Friday, December 28, 2012

Christie is late again

Christie is late again

If my memory serves me correctly, the phrase late again was made popular by the Rt. Honorable Hubert Ingraham during the 2007 election season while referring to then Prime Minister Perry Christie. Christie lost the general election in 2007 and has since been the object of many discussions in the house of assembly because of his apparent inability to get things done in a timely manner.

Ingraham sought to convince the public that Christie was the same old person in 2012 that he was in 2007. The public did not believe Ingraham and voted him and the Free National Movement (FNM) out of office this time around. They believed Christie when he said that he was a new man and that he had learned from past mistakes.

To earn the nickname “late again” is no small feat as there had to be a collection of decisions or projects where this characteristic manifested itself. For the years 2002-2007 Christie did all in his power it seems to earn this name. From the mishandling of the many scandals during his first term as prime minister where he apparently was satisfied with letting things play out, to the now gambling referendum and the National Insurance Board (NIB) fiasco, it seems as if Christie is back to his old ways.

The opinion poll/referendum on gambling has clearly been botched. The date was postponed from December 3rd, 2012 to January 28th, 2013 and you guessed it the referendum questions are somewhere in cyber space. But Christie said that he met with four pastors last week and only they know the questions. These pastors are indeed blessed; or are they? Christie in the same interview said that the Bahamian people know what the referendum questions are. He seems to be disengaged from this issue and appears to have contradicted himself.

It is now January 27th, 2012 and I haven’t heard one news station or news paper release this data. In fact, I haven’t even seen the questions in any of the tabloids. There is no evidence that the cabinet has met to discuss what the referendum questions will be. When will the public education that was promised by Christie’s government commence? If the referendum questions were released today, the Bahamian electorate would only have four weeks to contemplate their position on this issue. But is this enough time? I certainly don’t think so.

Maybe the prime minister does not feel a sense of urgency because he has truly convinced himself that the populace already knows the questions. Maybe he might postpone the referendum again.

I indubitably state that our dear prime minister is yet late again and he needs to start executing his plans as opposed to just chattering about them.

Dehavilland Moss

Sunday, December 23, 2012

The Gold Rush or the Gold Rust


The Gold Rush or the Gold Rust

Even at 39 years old, I can’t understand the pandemonium caused by the election season in the Bahamas. Another name for the election season is the silly season and indeed it occurs every five years in our country.
From catchy slogans, theme songs and the bashing of political opponents, Bahamians are whipped up into frenzy just before the general elections. And don’t forget the promises that the electorate hears every election season.
One of the PLP’s catch phrases this year was the Gold Rush. Many of their political speakers referred to the PLP supporters all clad in their paraphernalia as a sea of gold. The brilliance in this theme I believe has not been fully explored and it will be the object of discussion amongst the politically astute for generations to come. In my view this was borderline genius.
The Gold Rush theme invoked a sense of belief in Bahamians that something good was about to happen. It gave hope that all would be ok. History tells us that when you are a part of a Gold Rush, that the sky is the limit and that everything will be ok in a matter of time. The Gold Rush gave us hope that economic prosperity and wealth was just on the horizon. All you had to do was fall in line and be a part of the team.
But I ask the average Bahamian today, did you experience the Gold Rush? Or were you sold a dream that should have been called the “Gold Rust”?
The 10,000 jobs have not materialized. The doubling of the investment in education is never mentioned anymore. Our electricity bills have not decreased. The misery index appears to have remained the same. The handling of the gambling referendum has been blotched several times. Crime is still very much out of control. There is a major scandal at the National Insurance Board. The Bahamas suffered another economic downgrade by Moody’s. Bahamians are still looking for jobs and the much tooted relief that they were promised has not come to pass. The average Bahamian wants to know where the Gold Rush is.

The saying that he who feels it knows it is not a paradox. It is a real life scenario. It appears that the Gold Rush did occur but once again the gold has been devoured by the elite. Cabinet, diplomatic, general management and board appointments for the old boys have sucked the life out of many young aspiring Bahamians who were not allowed to get a fair share of the economic pie. Some of these appointees are 70 odd years old and can hardly walk. Even foreign consultants have had their share of the Gold Rush.

I contend that the Gold Rush did occur but it was never intended to include the masses. As usual we always get the brown end of the stick. In fact we are now experiencing the Gold Rust.

Dehavilland Moss

Monday, December 17, 2012

NIB Bonuses

NIB Bonuses
Former chairman of the National Insurance Board (NIB), Patrick Ward recently said that the hefty bonuses received by NIB executives were approved through proper channels, which means that there was board approval. Interestingly enough, trade unionist John Pinder, a former board member said he had no knowledge of the large amounts that some executive members of NIB received and he adamantly said that he certainly would not have supported those staggering amounts in good conscience.
Even more troubling was that the former Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Zhivargo Laing said that he had no idea that executives at the NIB received bonuses. WHAT!!!
Patrick Ward, John Pinder and Zhivargo Laing on the face of it seem to be credible Bahamian men, but this particular story is not adding up. Someone or some people are perpetrating a great deception in our midst and the truth is evading us. Can we have the honorable minister with responsibility for NIB or the prime minister please address this issue or can they advise if this is a part of the independent audit now being conducted at NIB?
I believe this independent audit needs to be expanded to cover the last 10 years, because the issues at NIB appear to have commenced long before the arrival of Algernon Cargill and Gregory Moss and they are bigger than the bonuses the executives received over the last 3 years. What bonuses did executives receive in 2003 or 2008? The Bahamian people await concise action and direction from the nation’s chief.
Dehavilland Moss
 

The referendum questions


The referendum questions

We will be ready from day one. We promise to provide details on a referendum within the first 100 days for a national lottery and gambling. We believe in Bahamians. We have hired foreign consultants on gambling. The consultation report will be released next week. There is no report on the consultation. There will be no national lottery question on the referendum. The referendum will have one question and this will be whether to legalize web shop gambling or not. We have postponed the referendum. The national lottery question will be added to the referendum. The questions will be released soon. The questions will be released soon. The questions will be released within two weeks.

This is now day 222. WHERE ARE THE REFERENDUM QUESTIONS?

Dehavilland Moss

 

Friday, December 14, 2012

Are Bahamians suffering from non visionary leadership?


Are Bahamians suffering from non visionary leadership?

On January 10th, 1967, a new Bahamas was born. Majority rule was achieved and for the first time in our history since slavery, the elected body of government was representative of its people. Some political chess moves were made as Sir Randol Fawkes and Sir Alfred Braynen joined the PLP in the house of assembly, enabling The Rt. Honorable Sir Lynden Pindling to become the first black prime minister of the Bahamas.

There must have been a sense of pride amongst Bahamians because for the first time a black man was about to lead the Bahamas. There also must have been a sense of fear because some Bahamians might have been wandering if a Black Bahamian could run the affairs of the country.

But Sir Lynden did. He had a vision for the Bahamas and sought to put it into action. Under his visionary leadership we saw the formation of the Central Bank of the Bahamas, the National Insurance Board, The Royal Bahamas Defense Force and a host of other major programs still in operation today. Sir Lynden sought to provide the means for Bahamians to become educated and most importantly he was hell bent on ensuring that Bahamians could secure jobs. You see in the late 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, it was all about securing jobs for Bahamians. And this is what Pindling ensured happened.

I know detractors might look at this scenario differently and speak about the padding of workers at government corporations, the neglect of the Family Islands and a host of other things that occurred under Sir Lynden’s watch. But for his time, Sir Lynden ensured that Bahamians at the least could feed themselves. If we remember, he even disallowed the selling of property to foreigners, a despicable act that is allowed by our governments today. Sir Lynden was more favorable to his countryman becoming wealthy as opposed to foreigners reaping the rewards for contracts Bahamians are capable of performing.

The Bahamas of today in my view is and has been suffering from a severe case of a lack of vision. In 1992, Pindling lost the general elections to Hubert Alexander Ingraham. One of the reasons why Pindling lost was because he had no future clear vision for the country. He had taken the Bahamas as far as he could and the people knew it.

The King James Version of the Holy Bible says in Proverbs chapter 29, verse 18 that “Where there is no vision the people perish”. The writer of this script knew that vision was more important than who is leading. In fact vision should always outlive leaders. Visions are supposed to transcend generations.

In 1992, Ingraham ushered in a new ray of hope for Bahamians. One of his infamous remarks in the 92 general elections was, “We will create a Bahamas for all Bahamians, and not some”. In my view, this was Ingraham’s vision. He sought to employ Bahamians, no matter their political affiliation in top positions in the country. No one can dispute the dedicated and hard worker that Ingraham is. I vividly remember when he challenged old customs by demanding that past government ministers make arrangements to pay their hefty bills at the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, the Water and Sewerage Corporation and Batelco.

Ingraham started to put infrastructure in the Family islands on a scale that had never been accomplished or attempted before or since in the Bahamas. He had done something where Pindling had only scratched the surface.

In 2002, Tommy Turnquest lost the general elections to Perry Christie, even though pundits will say that Ingraham was the reason for the loss. Christie ushered in a new era of seeming prosperity for the Bahamas as the economy seemed to be on the up climb. There was much talk of anchor projects and today, a few of the projects that were initiated under Christie’s watch have come to fruition.

Christie lost in 2007 to Ingraham. The last Ingraham administration faced a mammoth task of keeping our economy afloat, partly due to the world economic depression of 2008. Since then, the manifestations of our non visionary leadership have come to fruition. Looking back specifically at the last 10 years in hindsight, it is evident that the Bahamas is on a one way trip to destruction. Our national debt has soared, our crime rate has in some cases quadrupled, we are selling Bahamians out and we are not providing true economic growth for our citizenry.

Pindling’s vision was to secure Bahamian jobs. The vision of Christie and Ingraham was to secure Bahamian jobs. Certainly, the Bahamian of today needs more from his country. Something is clearly wrong with this picture. We need ownership of our country. I am flabbergasted at how our leaders continue to brag about the jobs that will be created for Bahamians when in fact, we should be creating ownership opportunities.

Someone once said that “In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is King”. And I do believe that a lot of Bahamians are still fast asleep and continue to be in dreamland. Our leaders are seeing through one eye and we have continued to inexplicably blind ourselves. We too have made a contribution to our current state of affairs.

Bahamians are now in peril, mainly because its leadership core consistently lacks a proper vision for our country. We have been in a leadership crisis over the last 10 years. Education, crime, the public bus system and our financial state are just a few examples where this is manifested. Many Bahamians can’t adequately provide for their families, personal debt is accumulating and they are living below the misery index.

The outlook is still bleak, but it can change. We have enough land to feed ourselves and we have an untapped and underutilized intellectual capacity in many of our citizenry who are eager put great ideas in motion. Leaders don’t have all the answers, but in their wisdom, they must make decisions for the advancement of its citizens and lead the way. A bad decision today, can adversely affect the next generation.

That’s why we need leaders with a vision who will act, something very lacking in this great Bahamas.

Dehavilland Moss

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Armed Robberies and the public’s safety


Armed Robberies and the public’s safety

I was awakened by a phone call shortly after 4:00 a.m. recently by my next door neighbor. She phoned after she was awakened by shuffling feet outside one of her bedroom windows. She said she carefully peeped through a window and saw four men looking into one of her bedrooms. Her first reaction was to call the police and then let the robbers know that her family members were wide awake.

She said that the potential robbers left shortly thereafter, but not before firing a gun shot in the air. My neighbor’s house is just 25 feet from my bedroom window. Hearing the sound of a gunshot at 4:00 in the morning always spells trouble.

No one was physically hurt in this incident, but this sort of behavior does leave a sour taste in your mouth. It leaves you with a sense of uneasiness and despite the robbery never actually taking place, one of the men still felt the need to discharge his weapon. What are we to do Bahamians and residents?

Just recently, a young man was shot and killed in an attempted armed robbery at a grocery store. But this has not sounded off the alarm to other robbers who seem to be very hard at work at their craft and continue to cause havoc in our society. They know that most Bahamians are unarmed and in fear of them and that the robber who was recently killed was just the luck of the draw. Robbers almost always win.

The police never came to my neighbor’s rescue even though the police station is a stone’s throw away. I trust that this is just a onetime occurrence. I ask again Bahamians, what are we to do? Some government ministers have smartly armed themselves with hand guns for their protection. They know that we are dealing with a new breed of criminal as stated by the Commissioner of Police, Ellison Greenslade last year. What do we do at 4:00 a.m. in the morning when these ruffians break into our homes and demand cash and take our valuables with a loaded pistol pointed to our skull?

According to Greenslade, armed robberies have increased by 18% in the country compared to last year’s figures. Armed robbers are extremely brazing these days and they seem even more determined during this yuletide season to haul in unearned Christmas money. Some of them are carrying out their nefarious activities in broad daylight and sometimes they don’t even conceal their identity. There is no question that they have deadly intent.

Until we get this area of crime under control, I will be an advocate for Bahamians having all the means to properly protect themselves and their families even if it means bearing arms. A cutlass and a baseball bat will not suffice. Rapid Strike and Urban Renewal 2.0 have not quelled the thirst for robbers with guns to act.

Law abiding citizens need a means to better protect themselves. Armed robbers continue to win these lopsided encounters against the good citizens of our country and unfortunately they seem to be accelerating their efforts.

Dehavilland Moss

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

The same old Christie


The same old Christie

The media is reporting that the embattled Director of the National Insurance Board (NIB), Algernon Cargill in his court affidavit set out evidence that the prime minister was well aware of the dispute raging on in this establishment. Contrary to what Prime Minister Christie is now saying, I think that there is indisputable proof that he was aware of the fiasco at NIB, but apparently did nothing to bring this matter under control.

Even opposition leader, Dr, Hubert Minnis made mention to remarks he himself made in the house of assembly about this issue when Christie was present and accounted for, so the Prime Minister should have been fully briefed. Cargill contends that he wrote a letter to Christie asking him to intervene in the NIB dispute and he requested a meeting to discuss the matter further. Cargill charges that there was misconduct by Gregory Moss, the NIB Chairman. This is a most serious allegation that should have compelled the Prime minister to act promptly. Cargill contends that Christie in what is sadly becoming his custom did not even reply to his letter. Surprise, surprise is what some might say.

Is the PM now in the early stages of memory loss or is he back to his old style of apparent political incompetence and believing that things will work themselves out? I believe there is much more to this issue that meets the eye and Christie needs to stop pandering to misconduct and like some would say, “Man Up”.

Christie must know by now that his eloquent speeches and legendary rhetoric are not fooling anyone these days. He is the commander in chief and Bahamians expect him to ask as such. It is this passiveness in judgment and pervasive hands off approach that could define Christie’s legacy. He appears politically incompetent because of his repeated failure to act decisively, despite having all the information he needs to make the tough decisions. Bahamians are still seeing the same old Christie.

Dehavilland Moss

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Our slavish mentality and gambling


Our slavish mentality and gambling

Despite the economy of the Bahamas not being robust at this present time, big industries still exist in our country. We have a stable and thriving salt industry, aragonite industry, banking industry, the potential for oil and a telecommunications company that makes millions of dollars annually. We also have web shop gambling, illegal as it may be but Bahamian owned and operated.

The prime minister said recently that the taxes from gambling could bring in 15-20 million dollars per year. This figure changed several times and has been as high as 40 million dollars annually. It seems like the government of the day intends to truly tax this industry, if Bahamians vote yes to legalize web shops next year.

I think that the apparently proposed high taxes on this industry are just and given our economic outlook, the government needs as much money as it can get. But my issue with the high taxation and strong stance from the government stems from our very being as Bahamians; a slavish mentality that gives second class treatment to its citizens.

The salt and the banking industries have been flourishing in the Bahamas before majority rule. Mining aragonite in the Bahamas has been thriving for at least 30 years. The taxes that the government receives from these industries annually are minute and an embarrassment to a people that has so many educated persons in leadership positions. Sure these industries provide important jobs to Bahamians. But these industries are not Bahamian owned and in my view, they are under taxed.

The potential for oil drilling in the Bahamas, if it comes on stream will not provide the Bahamas its fair amount of proceeds. Published reports cite that we will only receive 12.5% from the proceeds of oil. There has been no talk about nationalizing the oil industry. We intend to give it away and as usual only secure Bahamian jobs.

The sale of BTC to a foreign element was priced at only 206 million dollars. Surely Bahamians could have purchased this company and then hire a management company to run its affairs, if the notion persisted that Bahamians were not qualified was true. I always wonder what the price of BTC would have been had it been sold to Bahamians.

The casino gambling issue is another thriving business where Bahamians have been collecting pennies as opposed to dollars. When are we going to start to really reap the proceeds from this industry?

My point is that we intend to heavily tax a Bahamian owned enterprise, while other industries that are foreign owned are just paying bread crumbs to the Treasury annually. There has to be something wrong with this picture.

But our eyes are still closed and for most Bahamians this is a non issue. They see nothing wrong with Bahamian businesses not being given the same playing field as foreign owned companies. The government said that only a few Bahamian companies will be licensed to host web shop gambling if the referendum passes on January 28th, 2013. And Bahamians are arguing tooth and nail about this. They are asking why only a few Bahamians will be allowed to continue to get rich from web shop gambling.

I have no issue with this argument, but it has to be in the proper context. Why aren’t these same Bahamians arguing tooth and nail about the injustices that go on unabated in the salt, aragonite, banking and the hotel casino gambling industries where foreigners are getting richer every day? Why aren’t they making noise about the Antiquities, Monuments and Museum Act which will allow foreigners to reap most of the rewards from finding treasure in our waters?

I encourage the government of the day to take the same strong stance on tax collection for the aforementioned industries as they have taken on web shop gambling. But it seems the slave mentality is still rank with life in our country and it exists at all levels of our citizenry.

The late Bob Marley in his famed hit Redemption Song said, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind”. It seems that we intend to keep on keeping on with the continued enslavement of ourselves. Web shop gambling, by virtue of our blindness as a people to level the playing field for Bahamian businesses, could possibly be our next victim.

Dehavilland Moss

 

FNM sends strong message to old guard


FNM sends strong message to old guard

I have watched with interest the rumblings in the Free National Movement (FNM) since the departure of Hubert Alexander Ingraham. There has been much trouble in this party, inclusive of leaked communications, bad press, infighting and another bi-election loss.

But on Thursday, November 15th, 2012, the FNM council decided to put some of these rumblings to rest as they voted for the national and deputy chairman of the party. Darron Cash, despite his well publicized debacle in the press which noted that he could not work with embattled leader Dr. Hubert Minnis, soundly beat Dion Foulkes for the party’s chairmanship. Additionally, Phenton Neymour was beaten by Brensil Rolle for deputy chairman. Both of these vanquished men were extremely loyal to Ingraham.

Back in October, Minnis said that the Ingraham era is over. This did not sit well with many in the FNM who apparently have an unwavering loyalty to Ingraham. Even Zhivargo Laing who some said was being groomed for the party’s leadership under Ingraham has resigned from the Senate effective December 31st, 2012. Minnis knows that if he is to survive as FNM leader for the next general election, he has to form a team that will be loyal to him and not anyone else. 

The differences between Cash and Minis seem to have been resolved. It seems that the FNM is now poised to effectively oppose the government on issues affecting the Bahamian people and it also seems that they have retired some members of the old guard in the process.

Minis did his best to send a clear message to Ingraham so that there would be no confusion as to who the current leader of the party was; and now the FNM council has sent clear messages to Foulkes and Neymour. There are still a few members of the old guard left who await their opportunity for one last shot at relevance in this new FNM. But if Minnis is as shrewd as he needs to be, it seems unlikely that these individuals will be major players in 2017.

It is unlikely that Perry Christie will offer again for a possible third term in office. He will be almost 74 years old. Additionally, Christie currently has no clear successor if he decides to retire in 2017. This bodes well in the FNM’s favor and they now seem battle ready to put up a formidable fight to contest the next general election. We will have to wait and see how the saga unfolds.

Dehavilland Moss

 

Major storm brewing at NIB


Major storm brewing at NIB

The chairman of the National Insurance Board (NIB), Gregory Moss sent a 22 page letter dated November 8th, 2012 to Minister Shane Gibson alleging several misappropriate actions taken by NIB Director, Algernon Cargill. For reasons still unknown, this internal communication was leaked in the public domain for all and sundry to read. Since then, Cargill has been put on administrative leave with pay pending an investigation.

When I heard this news story, my heart literally raced. The NIB is known as a big revenue maker for the Bahamas and every Bahamian at some point comes into contact with this agency.  If an agency of this nature were to be left unchecked and protocols not followed, the potential for fraud and the misappropriation of funds could exponentially increase and this is certainly not good for the financial health of the country.

Cargill has secured former Attorney General Alfred Sears as his attorney. He seems committed to vigorously defending his integrity and his management decisions.

Reports also said that Grant Thornton has been hired to conduct a fiscal audit at NIB. This is certainly a reputable company and I am sure that they will call it as they see it.

I wonder where the paper trail will lead. Will the government cause the audit to go as far back as five, 10 years? Will the former chairman and the former director be called in to explain possible variances? Will members of the cabinet be called in to explain decisions that apparently were not in keeping with best business practices and not in the best interest of the country? Or will Cargill be vindicated and his actions deemed as appropriate?

The chairman of the NIB board Mr. Gregory Moss has made some serious allegations against Cargill. If the forensic accounting of the financial accounts does show improprieties, then what will the penalty be? Will the findings be swept under the rug and Cargill be given a hefty retirement package? Or will Perry Christie’s government do what is necessary to show that they are serious about safeguarding the public’s money? Will Cargill be fired as the board now recommends?

The allegations in the 22 page report that cited pervasive conflicts of interest by Cargill in my view speak to a larger problem in our government departments. One of the allegations notes that the former prime minister and the former chairman of the NIB board were made aware of an instance in which a conflict of interest existed, yet they did nothing to rectify this situation. There have been several other high profile cases of allegations of misappropriation of funds in other government agencies, particularly at the Ministry of Education with the Education Loan Authority and at the Mortgage Corporation.  

I was astonished to learn from the report that the NIB paid over $5,000 dollars to a local company to install a plug for a printer. I have convinced myself that this must have been a misprint or the scope of work was not properly defined.

I am calling on the government of the day to please bring attention to the freedom of information act. When will this be in effect? The decisions being made by public officials are certainly the public’s business.

Cargill has not had a chance to defend himself against the allegations brought against him and many Bahamians are eagerly awaiting his response. I intend to watch the developments in this story very carefully and I am calling on all the media houses to vigorously seek the truth and make it readily available for public dissemination. No pussy footing around. Just report the truth.

Dehavilland Moss

Dr. Hubert Minnis and the FNM are on point


Dr. Hubert Minnis and the FNM are on point

I read the published report of the interview with the current Free National Movement (FNM) leader Dr. Hubert Minnis regarding the FNM’s response to the proposed referendum on gambling. I was pleasantly surprised by his response and how he articulated his thoughts.

I have read several articles on the gambling issue and it was good to read the official’s opposition’s stance at this critical juncture. No skirting around and foolish talk, Minnis was very succinct and level headed.

The FNM said that the proposed referendum was illegal and they gave evidence supporting this claim. They said that the parliamentary commissioner has the power to do several things and that holding an opinion poll was not one of them.

The tone of Minnis and his party was balanced and I believe they were not objecting to what the Progressive Liberal party (PLP) was doing, just for objection sake.  Minnis said the FNM party will not support the referendum/opinion poll on December 3rd as it currently stands and the reasons he listed were as clear as a sunny day.

I am sure the average Bahamian, who read or heard the FNM’s response, has a better understanding of the current referendum/opinion poll that will supposedly happen on December 3rd, this year. I certainly have an even clearer understanding of the gambling issue.

In my view, this is a great example of what the opposition should be doing; picking up the slack and ensuring that the Bahamian people are made aware of the loopholes that may exist in the government’s agenda or in government action or lack thereof.

Kudos to you sir and the FNM.

Dehavilland Moss

Politics has country divided


Politics has country divided

I am compelled to submit this letter to you for publication. Just recently I attended a church fair and then in my travels I stumbled onto a food fair that was being hosted by a political party. As I was still hungry and my taste buds were in desperate need for some nice Bahamian conch fritters I proceeded to enter. Several of the persons with me said that they were going to remain on the outside. I asked them why and was flabbergasted by their answer. They said that this was a Free National Movement (FNM) event and that they did not feel comfortable in that setting. This was an informal event in a public setting.

It occurred to me that politics to a great extent still has us divided as a country and it is literally stopping us from mingling with each other. Mind you, these persons are well educated. Some of them have Bachelor’s Degrees, Associate’s Degrees, certifications and hold mid management positions in the country. And for them to have this mindset, it became abundantly clear to me the deep rooted psychological affect that politics plays in keeping our country divided.

The general elections are over Bahamians. We must now wait until 2017 for another one. Can you imagine what we can accomplish together in 4½ years if we work together and help each other?

Maybe I am out of touch with reality in the Bahamas, but I will be damned if I let these divisive notions stop me from attending any political event especially when I am drooling for some good old fashioned Bahamian food. Maybe people feel that they will be victimized or castigated. I don’t know all the answers.

During the election season, I attended major rallies of all political parties. I wanted to hear firsthand what the candidates were saying and also gauge the pulse of the people. I don’t think this was an illegal or immoral act. I remember attending one event and while talking with some generals of a major political party, a lady came to me and asked me what I was doing at the rally. I told her I was a Bahamian and I did not need a pass or her approval to attend any political rally. Ok maybe I told her something not as pleasant.

My point is that the divisiveness that is derived from politics in the country needs to stop. There needs to be a cease fire immediately. Don’t Bahamians know that the same people who they see on stage talking bad about each other, at some point sit down at receptions and eat together with fork and knives while drinking expensive wine? They are civil and they cohabitate. They co-exist. Don’t get fooled by the Oscar winning acting scenes that you see on Television. These would make Sir Sidney Poitier proud.

I would encourage all Bahamians to please work together, despite your political affiliation for the betterment of our country. And if you feel afraid to be seen at another political party’s public function, maybe that should tell you something about the party that you support.

Dehavilland Moss

No official gambling report from UK consultants


No official gambling report from UK consultants

A recent headline in the Nassau Guardian stated that the prime minister of the Bahamas advised the Bahamian people that no official report was prepared by the UK consultants who recently braced our shores. He said that the media could question the consultants as to their findings about gambling in the Bahamas.

Let me be first to say that this is utter nonsense and a disrespect to Bahamians far and near. How can the prime minister, who is also the Minister of Finance expect us to swallow the notion these consultants who flew in from half way across the world on our tax payers dollars were not made to prepare an official report?

Last month, the prime minister mysteriously said that he was reviewing the consultant’s report but now he is saying that he has a ‘few pages of advice” from the consultants.

If there is no report on this issue as the prime minister has most recently said, then I charge him and the government with dereliction of duty at the highest order. Receiving a report for services rendered is such a basic expectation that even a “cave man” would expect it.

This is certainly not the way that this issue should have been handled. I think that the consultants coming to the Bahamas was just a farce and the prime minister now seems to have had a predisposition on the gambling issue. 

Some may ask why the government members in parliament aren’t publicly voicing their concerns. Have they now fallen in line and are turning a blind eye to the injustices that Bahamians face as previous government members have done? I guess the hefty salaries and privileges have finally succeeded in giving our current members of parliament and high ranking government officials blurred vision.

Bahamians are more confused than ever about gambling in the country and the government of the day should not be creating confusion among its citizenry. We need clear and concise information so that we can make informed decisions.

I think this matter has been poorly handled to date and I call on the prime minister to postpone the referendum and effectively deal with the whole issue of gambling in the country. He should also cause an official report to be produced as to the consultants’ findings so that this can be tabled in parliament and be scrutinized by the Bahamian people.

Dehavilland Moss

Amazing Bahamian talent not being utilized


Amazing Bahamian talent not being utilized

Sir Durward Knowles, Cecil Cooke, Thomas A. Robinson, Elijah Obed, Michael “Sweet bells” Thompson, The T-Connection, Shonell Ferguson, Pauline Davis-Thompson, Dexter Cambridge, Rick Fox, Frank Rutherford, Sir Lynden Pindling, Mark Knowles, The Golden Girls, Devard Darling, Tonique Wiliams-Darling, The Golden Knights, Andre Rodgers, Sir Randal Fawkes, Sir Milo Butler, Sir Sidney Poitier, Myron Rolle, Dr. Keva Bethel, Troy Kemp, Bradley Roberts, Ian Lockhart, Dr. Cynthia Pratt, Bahamen, Joseph Spence, Percy “Vola” Frances, Paul Adderley, Loftus Roker, Antonius Roberts, Visage, Cleophas Adderley and the Bahamas National Youth Choir, Johnny Kemp, John “Chippie” Chipman, Bishop Neil Ellis, Bishop Drexel Gomez and Dr. Myles Munroe all have one thing in common.

They are all great Bahamians who have made an indelible mark not only in the Bahamas, but on the world stage in several different disciplines. Most of them continue to do so. For the ones who have passed, the country has lost great warriors whose contributions have been forgotten.

This is only a minute list of the great Bahamians that have put us on the map. In the Bahamas, we have what the Americans call “Star Power”. So when will we as a people reach out to our heroes and invite them to do what they do best? What in God’s name are we waiting for? We can’t afford to lose another giant like Paul L. Adderley and not have his story well preserved for the history books.  We can’t allow our heroes to falter by the wayside.

We certainly have the expertise resident in our citizens to make our country better. Tapping into the expertise of our very own heroes should go beyond personality conflicts. Shouldn’t this all be about nation building?

Dehavilland Moss

 

We are gambling with gambling


We are gambling with gambling

The prime minister proudly announced that the referendum on gambling will be held on December 3rd, 2012. He said that there will be one question on the ballot. Either you support web shop gambling or not. He also said that the national lottery, which he had promised to allow Bahamians to decide if they want it or not will not be a part of the referendum mainly because UK consultants surmised  that the feasibility was nonexistent at this time.

The prime minister also said that if passed, the taxes the government received from gambling could be in the 15-20 million dollar range. Wow. The government could surprise itself and secure this money by just slightly cutting back on its wastage each year.  He went on to further report certain criterion for web shops that will be legalized and said that all web shops that are currently operational will not pass the litmus test.

I have several questions for the government of the day.

(1). Why call a referendum when we are not prepared to totally deal with the issue on gambling? We don’t need a referendum solely to legalize web shops. Aren’t BAHAMIANS running successful web shops now? Bahamians inability to gamble in the casinos, take ownership in the casino business and truly benefitting from a national lottery are the real issues that the present government should be vigorously exploring.

(2). When will the consultancy report from the so called UK experts be tabled in Parliament?

(3). One of the criteria the prime minister suggested that web shop operators need to have if Bahamians voted yes to the referendum is ‘integrity’. Are you serious? This means that either the meaning of the word has changed or that non Bahamian web shop owners would be free to enter this business. No existing web shop owner in the Bahamas would qualify for a license based on this comment.

(4). A local daily reported that in 2006 Bahamians were spending over 100 million dollars on the lottery in Florida alone annually so the government bragging about receiving 15 – 20 million dollars in taxes annually is laughable. The government seems to be content with just tipping the iceberg.

(5). Why can’t we just do it right this time once and for all? When the referendum is over, the gambling issue in the Bahamas will still be unresolved and it will cost the country more resources to effectively address this issue in the future.

The prime minister in my view is also gambling with the jobs of possibly thousands of Bahamians and his legacy. He said that if the Bahamas voted no to gambling that he would see to it that the law was vigorously enforced. Which other entity in the Bahamas is continuously hiring Bahamians? Pray tell me sir where are you going to find jobs for these Bahamians who according to your inference will be on the unemployment line before the New Year?

Note that many people in this country have benefitted from the proceeds of gambling; whether it is sailing regattas, the church, charities, schools and political candidates. Let’s not fool ourselves.

We are gambling with this issue in a time when the country is in dire need of financial resources and our economy’s growth prospects are very limited. I believe that the prime minister should reverse his decision and effectively deal with the total issue of gambling. He should also extend the referendum date. The prime minister suggested that the government has no horse in the race, but Bahamians who are analyzing his comments to date know which side of the fence he is leaning on. He has identified most of the pros of gambling as opposed to the cons.

I admonish him not to gamble with the Bahamian people because the odds may not appear to be what they seem. A majority no vote to the referendum would certainly put him in a precarious position with the Bahamian people and just maybe for his party’s leadership.  

Dehavilland Moss

 

A lilie in our Bahama land


A lilie in our Bahama land

On April 13th, 1964, Sidney Poitier won an Oscar for best male actor for his role in the movie Lilies of the Field. He helped bring down a major race barrier in acting and became the first black male to earn this award. His genius on the big screen brought sensitivity to the plight of many Blacks around the world who were second class citizens in their own homeland and faced many injustices that were enshrined in their constitution.

He went on to lead a stellar acting career and his works throughout the world is legendary. He is a philanthropist, a movie director, a former Bahamian diplomat and not only is he a Bahamian citizen, but indeed he is a citizen of the world.

He was born in Miami, Florida to Bahamian parents, but his childhood was spent on Cat Island and Nassau. For those Bahamians who might be ignorant to the fact, Sir Sidney Poitier is a Bahamian and has always spoken proudly of his heritage.

The recent controversy surrounding the renaming of the Paradise Island Bridge in Sir Sidney’s name in my view is baseless, without merit and to some degree unpatriotic. Here is a Bahamian whose prowess directly contributed to the liberties of blacks in the Bahamas and all over the world. Here is a man who is not only an ambassador for the Bahamas, but also an ambassador for the world.

Bahamians everywhere should be praising the decision by Atlantis and the government to honor Sir Sidney in this way. Sure there are other Bahamians who may be equally deserving and also need recognition; there always will be. Bahamians trying to castigate this son of the soil and iconic figure in a time when we rarely honor our own to me is unbelievable and unthinkable.

The recognition that the country has received and will receive through this giant of a man is incomparable. Maybe adding core programs in our educational system that teaches our children their Bahamian history can avoid controversies of this nature in the future.

Sir Sidney is a grand citizen of the world. He is a lily in our Bahama land and is downright deserving of all the accolades that he receives from the Bahamian people, the Bahamian government, Atlantis and any other people who recognize his iconic value and legendary contributions in our society and indeed the world.

 Dehavilland Moss

 

Systematic Ignorance


Systematic Ignorance

School books are hardly being read. The local news is hardly being watched. The important news in the dailies is not being read enough. We have become fascinated only with the murder or demise of our citizenry. Our children are spending an inordinate amount of time playing video games and watching television programs that are aiding them in poor decision making. Our national heroes are dying out and our children don’t know who these Bahamian legends are. We are losing our ability to think.

The first few years of a child’s life are extremely important because he/she has to learn a solid foundation in order to be successful throughout their educational life.  This is not happening and as such our children are becoming lost in a world where it is extremely difficult to survive without basic reading and mathematical skills. We see the early signs of failure but we have failed to act accordingly.

Our current educational system is not effective and many of our children are falling victim to the systematic ignorance that has been choking their development and ultimately our citizenry for the better part of 20 years. Ill prepared students create subcultures in our society, many of these dedicated to criminal behavior and social decay. Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Branville McCartney was spot on when he said that we need to prepare our children for the world stage and for the 21st century.

But why haven’t we been successful in our quest as a country to perform this task? The educational system has failed miserably as our students are leaving school in June of each year and they can’t even read or construct a sentence? What will we expect these children to do in order to support themselves? The odds against them are stacked and they haven’t even started their career as yet.

I ask the government of the Bahamas to construct and implement an effective educational plan for our country for the next 10 years. We know that we will borrow millions of dollars per year and we seem to have an idea on how many jobs will be needed in the next few years; but what about the plan to ensure that our children are able to compete on the world stage? When will this important initiative be launched? When will the educational system be revamped or restructured to meet the needs of our students who are now technologically savvy and need a curriculum that uses the latest technologies as opposed to a 1990’s system?

Every so often I come into firsthand contact with students who leave high school with nothing but an attendance certificate. I always recall my amazement when speaking to several recent female graduates this year. I was assisting them with their resume and told them that they did not record their BGCSE and BJC passes. I learned that they had no passes to put on their resume. The sad part about this reality is that they intend to be hired making way above minimum wage. They don’t understand their predicament until it slaps them in the face and they are continuously denied employment.

For many of them, they give up and resort to hanging out on the blocks where they start to engage in nefarious activities and drinking alcohol. Our recent graduates sink into a dejected state and become delusional about their current status. This surely should not be what we as a country want for some of our youth.

There are a handful of students who thrive in the current educational system because of sheer will and some parents and guardians who make the required sacrifices. To these students and parents, I commend you for a job well done. There are also many parents who in my view really need psychiatric help. Some of their priorities are all mixed up. How is it plausible that parents attend political rally after political rally and fail to attend one PTA meeting? How is it that parents don’t even oversee their children’s homework and test scores? The country needs these parents to become a part of the educational process and take an active role in their children’s development.                

Someone once said, “Where ignorance is blessed it is folly to be wise”.  Can this be applied to the inherent lack of organization and strategic commitment of our elected leaders to implement an effective educational system? Education is a national issue, but the government of the country needs to do more.

We can ill afford to allow our children to continually pass through a system that directly contributes to their ignorance. They will become adults one day. We need an educational system that challenges them to think, be creative and that uses current day technology. We need a system that teaches our children what it is to be truly Bahamian.

To use a manufacturing term, the assembly line (our educational system) is filled with products that will soon need to be recalled. I believe that a good education is one of the keys to be successful and that our leaders and the country need to be honest and admit that we need an immediate system change. Education receiving the lion share of the annual budget has become a smoke screen and fancy marketing ploys have not netted the results that we need as a country. We can’t expect to do the same thing and expect different results.

Dehavilland Moss

Cleola Hamilton and the Bahamian psyche


Cleola Hamilton and the Bahamian psyche

There has been much hoopla about Ms. Cleola Hamilton, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She is also the Member of Parliament for South Beach. And yes, she is also the president of the Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) and the vice president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

Put more plainly, Ms. Hamilton is privy to government information by way of being a member of parliament and a parliamentary secretary but she expects to properly represent unionized workers of this country.

I would not waste time and ask Ms. Hamilton what she will do when a dispute arises and she has to decide which side of the fence she is on. The prime minister seeing no problem with Hamilton being a union leader and a member of parliament does not come as a surprise to me one bit. He knows that he is in an automatic “win win” situation.

Ms. Hamilton’s blatant disregard for what should be an obvious conflict of interest speaks to the psyche of our citizenry. We are a very passive people and we only get loud or see the need to take action when someone tampers with our weekly earnings.

Let me site a few examples.

(1). The New Providence Road Improvement project: The overrun will cost the country over 100 million dollars. No one is calling for the arrests of the persons responsible.

(2). The over 400 accused murderers on bail that are free to cause havoc on our streets: The Attorney General cited that there were major operational failures in the AG’s office and this contributed to this mind-blogging figure. No one is calling for an investigation into alleged corruption.

(3). The increasing cost of fuel in the country: One gallon of gas costs at least $5.75 per gallon. Our fuel surcharge is so high that over 5,000 Bahamians at one point were permanently without electricity.

(4). The enrichment of everyone else in the Bahamas, except Bahamians.

I concede that Bahamians are fast asleep at the wheel and we have been fast asleep for a long time. The things that occur in the Bahamas can only occur in other countries with the aid of armies and military force. No right thinking Bahamian should stand by and continue to accept second class treatment.

When are we going to wake up and demand our birth right as Bahamians? Our 40th year of Independence is just under nine months away. Danilo Dolci said, “It's important to know that words don't move mountains. Work, exacting work moves mountains.

Ms. Hamilton will continue on in her conflicting roles because most of us will continue to just talk. Only a few Bahamians will openly protest their disagreement with this conflict of interest. Furthermore, the high price of oil and bread will continue to rise without any objection from most Bahamians. The fact that we continue to be blocked from getting our fair share of the economic pie will continue unabated because the vast majority sees nothing wrong with the current economic system and the ones who see a problem will only whisper in the wind.

Dehavilland Moss

 

A different justice for lawyers


A different justice for lawyers

There seems to be a new system of justice emanating in the Bahamian court system. Just last year, I read with interest several cases involving lawyers, who seem to be getting slapped on the wrist for illegal behavior and behavior contrary to their oath.

One case in particular was a lawyer who pleaded guilty to stealing almost two million dollars from eight of his clients. He was released on bail on the condition that he would repay the funds back. This did not happen. In fact, during an appearance in court to discuss the status of his returning his clients money, the accused lawyer admittedly had not paid back one cent and he changed his plea to not guilty. The prosecutor even had evidence that the lawyer was not even conforming to his bail conditions which was to report to the Paradise Island Police Station once a week.

I stand corrected, but last thing I read was that he has a new court date and he is still on bail.

Recently, there has been a story in the press about a lawyer who stole funds entrusted to her from a retired teacher. Yes a retired teacher. I know that the lawyer must now be regretting that decision. She was remanded to prison in August of this year but has been released for a specified time in order to repay the funds back to the client.

The interesting about this is that this lawyer has several other cases pending involving stolen funds. Her defense lawyer said that she is the bread winner of the family and needs to work to sustain the family. Why can’t these type arrangements be made for the over the hill man who might steal a DVD player?

We will have to wait and see how this one turns out. Everyone in life makes mistakes, some of them more costly than others. But what message are we continually sending to the Bahamian public when the type of justice you receive is apparently tied to your status in society? Not a good one. We are nurturing a society of persons to get away with murder and wrongdoing and hence we have successfully created an out of order society. Justice should be given to all Bahamians, not just a select few.

Dehavilland Moss

 

Is Ingraham paving the way for a second return?


Just after the Free National’s Movement (FNM) defeat at the polls on May 7th, 2012, former prime minister and Member of Parliament elect for North Abaco, the Rt. Honorable Hubert Ingraham declared that he would retire from politics on July 19, 2012. This date would have marked his 35th year as a member of parliament.

The FNM held a special conclave shortly after the general election and elected Dr. Hubert Minnis as the new leader of the party. But we all know that Minnis was only a figure head to this point and that Ingraham was still calling the shots. In mid July, the FNM had a council meeting to elect a candidate for the North Abaco bi-election. Minnis called on the press to be present when the candidate was supposed to be selected and introduced to the Bahamian people. This never happened and the press never got the announcement that they came to hear. The announcement was postponed. Obviously, Minnis was not privy to the pre-decision of the FNM council, because had he known he would not have called a press conference.

The fact that Ingraham rescheduled his retirement from politics to allow Mr. Greg Gomez’s to satisfy his eligibility to become a candidate is clear evidence that Gomez was not Minnis’s choice.

However, politics makes strange bed fellows and Minnis’s compromise may eventually cost him the leadership of the party.

There are several things to consider here.

(1). The former prime minister is well aware of the fact that the governing party usually wins bi-elections, especially the ones right after the general elections.

(2). He is acutely aware that Greg Gomez had been absent from Abaco over the last 10 years and that the people of Abaco are a thinking people.

(3). He had to know that picking a weak candidate would certainly not be in the best interest of the FNM or Minnis, but maybe in the best interest of himself. This was a bad loss for the FNM. A stronger candidate certainly would have fared better and given Minnis’s leadership some form of legitimacy.

Mr. Greg Gomez and the FNM got a good beating in the North Abaco bi-election. Even the political pundits say that this came as no surprise.

Just after it was obvious that Gomez would be defeated, Ingraham gave a concession speech on behalf of the FNM. Does he believe that he is still the leader of the FNM? Of course not!! This in my view was another of Ingraham’s chess moves to weigh in on the public commentary, specifically by FNM ‘movers and shakers’.

Several statements in Minnis’s concession speech, as the leader of the FNM in my view were very timely. Although he appeared stunned during the interview, he remarked that the Ingraham era is over and that it is time to build a new FNM.  He was ultimately trying to shake off Ingraham and let the ‘Ingrahamites’ know that he is in charge and that it is time for a new day. He also said that the he and the FNM lost the election, as opposed to taking all of the blame himself. The reason he did this is because he knows that the candidate was not his choice but Ingraham’s hand-picked choice.

Maybe Minnis’s speech came a little too late because there is uneasiness in the FNM and all roads lead to the party’s leader. The late Charles Maynard said that Minnis has 12 -18 months to prove himself. Minnis must know Loretta Butler Turner and others are salivating at the mouth waiting to strike.

History tells us in 2006, that Mr. Ingraham told Tommy Turnquest that he had no interest in becoming the leader of the FNM. A few days later, the deal was sealed and Turnquest was on the outside looking in and Ingraham was the new elected FNM leader.

Ingraham is a master politician and if he returned to challenge for the leadership of the FNM, it would certainly not surprise me. It appears that he has already made some very calculating moves to date.

He still commands respect in the FNM and certainly in the country.  Will he return to lead a now stumbling FNM party? Time will certainly tell us all.

Dehavilland Moss

Public Transport bus system’s overhaul is long overdue


My use of the public transport bus system dates back to the mid 1980’s. I was a frequent user of the bus system and I used the bus to catch rides from school to home, to track practices, to basketball games and even to Junkanoo.  The bus system was a much needed service back then and it probably is even more important now because many Bahamians rely on this service to get to their jobs daily. Students use the bus to get to school and senior citizens use the bus to pick up their National Insurance checks and to visit the hospital.

Loud reggae and rap music, reckless driving and conversation that involve cursing and illicit talk were the norm in 1985. I can sadly say that 27 years later much of what happened in the past remains the same. In fact, because of the increased number of bus franchises now competing for that almighty dollar and a quarter, drivers take more risks to try to get to potential customers first.

I left Nassau to attend college in the early 1990’s. Can you imagine my surprise when I caught my first bus ride? There was a schedule of the bus times on the bus stop. You paid when you entered and the driver waited for you to sit down before he drove off. There was no change to receive. If a ride costs 50 cents and you paid one dollar, you knew to get your transfer and sit down.  Additionally, there was no loud music on the bus. If my memory serves me correctly, the radio was never played on the bus.

Andrew “Dud” Maynard appeared on the Sawyer Report sometime last year and he disclosed that affecting a scheduled bus system in New Providence was discussed from the early 1970’s. It is now 2012.

There have been several related deaths due to reckless driving by bus drivers and many other serious traffic accidents have occurred leaving passengers injured. Daily, bus drivers can be seen running the red light, making detours through gas stations, side corners, pulling off before a passenger is seated and driving across sidewalks. 

I had the misfortune of catching a bus when there were three busses competing for potential customers. This is when drivers are at their worst. Pulling across the middle of the road when a bus stop is requested, driving at over 50 mph in short bursts and pulling off before a passenger exits the bus are common occurences. The safety of the passenger is never considered.

There are even bus drivers engaging in illegal “tour bus” activities, where they bus students to sports events and other social gatherings. This is illegal and a blatant disregard for the law. Suppose an accident occurred during one of these illegal tours? I wonder who would cover the students’ medical cost.  An innocent observer must wonder if these acts are pre-requisites for maintaining a public service license.

There are a few bus drivers out there that are conforming to the traffic laws of the Bahamas, but we need more of them.  Busses with loud music and dark tints have contributed to the creation of a subculture among junior and high school students. On the 16A route, I have seen students wait for specific busses with tainted windows that play loud reggae music. Some of them would rather be late for school and take a round trip on a particular bus than to just simply catch a bus that will take them to school on time.

We have taken a band aid approach to solving this problem. The police at times do ticket bus drivers for breaking traffic laws, but we must address this problem from a holistic point of view. I have listed several recommendations below.

(1). Implement a scheduled bus system as soon as possible. I am sure the Ministry of Transport can locate past government studies that are locked up somewhere in storage.

(2). Allow the franchise operators 6 months – 1 year to organize themselves through partnerships. I would encourage the government to issue licenses for specific routes, for example the 16A route that travels on Carmichael Road.

(3). Put all drivers on a weekly salary once the new system is implemented.

(4). Review scheduled bus times yearly or as needed as per traffic flow.

(5). Control the content on what is played on all busses and the volume. I personally believe that all output devices should be kept off. This needs to be implemented today.

(6). Give powers to a governing body that regulates the public transport bus system and who will hear and resolve complaints by passengers, drivers and franchise holders.

(7). Ensure that all busses to be used meet a minimum standard of operability and institute impromptu equipment checks involving seats, brakes, shocks etc. Additionally safety records need to be kept for the life of the vehicle. Huge fines and penalties should be imposed on operators whose busses are not deemed as safe and who break violate regulations.

The year is now 2012 and Bahamians know that our current bus system continues to be in shambles. We are a civilized society and our continuance with this barbaric and dangerous bus system is beyond comprehension. Our legislators don’t have to reinvent the wheel to fix this issue.

Bahamian artist Q-Pid released the song “Bus Driver” last year. He sang about the experiences that passengers have while using our public transportation bus system. He summed it up perfectly in his song when he said, “Man don kill me for $1.00, I mean $1.25”.

Are we going to wait for another student to be killed or seriously hurt and then say sorry to a parent?  The bus system is very crucial to the economy of the Bahamas, specifically New Providence and it needs to be fixed immediately. Bahamians deserve to be passengers on busses that are safe, free from loud provocative music and in good condition. Bahamians deserve to go to a bus stop at a predetermined time and have the bus appear on schedule as opposed to waiting for whenever time the bus shows up. This year should not pass without a complete overhaul of our public transport system. It is long overdue.

 Dehavilland Moss