Category Archives: Bahamas

The report on Bahamas Oil and Gas is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the Bahamas Oil and Gas market. It gives an in depth view of the market on the basis of manufacturers, capacity, production, price, revenue, cost, gross, sales volume, sales revenue, consumption, growth rate, import, export, supply, future strategies, and the technological developments taking place in the market.

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The global Bahamas Oil and Gass market outlook report covers key market drivers, restraints, and opportunities which determine the dynamics of the market. The market has been analyzed using tools such as SWOT (Strength, weakness, opportunities, and threat) and Porters Five Forces Model.

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The Bahamas Oil and Gass global market outlook report mainly targets end-user application and their consumption and the growth for the period mentioned above.

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Bahamas Oil and Gas Market Outlook to 2023-Strategic Analysis, Insights, Forecasts and Opportunities in Bahamas - Cole of Duty

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The Consultant Physicians Staff Association (CPSA) yesterday raised grave concerns over the testing protocol for travelers once the country full reopens next month.

CPSA president Dr Sabriquet Pinder-Butler warned the government not to sacrifice public health due to the countrys economic dependence on tourism as doctors advocate for continued COVID-19 testing prior to travel.

As a world renowned tourist destination, we have visitors from all over the world, Pinder-Butler said.

The number of cases of COVID-19 differs across the world however, recently there has been a resurgence of cases in Beijing and significant increases of new cases in the United States. The United States has consistently been our largest tourist market hence, we anticipate that a potential increase in COVID-19 cases may be inevitable as our borders reopen but would wish to mitigate this as much as possible. A surge of cases in the Bahamas can potentially devastate our strained healthcare system and will further add to the economic burden that our country faces.

The association also requested open and collaborative dialogues with the acting Minister of Health, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and Ministry of Health officials to ensure doctors are involved in finalizing international travel protocols to strengthen healthcare response.

We wish to continue to have Covid free islands in the Bahamas and do not wish to see our country labelled as an unsafe destination if we are unable to contain a potential resurgence, Pinder-Butler said.

Therefore, as senior doctors and frontline healthcare workers we wish to ensure that appropriate guidelines are in place so that all of the hard work, funding, and efforts invested in the past three months are not wasted.

As we adapt and confront inevitable global challenges with modified responses that exemplify our countrys strength and resolve, it is imperative that our economic dependence on tourism does not supersede the public health principles that protect the health and welfare of our Bahamian people.

The first phase of the governments Tourism reopening begins today will the full support of the CPSA, according to a letter penned by its president Dr Sabriquet Pinder-Butler.

However, there is grave concern regarding Phase 2, starting July 1, 2020 as travelers coming to the Bahamas will no longer be required to have a negative COVID-19 PCR test or quarantine, Pinder-Butler said.

Over the past three months, the Government of the Bahamas along with the healthcare workers and residents at large have done a tremendous job in containing the spread of COVID-19 throughout the islands of the Bahamas.

The letter continued: Various government ministries were actively involved in combined efforts including border closures, curfews and lockdowns to ensure the health and wellbeing of our residents and visitors of the Bahamas.

The CPSA wishes to recommend continued Covid-19 testing prior to travel to the Bahamas. We further support mandated social distancing, wearing of masks, proper respiratory hygiene and routine hand sanitization as these combined efforts will assist in minimizing the potential cases of coronavirus in country. We also recommend strengthening the capacity for contact tracing and surveillance.

Link:

No negative test, no entry: Doctors weigh in on reopening Phase 2 - EyeWitness News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Atlantis announced yesterday that it will begin its phased reopening on July 7.

In a letter to employees, Audrey Oswell, resort president and managing director said: Phase one begins July 7, 2020 when we welcome our first guests back to The Royal. She noted that in phase one Royal Bath, Mayan Temple, Power Tower, Zero Entry and Splashers will open.

All beaches will open and Dolphin Cay will open. The main casino, spa and Marina Village will open. Some but not all of our restaurants and lounges will open.Phase twoshe noted will be contingent on business volumes.

According to Oswell, only some of the employees will be recalled during the initial phase and those who are not called back for the phase one reopening will remain furloughed.

We know that there will continue to be hardship for many of you. Be assured that we are making every effort to bring tourism back to previous levels so we may get you back to work, shesaid.

As Atlantis moves to reengage some of its staff, the British Colonial Hilton yesterday made a number of its employees redundant. According to Darrin Woods, Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) president Darren Woods, some 22 of his members were made redundant yesterday.

APhase I reopening of the tourism sector will begin on June 15as the country moves towardofficially reopening to international commercial travel on July 1.

Originally posted here:

Atlantis to start phased reopening July 7 EyeWitness News - EyeWitness News

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Minister of Finance Services, Trade and Industry and Immigration Elsworth Johnson.

The Minnis administration had set June 2020 as a the target for World Trade Organization (WTO), a process which the country undertook two decades ago.

Johnson spoke to the initiative during his contribution to the budget debate yesterday.

While the Minnis led administration is committed to reforming the countrys trading regime and its laws, strengthening existing institutions or creating new ones to facilitate trade, strict time-lines and meeting target dates are not the principle goals in this process, he said.

Paramount for this administration is the necessity to ensure that any trade negotiations that The Bahamas might be involved in are ultimately beneficial to the Bahamian people and the future development of The Bahamas.

Johnson acknowledged that this nation must find ways to participate in discussions which will impact the international trading system and by extension The Bahamas.

The Bahamas must and should be present and leading as discussions on such issues occur within international organizations tasked to address such issues, he said.

He noted that an Oxford Economics report commissioned by the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) had noted that the potential economic impact of WTO accession will be positive over the medium term for the country with the near term crucially dependent on the government efforts to put in place structural reforms.

Johnson noted that in 2015 a compendium of Intellectual Property Rights legislation was enacted by Parliament.

Regulations to bring the new legislation into effect have been drafted, he said.

Johnson noted that strong intellectual property legislation which is enforced by the government goes a long way to ensuring that local and foreign investors that their investments are protected.

He also told Parliament that government is considering draft Competition (Antitrust legislation) building on an existing draft competition bill, developing scenarios for institutional design for a competition agency taking into account the powers and functions of URCA under the Communications Act and models existing in other Caricom jurisdictions.

Johnson further noted that government will seek to enact a foreign investment bill which will seek to codify the national investment policy, tariff quota regulations, anti-dumping regulations, animal health, food safety and plant protection regulations as well as a public procurement bill.

The Bahamas must prepare itself to meet the challenges of trading with its international partners and this will require change, he said.

Key for policy makers will be the pace of those changes. While we have made significant strides in the legislative reforms necessary, more work is required.

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Johnson: Missed WTO targets not the focus - EyeWitness News

By FREDERICK R M SMITH, QC

Tragically, police and Immigration abuse, oppression and brutality in The Bahamas remain systemic, ubiquitous, unreformed, unrelenting, unaccountable and unapologetic. PLP and FNM governments alike do nothing about it!

I am proud that Human Rights Bahamas and my firm, Callenders, shepherd the claims of hundreds of victims through the courts seeking justice. Historically, the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association and my firm have decried abuse and sought justice for decades. Yet, the abuse continues unabated! I commend other lawyers who continue to pursue justice in an In-Justice System which is heavily stacked against victims. The government invariably defends, delays and obstructs; and with no legal aid, no jury trials and no contingency fees, it is a herculean task to succeed.

In April 2019, the Tribune Insight published my article entitled, The Ugly Truth About Police Brutality. Everything I said then, holds true today.

In a Judgment last week by Judge Indra Charles, the Supreme Court found the police liable for damages for injuries to Jermaine Rahming who was repeatedly shot from behind. The judge ruled that To pull a trigger must be a measure of last resort. Damages will be assessed in September.

Last Saturday, three men in a vehicle were shot to death by police on Cowpen Road in Nassau. The facts surrounding these killings are unclear. I call on the Commissioner for full transparency.

The videos of police brutality going viral in the wake of George Floyds death are typical of what has been going on for decades in The Bahamas, with little outcry. Bahamians have added their voices to the Black Lives Matter protests in the US and worldwide a commendable show of solidarity with victims of the twin scourges of law enforcement brutality and ethnic discrimination. Less admirable, and baffling, is the contrast between this show of righteous indignation over atrocities perpetrated abroad, and the veil of stubborn silence and fatuous denial which continues to be drawn across our own dark culture of official violence.

The routine practice of police beating, terrorising and torturing suspects is so well established that its features have become staples of our national lexicon. Most Bahamians, regardless of whether theyve ever faced arrest, can recount with an air of authority the most frequently-used methods, name a few notorious uniformed abusers and even describe in detail a certain dank cell in the bowels of most police stations where these horrors take place.

Meanwhile, and increasingly so over the past few years, police officers have adopted a policy of shoot first and ask questions later with few to no consequences, despite the many witnesses willing to cry official murder. According to their own statistics, there were 245 complaints about police conduct in 2018 a shocking number in such a small country. Officials produce no equivalent stats regarding complaints against Immigration officers, because sadly, their victims are not deemed valuable enough to warrant official protection or even concern.

We are all well acquainted with these ugly truths, but the vast majority of Bahamians act as if they are blissfully unaware. Most pretend to believe anyone injured while in official custody must have fallen suddenly ill, that he or she had those bruises prior to arrest, that it is just a coincidence when dozens of accused persons sign confessions while in a cell, only to plead innocence later in court.

We act as if we believe the police can be trusted, that an Immigration officer would never take advantage of a helpless woman or child, that the government would never allow such injustices, that our society isnt really like the U.S. Not us we would never arbitrarily abuse and victimise the marginalised and helpless. It is truly terrible to consider, during even my 43 years at the Bar, how many thousands of young people have been driven to a life of crime and violence in response to their abuse and traumatisation at the hands of the authorities.

It is even more horrifying to contemplate how the rest of us aided and abetted in this process over the years. Consider also the damage we have done to the rule of law, to respect for the fundamental rights enshrined in the Bahamas Constitution these cornerstones of our democracy and prerequisites for the kind of civilised and progressive society which so many Bahamians aspire to, but which continues to elude us.

Why is it that Bahamians consider police brutality in the United States to be a shocking crime against humanity, but deem the very same behaviour here, unworthy of taking a stand against? Obviously, cases like that of George Floyd highlight the serious problem of racial discrimination on the part of white officers against African Americans and other minorities in the U.S. But the real issue is not so much the identity of the perpetrators, as it is that of the victims individuals already disadvantaged by class and institutional discrimination who have little to no recourse to justice.

This is precisely the situation in The Bahamas, where victims of official abuse are almost always poor, black, working class people who cannot afford lawyers to protect their rights. It amounts to the victimisation of an entire segment of our population, precisely because of who they are. The fact that there is not a clear skin-colour divide between the oppressors and the oppressed should not be allowed to disguise the fact this is discrimination, pure and simple. If you think that race doesnt play a part in it, ask the RBPF what percentage of those who file complaints against them are white. Or rich. But then, we can already guess the answer.

This discriminatory aspect is even more pronounced when you consider the decades-long campaign of wholesale terror perpetrated against Haitians and Bahamians of Haitian descent in this country. People are regularly detained without proper cause, subjected to fear and intimidation, have their homes and property violated,are beaten, sexually abused, stigmatised and discriminated against precisely because of their ethnic identity. The vast majority of the victims of these despicable acts by the Immigration Department did nothing wrong. They are not illegal immigrants. Their only crime was not having papers, having a Haitian sounding name, or looking too Haitian.

We must ask ourselves, how long can police and Immigration officers continue to act like thugs and outlaws before sparking a large-scale violent backlash? If Bahamians think they have it bad now in terms of serious crime, they should pause and consider what widespread and violent civil unrest on our streets would look like. This is not fantasy or alarmist rhetoric just look at what is happening today worldwide.

It should not be necessary to warn Bahamians who are paying close attention to global events: It is only a matter of time before we reap what we sow. And maybe thats for the best perhaps civil unrest, rioting and looting is exactly what we deserve as penance for our shameful silence and cowardly acceptance of regular official atrocities. Perhaps that is the only way we will learn to face up to our demons and confront the sordid reality of our entrenched culture of victimisation. But it doesnt have to be that way. Those among us who can admit - first and foremost to themselves that they are ashamed of the way in which we have condoned and facilitated official violence and brutality for decades, because it was socially and politically expedient to do so, can join together as a force dedicated to speaking truth to power and advocating for meaningful change.

We could start by acknowledging we have a serious problem and that most of us have been complicit in its perpetuation. When asked about police brutality last year, former Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson said officers who abuse their power are a reflection of failed parenting. Officers are recruited from the Bahamian populous, and the public must realise that you only gone get what you give us, he said. The first step, then, is simply to look in the mirror and ask some hard questions about what we find there.

Step Two must involve a commitment to something that has been sorely lacking in our public education system a syllabus that ensures every young Bahamian understands their rights and freedoms under the Constitution. The next step is to place pressure on the government to ensure official violence carries real punishment for the officers in every case, and that those who expose it are respected, heeded and protected.

Sadly, FNM administrations have a reputation for harsh policing tactics and an almost military approach to law enforcement. The present incarnation is no exception, with brutality claims and police-involved killings skyrocketing in recent years. If there is to be a necessary change in attitudes, history does not suggest the current government will be its source.

It is up to the Minnis Administration to prove me wrong. All that is needed is a little courage and the political will to intervene and make the eradication of police and Immigration brutality an urgent priority for its remaining two years in office. In addition, public prosecutors and judges must stop turning a deaf ear to the hundreds of accused persons, from diverse backgrounds, neighbourhoods and islands, who come before the courts telling tales of brutality and violence that are uncannily similar in even the smallest details. These claims must be taken seriously and investigated, rather than ignored or dismissed as falsehoods.

Finally, PM Minnis and Ministers Dames and Johnson must urgently create, by law, an independent Police andImmigration Complaint Commission and provide training in civil rights, sensitivity and psychological evaluation of officers.

My FNM government, please dont forget to finally make good in this term, on the regular pre-election broken promises by past FNM and PLP administrations of a Human Rights Ombudsman!

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INSIGHT: It's only a matter of time before we pay the price for our shameful silence - Bahamas Tribune

An island vacation might actually be in the cards this year. The islands that make up the Caribbean are in various stages of reopening this summer, with many countries already open to tourists. Throw in the fact thatAmericans probably won't be able to visit Europe this summer, and you have even more reason to lounge on a beach in the middle of the Atlantic.

From the Bahamas to Bermuda, these are all the Caribbean islands reopening to tourists this summer:

OPENING IN JUNE

Antigua:Antigua will allow flights from the United States to recommence on June 4.To be allowed into the country, travelers will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival at the airport.

Jamaica: Jamaica reopened to tourists from all countries on June 15.

St. Barth: St. Barth will reopen June 22 with all beaches, restaurants and stores open without restrictions. Tourists must provide aCOVID-negative RT-PCR test performed within three days prior to the visitors departure.

St. Lucia:St. Lucia began a phased reopening on June 4, allowing only tourists from the United States.Visitors must alsopresent certified proof of a negative coronavirus test taken within 48 hours of boarding their flights when arriving on the island and must also continue wearing face masks and practicing social distancing. Phase two of reopening starts August 1.

US Virgin Islands:The islands have been open since June 1. The nation's stay-at-home order stillr requires masks to be worn in public buildings, limits gatherings to 10 people or less, and requires bars and restaurants to operate at 50 percent capacity.

OPENING IN JULY

Aruba: Aruba currently allows visitors from Bonaire and Curaao. Tourism from other Caribbean nations (except the Dominican Republic and Haiti), Europe, and Canada will begin on July 1. United States tourism will begin on July 10.

Bahamas: As part of a phased opening, the islands will welcome private yachts and planes starting June 15 before opening for commercial tourism on July 1.

Bermuda:Bermuda will reopen to international air travel on July 1, but before arriving on the island, visitors will be required to obtain a certified negativePCR COVID-19 testwithin 72 hours of departure.

Dominican Republic: The DR will reopen for tourism starting July 1 as part of the fourth phase of its reopening plan.

Puerto Rico: Puerto Rice will reopen on July 15.Temperature checks will be enforced and anyone with a temperature over 100.3 will be denied entry.

Turks and Caicos:On June 5, Turks and Caicos will allow businesses to reopen, and restaurants plan to reopen on July 6 before tourism commences on July 22.

When will we be able to travel again? Heres everything we know so far.

Most popular on Time Out-The Dominican Republic will reopen for tourists in July-US-based airlines will resume operating international flights as early as next month-Online trivia games to play remotely-Thousands are participating in global bake sale bakers against racism-Are these new plane seat dividers the solution to travel?

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All the Caribbean countries that are currently open for tourism - Time Out

WHEN Iram Lewis spoke in Parliament during his Budget contribution, his words would have been reassuring.

With hurricane season now upon us, the Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness said that shelters have been identified for all islands.

Not so, according to the National Emergency Management Agencys own list of shelters.

If you live in some parts of The Bahamas, you may be all out of luck if you go looking for a shelter.

The first list of shelters issued on June 6 said that shelters were actively being sought in Central Abaco, Grand Bahama and Spanish Wells while the update on Sunday added a new twist for those locations, plus Salina Point. Evacuation plans should be considered, warns the list.

Mr Lewis may not have returned our request for comment yesterday, but NEMA director Captain Stephen Russell made clear there is a problem.

There is no shelter in Abaco, so in the event of a storm, there really needs to be an option, whether to the north or south or other area to evacuate, he said.

Now we are under no illusions about the damage suffered during Hurricane Dorian Abaco particularly suffered. Tribune staff witnessed first hand the devastation as the storm struck the island.

That said, Hurricane Dorian was in September and we are now in mid-June at what point did the active search begin for shelters. Surely it was fairly obvious what buildings might be suitable as shelters, and a swift examination would have been able to determine whether they were strong enough to survive another storm. That could surely have been concluded months ago. Could a shelter have been built between the passing of Dorian and now?

Those who survived Hurricane Dorian are frustrated enough with the slow pace of reconstruction being left with nowhere to shelter is hardly likely to make them feel less like second-class citizens.

And what do we do with evacuees if the worst comes to pass? Captain Russell estimates that would be up to 6,000 people having to be housed and as Dorian has shown us, we do not know for how long that might be.

So dont tell us everything is fine when it is not, Mr Lewis, and dont tell us there are shelters for all islands when thousands of Bahamians are left out in the cold.

NEMA is apparently finalising a plan this week to be sent to the minister regarding evacuation plans. Thank goodness we havent needed it already, given we are several week into hurricane season already.

This is the very definition of too little, too late.

Businesses are back in operation. Restaurants are serving diners. People are back in offices, and back seeing families.

So why on earth is there still a 9pm curfew? We quite understand that the government put it in place during the lockdown period to stop the spread of the virus, but the number of cases has dropped to a trickle the last confirmed case was a patient with a history of travel.

But now that we are out and about, should the emphasis not be on doing so safely rather than having to scurry home before 9pm?

Were not entirely sure of the reasoning. Is it because it helps to clamp down on crime in which case its not being used for the emergency it was introduced for? Is it the same reasoning that saw liquor stores kept closed, making people feel the government was telling them that nanny knows best.

Some of us need to do better too such as the people out on Arawak Cay without masks and saying no one looked sick. Well, thats the point of masks. If youre sick, stay home, but you can carry the virus without looking sick so put your mask on for the sake of others.

But it seems that the time for this curfew has gone now. Certainly, we cant imagine tourists arriving in a couple of weeks and being told that they have to be back in their hotels by 9pm.

If people can be in an office space through the day, we suspect they can be in an open air seating area without having to scurry home like Cinderella. Time to lift this curfew.

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EDITORIAL: Leave no island behind - Bahamas Tribune

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The Bahamas Red Cross Societys team of 29 employees and dozens of volunteers distributes over 1,000 food packages each day and that number continues to grow with the adverse impact of COVID-19 on households.

Dubbed Meals on Wheels, the initiative covers six routes on the islands of Grand Bahama and New Providence.

To keep the wheels rolling, CIBC FirstCaribbean recently made a much-needed financial donation to the programme which sources, prepares, packages, and personally delivers nutritious meals to the elderly, shut-in, disabled, and now, persons feeling the brunt of COVID-19 pandemic.

Terez Curry, President of The Bahamas Red Cross Society, accepted the cheque presented by CIBC FirstCaribbean Managing Director Marie Rodland-Allen.

As donor-dollars dwindle, Curry applauded the banks steadfast support.

I appreciate you coming to the Red Cross, especially as donor-dollars go down as we experience COVID-19. As I am sure you are inundated with requests, we appreciate you keeping us in mind, she said.

The Red Cross Meals on Wheels donation directly combats the food insecurity faced by vulnerable individuals and families who are sometimes met with health and financial challenges too. Most recently, the unemployment spike, due to the novel coronavirus, has increased the programmes demand tenfold.

Rodland-Allen commended The Bahamas Red Cross Society for its extraordinary, holistic approach to humanitarianism. Underlining the impact of Meals on Wheels, she also made reference to The Bahamas Red Cross Societys post-Hurricane Dorian initiatives.

You have so many programmes that are making a big difference. We know that this donation is going to very good use, and you have our full support. We look forward to maintaining this partnership with the Red Cross assisting as best as we can, Rodland-Allen said.

In addition to ongoing donations to local charities, CIBC FirstCaribbean has underscored its commitment to the regions tourism industry, and COVID-19 relief through special offerings for eligible clients.

These offerings include:

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'Meals on Wheels' programme rolls on with bank's support - EyeWitness News

Having studied the regulatory documents, it was found out that now suppliers of trading services in the segment of contracts for difference, CFD, Bahamian license will cost a pretty penny.

In particular, Parliament passed a law proposed by the Bahamas Securities Commission on March 27, 2020, which amended the current rules on fees and commissions.

Now, individuals who wish to register as a dealer of contracts for difference will have to pay a registration fee of $2,500, a registration fee of $15,000 and an annual license renewal fee of $30,000.

In addition, a registered CFD broker must, in addition to paying an annual renewal fee, pay a quarterly activity fee of US $ 45,000, except in cases where the commission is exempted or reduced.

In addition, the CFD Supervisory Officer will be a subject to an application fee of $1,000, a registration fee of $3,000, and an annual renewal fee of $5,000.

Thus, the annual cost of a license will increase 15 times, from $16,500 to $230,000.

The Bahamas are one of the most legitimate offshore jurisdictions. However, a sharp increase in fees is a very strange step on the part of the regulator. Of course, the high cost of a license will scare away scammers, but decent brokers who need offshore jurisdiction will leave with them. Fortunately, they have a choice, for example, Seychelles or Vanuatu.

Tal Itzhak Ron, who is Chairman and CEO of Tal Ron, Drihem & Co. explained that the Bahamas has ceased to be cost-effective, and he did not recommend this jurisdiction, as well as other jurisdictions of Plan B (Belize, Bermuda, Barbados). A Vanuatu license costs 41,000 plus capital of 48,000. In recent years, this jurisdiction has become one of the best for forex and CFD brokers outside the EU. If you are new to this industry, you may not have to consider jurisdictions such as the Bahamas or the British Virgin Islands.

Today, despite the high cost, some large companies in the industry, continue to maintain their licenses in Belize. Bahamian licenses are held by FxPro, IC Markets, Infinox and XM. Starting with a capital of 180 thousand dollars for a broker, or 300 thousand dollars for a market maker is an expensive pleasure, not to mention the expensive costs of maintaining the local infrastructure. Large GCs that already have this license will probably not refuse it. However, other companies will also consider the jurisdiction of the Bahamas, despite its high cost.

Read more:

Bahamas becomes the jurisdiction of wealthy Forex brokers - Forex News Now

EDITOR, The Tribune

The good old fashioned system of values which my late father (Reverend Dr. Ortland H. Bodie Sr.) and my late beloved mother (Annie Hepburn Deveaux) instilled in me and my siblings growing up back in the day has stood the test of time. Those values included a love and respect for The Lord Jesus Christ; taking responsibility for ones behaviour and choices; self reliance; hard work; thrift and honesty.

Not for one minute would I dare suggest that as I matured into adulthood that I would have faithfully observed all of them but, by and large, if I may say so, they stood me well. I have done my level best to attempt to instil the same in my own children. Values are extremely important if a society is to evolve into all it can be for as many as possible. Permit me to offer my rationale on this.

Back in the day it was regarded as unusual to see and hear about children having children as we now see all over the place. These children that are being produced are illegitimate or being raised in a so-called single parent home, usually the mother. 65% of all live Bahamian births are out of wedlock.

Our inner city areas here in New Providence and Grand Bahama are filled with people who have not been able to motivate themselves to take advantage of available educational opportunities, with a bunch of drug users and addicts and a growing and expanding dependency on the central government of the day. Some will make it out of the ghetto, but many others will go on from generation to generation in the same never ending quagmire.

When a family fails society at large fails also and fails big time with repercussions which are felt long into the future. The bulk of our younger Bahamians are GONE and they would appear not to care less. The powers that be come and they go but they hardly ever concentrate on the causes much less the solutions to this vexing and debilitating scenario.

The leading cause of death among our younger Bahamians today is homicide or murder. There appears to be no respect or value for life. A person appears to be willing to kill at the drop of a hat or less. Some social scientists suggest that one cannot legislate morals but I beg to differ. Our criminal justice system is based on morals that condemn certain types of behaviour within society.

If you breach them you will be expected to pay a price, ie incarceration; fines and/or execution in the worst cases. Today, the death penalty has gone the way of the extinct Dodo. We mouth that we are a Christian nation but most of you would not recognize a real Christian even if He were to come down, again, off the cross. We need to renew our commitment to our Judeo-Christian values in our churches; our houses of worship; our communities and in public life.

Thou Shall Not Lie or bear False Witness is one of the classical 10 Commandments. In The Bahamas many of us, especially the politicians pay lip service to that one listed and the majority if not all of the rest. Case in point: During the 2017 electoral campaign, Minnis and crew made all sorts of bogus promises which he/they must have known were lies. Not a single one of those myriad of promises has been enacted or fulfilled so far, save and except that educational costs are being borne by the government.

Our religious (not spiritual) leaders have now become steadfast secular allies of the politicians, especially those in power de jour. They clamour for a seat at the head table. A few of them seek governmental positions as if they would gain entry into the Celestial Kingdom by such means. They have ceased to preach: Thus Saith The Lord but now ask: What would the PM think?

One year after Minnis and crew would have been in office the scales fell from my eyes. Yes, there are one or two ministries which are ticking and performing like clock work despite the overall challenges. The Ministry of Tourism & Aviation along with the Ministry of Social Development are doing yeomens jobs in challenging circumstances. The other ministries, by and large in my opinion are simply there to ensure a job and/or an income for cabinet level personnel.

Two years ago, after the humongous scales fell off, I warned the people of this wonderful nation that the PM et al did not know what the hell they were/are doing. I can now say without fear of contradiction: See I Told You So. They said that it was the peoples time and by damned you all got shafted big time with a jagged piece of stick.

No Accountability and Fiscal Responsibility Act; no Freedom of Information Act; Where is Local Government for New Providence; what about the long overdue infrastructural work: reduction in a long bloated civil service and affordable housing or the freeing up of Crown Land for commercial and residential purposes? Promises made BUT promises not kept.

See I told you so! To God then, Who always keeps His promises, come hell or high water, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H. BODIE, Jr.

Nassau,

June 14, 2020.

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People seem to kill at the drop of a hat - Bahamas Tribune