The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

THIS week was quite interesting. Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis (in rare form) took on the media, many focused their attention (and ire) on a new bill, while the Christian Council cried foul on an amendment to the Nationality Act we’ve been debating for a generation.

It Went Viral

As luck would have it, this past weekend I was attending my brother-in-law’s wedding in Freeport, which meant I was unable to attend the prestigious Bahamas Press Club Awards.

Late Saturday night, I learned I had won the P Anthony White award for best columnist.

Since I didn’t get a chance to deliver that “Oscars” speech I’ve been rehearsing in my head all my life, let me take a moment to thank God, my family, my editors, the Press Club, the Academy, and all of you crazy people who read my work each week.

I would also like to congratulate my fellow colleague Alicia Wallace on her nomination in the same category and great work as well.

Upon my return to Nassau, much to my surprise, the masses weren’t talking about my fantastic win but were involved in wars of words over comments our good Prime Minister made at that same awards show.

Based on reports in both dailies, I gather the the PM lambasted the media about doing its job. Apparently, Dr Minnis likened the major newspapers to “tabloids” that focused on “the clashes and drama” of politics.

Now, there’s not much that I can say about Dr Minnis’ speech that hasn’t already been said in editorials, on the airwaves, social media, and most succinctly by Press Club President Anthony Capron who acknowledged the Prime Minister should have been “more gracious” in his keynote address at Saturday’s awards banquet.

Still, allow me to point out the irony of standing in a room full of media personalities and berating them for what you were doing in that exact moment.

Imagine that... the PM had as his hostage the ear of most of the top editors, journalists and opinion writers in the country and instead of focusing on something substantive he “ran on” dramatically about them loving “drama”.

You can’t make this stuff up, folks.

If the hardworking members of the press are missing something, it may be because it’s simply not there.

Show us the details of these policy initiatives you say go unreported (FYI, they don’t) and I’ll show you a headline.

Otherwise, quit with the ‘Trumpian’ routine of trying to cover your missteps by blaming the media. It’s hard for anyone who isn’t actually Trump (and sometimes even Trump himself) to pull off.

It’s not the job or role of those in the media to make you look “good” or “bad” - it’s to report the facts as best they can, or, as I do in this column, call it like we see it.

Truly, we’re not your “enemy”, Mr Prime Minister, incompetence is. And don’t look now but “some people say” it’s gaining on your administration!

The New One-Man Band

Veteran reporter Anthony “Ace” Newbold sure has his hands full.

The first ever “Press Secretary” in the country’s history (presumably modeled after the American version) only made it seven months before having to defend his boss in the most Sean Spicer or Sarah Huckabee-Sanders way possible.

When questioned at the weekly press briefing about criticism that Dr Minnis makes too many premature announcements, Ace found himself having to spit out the doozy that Dr. Minnis can “make statements that he feels are appropriate for him to make”. He added that this includes statements he hasn’t even discussed with his Cabinet.

On the surface, I feel for a gifted communicator like Newbold having to verbally vomit words that sound anything like the ones often heard from Spicer and Co (and now Sanders) when they repeatedly leaned on, “the president’s tweets speak for themselves” to explain an inexplicably nonsensical tweet.

Look a little deeper, however, and another vexing problem emerges; one-man band syndrome.

In the Westminster system, it’s important to remember that collective responsibility rules and the Prime Minister is merely first among equals. Should he be making policy pronouncements without discussing them with his Cabinet? Not a good idea and I wouldn’t advise it.

Besides, if his Cabinet is so “useless” that he isn’t bothering to consult them, why are they there? And why is the government reaching into our cookie jar to pay these same people (and the rest of the “useless” MPs) more of our hard earned tax dollars?

A Prick of Conscience

It seems The Bahamas Christian Council has an internal squabble going on.

When the Prime Minister announced he would effect change to the Nationality Act through normal legislative powers, Council president Bishop Delton Fernander accused the administration of “draconian” and “dictatorial” actions.

He reminded the public that twice now (Twice!) Bahamians had rejected the proposed changes through two failed constitutional referenda.

This week, the vice president of the Council, Reverend James Palacious, endorsed the decision by PM Minnis, saying, “it is the right thing to do”.

So now we have the “Church” speaking out of “two sides of its mouth”.

In my eyes, Reverend Palacious is correct in saying the Minnis administration is doing the right thing in righting a terrible wrong. Bahamian women and their children should have the same rights and protections as every Bahamian man. End of story.

The sad thing is it really didn’t have to come to this.

When the last “gender equality” referendum was defeated, it was because our now PM (then Opposition Leader) took the political calculation that by defeating the four bills he would also ensure a general election defeat of the Progressive Liberal Party. After all, the same thing had happened to the ruling FNM before.

So when Dr Minnis came out with the mealy-mouthed “vote your conscience” routine, he must have known the great disservice he did to Bahamian women who were sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.

I can only imagine that his conscience wouldn’t let him rest so now he is trying to atone for his (and his party’s) duplicity. I sincerely applaud him for that.

Still, he must understand the criticism. It is true he is going against the collective decision of the Bahamian people (however flawed he thinks that decision was.) And so Bishop Delton, too, has a point.

The best advice I can give the PM is that he should explain this about-face not just in parliament but with a national address. Tell the people why you will do what you plan to do. Allay their concerns.

Talk directly to the public, Dr Minnis, because people are making up all kinds of sensational claims and (your favourite) “fake news” about what you plan to do on the other controversial questions that were also defeated at the polls. Set the record straight. And, as my grandfather liked to say, “for God’s sake” do it quickly.

You know, they say confession is good for the soul.

Bills, bills, bills

There’s a new Commercial Enterprises Bill that has been tabled in the House of Assembly.

This new bill has become quite controversial, and as much as I’d like to wade into the controversy today, I am still researching what I think is an important section of it.

Rest assured, good readers, by next week, your award-winning, humble columnist will throw in my little two cents on that legislation, too.