EDITOR, The Tribune.
THE lack of diversity in politics today is both troubling and wrong in a representative democracy.
The Government recently lost its only female cabinet minister, Hon Lanisha Rolle. She was replaced by a man. As a result the Cabinet is now 100% male (sorry, but a Minister of State is not a Cabinet Minister).
Some years ago the Government’s only white cabinet minister, Hon Brent Symonette, stepped down. Since then the Cabinet has been 100% black.
We have a 100% black, male cabinet. That is not representative of the Bahamian people.
The FNM has announced its candidate for South Abaco; Vandea Stuart. While she is a woman and so will help the FNM with its lack of female representation, she has got the nomination in one of the handful of seats where white candidates are viable. White people make up a large percentage of voters in five constituencies: St Anne’s, Freetown, Killarney, South Abaco and North Eleuthera. They also make up sizable minorities in Long Island, Lucaya, Golden Isles, North Abaco and parts of South Eleuthera. I am not saying that areas with large white populations have to have a white MP, not at all. People need representation on a large number of issues and fronts. But identity and community are important. So far the FNM has nominated only one white candidate: Adrian White in St Anne’s. One is not proper representation.
The Government partly makes up for its lack of female MPs in the Senate. But the Government has not appointed any white Senators at all.
The FNM has always been the party of One Bahamas, the party of inclusion and diversity. There are plenty of qualified Bahamian women who can win election, serve as MPs and as Cabinet Ministers. There are also plenty of white Bahamians. What is being done by the FNM to develop these candidates? Where is the outreach? What’s up, FNM?
According to news reports in The Tribune there may soon be an opening on the FNM ticket in North Eleuthera and the party should use the opportunity to nominate a white Bahamian. No white woman has ever been elected to Parliament. Perhaps the FNM should use the opportunity to make good on two of their short comings, and at the same time make history?
In the modern age we need proper diversity in Government so that all Bahamians are represented.
GARTH BUCKNER
Nassau,
March 4, 2021.
Comments
themessenger 3 years, 9 months ago
Sorry Garth, I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out after all this time. They’re not interested in the white people, they’re only interested in their money!
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 9 months ago
Take one look at America, and you will realize that diversity doesn't apply to white people. As the poster above pointed out, the parties here only want us for their campaign donations, and then to use as their scapegoats by bringing up the old UBP/race card every election cycle.
South Abaco is a loss for the FNM (probably the North as well tbh, depends on how many displaced people end up voting). This will be the first time that the Central & South vote anything but FNM since the days of the BDP. As a matter of fact, the FNM will probably place in third. Either Roscoe will win that seat, or the PLP may pull a surprise and win it due to the split vote. Nobody on Abaco is on the FNM's run right now. AIM would make a legitimate comeback if so many conchy-joes weren't scared of being called a racist.
Central & South Abaco in particular is a majority-minority seat, and all candidates there should automatically reflect that imo. As a conchy-joe myself, I have had no problem voting for black men a large portion of my life in my constituency. We make up a small portion of the population where I live, so I am not surprised that the parties would put anything but black men up. The problem that I have in particular is that we are expected to vote black without an issue, but we won't receive that same generosity in return.
Too many Bahamian history courses entirely scrub out anything pre-1973 other than Black Tuesday, Burma Road, etc. Almost like the Eleutheran Adventurers never existed, the House wasn't founded hundreds of years ago, Woodes Rogers never landed, etc. This country conveniently likes to pretend that we don't exist until the government needs money to steal.
sheeprunner12 3 years, 9 months ago
Where are you getting this information about Bahamian post 1973 history from?
To be honest, most white Bahamian people "withdrew" after 1973 and became enclaves ...... the native Conchy Joes, the Jews, Lebanese, Greeks etc
The "white Bahamians" do have a disproportionate amount of the wealth of this country ....... and they do use it as a weapon against the black politicians (PLP & FNM) ......... That is a fact
Look at how integrated the white West Indians are in other CARICOM countries ...... we welcomed two white Jamaicans to invest in our tourism industry (Sandals & Breezes) while the rich white Bahamians do very little to build and OWN our Number One industry (hotels & marinas) and prefer to sell off their tourism investments and sit on their money in "safe" consumer/import based businesses
So, if you are "frustrated" ......... search yourself and DO better
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 9 months ago
I wonder why we withdrew into the gated communities....couldn't be because of the out of control crime, or the fact that we would like to not get robbed/raped traveling in certain parts of New Providence.
Keep using us as the scapegoat for all of the Bahamian problems, the UBP card still exists in the mind of both the FNM/PLP as a convenient means of shifting all of the blame for the issues of the past 50+ years elsewhere. Using a much maligned example in Bahamian society, Brent Symonette has invested in many Bahamian businesses not just limited to the tourism industry. Still doesn't stop the good old fashioned UBP/race card from getting pulled anytime Bahamas Hot Mix gets a contract. I am sorry, too many black Bahamians have a culture of victimhood and and a "blame the white people" mentality engrained in them from an era what most weren't even alive to witness. Do they still play Roots on ZNS before every election?
As for the ones that only stay in the safe industries, have you ever thought that people go into business to make money? Besides fishing, tourism, or financial services, there are only so many things to do to make a living in this economy. That is fixed, and unchangeable. We hear all of this talk about "diversification", but what else can really be done at this point? That is something that I never get an answer to.
sheeprunner12 3 years, 9 months ago
Brother Man ....... you want to have your cake and eat it too ....... Define what "white means to you as compared to what the world/US calls white. We have mostly potcake whites.
How many "white" Bahamians are robbed & raped as compared to black Bahamians????? ....... If so, these cases surely are kept out of the media.
How many Government tax incentives actually benefit the rich "white" enclaves as compared to the poor black majority???
How many "white" Bahamians have the hookup in Government with the politicians and senior government officials that most ordinary Bahamians still do not have?????
How many "white Bahamians" will continue to have their children well placed in the better private schools and top earning professions due to legacy wealth and connections ....... and maintain many glass ceilings in this economy????
So ......... if you are "frustrated" ............ exercise your "whiteness" power ...... Move from the boardrooms and backrooms in political party circles and come to the front and stand for nomination and election ......... Long Island has had its share of "white" Bahamian MPs (on both sides), so we are the pacesetters (the island is still predominantly racially black/mixed).
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 9 months ago
Plenty "pure" (if you will) white Bahamians still reside here. Have you ever been to Abaco, Spanish Wells, certain parts of New Providence? In general though, you are right in that most Bahamians have some form of mixed blood.
It isn't only us that avoid that like to stay in our "enclaves". Talk to any foreign investor, tourist, etc. well familiar with New Providence in particular. House break-ins and robberies are a very common theme of reasoning among those who live behind the walls and barbed wire in Nassau. Why do you think so many cruise passengers choose to stay on the ship when stopping in Nassau? Sad to say, we have a horrendous reputation for crime abroad.
White politicians have existed in the Bahamas (Brent, James, Edison Key, Larry Cartwright, Ryan Pinder, etc. in recent times) but do you remember all the huff and puff when Ingraham made Brent the deputy PM in 2007? Besides that, you definitely have to run in a place like Central & South Abaco, St. Annes, North Eleuthera, etc. to win. Only so much you can do as an MP as well, which it why is much better to play a part behind the scenes.
Tell me this : who founded the PLP? Plenty of poor/working class white Bahamians here. Not everyone went to St. Andrews or Lyford Cay, as a matter of fact, my parents went to public school (believe it or not). The stereotype of all white Bahamians being rich only contributes to the perceived boogeyman that still unfortunately lives in the minds of so many Bahamians today.
GodSpeed 3 years, 9 months ago
"Diversity" is always code for less Men or less white people.
themessenger 3 years, 9 months ago
@Godspeed, Couldn’t agree with you more,we have all the “diversity” we need having transformed our country to FUBAR status with neither help nor encouragement from the white people in the short span of fifty years. I can comfortably say without fear of contradiction that we, as a people, have learned next to nothing during our quickly accelerating journey to the bottom and we can comfortably look forward to more of the same moving forward.
Proguing 3 years, 9 months ago
and less old. But isn't it funny that those who push for diversity nominate Biden as a Presidential candidate?
themessenger 3 years, 9 months ago
Brudda Sheep, You been cohabiting with the rest of your flock for too long. While I agree that there are enclaves of wealthy whites, most if not all of those are liberally interspersed with equally wealthy blacks. And, by the way, their children are equally well placed in the better private schools and top earning professions due to THEIR legacy of politically gained wealth and connections. If you cannot recognize the void and disconnect that exists between the wealthy in the Bahamas,both black and white, and those still aspiring for the promised piece of the pie for the last fifty years, both blacks and whites, then you need to start chewing a different type of jumbey.
sheeprunner12 3 years, 9 months ago
I do accept your point of view that the modern Bahamian society is more classist than racist ........ I also accept the idea that there are still many "poor whites" in our country ....... But colour continues to be used as a social passport vehicle for more light-skinned Bahamians than dark-skinned Bahamians .......... That is a FACT
Also, FrustratedBusinessman raised the idea of WHO founded the PLP ..... That was in keeping with the popular West Indian movements at the time ...... Sadly, Pindling and the more influential US Black Power movement forced the light-skinned PLP leaders aside and used a few token "whites" for the next two decades ......... That is where we still are today (including the Symonettes & Holoweskos in the FNM)
themessenger 3 years, 9 months ago
You state as a FACT that “colour continues to be used as a social passport vehicle for more light skinned Bahamians than dark skinned Bahamians.” By whom and to what end? It is also a fact that there are many poor whites in our country whose whiteness hasn’t benefited them one iota, in fact their whiteness is an impediment to social advancement and acceptance in our predominantly black society with all of its still deep rooted prejudices and social stigmas. So, if you separate the sheep from the goats, pun intended, being white in The Bahamas bestows no special privileges, only money can do that and the last time I checked that was still green
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