By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
A FORMER Bahamas Christian Council president yesterday castigated the Christie administration, saying there is something “drastically wrong” with governance in the Bahamas as a spirit of fear, sparked by escalating crime, shrouds the country.
Rev Dr Patrick Paul, general superintendent of the Bahamas Assemblies of God, which includes the Turks and Caicos Islands, insisted that the Christie administration and past governments have lost the perspective to govern.
In a press statement yesterday, Rev Paul further blasted the Christie administration over its “disgusting and hypocritical” ‘Stronger Bahamas’ ad campaign that has been running on television, radio and in print media for weeks. He said the government’s first role is creating a safe society, adding if elected leaders cannot live up to their responsibilities they should resign instead of putting the country in harm’s way.
The statement comes as the government struggles to get a grip on escalating crime with a homicide count of 110 for the year thus far, which is on pace to shatter 2011’s record murder count of 127 killings.
“There is a spirit of fear in the country; and it is trending in the opposite direction of what is desirable. Fear should be growing for those who are committing crime,” Rev Paul said.
“The amount of cars being stolen, the amount of homes being broken into, the amount of businesses being burglarized, the amount of persons being robbed, and the climbing number of homicides, have created an atmosphere of fear in the Bahamas.
“To add insult to injury, the government is running ads talking about a ‘Safe Bahamas.’ Until the fear is removed, if you have any conscience, the government or the perpetrator of such ads, need to pull the sales pitch. Because it is disgusting and hypocritical.”
Rev Paul suggested that with the government’s inability to ensure the country is safe, failure is inevitable in major sectors of society, including commerce.
“The quality of a nation is determined by the quality of its government. Characteristically, this responsibility needs to be carried out with respect to loyalty, fidelity and sincerity, by those who occupy the office; ensuring that their responsibilities are carried out effectively. The government is accountable for law and order in a civil society - this instrument of accountability has been designed by God.
“The first role of government is to ensure that its people are safe. Safety indeed is a state of being. It is the condition of actually being protected against physical, social, emotional and political harm.
“Safety is the first role of governance. No person can or will be able to exercise their gifts and their talents without a safe environment. Hence businesses will not be able to transact commerce, exchange, trade, etc., likewise other institutions and organisations without a safe environment in which to operate.”
He said the government has been on the wrong course with its execution of social programmes. These types of projects, Rev Paul said, should be left up to the church with the government’s key focus being to constrain evil and enforcing the law.
He said the government should “terrorise” evildoers and avoid hindering those who do good work.
“In fact, the government should be rewarding those that are doing good works in society. More so, government is to be a terror to those that break the law. It is the role of government to create fear to the evildoers, those that find themselves on the opposite side of the law.
“It should never be the other way around. Yes, we understand the difficulty to govern the country in all of its complexities, but you were voted in to do the job. The people exercised their confidence and their trust by the fact that they elected this government.”
If leaders don’t have the integrity to live up to their responsibilities, they should resign rather than putting the whole nation in harm’s way, Rev Paul said.
He also urged the church to repent and to return to lives of prayer, family devotions, time of Bible study and committing to weekly or monthly fasting among other things to get the country back on track.
Comments
birdiestrachan 9 years, 2 months ago
Shame on Rev Paul, who has died and made him Judge and Jury?. It seems he and others like him have taken no responsibility for what their role is in winning souls for Christ. Perhaps if they were able to win souls for Christ there would be less Crime. Crime comes from evil minds and What Rev Pauls has said gives Bahamians a good idea of what evil in the heart is all about There is no reason to cast blame. but since he has decided to do so. He and others like him should accept their share. Their inability to show the face of Christ,
asiseeit 9 years, 2 months ago
Yes, yes we know, anyone who dares point out the obvious failures of your beloved corrupt organization is a devil. Your defending them is very loyal and it certainly shows who you really care for, the PLP, right? You can run on all you want about winning souls but it means nothing when it comes directly from the devil himself. Your PLP is EVIL, it has done more harm to this country than any other organization in history. Not even the Pirates of yesteryear where as evil and self centered as your entitled PLP. How you people bow down to such traitors only the good lord knows. ALL FOR ME, PLP, history will tell the truth and it will not be pretty.
Cobalt 9 years, 2 months ago
@birdie. You're blaming the pastor for people not giving their hearts to God??? Seriously??? I wonder if you really pay attention to some of the things you post on this site.
Serving God is a choice that comes from the individual themself. No one can force someone to lead a godly lifestyle. Once again, you're just trying to adamantly defend your PLP party.
CatIslandBoy 9 years, 2 months ago
The main problem spurring the escalation of crime in the Bahamas is a growing under-educated populace who cannot find meaningful employment. This PLP government did a very effective job, while in opposition, in pointing to the shortcomings of the Ingraham administration. They were quite capable in promising all of the necessary solutions during the campaign (e.g. 10,000 jobs in the first 100 days; Mortgage Relief; etc.), but once elected, abandoned the hopes and dreams of thousands. Three years later and the 10,000 jobs have yet to materialize. People are still losing their homes. Many young men who, if given a job, would not turn to crime, are being forced into lawlessness simply to survive. A young father of two remarked to me that he has no other choice than to sell drugs to feed his family, after seeking a job for almost two years. And he is a COB graduate. It is simply disgraceful what Christie and the PLP has done to this country!
I cry shame on those who continue, in blind ignorance, to support this failed government and then continuously cry shame against everyone who speaks up to point out their short comings. It is one thing to be a die-hard PLP supporter, but it is truly disingenuous to blame others for their obvious shortcomings.
birdiestrachan 9 years, 2 months ago
Cat Island Boy. The problem of crime is not only a government problem, It is a Bahamian problem you know that. As for the disgraceful man who says he is forced to sell drugs to support his family, he is a poor example for his children. and all will see who will support them when he is in jail or is gunned down in the street. dealing drugs is a dangerous game. really I expected better from you. Crime is evil, It is a spiritual problem. and this is what the Rev should address. and not enter into the blame game.
Cobalt 9 years, 2 months ago
Shut up birdie. Catislandboy is absolutely correct on his assessment of things. In case you haven't realized.... human beings are carnal creatures. This means that if their situation deteriorates to the point of going hungry or feeding their families, they will resort to the most primitive form of survival necessary to provide for their loved ones. It's not something they're proud of. But they do it to survive! Have you ever had to watch your children cry themselves to sleep for hunger??? If not, then be quiet!
I don't support drug dealing either..... but if I had to choose between selling dope or watching my children starve...... guess what..... I would be selling marijuana on the corner, too. And I'm a physician!
And although you don't want to acknowledge it.... the PLP is indeed a huge part of the problem! They have created NO opportunities for young Bahamians, while simultaneously increasing the cost and burden of living by initiating a bogus, unlawful tax system on them! You had better get real and stop talking shit on this website!!
GrassRoot 9 years, 2 months ago
I agree with birdie, its all our problem. so I suggest we all jump into the Ocean and finish this tragedy. Government members and members of the Parliament jump first.
sheeprunner12 9 years, 2 months ago
Birdie .......... you are right about the man who sells drugs on the streets to support his family .......... but what about the lawyer and accountant who makes the crooked deals and the police who takes the bribe, and the banker who legalizes the transactions, and the politician and the pastor who will take the white collar criminal money for campaigning????????????.............etc
This is the root problem in our country
TruePeople 9 years, 2 months ago
Yeh well Birds, Dat same man guh tell you 'I mightn't be the most best role model for my children, but my children will EAT!' Meanwhile y'all is hating on the man motivated enough to perform his own business. That's right, people dem is COMING TO HIM TO BUY. Yes bey! dey want that product! A financial transaction between two consenting individuals! Then from time when young boys daddy get gun down by police and hear bunch a yall fool praising and skinning off ya teet for the police, from the time when he done see 11,000 persons only a few years older than him unemployed and struggling to survive 'legally', all while he see the corruption and greed of a downpresser govt, corrupt officials, and overexposure to the bad cops, while always being labelled criminal, all when he aint. Bey what you think? yes bey by the time that boy turn 20 he ready to shoot off people, 27 he done have a body count.
Y'all really think y'all could blame one person for crime in this country? Y'all think cocaine is grow over here aye? Y'all think Bahamas have bunch a gun factory aye? Y'all think it's impossible to find a stolen car on a island 21 by 7 aye?
Thing is people at the top and at the bottom of society are more similar than you'd think, and all y'all in the middle actin like y'all confused
GrassRoot 9 years, 2 months ago
what makes you believe that is not the case already now?
MonkeeDoo 9 years, 2 months ago
birdiestrachan: What about the shoes for the boys in Woods Alley in Bain Town ? Have you tried to assist them yet ? They are sharing one pair of shoes and can only go to school on alternate days.
Observer 9 years, 2 months ago
Our parents raised us to be respectful, charitable, honest, industrious, etc, Who among us who are 60+ years old have been involved in violent crime? Our parents took their parenting responsibilities and execute then with serious resolve. There has been a departure from their methodoligies in the name of modernity. Well, one 'benefit' of modernity is lawlessness. Automatically, its a product of the 'modern' harvest. Leave national government out of the equation for prevention of crime and substitute parental governance instead. Then there will be a positive turn around in rate and intensity of criminality in our communities. Try that.
CatIslandBoy 9 years, 2 months ago
Now I understand why some of the bloggers blindly support this disgraceful PLP government and could never find anything wrong with them. I believe, that like our "D average" students, there are many adult PLP's who can't comprehend and decipher simple statements. I never suggested that the individual who sells drugs to support his family is a paragon of virtue. What I am alluding to is because of the lack of opportunities to young people, there is an increasing sense of hopelessness, and many young people are being forced to turn to criminal activities just simply to survive. They are starving, can't find work, can't support their families, but see crooked politicians driving around in expensive foreign cars, flaunting their ill-gotten wealth. How do you think that desperate young man reacts?
birdiestrachan 9 years, 2 months ago
Cat Island boy who do you blindly support?. According to you all of the problems of the Bahamas lie at the door stop of the PLP. Are all PLP politicians crooked? and all drive around in expensive cars? are all of them bad people ? and all others are good?. D Grade or not. all one needs is good basic common sense. to know this is not true and can not be true. There was unemployment and crime when the FNM was in power. And no one is forced to be a criminal it is a choice that an individual makes and even those of us with the "D' grade know this.
asiseeit 9 years, 2 months ago
Birdie, you really need to come down off your roost and understand that how this country is run today is unjust. The political elite are out of touch. Power and money have subverted your organization. It is not in the best interest of our nation that we continue down this path.
Cobalt 9 years, 2 months ago
@birdie. I honestly don't know why you're having such a difficult time processing the contents of catislandboy's posts!! Is it that you're truly a blind supported of the PLP??? Or is the chemical synapsis in your brain not physiologically functioning??? Everything that he has posted on this topic is as clear as river water. So what's the problem?
Observer 9 years, 2 months ago
Catislandboy talks like those people who believe in voodoo. Their focus is fixed on the figment of their imagination. Every soul, except them, is an immoral agent who is going about in the world doing mischief to other souls.
Cobalt 9 years, 2 months ago
I'm assuming that you're taking a shot at catislandboy based upon the stereotype that Cat Island is known for witchcraft. But honestly, your post sounds more similar to voodoo than his.
Emac 9 years, 2 months ago
I said birdie was a jackass! Thank you Rev. Paul, well said. I don't usually pay much attention to these Christian Council guys, but I think that he hit the nail on the head. So the nagging questions, where are the other so called Christian leaders in our community? Why are they so quiet amidst all of this turmoil? Too busy tiefin' the poor people money every Sunday I presume?
CatIslandBoy 9 years, 2 months ago
Birdie, it seems a waste of precious time bantering with you. I don't write to get into personal arguments and insults. My comments are solely in response to the above article. However, for the record, I support no one blindly. I belief both major parties bear responsibility for the tragic situation in which we find ourselves. The DNA is irrelevant. That being said, when I look at their track record, the FNM is more appealing to me.
Observer, I don't know what you are talking about, so I'll just remain mum.
concernedcitizen 9 years, 2 months ago
@birdie ,back in the 80,s when i was involved in drugs a whole bunch of higher ups from police to politicians hand their hands out .Funny thing about the D average ,we have lowered the passing grade to 50% ,it used to be 70% ,and we are still failing ..I know teachers that can,t speak proper English and can hardly spell .Our school system is a 300 million dollar a year baby sitting service .
sheeprunner12 9 years, 2 months ago
FYI ............ there are many productive children in the public schools who excel despite the odds ................. 25% of the Bahamian children go to private school ......... how many of them are being babysit as well??????? It is high time that the government regulate those private schools that serve as babysitting centres as well ....... all are not SAC and QC
concernedcitizen 9 years, 2 months ago
When you have lowered the passing grade to 50% and we can,t achieve that something is wrong . I took a class to update my Captains license ,the passing grade was 70% and they gave you 30% for taking the course ,that means you could get a 40% and pass .With 50% being a passing grade ,i assume 50 to 62 is D , 62 to 74 a C etc ,,Come on 70% to 76%was a D when i was in school ,,We have a D average ,which in the real world where 70% and above is a passing grade ,not 50% ,we basically about a G or H average ,,And yes there are good kids ,but our educational system is sub bar at best ,,
sheeprunner12 9 years, 2 months ago
Check the MOE website or any government school ...... a "C" grade is 56-70% ....... a "D" grade is 45-55% ....... a 2.00 GPA means you made a "C" That has been the accepted standard since 1993 in all govt. schools
concernedcitizen 9 years, 2 months ago
Thats even lower than I thought ,a D ,,45- 55% a C 56% to 70% ,,my goodness
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