National leaders
remember Sir Lynden on his 85th birthday
Honouring
the memory of her husband and the father of the nation, Bahamas Governor
General Dame Marguerite Pindling quietly laid the customary wreath at the
mausoleum of Sir Lynden for the fifteenth consecutive year since his death in
2000. On Sunday, 22nd March which would have marked his 85th
birthday, the Dame reflected on Sir Lynden and the symbol of the wreath after a
short ceremony.
“For
the last fifteen birthdays, I have been laying a wreath at my husband’s
mausoleum just to say happy birthday and to thank him for all he has done for
me and my family and for the people of The Bahamas…this is the least I can do
to remember him – he was interviewed once and he was asked how he would like to
be remembered – he said ‘I just wanted to be remembered’ and this is the best
way I know how to come and say we love you, we thank you and continue to rest
in peace.”
Showing
his support for this gesture and saluting his “brother” was Prime Minister
Christie who spoke of the vision of Sir Lynden and how that vision is impacting
his government’s agriculture, food security and economic diversification
policies.
“…and
he (Sir Lynden) said but for Andros, he says as Florida becomes more urbanized,
land from Andros will in fact be used for agriculture…and so what we thought
going into this term – what a wonderful occasion it will be - to be able to
fulfill his dream by actually making an extraordinary effort, a real
extraordinary effort for diversification. So that’s what we are doing in Andros
(with BAMSI).”
Foreign
Affairs Minister Hon. Fred Mitchell who was also on hand reiterated the
importance of protecting and defending the reputation of our national heroes
who have moved on and cannot fend for themselves.
“One
of the things which is very important about those of us who are left behind is
to protect the reputation of those who have gone on – that’s in a sense a way
of having a lasting and eternal life – is that those who are behind you, protect
your reputation because you are not here to protect your reputation for
yourself” said Mitchell
Also
on hand was State Minister for National Security, Sen. the Hon. Keith Bell.
Mitchell suggests “criminal enterprise” behind illegal
migration
On the heels of several illegal boat
landings in The Bahamas, Mitchell told the media that the government was
fighting a sophisticated and highly organized criminal enterprise, driven by
money. He also used the opportunity to solicit the support of the media in
facilitating the national conversation on immigration which the Minister
characterized as a “paramount national security issue”.
“I am using this opportunity” said
Mitchell, “to solicit the support of the media in the continuing conversation
on immigration which is a paramount national security issue. We need the public’s support.
“I want to let you know” continued
the Minister, “that this is a continuing exercise - the fight against illegal
migration. The more we see, the more it suggests that we are fighting a
sophisticated criminal enterprise which is seeking to make money at any cost
and in the process attempting to destabilize The Bahamas. All Bahamians must fight this.”
Mitchell thanked the State Minister for Legal Affairs,
the Hon. Damian Gomez for his spirited defense of the country’s international
reputation at the hearing of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in
Washington DC on Friday, 20th March. Minister Gomez delivered a brief
update, advising the media that the government repeated its open invitation to
the commission to visit The Bahamas to see firsthand, the application of the
country’s immigration policy.
Vessel donation by the US strengthens OPBAT efforts
The Minister of National
Security, the Hon. Dr. Bernard J. Nottage participated in a turnover ceremony
involving the donation of a 410 Apostle Interceptor Police Vessel valued at
$668,000. This latest donation by the United States Embassy is expected to
enhance the operational capacity of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) to
participate in interdiction operations under Operation Bahamas, Turks and
Caicos (OPBAT).
Minister Nottage used the
occasion to underscore the significance and strength of this inter-government
commitment in the fight against and the suppression of transnational
criminality, specifically the smuggling of illegal narcotics and illegal
weapons.
“This commissioning ceremony serves as a
testimony to the Governments of The Bahamas and the United States of America’s
commitment to suppress and interdict illicit drugs and psychotropic substances
as well as minimizing the impact of human and weapon smuggling in our
archipelago,” said the Minister.
Also on hand for the turnover ceremony were US
Embassy Charge d’Affaires Lisa Johnson, Minister of State for National Security
Senator the Hon. Keith Bell and representatives of the US Embassy and the Royal
Bahamas Police Force. The ceremony took place on Monday, March 23, 2015 at the
Royal Bahamas Police Force Marine Support Services Branch located on Bay Street.
BATCU urged to exercise
“greater discretion” with public comments
Answering
public complaints from the Bahamas Air Traffic Controllers Union (BATCU) over
outstanding holiday pay by the government, the Civil Aviation Department shot
back
on Sunday, setting the record straight on the issue.
In a released statement, the department assured the
public that there is an agreement and sign off in place for holiday pay, the
outstanding payments are being processed, substantive retroactive payments have
been made and that the government has and continues to negotiate in “good
faith.”
“The Department of Civil Aviation also wishes to point
out that in addition to the holiday payments now being processed, the members
of BATCU have received substantial retroactive payments for shift
premium and training allowances, and a further tranche of
retroactive payments is now being reviewed for payment. “Additionally” said the statement, “the
public is also informed that a 2014 Addendum to the 2003 – 2008 Bahamas Air
Traffic Controllers Industrial Agreement resulted in the payment of lump sum
amounts ranging from $4,000 - $8,500 to each member of the Bargaining Unit.”
The statement continued that the Department of Civil
Aviation and the Government of The Bahamas has, and is continuing to exercise
good faith with the BATCU, and called on the Union “to exercise greater
discretion in its public pronouncements.”
BATCU charged “discrimination” and “rights” violation by
the government in a press release issued on Friday, 20th March, 2015
over said outstanding holiday pay.
The tragedy of
Shemicka McKinney
The
news reports were pretty grim, but pretty generic
on Monday morning. We knew
only that a woman and two young children drowned at Montagu beach
on Sunday
night when the victims went overboard in a vehicle.
By
Tuesday, the public knew the names of the victims –
thirty-six year old Shemicka McKinney and her two young children, Alisa and
Gabrielle. Family members described Shemicka as a “depressed,” “angry, sad and
confused” woman who apparently “lost her way” in life.
This tragedy sparked a national debate on depression and
stress related illnesses and I wish to share come commentary by local experts
on this psycho-emotional and social phenomenon.
Dr. David Allen: “This evil, ‘violence destructive
tunnel’ is something we really want to alert our people about. Because of the
anger, whether it be latent or repressed in us, we’re all vulnerable to enter
that ‘evil, violence destructive tunnel.’ What actually happens in that tunnel:
First of all, there is hurt, there is anger, the shame happens, there is a
defense against shame, but as the hurt continues and the anger continues there
is a powerful murderous rage. And the first thing that happens is that you see
here, you get cognitive restriction, you lose your perspective, you start
magnifying the situation - this person
is going to destroy me so I have to do what? Destroy them” said Dr. Allen. He
advised those who encounter these types of situations or “triggers” to walk
away until the situation calms down and to seek professional help.
Researcher Dr. Keva Bethel also weighed in, indicating
that research has shown that suicidal parents did not want their children to
endure the level of hurt and quality of treatment they deemed to have suffered
at the hands of family and friends. This was a possible explanation for the
murder suicide that occurred earlier in the week. Dr. Bethel also said that a
local suicide survey revealed that twenty-five percent of Bahamians admitted
that they contemplated suicide at some point in their lives.
Baha Mar opening
pushed back to May
Baha
Mar charged earlier this week that because the contractor (China State
Construction Engineering Corporation) clearly “has not completed the work with
an attention to detail consistent with Baha Mar standards of excellence,” the
multi-billion resort located on Nassau’s Cable Beach strip would not open on
March 27 as previously announced. This was according to a press statement released
by Baha Mar
on Tuesday of this week.
Stating that from the project’s inception, Baha Mar
placed its international reputation on the line by indicating its intent to
create a gaming destination “unparalleled in the world,” the company “relied in
good faith on the representation of the resort’s construction manager and lead
contractor.
“Anything less than a world-class facility and
best-in-class guest experience is not acceptable to Baha Mar” said the
statement and as a result, Baha Mar will not begin its paced opening on 27th
March 2015.
The statement went on to say that Baha Mar expects to
celebrate its grand opening during the first week in May 2015.
In other Baha Mar news, there was a small construction
related fire isolated to one external balcony at the Grand Hyatt that was
extinguished immediately by Baha Mar’s internal team with the assistance of the
Royal Bahamas Police Force fire services.
This week in
Parliament
An
amendment to the Parliamentary Election Act and the Juries Act were read for a
second time in the House on Wednesday, 25th March 2015. The
Parliamentary Election Act allows the Parliamentary Commissioner to share the
voter registration list with the Registrar of the Supreme Court in order to
expand the jury pool. Under the amended Juries Act, a Jury pool will be selected
every two months and potential jurors will be selected electronically as opposed
to the current manual lottery process in the presence of the sample pool. The
second reading was led by State Minister for Legal Affairs, Hon. Damian Gomez.
The
Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie updated the House on the
allegations made against the Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and
Local Government the Hon. Alfred Gray. The Prime Minister said that the
Attorney General has referred the allegations against Minister Gray to the
Commissioner of Police for a thorough and impartial investigation. Further, the
Prime Minister advised the House that Minister Gray has invited him to remove
the department of Local Government from his ministerial portfolio, pending the
outcome of the police investigation.
Minister
of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Hon. Fred Mitchell updated the House on current
Immigration developments. He again claimed that illegal migration to The
Bahamas is driven by a well organized and sophisticated criminal enterprise where
migrants pay thousands of dollars for the voyage to The Bahamas. He told House
members that the Bahamas cannot flinch in the face of this until its proverbial
back is broken. He also thanked the State Minister of Legal Affairs, Hon.
Damian Gomez for his participation in the recent hearing of the Inter American
Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
The
Youth, Sports and Culture Minister, Hon. Daniel Johnson paid tribute to and
congratulated Bahamian collegiate athletes whose schools were invited to the
field of 64 of the NCAA Division One basketball championship commonly referred
to as “March Madness.” The scholar athletes included Big 12 player of the year
Buddy Hield of the Oklahoma Sooners and Dwight Coleby Jr. of the Mississippi
Rebels.
Deputy
Prime Minister Hon. Philip Davis tabled the attendant regulations to the
amended Electricity Act, indicating to the House that the Act came into effect
on Friday past, the 20th March 2015. “The Act enables persons to
install and operate renewable energy generating stations, which can be
connected to the electrical grid. The Act further provides for the registration
and regulation of such stations” said the DPM.
The Regulations will come into effect
upon publication in the Government’s Gazette.
PM urges aspiring
journalists to be “reasoned” in their commentary
Addressing
a group of College of The Bahamas students as a guest lecturer at the School of
Journalism, Prime Minister Christie urged the class of young aspiring
Journalists to seek truth and to be reasoned in their public pronouncements on
politics and government.
“Politics
has somehow warped people and journalists who are political scribes arrogate
unto themselves a level of arrogance that stupefies me because they presume to
make decisions for people. They presume that the position they are in gives
them the right to say what exists and what does not, but the devil is a liar.
And what’s important for you as students is to be able to have your leaders come
in – and don’t be scared from it – Minnis here, Bran here and Christie here –
and say ‘tell us what you believe in’ and make your judgment.” The Prime
Minister further challenged the students to learn as much as can and to be the
authors of the development of The Bahamas.
The
lecture took place at the school of Journalism on the campus of COB
on Thursday
afternoon.
Government Printing
praised for addressing youth unemployment.
In
officially opening the 2nd annual Bahamas Government Printing
Department Open House and Exposition, Prime Minister Christie highlighted an
apprenticeship program geared to addressing the problem of youth unemployment
through Urban Renewal.
“I
am told that just last week March 17th, the department enrolled
eight students from the Urban Renewal Band in a twelve week joint venture
apprenticeship program which is designed to prepare participants for employment
and entrepreneurial opportunities.
“I
am also advised that after successfully completing their twelve weeks of formal
training in computer-aided photo shop and in-design graphics design software,
some of your agencies will be asked to consider engaging them as interns.”
The
Prime Minister went on to say that it is anticipated that after this initial
group of trainees, the department will continue to train groups of young people
every twelve weeks.
“Surely
that type of program ought to assist the government in putting a dent in the
high rate of unemployment” said Prime Minister Christie. The exhibition took
place
on Friday morning, the 27th March.
In Passing…
The
Ministry of Social Services and Community Development issued 1,078 debit cards in
the Robinson Road area alone this week as the Ministry streamlines its welfare
services, eliminating manual food coupons, long waiting lines and general
frustration to its customers. Minister Melanie Griffin confirmed that this
latest disbursement will bring the total number of persons with debit cards to
2,642 by the end of March.
Minister
of Agriculture, Marine Resources & Local Government, the Hon. V. Alfred
Gray announced the opening of the Potters Cay Boat Show to kick off the summer
sailing calendar. The one day boat show will take on Easter Monday, 6th
April. Minister Gray made the announcement on Monday, 23rd March
2015 at the Ministry in the Island Traders Building.
The National Training Agency (NTA) held a
congratulatory luncheon
on Tuesday (24th March) in the Oleander Room
at Freeport Harbour to honour thirteen interns who completed a ten-week
National Training Agency (NTA) Workforce Readiness Program.In attendance
at the luncheon were Cecil Thompson, Deputy Chairman of the National Training
Agency; Norma Pyfrom, Manager NTA, GBI; Carmeta Miller, Consultant/Trainer,
NTA, GBI; Ivan Butler, Headmaster of the Eight Mile Rock School; and Mr.
Stubbs, Ministry of Education. Upon the completion of the program the interns
were assigned to different departments within the Hutchison Group of companies.
Education
Minister Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald addressed students at a special assembly at St.
Annes School
on Tuesday. The special assembly was held to honour the 2015
Bahamas National Spelling Bee champion Charles Hamilton Jr. Minister Fitzgerald
was effusive in his praise for Charles, calling him a role model and describing
him as “a clear example to all children and adults that no matter what
challenges you face, with confidence and determination, you can overcome those
fears and you can succeed.” Good luck Charles at the Scripps Nationals in Washington
DC.
In
other news related to education, the Prime Minister told COB students during
his lecture yesterday that the amended Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) draft
is now ready to be brought before the cabinet for approval. It is not long
before we get a FOIA.
The
Ministry of Transport and Aviation announced a $3.5 million upgrade to the
Potter’s Cay Dock. The announcement was made
on Thursday.
Fresh off his official opening of the Bahamas
Government Printing Department’s Exhibition, Prime Minister Christie was off to
Cabinet where an official afternoon meeting of the Bahamas Cabinet was
scheduled. The nation’s business is never done.