The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Truth is knowledge, which is the reflection of what things are. Truth is not judgmental, but factual. Integrity is telling yourself the truth and then honesty is telling the truth to other people.

This present administration seems to lack a relationship with the truth and we see too often the twisted web of lies they continue to weave. It seems as if the Prime Minister does not have control over his ministers and they are free to do as they please, even if it is unorthodox, and then the mess is cleaned up with a barrage of untruths and confusion.

Minister Bell said that Cabinet approved his actions of giving the citizenship at a funeral service. This statement is interpreted as his actions were sanctioned/approved by Cabinet et al. Now the Assistant Press Officer out of the OPM says that while Minister Bell has broken no law, he must not do it again. I say to you, Bahamians, if Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, approved it why chastise Bell and tell him not to do it again? This is a form of admission that interprets as “well you did it and you shouldn’t have done it, and you got caught so don’t do it anymore”. It says we did not know about it, but we have your back.

Please stop this see-saw back and forth of insulting the Bahamian people’s intelligence. Minister Bell must take responsibility for his actions and the Prime Minister must show that he has control of his Ministers. Keith Bell appears to have shown abuse of power and discretion by his actions and has allegedly done this several times before at various other venues. Citizenship in any country is a sacred act and should not be handed out as a reward or promise. It must and should be earned and the recipient must not only swear allegiance, but should be able to speak the language and know the country’s history among other requirements. How many signed Certificates of Citizenship documents are in Mr Bell’s possession? We, the Bahamian people, demand to know. Integrity, transparency and accountability should always be the order of the day. Are we once again to be known as “A Nation for Sale”? Mr Prime Minister, please do the right thing. I implore you to not allow this blatant and unorthodox act to become a nail in your political coffin. “Lift Up your Head to the Rising Sun”.

It is noted that Shane Gibson bragged that he also carried out this unorthodox act and so had no problem with what Bell did. Lest Mr Gibson forget that it was an unorthodox act that led to the scandal that forced his resignation as minister. Does he hope that his political colleague will receive the same fate and is therefore reminding the public of his own breach, or is he just so confident that under the leadership of this administration there is no punishment or recourse for wrongdoings or broken laws? I do believe the latter as we are seeing so many actions by Cabinet Ministers swept under the rug or thrown to the wind.

“See how the World, marks the manner of our bearing”. We must as a nation, as a people, stand with our heads held high as we stand on integrity and truth. We must unite as a people and hold our leaders accountable for the privilege we bestow on them by electing them to power, and we must hold them accountable when they breach that trust we have in them. We must not let them forget that they are not above the law.

Let us continue to “March on to Glory, our bright banners waving high.”

May God continue to bless our Bahamaland.

Vanessa A Scott JP

Nassau,

July 3, 2023