was known as Malcolm Street in the 1990s.
"It does not make sense from your point of view to go with them. They didn't deliver for you before," Ingraham said speaking to supporters.
He challenged voters to ask themselves several questions before they decide who they want to vote for.
"What can they (the PLP) do for you now? What did they do for you when they had power? If they didn't do anything for you when they had power, what can they do for you without power? If you vote for the PLP on election day, ask yourself, what is in this for me?" continued Ingraham.
The Elizabeth seat became available last month when former PLP MP Malcolm Adderley resigned from the House of Assembly. He also resigned from the party.
His resignation came at the halfway mark of the Ingraham administration's third, non-consecutive term in office.
"I've come tonight to ask you to give us (the FNM) the remaining two and a half years," Ingraham told supporters. "We are in the pick-up business and we'd like that two and a half years."
Turning his attention to the ongoing controversy regarding fraudulent voters, Ingraham said the party has put plans in place to ensure that people who are not entitled to vote, do not get away with it.
Ingraham announced that the register of the list of voters in the Elizabeth constituency would be published in The Nassau Guardian on Wednesday.
"We are publishing it for the purpose of making sure that the public of The Bahamas can know whose names appear there, and where they say they live. Citizens will be able to tell us and tell others, 'I know he don't live there'. So Wednesday, get The Guardian and you'll see the registered voters," he said.
He reiterated his appeal to people seeking to vote illegally against attempting to do so.
"Everybody who is on the registry is able to vote on election day. People who don't live in the constituency should not vote. People who weren't living here for three months, they should not vote either. But if they chose to vote, they can vote."
"Now the law says you should not thief, you should not kill, but people still do that. So when they do that and they are caught, there are consequences. So people who don't live in Elizabeth, we know they don't live here, we will challenge them on election day, or the PLP will challenge their vote or the parliamentary people will challenge the vote."
Ingraham said if people who are not entitled to vote still chose to do so they will face the repercussions.
"And if they bus you in from Englerston, from Bain and Grants Town, from Chippingham, don't bother with that because they (the people responsible for busing you in) [are not] going up there with you," he said referring to prison.
"There is no point of being a fool in this business. That's a very personal thing. No one [can] serve that for you. You have to serve that for yourself," he continued, referring to a prison sentence.
Meantime, FNM candidate Dr. Duane Sands announced last night that he has resigned from the board of the Central Bank and as president of the Medical Council.
He said his full attention has been turned to addressing the needs of the people of Elizabeth.
He said after spending the last seven years in the "wilderness" it's about time the people of Elizabeth get real representation.
If he is chosen to represent the constituency, Sands has committed to extending the hours of operation at the constituency's local clinic and library.
He said the library, which closes at 5 p.m., will remain open for some additional hours to allow school children longer periods to complete their work. He added that the library would be staffed by College of The Bahamas students, or teachers who will be charged with assisting the school children.
Additionally, he said the clinic would remain open so that single mothers could take their children for check-ups after working hours.
"I will respond to your needs," he promised.
"I will not let you down."
Ingraham appealed to voters to choose Sands.
"In Duane Sands you have a patriotic Bahamian. He is a full-blooded Bahamian, loyal to The Bahamas, he is only a Bahamian - not duel, single," Ingraham said, throwing a jab at the PLP, whose candidate Ryan Pinder has duel citizenship for The Bahamas and the United States.
February 09, 2010
thenassauguardian
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham: Opposition Leader Perry Christie failed to use '07 constituency allowance
By Krystel Rolle ~ Guardian Staff Reporter ~ krystel@nasguard.com:
Opposition Leader Perry Christie did not use any of the $100,000 allocated by the government for projects in his Farm Road constituency in 2007/2008, according to Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
But Christie explained that he was taking time to focus on completing necessary and effective projects.
Ingraham made the revelation on Sunday while responding to suggestions by the Progressive Liberal Party that the government would neglect Elizabeth if voters there do not elect Dr. Duane Sands as their member of Parliament next week.
"We continue to demonstrate that we don't do work in constituencies because of who [the constituents] support," said Ingraham during a news conference on Sunday.
"In fact, in some constituencies where we made monies available like $100,000 for the MPs to decide on what should be done in the constituency, people like Mr. Perry Christie in the first year didn't spend any of the money at all. He determined in the first year that there wasn't anything to be done while others like Yamacraw [MP Melanie Griffin] and St. Cecilia [Cynthia 'Mother' Pratt] overspent because they figured they had needs in their constituency to be dealt with."
Yesterday, Christie admitted that he took longer to spend his constituency allowance than others did, but he said it was not because there was no work to be done in that area.
Christie said that during the year in question, his constituency office was planning how best it could use the allowance.
He said plans are now in place to expand three parks in his constituency and to add bathroom facilities in at least two of the parks.
He said both the Hay Street park and the Sunlight Village park are heavily used and do not have bathrooms. The Fowler Street park needs to be expanded, he said.
Christie said he has asked the government to acquire adjoining property to make it larger, and to completely refurbish the park.
He said the work is extensive and would cost more than the $100,000 allowance.
"If he's saying that I didn't use the money as quickly as some of the other MPs, he's probably dead right," said Christie, who added that by planning what he would do more thoroughly he probably used the money more efficiently.
"I don't know what Ingraham was intending to achieve by making that announcement but my sense was that I had to somehow expand the parks and I'm doing that."
Christie said the Ministry of Works recently acknowledged that its employees visited the site and took measurements of the parks. It has also been acknowledged that the bids went out to complete the work, Christie added.
The government also allocated $100,000 in fiscal year 2008/2009 to each MP for projects in the various constituencies.
February 09, 2010
thenassauguardian
Opposition Leader Perry Christie did not use any of the $100,000 allocated by the government for projects in his Farm Road constituency in 2007/2008, according to Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
But Christie explained that he was taking time to focus on completing necessary and effective projects.
Ingraham made the revelation on Sunday while responding to suggestions by the Progressive Liberal Party that the government would neglect Elizabeth if voters there do not elect Dr. Duane Sands as their member of Parliament next week.
"We continue to demonstrate that we don't do work in constituencies because of who [the constituents] support," said Ingraham during a news conference on Sunday.
"In fact, in some constituencies where we made monies available like $100,000 for the MPs to decide on what should be done in the constituency, people like Mr. Perry Christie in the first year didn't spend any of the money at all. He determined in the first year that there wasn't anything to be done while others like Yamacraw [MP Melanie Griffin] and St. Cecilia [Cynthia 'Mother' Pratt] overspent because they figured they had needs in their constituency to be dealt with."
Yesterday, Christie admitted that he took longer to spend his constituency allowance than others did, but he said it was not because there was no work to be done in that area.
Christie said that during the year in question, his constituency office was planning how best it could use the allowance.
He said plans are now in place to expand three parks in his constituency and to add bathroom facilities in at least two of the parks.
He said both the Hay Street park and the Sunlight Village park are heavily used and do not have bathrooms. The Fowler Street park needs to be expanded, he said.
Christie said he has asked the government to acquire adjoining property to make it larger, and to completely refurbish the park.
He said the work is extensive and would cost more than the $100,000 allowance.
"If he's saying that I didn't use the money as quickly as some of the other MPs, he's probably dead right," said Christie, who added that by planning what he would do more thoroughly he probably used the money more efficiently.
"I don't know what Ingraham was intending to achieve by making that announcement but my sense was that I had to somehow expand the parks and I'm doing that."
Christie said the Ministry of Works recently acknowledged that its employees visited the site and took measurements of the parks. It has also been acknowledged that the bids went out to complete the work, Christie added.
The government also allocated $100,000 in fiscal year 2008/2009 to each MP for projects in the various constituencies.
February 09, 2010
thenassauguardian
Monday, February 8, 2010
Bain and Grants Town MP Dr. Bernard Nottage (PLP): By-election could end up before Election Court
By Keva Lightbourne ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ kdl@nasguard.com:
The Progressive Liberal Party believes that the Elizabeth by-election may end up before the Election Court if persons who registered in the constituency illegally are allowed to vote on February 16.
This point was made by Bain and Grants Town MP Dr. Bernard Nottage during a news conference held at the PLP's Farrington Road headquarters yesterday. Nottage further claimed that the party has uncovered many instances where people registered in the area but should not have been allowed to do so.
"Many persons who are on the register should not be on the register, because they have not lived in the constituency for as many as two years. You are permitted to continue to vote in a constituency if you have moved out for less than six months. But if you have moved out for more than six months you are no longer legally entitled to vote," said Nottage, who is also the PLP's campaign coordinator for the Elizabeth by-election.
"Similarly, to transfer into a constituency and be able to vote you must be living there for three months after you have moved into the constituency. There are persons on the register who have been there for less than three months but who have registered," he alleged. "The job of the parliamentary commissioner is to ferret those persons out and to remove them from the register or not to transfer them into the constituency."
Nottage said while some attempts to clean up the register were made, he does not believe they were entirely successful.
Meanwhile, at a Free National Movement (FNM) news conference Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said the party would not be fighting any cases in Election Court, as elections are won at the polls.
On Friday Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel confirmed that he had certified the voter register for the Elizabeth constituency. The voter register was certified amid ongoing claims of voter fraud and irregularities.
Ingraham said the FNM was conducting a forensic examination of the register and had uncovered a number of errors.
Bethel said 4,943 voters are on the register.
No changes can be made to the register, but candidates could still lodge challenges they may have on election day.
According to Nottage if there are extensive challenges on that day, the situation will become very "confrontational," and he hoped that this could be avoided.
"We ought not be going into an election where we expect to have to challenge 200 or 300 or 400 persons. One or two now and then is to be expected for a variety of reasons. I am not saying that there are 200 or 300, but I am saying that there are many persons in the hundreds who cannot be found in the constituency or who have not been found in the constituency despite intensive work so far," he explained.
And while Nottage could not give a figure for the number of persons who are on the register and should not be, he noted that the parliamentary register had somewhere in the region of 420-430 new voters.
"And when we looked at who those new voters were, we found when we compared it with the 2007 register that there may be as many as an additional 80. We have not completed that review yet," said Nottage.
"About half of the parliamentary commissioner's list were people who we legitimately feel should be there because of their age. They just became of full age since the last election so we know that they are okay. But there were many people, some born as early as [the] 1930s who are there as new voters who we believe may not legally be there," he added.
But, Nottage admitted that this point could not yet be proven, adding that in due course it would be determined.
Nottage reported that the increase in the number of registered voters in the Elizabeth constituency is unprecedented. He said a review of the increase between elections held in the Elizabeth constituency every five years shows a rise between 1997 and 2002 of 9.53 percent and between 2002 and 2007 of 2.66 percent. Yet, Nottage indicated that the largest increase of 16.64 percent occurred between 2007 and 2010 - a period of two years and nine months.
"It is our belief that such an increase is highly unlikely, and that there are on the Elizabeth register many persons who do not have the right to be there. Some have moved out, some may have died, some may have registered without being eligible," Nottage said.
Additionally, the Bain and Grants Town MP disclosed that he had received reports from Elizabeth residents who claimed that people purporting to be working with the Parliamentary Registrar Department had been visiting their homes, or making phone calls to them and making erroneous observations, in some cases allegedly altering information on voters cards.
Nottage alleged that some people have reported that the polling division on their voter's card had been changed, resulting in members of the same household being placed in two different polling divisions.
"It is clear that such random and ad hoc relocation of voters would complicate the voter identification process, potentially create mass confusion and frustration on election day, and discourage the voter from exercising his or her democratic right," Nottage said.
For example, he alleged that one voter indicated to the PLP that if his children could not vote where he votes then no one would vote.
"Because they were all in polling division number 5 until somebody comes along and puts some of them in five and some of them in 11. So we have to seek to persuade them that notwithstanding what has happened, that they should all go and vote in different polling divisions," Nottage reported.
The party called on the Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest, who is responsible for the register, to immediately investigate the situation and "provide a full and clear explanation as to why the transfers were done, [and] what corrective actions are being taken to remedy this unfortunate situation."
In the meantime, Nottage is advising Elizabeth voters to remain calm even though on the face of it, it appears that their democratic rights are being frustrated.
The opposition MP then slammed the government for not seeking to rectify the register following the general Election Court challenges, which highlighted the fact that its integrity was compromised.
"Surely then a new government coming to power would seek immediately to correct those defects. Even though Prime Minister Ingraham is quick to point the finger at former Prime Minister (Perry) Christie, we say that it was his fault that they have not made any concrete steps within the parliamentary commissioner's office as it relates to its structure and function to correct this situation," Nottage stressed.
February 08, 2010
thenassauguardian
The Progressive Liberal Party believes that the Elizabeth by-election may end up before the Election Court if persons who registered in the constituency illegally are allowed to vote on February 16.
This point was made by Bain and Grants Town MP Dr. Bernard Nottage during a news conference held at the PLP's Farrington Road headquarters yesterday. Nottage further claimed that the party has uncovered many instances where people registered in the area but should not have been allowed to do so.
"Many persons who are on the register should not be on the register, because they have not lived in the constituency for as many as two years. You are permitted to continue to vote in a constituency if you have moved out for less than six months. But if you have moved out for more than six months you are no longer legally entitled to vote," said Nottage, who is also the PLP's campaign coordinator for the Elizabeth by-election.
"Similarly, to transfer into a constituency and be able to vote you must be living there for three months after you have moved into the constituency. There are persons on the register who have been there for less than three months but who have registered," he alleged. "The job of the parliamentary commissioner is to ferret those persons out and to remove them from the register or not to transfer them into the constituency."
Nottage said while some attempts to clean up the register were made, he does not believe they were entirely successful.
Meanwhile, at a Free National Movement (FNM) news conference Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said the party would not be fighting any cases in Election Court, as elections are won at the polls.
On Friday Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel confirmed that he had certified the voter register for the Elizabeth constituency. The voter register was certified amid ongoing claims of voter fraud and irregularities.
Ingraham said the FNM was conducting a forensic examination of the register and had uncovered a number of errors.
Bethel said 4,943 voters are on the register.
No changes can be made to the register, but candidates could still lodge challenges they may have on election day.
According to Nottage if there are extensive challenges on that day, the situation will become very "confrontational," and he hoped that this could be avoided.
"We ought not be going into an election where we expect to have to challenge 200 or 300 or 400 persons. One or two now and then is to be expected for a variety of reasons. I am not saying that there are 200 or 300, but I am saying that there are many persons in the hundreds who cannot be found in the constituency or who have not been found in the constituency despite intensive work so far," he explained.
And while Nottage could not give a figure for the number of persons who are on the register and should not be, he noted that the parliamentary register had somewhere in the region of 420-430 new voters.
"And when we looked at who those new voters were, we found when we compared it with the 2007 register that there may be as many as an additional 80. We have not completed that review yet," said Nottage.
"About half of the parliamentary commissioner's list were people who we legitimately feel should be there because of their age. They just became of full age since the last election so we know that they are okay. But there were many people, some born as early as [the] 1930s who are there as new voters who we believe may not legally be there," he added.
But, Nottage admitted that this point could not yet be proven, adding that in due course it would be determined.
Nottage reported that the increase in the number of registered voters in the Elizabeth constituency is unprecedented. He said a review of the increase between elections held in the Elizabeth constituency every five years shows a rise between 1997 and 2002 of 9.53 percent and between 2002 and 2007 of 2.66 percent. Yet, Nottage indicated that the largest increase of 16.64 percent occurred between 2007 and 2010 - a period of two years and nine months.
"It is our belief that such an increase is highly unlikely, and that there are on the Elizabeth register many persons who do not have the right to be there. Some have moved out, some may have died, some may have registered without being eligible," Nottage said.
Additionally, the Bain and Grants Town MP disclosed that he had received reports from Elizabeth residents who claimed that people purporting to be working with the Parliamentary Registrar Department had been visiting their homes, or making phone calls to them and making erroneous observations, in some cases allegedly altering information on voters cards.
Nottage alleged that some people have reported that the polling division on their voter's card had been changed, resulting in members of the same household being placed in two different polling divisions.
"It is clear that such random and ad hoc relocation of voters would complicate the voter identification process, potentially create mass confusion and frustration on election day, and discourage the voter from exercising his or her democratic right," Nottage said.
For example, he alleged that one voter indicated to the PLP that if his children could not vote where he votes then no one would vote.
"Because they were all in polling division number 5 until somebody comes along and puts some of them in five and some of them in 11. So we have to seek to persuade them that notwithstanding what has happened, that they should all go and vote in different polling divisions," Nottage reported.
The party called on the Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest, who is responsible for the register, to immediately investigate the situation and "provide a full and clear explanation as to why the transfers were done, [and] what corrective actions are being taken to remedy this unfortunate situation."
In the meantime, Nottage is advising Elizabeth voters to remain calm even though on the face of it, it appears that their democratic rights are being frustrated.
The opposition MP then slammed the government for not seeking to rectify the register following the general Election Court challenges, which highlighted the fact that its integrity was compromised.
"Surely then a new government coming to power would seek immediately to correct those defects. Even though Prime Minister Ingraham is quick to point the finger at former Prime Minister (Perry) Christie, we say that it was his fault that they have not made any concrete steps within the parliamentary commissioner's office as it relates to its structure and function to correct this situation," Nottage stressed.
February 08, 2010
thenassauguardian
The governing Free National Movement (FNM) to challenge questionable by-election votes
By Krystel Rolle ~ Guardian Staff Reporter ~ krystel@nasguard.com:
Despite the fact that the register was purged of ineligible voters on Friday, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said the Free National Movement has been unable to reach hundreds of registered Elizabeth voters and plans to challenge all questionable votes on election day - February 16.
"We made available to the [parliamentary] commissioner [Errol Bethel] a number of reports of our findings, all of which were not able to be disposed of satisfactorily before the register was closed on Friday. We would therefore make challenges of such voters on election day," said Ingraham, who was speaking at a press conference yesterday afternoon in his capacity as FNM leader.
People eliminated from the register, according to Ingraham, included people who are dead, people who are registered in Elizabeth but who live in Yamacraw and those who have moved out of the constituency.
Ingraham said the FNM is seeking to verify the number of people who are still ineligible to vote.
"There are many vacant apartments in Elizabeth and many persons are registered to vote along those streets (where the vacant apartments are situated)," said Ingraham.
"And while we can't say with certainty - because the register is not compiled where we can say persons live in house 12 or apartment two etc. - the reality is that we haven't been able to find a number of persons and that would be in the hundreds. But we know who we couldn't find. Some of the people we couldn't find, we know they don't live in Elizabeth. We've also spoken to the neighbors. We've also spoken to landlords and we are fairly sure that a number of them are not entitled to vote even though they are on the register and we will challenge those votes."
According to Bethel there are 4,943 voters on the register.
He said no changes can be made to the register, but candidates could still lodge challenges they may have on election day.
Ingraham discouraged people not entitled to vote from trying to do so.
"I want to use this opportunity to say if you are not living in Elizabeth, if you were registered to vote there before the last election, if you moved out for more than six months, please do not show up to vote. If you were not living there for at least three months before you registered to vote, you are not entitled to vote there. Please do not show up to vote," he reiterated.
"We have a fair idea of the names and addresses of persons who have registered in Elizabeth who do not live there. We also have a fair idea of persons who have moved out of Elizabeth and other cases (of persons) who do not live there period. We also know all of those people who were registered to vote, who are now in prison and not entitled to vote."
Ingraham said the government will make several changes to prevent such discrepancies when the general election rolls around.
"The first thing we will do is make sure that competent people are doing the register. We will not seek to choose FNM or PLP supporters to do so."
He said the government will ensure that people who have experience will man the registers. He added that the people who worked in the offices during previous elections are still alive and can be called upon if necessary.
"The next election there will not be a problem with the register, because you have a prime minister who will have his hands on the tiller... who will make sure to do his job, which is what the prime minister is supposed to do, ensure that the country is able to have a reliable voter register where people can go and vote for the candidate of their choice, without worrying whether hanky panky is taking place," he said.
Additionally, he said all streets will have names and houses will have numbers. Ingraham said that will cut out some of the confusion that exists today.
In regards to the FNM's chances of winning the by-election, Ingraham said after visiting virtually every occupied dwelling house in the constituency, the FNM "feels good about the response that we've gotten."
He added that win or lose, the FNM will not be going to election court.
"We win on election day or we lose on election day," he said.
Polling stations include: Thelma Gibson Primary School in Elizabeth Estates, Faith Temple Christian Academy on Prince Charles Drive, Church of God and New Dimension Ministries, both on Joe Farrington Road.
February 08, 2010
thenassauguardian
Despite the fact that the register was purged of ineligible voters on Friday, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said the Free National Movement has been unable to reach hundreds of registered Elizabeth voters and plans to challenge all questionable votes on election day - February 16.
"We made available to the [parliamentary] commissioner [Errol Bethel] a number of reports of our findings, all of which were not able to be disposed of satisfactorily before the register was closed on Friday. We would therefore make challenges of such voters on election day," said Ingraham, who was speaking at a press conference yesterday afternoon in his capacity as FNM leader.
People eliminated from the register, according to Ingraham, included people who are dead, people who are registered in Elizabeth but who live in Yamacraw and those who have moved out of the constituency.
Ingraham said the FNM is seeking to verify the number of people who are still ineligible to vote.
"There are many vacant apartments in Elizabeth and many persons are registered to vote along those streets (where the vacant apartments are situated)," said Ingraham.
"And while we can't say with certainty - because the register is not compiled where we can say persons live in house 12 or apartment two etc. - the reality is that we haven't been able to find a number of persons and that would be in the hundreds. But we know who we couldn't find. Some of the people we couldn't find, we know they don't live in Elizabeth. We've also spoken to the neighbors. We've also spoken to landlords and we are fairly sure that a number of them are not entitled to vote even though they are on the register and we will challenge those votes."
According to Bethel there are 4,943 voters on the register.
He said no changes can be made to the register, but candidates could still lodge challenges they may have on election day.
Ingraham discouraged people not entitled to vote from trying to do so.
"I want to use this opportunity to say if you are not living in Elizabeth, if you were registered to vote there before the last election, if you moved out for more than six months, please do not show up to vote. If you were not living there for at least three months before you registered to vote, you are not entitled to vote there. Please do not show up to vote," he reiterated.
"We have a fair idea of the names and addresses of persons who have registered in Elizabeth who do not live there. We also have a fair idea of persons who have moved out of Elizabeth and other cases (of persons) who do not live there period. We also know all of those people who were registered to vote, who are now in prison and not entitled to vote."
Ingraham said the government will make several changes to prevent such discrepancies when the general election rolls around.
"The first thing we will do is make sure that competent people are doing the register. We will not seek to choose FNM or PLP supporters to do so."
He said the government will ensure that people who have experience will man the registers. He added that the people who worked in the offices during previous elections are still alive and can be called upon if necessary.
"The next election there will not be a problem with the register, because you have a prime minister who will have his hands on the tiller... who will make sure to do his job, which is what the prime minister is supposed to do, ensure that the country is able to have a reliable voter register where people can go and vote for the candidate of their choice, without worrying whether hanky panky is taking place," he said.
Additionally, he said all streets will have names and houses will have numbers. Ingraham said that will cut out some of the confusion that exists today.
In regards to the FNM's chances of winning the by-election, Ingraham said after visiting virtually every occupied dwelling house in the constituency, the FNM "feels good about the response that we've gotten."
He added that win or lose, the FNM will not be going to election court.
"We win on election day or we lose on election day," he said.
Polling stations include: Thelma Gibson Primary School in Elizabeth Estates, Faith Temple Christian Academy on Prince Charles Drive, Church of God and New Dimension Ministries, both on Joe Farrington Road.
February 08, 2010
thenassauguardian
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