By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
AN INFLUENTIAL church pastor is urging the government to make its position known as to whether billionaire Peter Nygard’s request to lease acres of Crown land will be granted.
Rev C B Moss, who is also a part of the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay, insisted that answers are needed over the application especially as hundreds of Bahamians have waited for years to receive such an approval.
He was speaking to The Tribune after a video of himself engaged in an argument with Mr Nygard outside Mount Olive Church was posted on the internet. In it, Mr Nygard is accompanied by an entourage to the Meeting Street church claiming that he was seeking to squash the bad blood that existed between them.
However, Rev Moss suggested that his only issue was that the undertakings at Nygard Cay were robbing Bahamians of that to which they are entitled.
“Mr Nygard,” he said, “is having too much to say in the business of the Bahamian people. If he made a request to lease the land, he should wait and see what the government will do, but it seems as though he is badgering the government.
“One thing is certain, the government of the Bahamas needs to state to Bahamians what they will do regarding what belongs to us. Do you know how many people have made requests for Crown land and years later, and hundreds of people later, they haven’t heard one thing?”
Mr Nygard also suggested in the video that Rev Moss and Lyford Cay billionaire Louis Bacon were friends, which was the reason for Rev Moss’ opposition to the continuing development at the Cay.
But Rev Moss assured The Tribune that he has never met Mr Bacon nor has he ever advocated anything on his behalf.
“Nygard is all about bad mouthing people and that is anyone who goes against him. They are vilified. People all over social media networks have been tearing into me.
“It is all a smoke screen with people representing the Coalition made criminal.”
On its website, the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay have claimed that Simms Point, or Nygard Cay, had allegedly “almost doubled in size” from 3.25 acres in 1984 – when Mr Nygard bought it – to 6.1 acres by 2012.
“This accreted Crown land reputedly has a value of between $25 to $30 million,” the Coalition alleged, suggesting that the land reclamation had negatively damaged the surrounding marine habitat and environment.
Comments
B_I_D___ 11 years, 5 months ago
Nobody is going to touch Nygard...watch the You Tube video below...he was one of the chief financers for the PLP election and is 'taking the Bahamas back!' He's got the govt well seeded in his pocket!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGkvguBV…
TalRussell 11 years, 5 months ago
While I am not up to date on what, if any, monies were donated by the two Lyford Cay residents, I do call for a law that NO political party, or their candidates, should ever be allowed to accept political campaign donations from any foreign individual or corporation. We must keep politics a local affair. I also believe that any individual or corporation, be they native or foreigner, doing or having business with Bahamaland's government, should be be required to disclose any and all monies and favors extended to members of the government, even while in opposition. Also, NO civil servant should ever be allowed to accept monies or favors from anyone. Enforce this law by jailing all those who break it. This is more the kind of changes "lead numbers" lawyer Comrade Wayne might not want to talk about entrenching in we revised constitution?
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 5 months ago
Agreed.
B_I_D___ 11 years, 5 months ago
@ Tal...while I agree with you in spirit and content on this issue...if you honestly believe that money is not exchanging hands, man I got some top dollar real estate I could sell you dirt cheap!!
The_Oracle 11 years, 5 months ago
I do not disagree with Tal with respect of Political donations and bribes etc. However, we better build a hell of a prison to accommodate all who should be locked up for these infractions! (many of which are already illegal!) This is probably what the Chinese should have built for us instead of a stadium......
B_I_D___ 11 years, 5 months ago
Ain't too late to start construction Oracle!! I say we get the whole CCTV court system thing in place, build a massive prison in Andros, and deport all our Nassau criminals to Andros.
TalRussell 11 years, 5 months ago
First of all I am not about accuse anyone of something I have no knowledge of. What has been admitted by both PM's is that their respective party candidates have indeed received campaign donations from persons conducting illegal activities. Did either PM order the monies be returned. Nope. No need to construct new prisons in anticipation of accommodating all who take it as part of their "pay package" to be accepting favors from those wanting/having business before the present or hopefully future government ..... just release 80% of the prison population, which have no justification for being imprisoned on remanded at Fox Hill. Save those prison beds for society's real leaches. You know the ones who likes play footsie with their authority and influence peddling?
banker 11 years, 5 months ago
Once again, you are drinking the common-sense switcher and speaking the truth. That makes twice that I wholeheartedly agree with you.
Bahamianpride 11 years, 5 months ago
Tals on point, we're not trying to create penal colonies, Government already cost to much, that land could be used for farming and producing food to market for and by Bahamians.
Bahamianpride 11 years, 5 months ago
The answer should be Nooooooooooo to Nygard.. He is on some colonialist nonsense, its intellectually insulting for him to think we do not value our sovereignty and understand the value of our land
concernedcitizen 11 years, 5 months ago
Nygard already figured out what "we" value ,now he is negotiating ,,like the prince of prague ,,joe leader etc ,,,
TalRussell 11 years, 5 months ago
Sometimes what i read in The Tribune makes me want cry for Bahamaland. Sometimes I laugh. Not sure which this story does? How do you feel?
Bahamianpride 11 years, 5 months ago
Its rediculous Tal, many Bahamians cannot see past the B.S. Both men Bacon & Nygard if there intentions are pure, then join us, apply for Bahamian Citizenship... And if they both claim preservation and conservation is there goal, why are they fighting.. Its about Power, Control and offcourse money..
TalRussell 11 years, 5 months ago
Unfortunately, Comrade Bahamian pride you're more right that you know. How could anyone but the working domestics ever hope to see what's go'in on at Lyford Cay, when they're those protective gates banning all but the invited from entering. US President Roland Reagan: "Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" It's a fact that when the foreigners put up gates to lockout Freeporter's from accessing public beaches, you wanna know what they did. They cut the damn locks off the gates and the locks have never returned. Not one single locked beach gate can be found in Freeport today. Wake up Comrades of Nassau Town. This is your damn Nassau Town. Comrades of all political colors, social standing, faiths, it's our time for a "Bahamaland Pride Rebirth" for our tiny, beloved Bahamaland. The rights enjoyed by all, whether born here or became a citizen) cannot be suppressed. I submit that no multi-billion dollar project is ever going to surpass the true character of our Bahamaland. Her native people are Her most cherished treasures. Protect what is yours to guard. Allow no individual, corporation, group with any amount of wealth, political power, or high priced lawyers to get in your way. I know sometimes while it may not appear so, the LAW is ON the side of the PEACEFUL. Trust your gut feelings, that's telling you something is really going the wrong way in our Bahamaland.
banker 11 years, 5 months ago
Too late -- all of the hilltop and beachfront is already sold -- gone and never coming back into Bahamian hands until that sad day when the foreign owners walk away from it, because they would take their lives into their hands to come and claim it. But by that time, what's left of we Bahamians will be eating coconut and pigeons. The conch, grouper and lobster will be gone too.
Bahamianpride 11 years, 5 months ago
Banker it can be done, we can reclaim it & protect it.. But for any plan to work we must first neutralize the parisites and free our society from its own self discriminating policies.. Leadership will have to be new and changes would have to be radical in the first few years.. I use the word radical because indoctrination away from this uncle tom mentality will have to come from strong new leadership.. We have the people to lead, it is the responsibility of people like u and I and many others to insure new progressive leadership are not eaten alive by the incompotent parisites. I read the conversations on here and even the dialog we have, I see the intelligence and knowledge necessary to change our furture...
banker 11 years, 5 months ago
Yes it can be done, but our human capital is very deficient. It is deficient because of the tribalism that still exists. We have the political tribes (referred to as red shirts and crabbies). We have the human tribes (Blacks, Whites, Bahamians, Haitians, Foreigners, Investors). I have even heard CB Moss make tribal, anti-white rants in the past that made me cringe. We have inside and outside children. We have family tribes. We have skin colour tribes -- the reds, lights and blacks. We have the religious tribes (contrast the Bentley and private jets to the donkey that Jesus rode -- not a chariot, but a donkey). We have the White Knights who still think they own this land. We have the Over-The-Hill tribes, and the Aids Camp tribes who are the untouchables. We as a people do not have the enlightenment to transcend our tribalism.
I am sure that if you took all of the intelligent people here who do have answers on how to elevate and enlighten the Bahamas, and put them together in one room, the divisive tribalism would surface the minute anyone wanted to do something positive that required hard work, sacrifice and compromise. The "all-for-me-baby" egocentric, small-mindedness is too firmly embedded into the common psyche to make this nation progress, unless we are at the point of our imminent, next-day survival.
Bahamianpride 11 years, 5 months ago
Banker its very hard to disagree with u because u r right in how u described the situation, its just frustrating.. I have myself attempted many uplifting things to encourage certain family members to help themselves.. But the response is usually send me the cash keep the advice... Open free market capitalism has to be unleashed because nobody can practice successful tribalism under true free market capitalism, they would self distruct... Ideas, effort, logic, education, and reason would have to be the driving force.. it would be almost impossible to change policy and fully apply the rule of law under the conditions u mentioned that are very well articulated..
banker 11 years, 5 months ago
It is very heartening to see that YOU see the answer. Most people cannot abstract to that level. You have the answer bang-on! The answer is open free market capitalism -- or open the economy so that all Bahamians can participate. Economic freedom precedes political freedom and personal freedom. You are one of a very few who sees that the way to free Bahamians is to make them economically subservient to no one. They don't need handouts. They just need the chance to succeed in a fair, balanced, playing field where intellectual capital trumps financial capital. If these young men could get rich legitimately in our Bahamaland, they would not be running square grouper or carrying guns, or cutting the copper out of air conditioners. Economically, Bahamians are still slaves.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 5 months ago
we have free market capitalism ,and what we have to sell is ,sand ,sun, sea and favorable tax rates ..Banks are in the business of lending money to people w/ sound business plans and the proven ability to deliver ,thats capitalism ..too many of us are solely consumer driven and never sacrifice enough to have any really credit and access to capital ..true some people connected have it esaier ,but my Dad was self made w/ out playing politics ,however he sacrifice when he was young and even when well off bought used cars , i on the other hand am a spender and consumer
TalRussell 11 years, 5 months ago
First, tell me how can we instill pride into our youth, simply by brainwashing that to strive for wealth, must be made their priority #1? Truth is that 97% of all Bahamians, regardless of color or politics will never achieve wealth. You can elect the Pope to bless your money every day, as PM and it still it will make no difference to who achieves wealth or doesn't..You can hold all the classes and seminars you want, still it ain't possible to alter the 97% to 3% ration. On Bahamaland's 40th independence day I was tuned into Comrade talk show host "Prayer Master" Darold, and the second he signed off, what did his station follow Darold with? A radio ad from The Royal Bahamas Police Force, directed at recruiting those of Haitian heritage. How do I know that? Cause the entire damn radio commercial was all spoken in "Creole?" Why are we even allowing anyone from any country to become a citizen, if they cannot converse in English? We have so many outstanding natives and the vast majority have somehow accomplished personal achievements, without first being brainwashed that wealth had be made their priority #1. Of late we have seen the "new rich? natives who couldn't care a damn about their Bahamaland. Somewhere along the way to wealth, they left their Bahamalnd pride behind. And, you want to use these people as shining examples for our youth to follow? In the name of Jesus, i sure as hell hope not. What the hell, for good success measurement, why not throw in some them big time wealth numbers "bosses? Wealthy looked-upon natives who had either the red or gold shirts enforced the criminal law,, they'd all be sleeping on cots up at Fox Hill and not in their mansions. Comrades, agree with me or not, I tell it like it needs be told.
Amen!
banker 11 years, 5 months ago
Well telling like it is, means acknowledging that there are some 70,000 Haitians on New Providence alone (exact numbers are hard to come by because of the illegals, but modern methods of estimating and data mining provides a fairly close figure.). Now imagine that you are a RBPF member and you and your partner are on the lower recesses off Cowpen Road, and you have a couple of Haitians in handcuffs. You better hope that your partner understands Creole when one of the prisoners turns to the other and says in the vernacular "not to worry, our brothers are coming with the weapons. Stall for a bit.".
I'd say that the RBPF is smart in hiring Creole speakers. Diversity leads to enlightenment (and safety for its officers).
Bahamianpride 11 years, 5 months ago
Tal its not about money only, heavens no, its about freedom. None of the worlds system is perfect, but if i can explain by using an example lets say the Government behaves in a system like a umpire or referee at a game.. it enforces rules and ensures proper management of the game.. U r now lets say in a competitive Basketball league, lets say team Tal.. Everyone wants to win the title...Every one has a vested interest in there team and its member and there development because not to would be disastrous with losing.. so u r going to invest in training, recruiting, educating and adherance to the rules..You're going to get along with others and share new ideas and develope, because not to evolve would be disastrous..U r going to work hard to do your best and get the best and look out for your teamates on and of the court because not to do so would not be in your best interest.. That is what true free market capitalism does, it forces us to care otherwise it would be self distructive.. Numbers boses could not exist with free market capitalism, it exist in this self discriminating socialistic corrupt system we have.. if society was free bahamian could just buy a lottery ticket or walk into a casino and gamble, numbers bosses out of business immediately.. Even better Bahamian would be free get capital foreign or domestic and open there business.. they would be force to hire competent people because otherwise would be self distructive, everyone would have a vested interest in the school system for if u did not it would be self distructive to the long term success of your business.. Having babies every where and loose behavior of our people would be disastrous because that young man would be able see the guy next door living in poverty worked his ass off and became success in a free society that makes it easy for upward mobility.. Having illegal immigrants entering the country would be disastrous to individuals because we would all be vested... its not perfect and has its flaws, but its the best system on this earth..
banker 11 years, 5 months ago
Once again, you have it right. It is not about getting rich, but having the freedom and ability to do it on a level playing field. Being rich means different things to different people. To most people, being rich means having sufficient money to live debt-free in dignity, with some left over for leisure and having good health without worries of financial catastrophe. It also implies safety in your neighbourhood, the right to a good education, and should you wish it, to aim for the stars and not be impeded by a system designed to hold you down.
TalRussell 11 years, 5 months ago
I see said the blind man. For years our policeman's have bettered themselves while serving, to become lawyers, business owners, doctors, PM's, cabinet minister, teachers, school principals, heads of banks, customs officers, judges, members clergy, funeral directors, ship captains ... but you think learning a second language is beyond them? Why are we so concerned about talking to people in other languages, when our good old-fashioned native broken English has served us well? Comrade get this straight. Bahamaland is NOT a bilingual nation. If you want join us, then learn to damn well speak English. if not, stay the hell where you are. Do you rally think our government should be using taxpayers money to run "non-English" ads on radio? What's next ads in Spanish? The Greeks didn't need us to hire policeman's to talk to them in Greek. Now, did they? My friend you don't know what poor looks like, until you look back on the first Greeks to land at our Nassau town port. They were honest, law abiding and didn't build illegal shantytowns. Funny I should mention Greek, when one of the wealthiest men's in all of Bahamaland, just happens to be of second or third exoneration Greek heritage. A pretty nice man he is. it bothers me, when I see so many talking down their own people. Show some respect.
Sign in to comment
OpenID