Carl Bethel, QC, was appointed Attorney General by Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling during a brief ceremony at Government House on Friday. Mr Bethel has been named to the Senate, where he will serve as Leader of Government Business. Photo: Letisha Henderson/BIS
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis will establish a cabinet that features 16 ministerial portfolios, with the identities of the ministers expected to be revealed over the weekend, Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Sidney Collie said on Friday.
“There are 16 portfolios,” he said. “All 16 ministers have been identified. The Prime Minister himself will assign the portfolios. We’ll do that tonight. There were six junior ministers and about six parliamentary secretaries."
The administration hopes to swear in the new Cabinet ministers at Government House on Monday and have its first Cabinet meeting the next day.
Dr Minnis has already selected the 16 people who will be in his Cabinet and they will be assigned their positions on Friday night, Mr Collie said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest was sworn in as Minister of Finance at Government House on Friday while Carl Bethel was sworn in as the Attorney General.
The theme of trust was prominent in Dr Minnis' speech as he addressed the appointments of Mr Turnquest and Mr Bethel to their new posts.
Calling their appointments the beginning of the formation of the "people's government," Dr Minnis said transparency and accountability were often absent during the past five years but will be restored.
He drew applause when he said the "government will ensure that the public treasury is used for the public good rather than directed toward private interests".
"I will remind my ministers to avoid conflicts of interests in the exercise of their public duties," he said.
This is the first time a Prime Minister of the Bahamas has not taken on the role of Minister of Finance.
Mr Turnquest, a chartered accountant, will take on the hefty portfolio as his first Cabinet post after serving as the FNM's Shadow Minister of Finance over the last few years.
Mr Turnquest said before charting a course for the future he will go on a fact-finding mission to learn what has happened over the past five years with the country's finances.
Reducing the debt and recurring deficits are key priorities for the incoming administration, as well as helping the economy to grow, he said.
"This is not about enriching ourselves but about ensuring the services people require are delivered," he said.
In the short term, the government will focus on creating the annual budget, which is due in two weeks.
For his part, Mr Bethel will be one of the most experienced members of Dr Minnis' cabinet, having served as Attorney General between 2001 and 2002 and as a Cabinet member in three terms overall.
Mr Bethel was also appointed on Friday as Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate.
"(The Bahamian people) want to know where the VAT money went," he told reporters. "They want to know all of the decisions that were so highly questionable. They want to know what's in the sealed deal about Baha Mar, why the secrecy. We need to take drastic and quick steps to seek to restore confidence in the administration of justice and in the operations of the Office of the Attorney General where I think the perception arose that perhaps things were not where they were supposed to be.
"I hope to be an agent in restoring confidence in the administration of justice in the Bahamas."
The sealing of Baha Mar documents related to a deal with China Export Import Bank became a major political issue over the past year.
Mr Bethel said he will find out what the facts are and let that guide his approach.
"As I understand, it was sealed by a court order so obviously some approach would have to be taken; maybe some other arrangement could be arrived at."
A major policy promise of the FNM has been making the Department of Public Prosecutions independent of the Office of the Attorney General.
"That is a long stated policy of the FNM and of the present Prime Minister," Mr Bethel said. "He has been adamant about that and that is a policy that is not inconsistent with the intention of the organisation.
"Not only will (the Director of Public Prosecutions) be given independence on the day-to-day events and everything else," he said, "but we will also ensure that the office has the tools, resources and personnel that are necessary to enhance the powers of the Director of Public Prosecutions."
Comments
Emac 7 years, 6 months ago
Sounds good to me!
Porcupine 7 years, 6 months ago
How about a promise to prosecute, and jail, those who have broken the law? If not, why have laws.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
Well put. Many suspect that Minnis's words about those who have abused the powers of their office and the public trust having something to fear will ring hollow in less than a year's time. Like most politicians, Minnis is counting on the public to forgive and forget.
MassExodus 7 years, 6 months ago
You're an idiot
SP 7 years, 6 months ago
FINALLY we have a Prime Minister sensible enough to realize he is "public servant #1", entrusted by the people, to manage the peoples affairs, in the best interest of the people!
Pindling, Ingraham and Christie were all too pig headed, short sighted, inherently corrupt and overwhelmingly intoxicated with power, to give a rats ass about the people whom they only bothered "to entertain" and "spoke down too" when campaigning for an election.
Election 2017 proved the electorate exceedingly more astute than the PLP buffoons that tried any, and all numbers, of deceptions to continue the plunder and pillage mechanisms established by pirates, buccaneers, and privateers, adopted by the UBP, embraced and exponentially fine tuned by the PLP and former FNM administrations.
Dr. Minnis stated policies of dealing with malfeasance is the only way to set our country on the right course, restoring investor confidence in the Bahamas and the fastest way of moving Bahamas forward for the betterment of all Bahamians.
Congratulations Bahamians for making the right decision across the board, in grand style!
Baha10 7 years, 6 months ago
If the Cookie Jar is truly empty as many suspect, then there will be little money to do much with, yet the Bahamian people are unlikely to understand this and will nonetheless expect visible signs of progress, thereby putting immense pressure on Doc to deliver, failing which "The People" will turn on him, leaving him with only option that "The People" may accept for delay, namely going after and jailing in short order those guilty of corruption, as at least when he says there is NO MONEY to do anything, he will also be able to say WHY and WHO is responsible ... AND MORE IMPORTANTLY they have been JAILED for their unpatriotic actions. This is the ONLY "excuse" for inaction "The People" will accept!
OldFort2012 7 years, 6 months ago
The Romans said: Panem et Circenses. Bread and Games. If you can't give them bread, give them games. Unfortunately "games" entertain you for a short time only. Bread will need to be found, sooner or later. For that you need to grow the economy. Abolish the hundreds of moronic rules that stop business developing and there will be a decent chance of that. I, for my part, have a business idea and capital ready. But I will wait for at least 1 year to see what kind of government this is before making a final decision.
OMG 7 years, 6 months ago
There are many ways to start to solve the financial crisis which has to happen if a final downgrade and devaluation is not to occur, 1. Retire all these so called political consultants ex:Baltron Bethel 2. Allow natural wastage in the civil service to reduce salaries bill. 3.Find an efficient method of taxing all the winter resident homes being rented. 4. Apply a small but daily "hook" tax on popular boating destinations such as Exuma. 5. Re evaluate expensive projects such as the election grabbing Palmetto Point hospital. $30,000000 ?????? 6. Take legal action to reclaim monies paid as political rewards such as the purchase of land for the P.Point hospital from a former minister when crown land is available.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 6 months ago
He has to start early setting expectations for one month, three months, six months, one year and then half yearly updates and initiatives. If people know where you're going, they have input and buy in and they can see how it will benefit them "eventually", they are less likely to criticize. I would have liked it if he had gives a speech next week where he lays out his goals and timelines for the first month. Even if the goals are I'll have a plan with x, y and z established. Remember they should have been doing the work preparing to take over for the past two years.
tell_it_like_it_is 7 years, 6 months ago
As long as Carl Bethel isn't Minister of Finance, I can live with that. His performance in his former posts has left a lot to be desired (esp. Education - truly deplorable). I have a lot of respect for PM Minnis not choosing to be Finance Minister. His approach so far is commendable.
If Hon. Jeff Lloyd is to be Education Minister, I do hope he consults with Hon. Bannister because Bannister did an excellent job in that post (unlike the horrible job Fitzgerald did - only wanting photo ops and a truly arrogant approach, listening to no one). Congrats Dr. Minnis, looking forward to see what you will offer next.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 6 months ago
As long as Laneisha and Romi are not cabinet ministers I can live with that. And as long as Peter Turnquest gets someone who can assist him "technically" as his deputy I can live with that (I'm not comfortable with him being Minister of Finance, would have preferred someone with the skill of a William Allen, John Rolle or James Smith, not them specifically, just someone with their technical expertise.) And as long as he appoints majority SENIOR people, that 10 or more, to cabinet I can live with that.Sorry but this is not the time for giving millennials "a chance", we in deep do do. We need people with management experience in these top positions. Give the young ones some responsibility elsewhere let them establish their roots first.
banker 7 years, 6 months ago
John Rolle doesn't possess the competence to be a junior minister. Also his moral compass is skewed, as he is incapable of recognising the dangers of web shop monies to our economy.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
@ThisisOurs obviously doesn't know James Smith is nothing but a brain dead puppet of his Greek paymaster whereas Bill Allen is much too old and now wooly in the head, much like B J Nottage.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 6 months ago
You didn't read, I said "not them specifically, just someone with their technical expertise."
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 6 months ago
I didn't mean John Rolle "literally", just someone with his competency level. I personally think he gets a bad rap. He doesn't have an extrovert personality and probably buckled under the corrupt regime, but I think he would shine under a Minnis government. He did send a message to the webshops a few weeks ago, he told them having money doesn't equate to approval for a banking license.
banker 7 years, 6 months ago
He's a funny guy. He is adept at producing reams and reams of statistics, and he knows all of the buzzwords and he probably knows the theory. It the practice and policy that he fails yet, and that is what he is in charge of.
Reminds me of the story of the high school student who relied on his guidance counselor for scholastic and career advice and thought that the guy was good at his job -- until he found out that the guidance counselor was working part time at the butcher shop to make ends meat.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 6 months ago
Lol. Well I can't say I know what he knows to judge him, but I have a friend who is very knowledgeable in the area (theory and practice) and they have great respect for him, in their opinion and based on their knowledge of him he was hampered in what he could do. They speculated the last communication from the central bank signaled a new "independence". We'll see,..
DonAnthony 7 years, 6 months ago
I wonder if any of these persons, especially "banker" has ever had any significant interaction with John Rolle to be passing such judgement about him. And the asinine comment that he is not qualified to be a junior minister lends credence to my growing suspicion that they know very little about him much less about finance acumen.
I worked with john Rolle and as a earlier commentator said, he is brilliant. Far above anyone else in our department, including at that time Wendy Craig who was our superior. We are very fortunate to have him as governor, he could be earning three times his salary in the private sector.
As to his competence, he was a chief architect of the vat tax, and the person most responsible for its very successful rollout. By any measure it has been a succes, one that many myself included doubted could be pulled off. BOB is in court now because of the pressure he is applying. Should it have come sooner, no doubt, but one has to survive in their job without political interference to make a real difference. Better to have a competent gov who is trying than a stupid lackey. I only pray he is allowed with the new administration to make meaningful, independent decisions.
banker 7 years, 6 months ago
As iterated, he knows the theory. He probably is brilliant. I did say that he knows his theory, but there is a difference between knowing your stuff and being a leader. It was his leadership qualities and not his fiscal/monetary knowledge that I was referring to (and perhaps didn't make clear).
It was a ghastly mistake for the entire Bahamas not to resist the banks taking webshop money. It was a ghastly mistake to know full well that BoB was in reserve violations, and still is, and not flex muscles. BoB is virtually bankrupt, and the Governor of the Central Bank is the last line of defence as a regulator, and in that respect, John Rolle has failed miserably. Leadership means standing up, and saying NO to your political masters (as Julian Francis once did) pro patria. And that is why I judge him harshly.
He may be the most brilliant guy in the world, but we need a leader with a stick and someone who will swing it.
Economist 7 years, 6 months ago
Why some one senior? They didn't fix anything. KPT may be exactly what we need. NEW IDEAS.
Go KPT!
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 6 months ago
No he's not :-| he's going to need help and that's fine. I think the main requirement for a cabinet post is management experience or ability. You can always get a technical person to assist. When I say "senior" I'm talking about someone with proven successes, it's not just an age thing, otherwise they could get Wisdom to be Min of Finance. He could decorate the doors too
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 6 months ago
"#"I will remind my ministers to avoid conflicts of interests in the exercise of their public duties," he said."
Christie said that too, you need to do more than "remind" them. You need to give them a week long session on ethics with concrete examples of ethical violations
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
Much of what Minnis has said in his first couple of days as PM echoes what Christie said shortly after he thrashed Hubiggity in 2012....just take a look at The Nassau Guardian and The Tribune archives back then.
MassExodus 7 years, 6 months ago
you idiot, Christie has proven to be a liar and scumbag, unlike either Minnis or HAI
mangogirl01 7 years, 6 months ago
Yes, and put it in writing and have them sign and available to the public for viewing and reminding!
Jetflt 7 years, 6 months ago
Full speed ahead Carl and Dr. Minnis! Uncover the corruptness, hold those responsible accountable, restore law and order - whatever it takes, grow the economy , tourism and jobs, and restore the respect and admiration outsiders once had for the leadership of the Bahamas! No small task - but the opportunity is now yours. Seize it! Full speed ahead!
Jetflt 7 years, 6 months ago
"Remind my ministers.....?!?!" You better do more than remind Mr. PM!!! If one of them so much as blink, it is your duty to hold them ACCOUNTABLE!!! Accountability, unfortunately, is not a leadership trait that's been exercised since Pindling was in power. You better get this right. We'll be watching and watching closely!
MassExodus 7 years, 6 months ago
Ain't no reminding going on! You better fire anyone proven to have a conflict of interest!!!! There is no room for that in Bahamas 2017 and beyond!! Let's get that straight. #Nohalfsteppin
TalRussell 7 years, 6 months ago
Comrades! Had the PLP won and invited that other Lyford Cay fellow up to party with the new PM and his colleagues - all hell would've brooks loose on these hereto Tribune blog pages. What a bunch of swim down the transparency stream you lack the courage to swim up the stream of truth.
You don't even have the stammer that is required to not kill your confidence in true transparency.
The media needs ask the new PM - who was it among his colleagues that arranged the invite of the other Lyford Cay resident - up to Government House?
We done knows from what class foreigners this red government will be representing!
concernedcitizen 7 years, 6 months ago
At least it was transparent ,, it was not like all the PLP out at Simms point watching the Crypt keeper inject himself w god only knows what ,,with out social media we would have never seen that ..I hope they do everything in their power to get the hotel the PLP and Chinese stole from Sarkis back
TalRussell 7 years, 6 months ago
Comrade ConcernedCitizen, accountability and transparency is not so easy to define - once the people vote you in as their government. The new red cabinet's early picks out the gate looks and reminds people of Papa Hubert's fingers had them touching Minni's picks. Papa Hubert is da Super Minister!
banker 7 years, 6 months ago
Now you are reaching. And you are venturing into the area of untruth. Minnis wants separation from Papa. Notice how long it took Papa to "endorse" Minnis. They een exactly compadres.
MassExodus 7 years, 6 months ago
Tal you are fucking idiot. Sarkis first of all, has been completely taken advantage of due to cronyisim/corruptness in this country. I am so glad he is there to support the government, and I hope the government does everything in their power to make his investment in our country whole again. It is people like you, Tal, that are wrong with this country. How you could ever support what the PLP did to Sarkis is incomprehensible... IDIOT
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
We are in desperate need of meaningful campaign finance reform. But don't hold your breath because it's the last thing Symonette and D'Aguilar want to see happen.
concernedcitizen 7 years, 6 months ago
@reality missing , or mudda hubbard your a lot like Birdie , you just make things up
MassExodus 7 years, 6 months ago
At concernedc regardless if they are the same person or not, they are all or he is a fucking idiot, constantly posting made up garbage... PLP scum
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
@Reality_Check does have a point though that cannot be ignored. The FNM ran a costly campaign that had to be financed by someone. Big financial backers generally do not part with their money without receiving certain assurances and commitments that more frequently than not benefit the big wigs and cost the Bahamian people. Minnis most assuredly did not become PM without having sinned in terms of the special promises he had to make to the big financial backers of the FNM. Anyone who believes otherwise is a fool. Quite often it's this initial sinning that causes a PM to eventually say to himself: "Well da big wigs gonna gat theirs and ya know what they say - to da victor go da spoils - so I too should get mine!"
TalRussell 7 years, 6 months ago
Comrades! Why Carl for AG - when the PM has 35 elected MP's to pick from? Will we soon see the reasoning of the politics behind why the DNA stood down - not running candidates for Grand Bahama? What was Bran's secret deal with Minnis?
Fast-forward 5years and we will have to wait see what will now happen to one of the most promising '2022' candidates Arinthia Komolafe - who is worthy high praise after contesting under the DNA against the new PM?
banker 7 years, 6 months ago
There is no secret deal between Minnis and Bran. They spoke and Bran was so arrogant, that Minnis realised that it was unworkable to work with Bran. Please stop making stuff up.
TalRussell 7 years, 6 months ago
Comrade Banker, there is no need in our local politics to have makeup asking why the DNA sat out the 2017 General Election in Grand Bahanma? If not Minnis - was it a deal with PM Christie?
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 6 months ago
Please. Nobody was voting DNA the only people who didn't know it was the DNA
TalRussell 7 years, 6 months ago
Comrade ThisIsOurs, you're sidestepping my question....Why did the DNA stand down by not running 2017 General Election candidates for Grand Bahama?
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 6 months ago
I'm going to assume they had no one to run
alfalfa 7 years, 6 months ago
Here is a $10 million dollar quick boost to the economy. NO MORE CARNIVAL. Another $10 million; collect the casino tax owed by Bahamar. That's $20 million. Some VAT from Bahamar and we are now looking at close to $100 million. Easy fixes.
banker 7 years, 6 months ago
No more $300,000 to Neville Wisdumb for gunny sack Christmas decorations.
MassExodus 7 years, 6 months ago
Thank god!
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 6 months ago
Yep, I honestly think they should drop out of carnival next year, zero subsidies. They can pick it up another year if they want
Wonder if we will have anymore "PPP" (wink wink) rental agreement with the webshops
Truism 7 years, 6 months ago
Sound bites. May 10, 2018 will arrive without a single former minister being charged before the courts. We are to quick to give credence to political talking points. Nobody's going to jail.
avidreader 7 years, 6 months ago
And let's have LNG for electricity generation so that a certain person is stripped of the contract for the supply of diesel oil and bunker C for BPL. The outcome of this election was truly startling and I have seen elections from 1962 onward. The FNM must understand that the people have shifted their allegiance to them in what can only be called an act of faith. Do not disappoint them.
TalRussell 7 years, 6 months ago
Comrade Avidreader, is there anything about being all busy up at Government House, with the appointment retread politicians and political opportunist - which someone can say, “Look at this! It is progressively new!”?
kkphilli4 7 years, 6 months ago
How many Bahamian Islands are now owned by wealthy foreign nationals? Why are we marketing OUR islands as "private" islands and selling them off to the highest bidder. These islands are priceless and belong to the Bahamian people. They should never be sold, but leased. The overseeing government officials should require a significant amount of money to be held in a deposit escrow in the event the leasee does things like unauthorized dredging etc. We need an account as to how many of our islands and cays are foreign owned and how many are still left for the pleasure of the Bahamian people.
John 7 years, 6 months ago
Need less foreign dictators in our affairs and we will be ok
Truism 7 years, 6 months ago
Perhaps I slept through it, but, exactly what did the PLP do to Sarkis?
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
With a national debt of $72 billion, bankrupt Puerto Rico's debt-to-GDP ratio is 70%. By comparison our national debt is $7 billion and our debt-to-GDP ratio is slightly more, now about 74%. Puerto Rico also has some $37 billion worth of guaranteed pension benefits that it owes to its government employees, liabilities which would boost its total debt load up to 106% of the island territory’s GDP. In our case we have at least $3 billion of unfunded guaranteed pension obligations and other benefits that we owe our civil servants and former corrupt politicians which would increase our total debt load up to at least 106% of our GDP. Puerto Rico has a total population of 3.5 million compared to our 380,000. But there is a critical difference between Puerto Rico and ourselves - their currency is the U.S. dollar and they have a very big brother, the U.S., that can print money that's accepted globally! Now we have some idea why Minnis did not want to be both PM and Minister of Finance like his predecessors. Apart from Minnis being most uncomfortable with numbers of the debits and credits variety, Minnis no doubt senses that the Ministry of Finance is one very severely challenged ministerial portfolio - it was a hot potato for Christie and will soon be a flash point for Minnis's administration. Not a pretty picture indeed when so many have such high hopes for our new government. Meanwhile it seems the crooked politicians of the past will be allowed by Minnis to enjoy the fruits of their endeavours, some of them in countries other than the Bahamas!
sheeprunner12 7 years, 6 months ago
KP Turnquest is a smart Long Island man .......... He has called for fiscal reform in the MOF for the last five years .... We will see that begin within two years ...... You can bet on that ........ I look forward to several more smart Long Islanders being appointed to the Minnis Cabinet
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
Let's just hope we don't all go the way of the large goat and sheep populations that once upon a time existed in Long Island.
Reality_Check 7 years, 6 months ago
So ya tink Minnis's Long Island boys gonna slaughter us taxpayers eh?
DDK 7 years, 6 months ago
Quite right about Puerto Rico and comparison to our Bahamas. (Puerto Rico may actually be in such deep doo BECAUSE of its BIG brother!)
The concept of the PM NOT having a ministerial portfolio and therefore allowing him/her to administer to the overall government is surely a meritorious one. Give the dude a chance why doncha?
sheeprunner12 7 years, 6 months ago
Sixteen Cabinet Ministers???????? ......... Will all of them be substantive Ministers????? ....... or will this include Ministers of State and Parliamentary Secretaries as well???????? 16 X 66,000 = $1,056,000 + allowances ........... The Constitution states that there should be a minimum of nine Cabinet Ministers ........... Sixteen is fairly high for our country's size A rule of thumb should be that a Ministry can only exist if it has a certain threshold % of the national Budget (8%?????) .......... We have had Minsters with $4 million in their portfolio's budget!!!!! ............. That is a total waste of government resources
g9822033 7 years, 6 months ago
NATIONAL LOTTERY. It's very obvious why the decision makers of this country ignored the results of the referendum about gambling. All they have done is decriminalize the web shops for the criminals. I say it's time the numbers boys were shut down once and for all and we install a national lottery. Gambling won't go away and one can argue about the morality but how many Bahamians buy lottery tickets when they are in the US? The revenue that's currently buying yachts, McMansions and women for the numbers boys could be put to good use via a National Lottery. Let's ease the burden on the public purse and get rid of these parasites at the same time.
DDK 7 years, 6 months ago
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ON!! A TRANSPARENT National Lottery is the way to go. (Would still provide a measure of employment.) This should be at the TOP of the agenda. These "web" shops are milking dry an already feeble economy. Let the new Government honour the results of the PEOPLE'S referendum.
thephoenix562 7 years, 6 months ago
What the hell are you talking about?.The DNA had 5 candidates in Grand Bahama.They lost their deposits of course.We don't play that DNA game here.
John 7 years, 6 months ago
AND THE TRUTH Will be Told: Many on this forum like to refer to young, black Bahamians and D' average, dumb, lazy savages criminals. But the results of this election prove that the young Bahamian is in touch of reality and was not falling for the sidewalk trick and the t-shirt and cap 'o you gonna be all right, just vote for me' swing anymore. It was the PLP who 'get swing ' with their own bag of dirty tricks, which included the spread of false information, the preventing of the FNM the use of Clifford Parkvfor rallies, the barring of the FNM having ai time on the entire ZNS net work, the chaos that happened on the pre-voting day among other things. Remember, as slaves, the black Bahamian, like other slaves, developed a system of communication that excluded any form of written communication. They learned to communicate verbally in a coded way and they learned how to read body language. More importantly, they learned how to store and process information and still pretend to be the dumbest slave on the plantation. And so while the guy at the gas pump may look dumb because he is pumping gas, or the young girl making sandwiches in 'Mickey D's' may be barely functioning on her job, they are fully aware of the issues and concerns in this country. And they have memories like an elephant. They are the ones who stood their ground and brought this victory home to the FNM. But they are also hurting the most, displaced and many disenfranchised. So Prim Minister, Hon. Hubert Minnis, sir, they should be number one on your list of priorities. They don't want much, you know, most of them. They want a piece of the economic pie and some of the prosperity to flow down to them. The FNM says 'it's the people's time' and they don't want you to forget they are also the people.
Baha10 7 years, 6 months ago
Would have to agree, I was personally becoming disillusioned with our People and feared we were on a path of no return, but even those in the Inner City who have been exploited and "dumped down" to a D Average finally realized why this has occurred and who was benefiting therefrom. Very proud today of our People and hope we can all come together to pull on the same rope with a common purpose to make our Country THE BEST in the World, as we all know it could be, but has a history of missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential! In the Anthem of the Beach Soccer ... "Let's Go Bahamas, Let's Go!"
Reality_Check 7 years, 6 months ago
@John: Sure everyone wants a piece of the economic pie....why wouldn't they? But after decades of a majority of the people voting for corrupt politicians, there is no pie - only a ton of unsustainable national debt. How do you think Sir Snake's family, the Symonette family, the Maynard-Gibson family, the Mosko family and others like them got to be so filthy rich? Over many years these super wealthy families cut many outrageously lucrative deals with our corrupt politicians (FNM and PLP alike) and together they feasted on the entire economic pie and then some, leaving only debt for the rest of us. It is perhaps a fitting consequence for the less privileged voters you speak of.
DDK 7 years, 6 months ago
The 1% syndrome, or is it .001%?
SP 7 years, 6 months ago
ALL OF US BLACK AND WHITE need to stop for a moment and watch the true movie "Hidden Figures"about three American black woman responsible for putting man on the moon!
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/22/movi…
This nonsense that blacks are inferior and whites superior simply based on skin pegment is yet again unquestionably proven false.
Black and white Bahamians built this country and allowed crooked politicians to separte us based on skin color, while they stole us ALL blind, and it took a concerted effort by black and white Bahamians to resolutly stand together and save this country for ALL of our future generations.
Well done Bahamians!
Truism 7 years, 6 months ago
Really looking forward to the budget presentation when KPT will explain to us all what is now going to be done with the VAT money, or where it's gone or where it will continue to go. Prepared to be dazzled with brilliance.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
I very recently overheard a former senior ranking PLP official saying that Brave Davis either had already resigned or was about to resign from his Cat Island seat. Apparently he wants to return full-time to his law practice. Rumours are also circulating that Chester Cooper, the PLP MP for Exuma, is a very unhappy camper right now. It seems Chester had high hopes of being on a gravy train as opposed to being in a wrecked train.
Reality_Check 7 years, 6 months ago
If Brave and Chester both bolt for the back door way out, that would only leave Glenys Hanna-Martin and Picewell Forbes as contenders for Leader of the 'Opposition' in the HOA. Now that certainly would be one very big joke!
DDK 7 years, 6 months ago
Something about rats leaving a sinking ship? LOL!
TalRussell 7 years, 6 months ago
Comrades! One first acts new attorney general and auditor general, should be to launch an investigation and to prosecute the offending business owners - big and small - local and foreigners who deducted at time of earnings their workers National Insurance Premiums from their workers paycheques - -but do not forward on workers contributions to the National Insurance Board - resulting in their employees being denied NIB benefits. In fact in some cases the workers, and even in some disturbing cases, the spouses and family members of workers are being denied earned benefits - often amounting to thousands of dollars.
Comrades this crooked and morally cruel act goes on far too often and has to be stopped. The best way stop it is to swiftly prosecute and jail the business owners offenders - and to attack their assets.
Reality_Check 7 years, 6 months ago
You would love to see the auditor-general's limited resources squandered in chasing small minnows when there are much bigger very greedy fish to fry. Take for instance Christie who, as Minister of Finance and PM, illegally arranged for mega-millions of dollars of our National Insurance funds to be ploughed into Bank of The Bahamas (BoB) at a time when he knew or should have known that BoB was (and still is) insolvent. Every director of the National Insurance Board at the time this was done, along with every director of BoB at the time (especially Paul McWeeney), Wendy Craigg (former governor of the Central Bank), Michael Halkitis and many others all failed to cry foul when all of this was being done - they all knew our National Insurance funds were being illegally used to prop up an insolvent financial institution. But none of them will be held responsible or accountable because Minnis will now protect them all by simply saying that the previous corrupt Christie-led PLP government has committed him to continue using our tax dollars (or increasing our national debt) to try and bailout BoB, a bank that for all intents and purposes has been irreversibly technically insolvent for a long time. As Mudda_sic would say - What a joke!
TalRussell 7 years, 6 months ago
Comrade Reality_Check, you need to go takes some them Epsom salts.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
Your comradeship was only ever comradely accepted by your comrade Christie because you, sir, are a most faithful Christie compatriot.
TalRussell 7 years, 6 months ago
Comrade, unfortunately not always - or at least not by those who so badly advised the PM - particularly during the month December 2016.
banker 7 years, 6 months ago
Hilarious doppelgangers talking to each other and referencing each other. Reminds me of a certain online personality, an IRS dodger married to a Bahamian, trying to make it here in The Bahamas. He had anger management issues and had several personalities on the online forums when his own forum was failing. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
Ahhh there you go again with your guessing games. Yes, could be one and the same; but then again could also be two brothers or an uncle and his nephew; or possibly two sisters; maybe an aunt and her niece; or perhaps a sister and her brother; or just two friends sharing an apartment; or better still a mother and her daughter or a father and his son; could even be a grandson and his grandfather....and on and on.... please try not to get a migraine with all of that guessing work of yours. LOL!
Reality_Check 7 years, 6 months ago
Gotta give @banker credit for persistency. BOL!!!!
TalRussell 7 years, 6 months ago
Comrade Reality_Check, when Banker got us two as his fellow Comrade Blogger friends - him won the bloggers lottery.
DDK 7 years, 6 months ago
Unfairly happens on a regular basis. Needs to be stopped. Part of the epidemic of corruption in our Islands.
TalRussell 7 years, 6 months ago
Comrades! Only cause votes thousands hourly paid working people crossing over to the red Movement, could they have won the people's government.....But I ain't sure they going be singing the old gospel spiritual..... "Things Are Gonna Get Better" under the red political elite?
Things Are Getting Better.
....////https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-md1nO3gEos
banker 7 years, 6 months ago
Have you seen Fweddie's column - Bananas Uncensored. Venom, Bile, Vomit, Hatred, Senescence, Imbecility, Putrefaction, Rotting Corpse Ejecting Bloviating Stench Gases, Worse Than Dump Fire invective from a Sore Loser.
Your post has a faint soupçon of that.
Contrary to what you tink, da folks in da purple room have it right. Ask John. Dis is da work of Jah.
tell_it_like_it_is 7 years, 6 months ago
That's an interesting point about NIB payments though, for whoever will be responsible there should be stiffer penalties. There have been too many poor unsuspecting private sector workers who have their NIB payments taken out of their salaries and all the while their employers paid NIB nothing.
We as a country have to put an END to all this stealing. Thieves at ANY level need to be dealt with. Workers, I encourage you to visit NIB and request a letter stating that your payments are up-to-date. However, in these modern times why can't all employees be able to check this information online? It's just like the International Observers said about the advanced poll, why are we LAST in the region for voters to be able to login and check online to see if their names are on the register rather than standing hours in the sun?
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
W. Jones of JCN, who is financially backed by Sir Snake, is probably back to his old game of not paying his employees' NI contributions to NIB. Scum typically remains scum!
rowenabethel 7 years, 6 months ago
Under the National Insurance Act, decisions on significant investments are largely reserved to the eleven member board and the Minister with responsibility for National Insurance. The Minister is obligated by law to consult with the Minister of Finance prior to making his deceision on such matters. NIB also has an investments policy guideline in place that prescribes how its investments may be made. Such a policy has been in place for over a decade. NIB investments are made on the recommendation of its in-house Deputy Director/Investments, who is a qualified professional. Investments made by NIB, outside of the very limited parameters delegated to the Director by the Board, require Ministerial approval. NIB also has an established Investment Advisory Committee at board level which is obligated to consider investment recommendations and in turn provides its recommendations to the eleven member NI board for approval. Perhaps NIB should publish the Investment policy guidelines so that the process and approvals for investments of the Fund may be better understood. Finally for many years NIB has had direct representation on the BOB board either through its Managing Director or its Chairman. The records of BOB will bear this out.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 6 months ago
Don't you worry ............ Shame Gibson's abuse of NIB will come to light very soon ........ Make sure that you are not raked over the coals with him
We must ensure that NIB exists for the people and not to take care of the political fat cats, their cronies and the NIB senior executives who live "high off the hog"
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