The Tribune

IS nothing sacred?

It would seem not given one of the latest crimes to afflict The Bahamas – a pastor whose car was broken into while he was at church.

It should be an outrage. It should appal every one of us. The thief that dared to target a church of all places ought to be ashamed to his core. Those who know him, if they are aware of his crime, ought to shame him too – and then report him to police.

The pastor was meeting with other church leaders at the time. A community in action, as it should be.

Elsewhere in today’s Tribune, you will read of how Great Commission Ministries is striving to help those less fortunate – those without a home, those who are hungry.

That is what so many church leaders are trying to do – find solutions for those in need, whether it is a physical need such as hunger or somewhere to stay, or a spiritual need to find their place in life.

The last thing those who are striving to help others need is a predator looking to grab what they can, making off with their ill-gotten gains.

To the pastor in question, Jeremy Penn, the associate pastor at Five Porches of Deliverance Apostolic Church, the credit is that one of his first thoughts is to think of others – to warn people to take care during the upcoming Christmas season and be on their guard against thieves.

Sadly, the Christmas season often sees an increase in thefts and robberies, so the pastor is right to raise a warning.

Still, it makes one wonder how we have reached a point where there is so little respect for those who are trying to make our country a better place.

here is the respect for this pastor and his work?

Where is the respect for the Red Cross – targeted by thieves last month who took $80,000 of equipment?

We need to be better than this as a nation.

So if you know these thieves, give them no room in your lives. If you have a tip, give it to the police. Leave no doubt that hurting the helpers harms not only the individual victim, but our nation. Shame on those criminals. May they get the justice they deserve.

The transparency we should expect

As ever at election time, there has been some discussion about the declared assets of candidates.

The process is a self-declaration and there is no real official rigorous analysis, but this by-election raised some speculation over the declaration of candidate Lincoln Bain. The Coalition of Independents leader declared no liabilities. Well, what about the court case where he was ordered to pay out $64,000 over an investment dispute?

Mr Bain pointed out that matter was being appealed, and until the appeal judgement is given, there is nothing to pay out. He is quite right. And it also shows the value of such declarations. It allows candidates to be questioned over what they have said – and to be able to explain where appropriate, or be held to account otherwise.

It is a small part of the transparency we should expect – and in the case of the annual requirement for parliamentarians to make their financial disclosures, by now we should be demanding.

The deadline for disclosures is March 1. It is now November and we still do not know which parliamentarians followed the law, and which did not.

When exactly can the citizens of the country expect to know whether their leaders are law abiding – or law breaking?