From time to time, the question arises as to the legitimacy of a national youth service as was proposed by the late Sir Lynden Pindling.  And once again the editorial in Saturday, May 7 edition of the Freeport News asks the question.  I say unequivocally: “Yes!”   But in what context was this idea proposed?

Long before the idea arose for a national service programme, I had instituted community service hours as a requisite for matriculation from Grand Bahama Catholic High School.  Presently, every high school in the nation has taken the clue, and now requires this service as part of their high school program.  We have now even made it an integral component of our apprenticeship training program at the Grand Bahama Shipyard. Whether in school or in the workplace, we have a nation to build...

The Grand Bahama Human Rights Association is extremely concerned about the recent spate of reported alleged cases of brutality wrecked upon individuals while in police custody.  We have thus far not intervened in this matter due to the assurance by both heads of the police force in New Providence and on Grand Bahama that these reports will be thoroughly investigated.  

Both Mr. Quin McCartney and Mr. Ellison Greenslade are honorable and enlightened leaders and we are confident that they will deal with these matters expeditiously.  They are sworn to uphold the safety and dignity of all citizens of this country and without regard to the status of anyone; ordinary persons or enforcers of the law, officers are bound by law and oath  to  scrupulously safeguard the rights of all...

As hundreds of thousands of containers pour into our country, so do a myriad of pests, insects, snakes and lizards make their entry across our borders.  The invasion of  non-native lizards has become so prevalent, that it’s beginning to wipe out our charming and indigenous curly tail lizard.  They consistently devour the eggs and young of the curly tail and thus we see an extensive diminishing of this native specie. 

But this is not the only observed negative and worrisome behavior of these creatures.  They are laying claim to our homes as well with a furious aggression; they have no regard for the sanctity of our dwellings and unceremoniously enter through even impossible ways. Once inside, and devoid of any potty training habits, they proceed to defecate any place and every where, on table tops, walls, curtains, windows, floors, etc., etc.  Their feces leave an unsightly mess which has to be attended to on a daily basis.  They seem to be immune to the ordinary household  pest controls and gleefully carry out their playful, fighting and mating habits with total impunity...

Over the period of a few shorts years, humanity has witnessed and experienced a number of massive and catastrophic events: ‘911’ and the destruction of world’s symbol of financial control; ‘the Tsunami’ and consequential loss of thousands of lives and now the greatest of the three, “Haiti.’   

Following ‘911’, the global meltdown occurred indicating the necessity for yet further normalization and equalization within the world economy. However, following that event too much energy and time were spent on retribution. ‘The Tsunami’ elicited a greater heart and mind response to the plight of a  significant sector of humanity; and now the saga continues with ‘Haiti.’  Will this island in the sea then become the catalyze to finally awaken humanity and draw focus on the need for greater equity for all peoples on a global scale?

First of all I wish to congratulate the Grand Bahama Port Authority for initiating the revitalization of the physical environment of  Freeport.  There is a sense now that care is once again being  taken to bring this city with its enormous potentials back in sync with its vision as the enviable metropolis in this region.  Adorning the city with attractive flora brings alive a natural beauty which gives a balanced perspective to this touted industrial capital of The Bahamas.  With proper care and maintenance, what has now been started can assist in wiping away that negative image which has plagued our city for sometime.  

I would like to suggest that the Port attempt to convince the Ministry of Agriculture to adhere to its promise to deal with the infestation of the pink hibiscus mealy bug, which has virtually wiped out the beauty of those glorious flowers which once adorned every area of our city... 

The morning of August 20th we read in a local newspaper with keen interest the statement from the Grand Bahama Power Company in response to the widespread complaints from residents and businesses concerning the astronomical cost of electricity  as well as the numerous disconnections which have been taking place in recent weeks.  Unfortunately, there was not an iota of comfort to be garnered from the statement.  The uncertainly, the misery, the enormously high bills and the many questions remain in limbo.   

We need to know why a single mother, living in a trailer house with one young child, without air condition or electric stove, could be burdened with a monthly power bill of over $600.00.  Why within hours after another’s meter has been read, the power is turned off with an outstanding bill of only $60.00.

One of the quickest ways to rejuvenate our people and return our nation to a more peaceful, serene and productive existence is to get them back to the soil.

The aftermath of the recent hurricanes practically de-molished the tourism industry on Grand Bahama; and now again the global economic meltdown has resulted in even greater hardship to the people, not only on Grand Bahama, but throughout the Commonwealth. However, in spite of these calls by the universe to awaken us to a more sustainable and productive self-driven economy, based upon the natural resources with which we have been so abundantly blessed, we still stand basically idle awaiting some miracle to happen...

In the original developmental plans of Freeport, with the exception of schools, little or nothing was designed to deal with the social, psychological and communal enhancement of our people, and especially the young.   Neither were these amenities forthcoming fast enough as the city expanded economically.   Consequently, many Freeport residents, native Bahamians, still exhibit the posture of tourists or itinerant salesmen in their own land. Seven years into a brand new millennium, the stewardship of this city is still a distant dream in the hearts and minds of our people...