ConchFretter

3 Vote

observer2 6 years, 8 months ago on Auditor reveals emails saying: ‘We need to deal with FNM cronies’

BahamasForBahamians, you make an excellent point. What is the difference between what is going on at the W&S and what is going on with the Oban project? There is no difference because Oban has been green lighted without an environmental impact study, without consultation with the people in east Grand Bahama, with no proof of funds or due diligence on the "cleanness" of the money for the project. We already know that the principals of Oban are not "blue chip" to say the least and have no experience in the oil and gas industry.

The PLP and FNM bring Commissions of Inquiry and forensic audits but at the end of the day nothing changes except we sink deeper and deeper into debt and corruption on both sides.

More importantly there is no effort to privatize water and sewerage, post office, Bank of the Bahamas, BEC etc. In any developed world country all of these services are performed by the private sector.

Secondly, there is no effort to change the structure of government so that the Executive Branch is not filled with politicians versus industry technicians like in all other developed countries. Example, what does Adrian know about water and sewerage? He is not an engineer, he is an lawyer. The same goes for Banister and BEC.

Thirdly, there are no changes to the legal structure of government to hold anyone accountable for anything. Campaign finance reform, freedom of information, local government etc.

So, my fellow Bahamians please expect this nonsense to continue when the PLP is returned to power 4 years from now. By that time Oban will be a complete mess.

1 Vote

joeblow 6 years, 8 months ago on Bethel: We'll fight immigration rulings

Why hasn't incompetent Brent Symonette issued a memo stating that immigration officers must ensure that detainees see a magistrate within 48 hrs? Won't this one thing save us considerable expense for wrongful detainment and reduce all this back and forth in the courts!

When will the AG show that he earned his QC title by arguing effectively FOR the constitution re: immigration? To date he seems to have a limited grasp of the law!

1 Vote

dfitzerl 7 years, 8 months ago on New cruise port announced for East Grand Bahama

This makes no sense on many fronts:

  1. Least environmental impact on East End is not the same as least environmental impact on Grand Bahama. Freeport is already irreversibly impacted. Why impact another?

  2. A high density development in an area that has the opportunity to be an ecotourism gem is a death knell to that opportunity

  3. To place the development so far from all the existing tourist infrastructure and possible attractions will result in minimal synergies (minimal economic impact)

  4. To give the port to a cruise line who promise to grant Bahamians token access to the patrons is like putting it on an isolated Cay.

Grand Bahama has an opportunity to become a well planned economic development with ecotourism in the east, sporting & high density tourism in the center, industry around the harbor, and heritage tourism in the west. To go against this opportunity by plunking down a high density development in the East is like building an oil refinery on Cable Beach.

2 Vote

sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago on Governor General: Nation-building is an endless task

What does Bahamian Independence mean 44 years later??????? ..................... $8 billion national debt, 130 murders per year, prison-like private homes, D-average education, 25% public school graduation rate, fossil fuel dependency, welfare dependency, gambling dependency, food import dependency, tourism dependency, Out Island decline, fat cat politicians, sterile religion ....................... Can we clean it up by the Big50????????

3 Vote

happyfly 7 years, 2 months ago on GIFTED MILLIONS: BPL bypassed process to dish out contracts - and guess who got them

The American forefathers assumed that mere mortals would be running the country so they included many checks and balances within the constitution that they drew up. Unfortunately in the Bahamas, the mere mortals got to make their own rules up and turn them in to the constitution.

2 Vote

Gotoutintime 6 years, 3 months ago on Cyber criminals posing as public figures net thousands

Criminals posing as public figures have net more than thousands---I would say it's more like millions!!

1 Vote

gbgal 6 years, 1 month ago on NHI catastrophic plan to cost under $1,000

Now is the time to roll out a National Get Healthy programme. Obesity is epidemic in our country; we must improve the individual levels of health. Look around at the numbers of adults and children, professionals and ordinary citizens bursting out of their clothes...Spending almost one billion dollars annually in health care is too costly for us. I dread to see the outcomes when this new Catastrophic Insurance scheme kicks in! That $1,000 will soon escalate making it very difficult to maintain a satisfactory level of care for us plus adding to the burden of taxation. Let's prepare for this by dealing with root causes now. The health of our nation is in our hands and we must do the right things now not later!

1 Vote

geostorm 5 years, 9 months ago on Primary school hit with scabies

Scabies is highly contagious, all it takes is one infected child to spread it to his/her family. The child can be from a wealthy family and still end up taking it back to his/her home. Once a child attends school and has close contact with classmates, this disease is inevitable. It transcends socioeconomic status.

it is important and I did not read it in the article, that once a home becomes infected, and the treatment has been applied, all bedding MUST be washed in hot water. The home should be cleaned/disinfected so that the mite is destroyed.

2 Vote

DDK 5 years, 2 months ago on Strike wishlist: Doctors' demands include duty-free car and no property tax

"In modern society, social democratic countries and political parties tend to focus on human rights issues. Social democratic countries typically have strict protections for minority groups. They also often attempt to distribute wealth equally throughout the population. Social democracies typically provide government-funded healthcare, subsidized higher education and aid for the elderly, among other social welfare initiatives." "Unlike socialism, which advocates the nationalization of businesses and other sectors, social democratic countries generally do not emphasize government takeovers of industry. Not all social democrats agree on capitalism, however; some believe that capitalism should be eliminated."

I think we need to decide and affirm what kind of governance we expect of our country in this day and time. It cannot be all ways. We seems to have a hodgepodge of philosophies and practices....

4 Vote

Sickened 5 years, 2 months ago on INSIGHT: Shining a light on why we’re so slow switching on to solar

We don't have the land? Have you ever flown over the Bahamas? Put a solar farm in Andros and drop a line to New Providence.

1 Vote

yeahyasee 5 years, 2 months ago on Get back to work: Govt wins court order forcing halt to strike action

You're misinformed, speak with a physician one on one and you'll get a better understanding. Majority of what you mention here is inaccurate.

1 Vote

Porcupine 5 years, 2 months ago on Doctors' dispute

Excellent letter Dr. Smith. Get this over with and let's move on.

2 Vote

Dawes 5 years ago on Lanisha told - pick up the bill

And this shows how jokey we are. Yes its only $582.40 but if it shouldn't have been charged then why is the only penalty only that she has to pay it (and not sure if i believe that). If it is against the rules then the appropriate punishment should apply. If its not against the rules then nothing should happen.

4 Vote

banker 4 years, 10 months ago on 'Time to get tough on work permits'

This man and his ilk represents what's wrong with a lot of Bahamians who eye the expat professionals working in our midst. It is the Bahamian attitude of being crumb-catchers at the rich man's table. We want a piece of the pie without trying to bake it.

It is wrong to think that any person can be trained to take over a job in a few years, from a certified professional who has gone to a good school, has 20 years experience, has numerous additional courses and certifications along the way, and operates with extensive knowledge, and then expect a trainee to take over. We can't replicate the experiences that created that knowledge worker in a few short years.

It reminds when I worked a trading desk. We were getting new carpets in the office, and two of the carpet installers stood behind me as I worked at my computer. One turned to the other and said "Imagine gettin' a high payin' job by pressing buttons all day. Man, if I knew what buttons to press, I'd have it made". I was trading financial instruments called derivatives. Pinder has an equally uneducated view as the carpet installers.

The key to success is to open the field up, give work permits out like candy at Halloween. These professionals would come in, create value and businesses which would result in higher paying jobs for Bahamians, a revitalised economy, a diverse economy and better prosperity for all in the country, including more revenue for the government.

Instead we insist on being gatekeepers locking the door, keeping us in the dark ages, and keeping us a Third World country. Professional work permits should be cheap, the only impediment to deny one, would be a criminal record, and they should be good for a long period of time.

Unfortunately, idiots like Pinder and other government types are too intellectually-challenged to understand the economics of this. Labour unions are parasites who feed off those in Bahamian society who can least afford it -- the poorer workers.

3 Vote

observer2 4 years, 8 months ago on Worst case would be 400 infected: Sands predicts scenario if virus breaks out here

Due to financial greed cruise ships which are the worse breeding ground for the virus will continue to be allowed to stop in Nassau and let 10,000 visitors mingle with the population on a daily basis.

If theme parks, basket ball games, restaurants, travel from China, travel to Europe and churches around the world have closed it would be logical to stop cruise ships for 30 days. Cruising is a non essential leisure activity.

Secondly, shanty towns in Nassau and Andros, along with many homes over the hill have no running water and electricity and a large undocumented population. Another breeding ground for the virus.

We live in ignorance because only one person has been tested in the entire Bahamas for Civid 19. We should have been proactive doing statistical random sampling of vulnerable groups throughout the country including old folk home, healthcare providers, undocumented shanty town residents, customs and immigration officers, airport workers, school children etc.

With zero testing the virus has the capacity to spread completely below the radar. By the time it is detected it could be too late. The last thing we need is for the boarder to be shut because it is deemed like Europe and China that we did not do anything.

2 Vote
1 Vote

Clamshell 4 years, 7 months ago on UPDATED: Officials project nearly 90 confirmed COVID-19 cases by Sunday

Still, tho: Beyond the tariff question, China remains the No. 2 economy in the world, behind the U.S., and the U.S. remains China’s largest customer, by far. I still don’t see how China benefits by crippling its own economy and the economy of its largest customer. And keep in mind, tariffs are paid by the end-user ... i.e. the purchasers and importers in the U.S. The Chinese do not pay tariffs on goods sold to the U.S. The buyer pays the tariff.

Further, Trump has slacked of a number of tariffs and they’ve completed a deal for massive purchase by China of U.S. farm goods. Sorry, but the “conspiracy theory” still does not compute. You don’t win a race by cutting off your right foot and your competitor’s left foot.

4 Vote

Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago on Office of the Prime Minister launches 'Suggestions' website platform

“I wish to advise you that we are consulting locally and internationally to help guide our social and economic response once the immediate health problems are arrested,” the Prime Minister added.

The Tribune should just electronically transfer all of our comments posted to its website over the last 3 months to the OPM's new 'suggestions' website. LMAO