Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.
Reader poll
Do you support the Prime Minister’s offer for students from hurricane-hit Dominica to attend school in the Bahamas?
- Yes, I support the offer.
- No, I do not support the offer.
1084 total votes.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has been “surprised” by the polarising responses Bahamians have had to his offer that Dominican students be allowed to attend school here, Press Secretary Anthony Newbold said yesterday.
The prime minister has also said the government will welcome other displaced Dominicans who have relatives here.
Dr Minnis is expected to make a comprehensive statement about the matter when the House of Assembly resumes today.
By 2pm yesterday when Mr Newbold’s press conference took place, Cabinet ministers were said to still be working out the details of the matter.
“The prime minister has been surprised that an offer that was made to accommodate students for their education received that kind of reaction,” Mr Newbold said.
Some Bahamians have argued the country lacks the resources to accommodate Dominican students. Public schools, critics have said, are overcrowded and the size of the classes is expected to increase following the Minnis administration’s anticipated reversal of a Christie administration policy requiring foreigners to have a permit to attend school.
Some have also criticised Dr Minnis for announcing his decision before finalising the details of the plan.
“Some questions raised are with merit and people have reason to ask the questions if they don’t have the answers and that’s what he’ll attempt to provide (Wednesday),” Mr Newbold said. “There are a lot of questions.
“It was not an offer that necessarily needed details at the moment (when it was made). What is happening now is exactly how it should happen; you’re in trouble, we want to help you. We’ll let your students come go to school with us. There was never any intention not to let the Bahamian people know all of the details.”
On Sunday Dr Minnis announced the intention to accommodate students from Dominica displaced by Hurricane Maria.
He did so after speaking with Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit who stopped here on his way to the US.
Dominica’s infrastructure was devastated by Hurricane Maria earlier this month.
Comments
BahamasForBahamians 7 years, 1 month ago
Hubert should realize that the public is even more surprised that he would make a decision without consulting us - something he beat up the previous administration for doing. Thats the surprise. We have no issue helping others - which is what he's trying to paint this to be.
licks2 7 years, 1 month ago
Why you bother to try and say anything! Yinna PLPs does really say some dumb and stupid stuff nah! Why have a government if they must ask us everything before they make any decisions? Lol! Now you do know that that thing the PLP was calling government was a damn crime racket of secrecy, tiiefing, lying, and all kind-er ing!
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrades! None of the prime minister's or his crown ministers KP's, Jeff's or Marvin's rash, not costed out plans are popular among either their constituents or fellow cabinet colleagues. It says it all when every promise made that would have benefited the poor and near poor voters during the 2017 General Election - have ALL been translated into nothing more than just election promises and nothing is being done to keep their promises.... and they seem not to give a good damn? The reasons why the Governor General dismissed the out of touch with his own House of Assembly MP's, Minnis as the leader of the official opposition - have all carried over into the red shirts governing cabinet. They are in a total mess. Their red pipes are becoming even that more 'leakier' than that of the utilities owing PLP's.
And, the PEOPLE are sick and tired of hearing from the PM's mouthpiece "ACE" on every matter but not the PM.
licks2 7 years, 1 month ago
Check the result of the poll for this thread. . .86.7% or 486 persons supports the doc decision to help. . .while less than 20% or about 74 persons are against. . .ITS THE PEOPLE'S TIME. . .we still support the doc plenty plenty plenty! Yall PLP can take that to the bank!
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 1 month ago
Barely 5 months as PM and Minnis is already out-of-touch with the vast majority of Bahamians. This is what happens when you zip around town at 60 mph in a luxurious police chauffeured vehicle with police on motorbikes as an escort with sirens blaring as they dangerously force all other traffic off of the road. Yes indeed, Minnis is so enthralled by his new 'elitist' stature that he can't think straight. This no doubt explains his very poor judgement to date on numerous matters, including:
Reality_Check 7 years, 1 month ago
You should have also mentioned the appointment of KP Turnquest as Minister of Finance. He sorely lacks the core competencies and leadership skills necessary to make the tough decisions that must be made to shrink the bloated size of our government and reduce our national debt.
BahamasForBahamians 7 years, 1 month ago
I second this motion. Minnis is losing touch at record rates.
John 7 years, 1 month ago
The ideal thing in this situation would be to find temporary housing and schools for the children and their families and teachers. But when you talking about relocating students, and having to find food and housing for them , this is a massive undertaking. And expensive. Better than bringing them to New Providence would be to find suitable accommodations on a family where the students can be in a controlled environment so and reduce the influence of external sources and cultural shock. Then you must think time frame: How long? Then getting them back to s recovering home town, some still shell shocked, not impossible but difficult all the same.
Emac 7 years, 1 month ago
I too believe that Minnis has made some mistakes in selecting certain people for these posts. However, let's not forget the past evil administration that is to a large extent responsible for the mess we are in. It's funny that people like BahamasForBahamians never commented on this forum when the former government misruled and we needed to see these types of discussions most. Oh...and the the BahamasForBahamians name is very similar to the PLP slogan "Believe in Bahamians"...Hmmm, strange.
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrades! I remind that Her Excellency Dame Marguerite, may at any time or moment -summon the prime minister up to the governor general's residence atop Mount Fitzwilliam, to fire the PM and his entire red shirts cabinet - and she need not have to tell him the PM the reason for his firing - nor does she have to consult with the Queen.
Her Excellency the governor general can order the PM to leave the government's luxury BENZ in the driveway and call a cab - or shout out to "ACE" comes pick him up off the driveway's curbside.
DDK 7 years, 1 month ago
I don't think so, Comrade! Her "Excellency" stays on out of the misplaced graciousness of The Government.
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrade DDK, but the GG, either commands the Royal Prerogative of firing, or she doesn't?
What if Her Excellency should decide that it's in the best interests of the Bahamhaland, that the red shirts PM and cabinet - must be dismissed? She may even decide herself to make the call for "ACE" come pick up the PM?
Socrates 7 years, 1 month ago
at our core we are a xenophobic people despite what many say.. there's a persistent but unfounded fear in my view, of foreigners taking over... if we bring them in properly, give maybe 12-24 mths 'education visas', when time expires they have to leave if their country is habitable.. if not, you revisit the matter and make another decision... we must always be mindful that a similar catastrophe could also be inflicted on us and we may wish to receive compassionate assistance, so as it is written, do into others as you would have them do unto you...
Cas0072 7 years, 1 month ago
I agree with helping the Dominicans because they need help and it is being done the right way. I am surprised that Minnis took the time out to acknowledge dissenters because it is natural for people to have questions and for some to disagree. This is also not uniquely Bahamian. In the article I posted below, Dominicans commenting also had questions and concerns that ran the gamet.
http://dominicanewsonline.com/news/home…
Cas0072 7 years, 1 month ago
I agree with helping the Dominicans because they need help and it is being done the right way. I am surprised that Minnis took the time out to acknowledge dissenters because it is natural for people to have questions and for some to disagree. This is also not uniquely Bahamian. In the article I posted below, Dominicans commenting also had questions and concerns about a donation to the Bahamas last year.
http://dominicanewsonline.com/news/home…
BahamasForBahamians 7 years, 1 month ago
The problem with CAS0070 statements is that it is out of context.
Yes as a CEO of Hubert & Co, he can act without consultation and silence dissenters without consequence.
In the game of politics that is quickest way to get fired... the path Hubert is currently on.
Chucky 7 years, 1 month ago
We should ask ourselves why we feel we are being generous in offering these children a place in our "D" average producing education system. Either our people are stupid, or the system is!
We Bahamian's should be wary..... What if these students come, and achieve an A or B average??? That would prove our people as a whole are stupid.
Our's is a hell hole of a country, crime rate is amongst the worst of the world, corruption is out of control, the entire system on the brink of collapse after all the thiefing. Yet our arrogant Bahamian attitude spews a deluded sense of false pride in hopes of protecting ourselves from the poor unfortunates of the region. Meanwhile our fat undereducated full of pride pigs drive along the road in the junkers throwing their fast food garbage out the window.
Our turn will come, and we won't deserve any help from any nation. The world will be a better place once we get a good washing from the perfect storm!
CatIslandBoy 7 years, 1 month ago
Chucky, you are so spot-on. I can't believe the selfishness, and just rank nonsense coming from some of you. The PM does not have to consult you before making decisions. He was elected to make decisions and lead. Tal, you must be really bored to sit and write the foolishness that you do. Despite your childish attempt at writing Bahamian dialect, I know that you are educated enough to know that the Governor General cannot simply, at will, relieve the Prime Minister of his duties, and thus usurp the will of the voters.
baldbeardedbahamian 7 years, 1 month ago
We just a mean people now. We kill each other everyday and cheat and lie like they going out of fashion. The best and smartest of us are elected to govern us. Look at the previous government's cabinet members and you can see just how low the standards of the country have sunk.
juju 7 years, 1 month ago
I was a Katrina refugee with a 13 yr old son to educate after the storm. The Texans opened their schools, their homes, their offices and their wallets to help many, many needy people. We are forever grateful to Texas for their aid after Katrina. Twelve years later our son took a leave from his job and joined the Cajun Navy to help flood victims of Hurricane Harvey in Houston. Helping displaced Dominicans is not a permanent thing. It is a godly thing. It is humane. Why aren't the Churches behind this? Perhaps the Dominicans can send their teachers.? Perhaps Bahamians can learn from this?. Perhaps Bahamians may need the help of the Dominicans when a hurricane hits the Bahamas? Dr. Minnis, I whole heartedly support you in your humane endeavour to help these needy people.
Voltaire 7 years, 1 month ago
BahamasForBahamians is a PLP plant. Don't grace him/her with any attention whatsoever. As for the dissenters - we, who continually profess to be a 'Christian' people, are now asked to do something Christian, i.e. be our brother's keeper, love our neighbor as we love ourselves, and all we can do is stench and complain. Typical. Minnis is showing us the way to be a better people, and all we can do is accuse him of being out of touch. Pathetic.
Reality_Check 7 years, 1 month ago
Repost: Millions of young children are living in peril and dying of starvation in many African countries. Surely you recognize that while we can feel for their plight and pray for them, there is little else we can do as a country given our very limited resources and serious economic problems. Minnis cannot tell the many thousands of under-privileged and suffering Bahamians, whose lives are imperiled by a lack of food, clean potable water, shelter, electricity and medicines, that our government has very limited resources to help them and then at the same time exacerbate the daily problems experienced by these very same poor Bahamians by opening our country's doors to non-Bahamians in what will undoubtedly prove to be a costly way. Minnis must regret his failure to realize that Bahamians are tired of playing second fiddle to corrupt politicians, exploitative foreign investors, illegal immigrants, etc. etc. But wait, isn't that why we the people elected him? How can he possibly justify putting the needs of others above the equally important and just as serious needs of our own suffering people?
Reality_Check 7 years, 1 month ago
Repost: We would end up being way ahead by paying back the $100,000 in Hurricane Joaquin relief funds we received from Dominica and should think twice before accepting such token financial relief from any nation in the future if doing so somehow obligates us to do what Minnis has gone ahead and done without careful consideration and thought. If we could, I would support our government cutting a US$200,000 cheque to the people of Dominica and forgoing what Minnis has so foolishly committed us to do. Mark my words, the hidden costs for Bahamians behind Minnis's shoot-from-the-hips mistake will be much more than US$200,000 when all is said and done!
stillwaters 7 years, 1 month ago
Dominic sent money, they didnt open their country
CatIslandBoy 7 years, 1 month ago
Some of you are just heartless! I hope the Bahamas never need assistance from another country. Where are these thousands of suffering Bahamians of which ye speak? Or, are you just making up numbers to support a losing argument? If this is the new Bahamian way of thinking, I would have none of it. What the PM is doing is the humane and Christian thing to do. Some Christian Nation. I believe that God has already turned his back on this country.
Reality_Check 7 years, 1 month ago
You must be one of those well-to-do Bahamians who can drive through the more impoverished over-the-hill areas of New Providence without appreciating the significance of the easily observable abject poverty that many must endure day in and day out. Too many of us have unfortunately become immune to the sights and sounds of the horrific poverty all around us that has swept over our nation in recent decades. The Salvation Army and other charitable organizations are now struggling to make sure the thousands in need get at least one square meal a day, or every other day.
licks2 7 years, 1 month ago
They een heartless ya know. . .THEM JUST DUMB PLP or DNA who een woke up and smell the coffee of Bahamian politics. . .WEEN LISTENING TO THEY DUMB TAILS. . .PUT UP OR SHUT THE HECK UP. . .GO TALK TO YA MAR THEM. . .WEEN ON THEY RUN. . .AND DON'T WAN HEAR NO STUPID POLITICAL TALK. . .DOC SETTING A NEW POLITICAL ORDER FER US ALL. . .THEY BETTER COME AS GOOD AS OR BETTER THAN DOC STYLE. . .THIS IS A NEW DAY AROUND HERE!!
Sign in to comment
OpenID