The Tribune

A YOUNG MAN'S VIEW

By Adrian Gibson

ajbahama@hotmail.com

There is lingering political fatigue that has contributed - in large part - to voter apathy.

Voter registration is occurring at a trickle because there are many Bahamians who view both the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the Free National Movement (FNM) as supremely aloof.

If one listens to any talk show, Bahamians are seemingly exasperated and are not attracted to either major party.

I am a millennial. Many of the faces in the PLP and FNM do not reflect the views of my generation. As it stands, the FNM is failing to engage young voters and neither is the PLP. That should cause an immediate heartburn for both parties.

In 2012, more than 172,000 people registered to vote. Recently, the Parliamentary Registration Department reported that nearly 57,000 people had registered to vote, a much lower figure compared to the 134,000 registered voters during this same period before the 2012 general election.

The FNM attained 42.1 per cent of the popular vote in 2012 whilst the PLP pulled 48.7 per cent. The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) made up the difference with a handful of independents and also-rans. When the votes were tallied, the PLP secured 75,815 votes compared to the 65,633 ballots that were cast in favour of the FNM. The DNA won 13,225 votes. Although the PLP received the highest number of votes for one party, it lost the popular vote to the combined opposition’s 78,858 votes.

Interestingly, millennials (persons aged 18 to 35) are barely being represented at the decision-making table this election cycle. Thus far - and this very well could change - both of the political parties have not redefined the national debate. Bahamians are sick of politics as usual. How much longer do the FNM and the PLP want us to backseat drive? We must have more meaningful impact.

As it stands, more than 16,739 millennials have registered to vote. This week I attended the Parliamentary Registration Department on Farrington Road and registered to vote. It was a monotonous, drawn-out process. I spent at least an hour. It was frustrating. What’s more, the officials at that department are using outdated procedures, large-screen obsolete computers and writing information by hand. In 2016, people must still register in this archaic manner. Whilst I waited, I observed several persons entering and leaving the site once they saw the handful of people gathered and the slothful registration process. And so, not only are people fed up with the political atmosphere, but they are discouraged by the waste of time and delays with actually registering.

That said, the political parties should not forget that Bahamians aged 18 to 35 make up the largest group of registered voters. We, the millennials, are the new generation of voters whose voices will be heard. Establishment bureaucrats in both major political parties have clearly not demonstrated an appreciation for that. The electorate has shifted and, based on some of the recent candidates coming forward, it is clear that the FNM and the PLP are committing political malpractice.

Here’s an idea. Whenever I go out with my son or visit family members, he is immediately drawn to towards any grouping where he sees little children like him. He does that aged six and millennials no doubt do the same. How many of us can be seen in either major political party? And what about women? Thus far, the bulk of registrants for the 2017 general election are women. Women comprise some 35,173 voters of the nearly 57,000 registrants.

Bahamians are tired of lying politicians. Bahamians are tired of politicians whose promises are empty. We are tired of sifting through useless rhetoric and not being presented with position papers and progressive policies. Voter fatigue has taken hold. The level of optimism is at an all-time low.

Are the Parliamentary Registration Department personnel aware of the documents that prospective voters must produce? Or does one set of officials request passports and another set request past voters cards? I witnessed the confusion and the government should ensure that the populace and officials are of one accord.

When will the Boundaries Commission issue its report? Will the boundary lines be re-drawn? If so, on what grounds would they do so when one takes the low voter registration numbers into account?

Why must Bahamians produce their passports when we are not travelling? Isn’t the passport a travel document? Why can’t we simply use our driver’s licence?

Perhaps we should totally modernise our national identifications and develop and issue biometric drivers licences.

What about electronic voting? How much longer before we embrace technology and move into the 21st century?

Why have the registration drives not descended upon highly populated commercial zones such as Downtown, Carmichael Road and Western New Providence in an effort to register persons at their respective offices? Why not arrange this with the various businesses, law firms, public entities, etc?

During general elections, high voter registration and turnout usually favours opposing parties. The governing parties usually retain power when voter turnout is low.

I encourage Bahamians to vote. Honestly, I haven’t yet decided who I will vote for. However, I encourage all and sundry to register to vote and to vote your conscience. Do not lose the opportunity to cast your ballot. I wish I could cast a ballot for judges, for a mayor, for municipal representatives and for the Commissioner of Police. However, we are not yet at that point and so, as it stands, let’s not ignore our singular opportunity to vote, to have a voice, to change the way things are done.

Mitchell's shame over human rights case

THE flippant response by Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade, the Royal Bahamas Police Force and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell to the complaints of members of the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association (GBHRA) should lead every Bahamian to question how the fears and concerns of Bahamians could be so casually ignored.

Sometime ago, members of the GBHRA filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) claiming that they feared imminent threats to their lives due to their political advocacy. Frederick Smith QC, Francisco Nunez, Joseph Darville, Kirkland Bodie and Romauld Ferreira all decried the response of government agencies to their concerns, noting that they had cause to flee the country. What’s more, on more than one occasion, an open letter to the Commissioner of Police was published.

The IACHR - the human rights arm of the Organisation of American States - came down on the side of the GBHRA, recently determining that the government should immediately move to protect the lives and personal integrity of five members of Save the Bays and their nuclear families, and that the complainants had received believable threats of harm, harassment and intimidation as a result of its advocacy on environmental issues and in opposition to questionable governmental decisions.

Notably, there have recently been complaints of police officers randomly showing up at the offices of the five complainants and demanding to see these men. Such an approach is nothing short of intimidatory and, given the business environment, the most appropriate approach would be to arrange a meeting at a time convenient to all parties. These are Gestapo tactics which only deepen the suspicions of persons already frightful of mischief, injury or their sudden demise.

I applaud these courageous men for stepping up and inviting international scrutiny, for ensuring that their concerns and human rights are not trampled upon and, by extension, establishing precedent for persons who are downtrodden and voiceless. The GBHRA’s decision to invite the IACHR to request that the Bahamas’ government adopt precautionary measures to prevent irreparable harm to their lives creates another avenue of recourse that Bahamians could have faith in.

It is unacceptable that any Bahamian should be subject to having their security concerns ignored and marginalised for years.

What’s more, the dismissive response of Mr Mitchell to the IACHR resolution - whilst not surprising - highlights his lack of accountability. Face saving, political spin seems to be the order of the day in the Bahamas. To term the ruling as “regrettable” and assert that the claims of these men “were not properly grounded in facts and were without evidentiary support or legal merit” is insulting. I cry shame on the minister. Shame! Shame! Shame!

Did Mr Mitchell ever cause a proper investigation to be conducted? Or was his promised investigation a merely another insincere stalling tactic?

We need to implement human rights legislation. We need to implement laws against harassment. We need to ensure that our fundamental rights and freedoms are protected at all costs. I call upon the current government and, whoever will comprise the incoming government, to put these legislative initiatives at the top of its agenda.

Hidden extras and poor service

LAST week, I attended DHL Bahamas’ offices in Oakes Field.

As I approached the front desk, I encountered a most unprofessional, bad-mannered and uncouth customer service representative. I found this individual to be loud, abrasive and generally dismissive of my queries and unfriendly. It’s difficult to believe that this individual is not relegated to a backroom to sort packages and perform tasks that don’t require human interaction.

Upon realising that this so-called customer service representative had a poor attitude, I demanded to see the manager. I needed to query the invoice that DHL had prepared. She advised me that an accountant would speak to me.

Once the accountant appeared, I continued to query my bill. I am unsatisfied with her explanation. What’s more, I drew her attention to the improper, rancorous behaviour of her colleague and noted my absolute displeasure. I also told her - in the presence of the customer service representative - that I had observed that that representative was also crass towards other customers. I then paid for my package and left.

Here is the issue. I recently purchased two court collars, two collar studs and two collar bands from a supplier in the United Kingdom. I paid £25.60 for the items plus £20.00 for shipping, which totalled £45.60 or, when converted, $55.66.

The items were never delivered to me, although my address was printed on the face of the package.

My customs duty amounted to $6.22. However, what I found stunning were the other charges. I was charged a processing fee of $10, a brokerage fee of $15 and VAT of $6.70. Now, why am I being charged a processing fee? Processing of what? Let’s not forget that I paid £20 before the item even shipped. And why is the processing and brokerage fee separate? What is done so differently?

My total bill in the UK, for the items and shipping, was $55.66. Once it arrived in The Bahamas, I had to pay an additional $37.92. That is ridiculous! This smacks of price gouging! Whatever happened to consumer protection? What are these fees for?

Essentially, I paid £25.60 or $31.81 for my items (minus shipping). Then I paid £20.00 or roughly $24.86 for shipping from the UK. When I combine the shipping rate paid to DHL upfront - $24.86 - with the $37.92 in customs and other fees, I paid a total of $62.78.

$62.78 is nearly twice as much as I paid for my items. Something is wrong with this picture. And what’s worse is that I have to deal with discourteous behaviour whilst forking over my money.