Wednesday, April 10, 2013

PM's comments on Mayaguana tragedy shameful


PM's comments on Mayaguana tragedy shameful

Tragically three Bahamians recently lost their lives at the airport in Mayaguana. Reports indicate that an emergency flight was landing at the airport in an attempt to pick up a sick patient who needed urgent medical attention.

The Nassau Guardian broadcast stated that the wing from the plane hit a parked Ford vehicle that was too close to the run way. The truck burst into flames immediately and the three persons inside the vehicle met their untimely demise.

My spirits were lifted this afternoon when watching the news and realizing that Prime Minister Perry Christie was making a statement about the tragedy. I initially thought that the families would be comforted by the fact that the nation’s chief was issuing his condolences. But then the interview took a turn for the worse and I heard the prime minister talking about the I Group and the Free National Movement (FNM).

You “got to be shitting me” was my reaction. In the midst of this tragedy the PM is casting blame on the FNM and alluding to what the FNM did in 2007 when they came to office.

Let me remind Christie that he is the duly elected Prime Minister of the Bahamas and the only administration he should fault for this tragedy is his own. He has been at the helm since May of last year. A big portion of the fault lays at his feet that something as basic as lights were not installed on this airport runway.

Our political leaders need to stop this nonsense in our country by taking the easy road and blaming someone else when something goes wrong. In the wake of the tragedy, I heard Aviation Minister Glennys Hanna Martin say that lights will be installed in a few weeks.

This is indeed a tragic national event, but one that was 100% avoidable. I offer my condolences to the family of the victims and the greater Mayaguana community at large.

I find the prime minister’s interview to be shameful, offensive and downright a national disgrace. To politicize this matter is utter madness. Let’s get on with building our country not keeping it divided through petty party politics.

Dehavilland Moss

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Pilgrim members take unpopular stance


Pilgrim members take unpopular stance

The media recently reported that the board of directors at Pilgrim Baptist church authorized a vote amongst its members to elect the senior pastor. Mysteriously, at least in my eyesight, the members overwhelmingly voted for embattled and convicted sexual offender, Bishop Earl Randy Fraser.

This came as a surprise to me and I am sure a great many Bahamians and church goers. For the members to vote for a pastor that has been convicted by his peers in a court of law and who is presently serving time for a criminal offence is one thing; but to have that pastor to date, still claiming his innocence, despite overwhelming and convincing evidence is one point that I can’t fathom.

As a pastor Fraser should know that you can’t be forgiven for your sins, except you repent. Led by his wife and a cadre of members, they have convinced the majority of the members in Pilgrim that all is well and that Fraser’s actions are acceptable or that he did not commit the crime that he is serving time for. I beg to differ. The Bible says in 1 John 1:9 KJV, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.

Persons in the main are probably asking themselves what in the world the members must be reading or listening to. How can they in their right mind vote to keep a senior pastor as their leader who has maliciously broken their trust and who can’t even come to grips with what he has done?

The Pilgrim membership’s stance was loud and clear though. But what message are they sending to potential members and existing members who see the wisdom in changing the leadership? What message are they sending to other Christians who are clear thinkers and are able to remove their emotion out of the decision making process?

I hope and pray that Fraser would see the wisdom in stepping down from his position as senior pastor and at the least admit his wrong doing. The members of Pilgrim Baptist church took a stance, but one that I have great difficulty with and one that I cannot endorse. They seemed to have acted on blind allegiances. It is now time for Fraser to take the proper stance.

Fraser is probably not the first pastor in the Bahamas that has been convicted of a crime and imprisoned. After all he is only human. I am convinced that he can bounce back from his transgression and rebuild his ministry for God is a forgiving God. But Fraser must first repent and acknowledge his wrong doing.

Dehavilland Moss

Friday, March 22, 2013

Why can't the church speak on oil?


Why can't the church speak on oil?

The media recently reported the details of a press conference held by the Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) on the possible proceeds that could be derived from oil drilling in the Bahamas. The BCC firmly said that they do not support the agreement that the government signed back in 2005.

The sliding scale agreement gives the country anywhere from 12.5 percent to 25 percent of the oil proceeds depending on what is produced. The BCC feels that this agreement is not in the best interest of the country and they are adamant that the Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC’s) only concern is that of profits.

Let me state for the record that BPC’s desire to make profits comes as no surprise to anyone. In fact, BPC would be negligent in its duties if it fails to secure as much profits as possible for its shareholders. Moreover, the Bahamas government would be negligent in its duties if it fails to secure the best deal for its shareholders who are the Bahamian people.

I am in full agreement with the church that the present deal does not represent the best interests of the Bahamian people.

Some persons are calling the talk shows and asking on whose authority the church is acting on. They feel that the church is in an arena where it should not be. Oh how small minded we are. Bahamians must realize by now that the oil industry could be worth billions of dollars. I said billions of dollars. We can ill afford to allow our leaders to again negotiate bad laughable deals on our behalf. We need and deserve clarity on this issue and the process must be transparent. Our leaders must be firm and clearly lay out how the proceeds of oil will be distributed and negotiate a respectable tax that the Bahamian people are satisfied with.

Don’t we remember during the last general elections, that Ben Albury and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) were agitating for the government to come clean on the oil issue? After much agitation and even a march, former Minister for the Environment Earl Deveaux issued several statements on the then government’s position.

Don’t we remember Ben Albury and the DNA agitating for several then opposition members namely Brave Davis, Perry Christie and Damien Gomez to clarify their role of providing services to BPC? The then opposition leader, Perry Christie issued several statements with regards to his work with BPC, the last one being that his ties with BPC were severed.

Don’t we remember Wayne Johnson and his team also asking the same questions?

These actions have sadly been forgotten by the Bahamian people and now some of us have the audacity to ask why the BCC is sniffing its nose around this oil issue.  We should know by now that many of our powerful citizens will only whisper their disdain for government decisions in a backroom that is sound proof. The Bahamian people need a strong voice and if it’s the church then so be it.

We need to know every detail that the government plans to execute with regard to the oil issue. I have listened to Minister for the Environment Ken Dorsett when he said recently that BPC has been given the green light to explore for oil. He said that if oil is commercially viable in the Bahamas the Bahamian people will decide whether to go forward.

The proceeds from the oil industry have the potential to positively change the economic plight of every Bahamian. We could be talking about hundreds maybe thousands of legitimate Bahamian millionaires in the next ten years.

I support the Minister’s candidness so far and I support the church taking a strong stance on this issue. They are right on and have decided to start agitating now as opposed to waiting when it is too late to act. I am certain that with the church as our watch dog, the regulatory framework and all the environmental checks will be completed before the oil referendum is put to the people.

Judging from the last referendum results, the church is still a very strong organization in the country and I am confident that if they keep the government’s feet to the fire, the Bahamian people will have all the information they need to make an informed decision once the time arrives. I say to Reverend Patterson and his team to keep their campaign alive. The Bahamian people are watching and they will follow.

Dehavilland Moss

 

 

What's wrong with our students?


What's wrong with our students?

Its 8:45 a.m. and it is Monday morning. As I drive along the road I see a congregation of students at the bus stop at the Corner Hotel. Driving further east I see another congregation of students at Bahamas Faith Ministries (BFM). It’s now 9:01 a.m. I see students coming from the Super Value area in Golden Gates. They are walking slower than police officers on a slow march.

I continue driving onto Blue Hill Road and head north. In my passing I see the same thing. Our students are taking their slow time to get to their school of attendance. Some of them are even hitch-hiking. Don’t they know that the bell has already rung? Don’t they know that classes have begun? Don’t they know that it’s not cool to be late? Or is it?

Many of these students who are lackadaisical in their effort to arrive to school early may not know that the same things they are doing now they are bound to repeat later in life. They soon will realize that no magic switch exists that can be turned off and on at their leisure. We are all creatures of habit.

I remember attending St. Anne’s High School in the mid 1980’s. Being late was not an option. In fact, I explicitly remember getting up at 6:00 a.m. each morning for school. If I was not up, I certainly heard my mummy banging on the room door and telling me to get ready for school. This was an everyday routine. To this date, my mother’s teaching has still stuck with me.

It was inconceivable for me and my sister to arrive to school late save for an appointment to see the doctor or a family emergency. Our uniforms were pressed the night before and we always went to school clean and looking sharp.

Times have now changed. Some of our male students of today wear uniforms that are so stiff that they can hardly walk while wearing them. They spend hours ironing their shirt and pants. And to add insult to injury, the young men put their pants in their socks. What nonsense is this?

I am not sure if there is an arm of the government that has responsibility for ensuring that students are in school by 8:45 a.m. as opposed to being on the streets during school hours. But help is desperately needed to police this issue. Our national education average needs to be improved and if students are not in school when they are supposed to be, I can surely say that their level of education will not improve.

What’s wrong with our students? Don’t they see the need to compete with each other so that as a country we can be a more educated people? I remember back in the early 90’s if you earned an Associate’s of Arts Degree you were saying something. Now days a Bachelor’s Degree is the minimum qualifications needed to get a lot of higher paying jobs. Our students must realize that after high school, many of them will not be hired because the jobs are just not available and it is probable that the best students will get the first chance at employment and or qualify to attend college. It makes no sense to “duck” school now because most of the skills that students do not learn now, they will have to learn them later at some point and it will cost them maybe thousands of dollars.

Maybe the root of the problem starts with the parents who are ill equipped to parent or who just do not make a concerted effort to be involved in their children’s lives. Maybe the public at large needs to chip in and help.

Students, please ensure that you arrive to school on time and learn as much as you can. Being late for no good reason is not cool. I think it is an extremely bad habit that needs to be broken now. If you want to increase your chances for success in life please heed my advice. Remember that your future hangs in the balance and it depends on what you do today.

Dehavilland Moss

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Rejecting The Gay and Lesbian Agenda


Rejecting The Gay and Lesbian Agenda
(Writen in 2011, but first published in 2012)

On July 24th, 2011, the State of New York legalized gay and lesbian marriages aka same sex marriages. There were outbursts of laughter, celebrations and same sex partners were lining up outside New York churches to get married. Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York even presided over the wedding ceremony of two of his top aides. This has sparked world wide debate, specifically in the Bahamas. Proponents of gay marriages are saying that they want equality and they want to be recognized by law. But how can we give equality to an agenda that is flawed and in my view wrong?

 

Gays and lesbians have been around since the beginning of time. But never before has this agenda of equality and acceptance been pushed so vigorously. Additionally, this is not the first time in history that persons with views contrary to the norm tried to impose their will on society.

 

Up to the 19th century, Africans were removed from their homeland and sold into slavery. The white slave master believed that blacks were dumb and stupid and could do nothing else but be enslaved. The enslavement of Black People was wrong from the start and eventually, the “powers that be’ made this practice illegal on August 1, 1834. The effects of this evil act are still alive and well today because many Black people are still enslaved, albeit mentally.

 

In 1954, the US Supreme Court unanimously outlawed segregation in public schools. Even though the struggle continues for many blacks in America to receive an education comparable to his or her “white” counterpart, a fundamental wrong was righted and even though segregation now exists more than ever in other forms, a step was taken to preserve human rights in America. In my view this was the correct decision.

 

And now enter the gay and lesbian activists. Their struggle has nothing to do with race and as a result we now have blacks and whites fighting in unison to further their cause. They believe that their “struggles” can be compared to the aforementioned events listed above and that the equality that they seek is a basic human right. The term equality has taken on different meanings in recent times because of society’s ever changing views. However, their cause is only adding to a long laundry list of other harmful behavior that is decaying our society and indeed the world.

 

I admit that the government or the society cannot police what people do in their homes. But there is a reason why some things should not be legal or given the air of legality. Men sleeping with men and women sleeping with women in my view are acts that are immoral and should be condemned whether in private or in public in the highest order. Married men and married women who cheat on their spouses should be condemned. Heterosexuals who engage in sexual activity before marriage should be condemned. Single parent homes with mothers or fathers should not be encouraged. Aren’t all these acts contrary to God’s teachings? Collectively, these acts and or lifestyles invariably contribute to society’s decadence and imbalance.

 

Society’s liberal views and lifestyles have opened up a whole new can of worms in recent times. We have become desensitized to care about murder victims, armed robbery victims and even people who loose their homes. We have become a society that does not mourn for ourselves or each other and as long as it does not happen to us we convince ourselves that we are ok. We have ceased to confront problems head on but rather we speak about them in a “hush hush” way and expect them to just go away.

 

We are also now through very careful public campaigns and by way of television programs being desensitized about the immorality of the gay and lesbian agenda and advocates worldwide and indeed in the Bahamas are pushing their agenda in the hopes that lawmakers will pass laws to accommodate the alternate lifestyles that they have chosen. As usual, when confronted with tough issues Bahamians collectively sit back and let the “games go on”.

 

The Reverend Simeon Hall has strongly advocated against gay and lesbian behavior for some years now. Last year, he called for MSM (Men having sex with men) to come forward so that they could be prayed for. While this is admirable and the right thing to do, the good reverend must also realize that in his capacity, he should just as strongly be condemning fornication on all levels and praying for all that fornicate. The message should be clear and balanced. After all, are we not a Christian nation?

 

Inscribed on all United States paper notes and coins are the words “In God We Trust”. But yet laws are being passed in the US that goes contrary to the meaning of those words. In the Preamble to the Bahamian Constitution it says “and an abiding respect for Christian values and the Rule of law”.  But yet we in the Bahamas have supported in principle a very controversial United Nation resolution that affirms equal rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender. I believe that this vote goes contrary to our Christian principles. I am also made to understand that we have given ship captains the lawful right to marry persons on the high seas with no distinction being made between male and female. I decry that if thus is a truth, this is a shameful act.

 

The actions of some churches have further confused some of our citizenry and given some of them the “green light” to carry on with their immoral behavior. Sinners are rampant in the church, but yet they are allowed to sit on church boards, testify to unsaved members and sing in the choir. It baffles me how the church is using the name of the Lord to sanction gay and lesbian marriages when God has clearly stated that marriage is between a man and a woman and that we as humans should procreate.

 

I speak to and interact with persons of all sexual persuasions daily. This is a normal routine in today’s world. But I cannot support the actions of any one engaged in sexual activities that goes contrary to God’s will. It is wrong. Dead wrong.

 

We need to get back to the basics. Right can never be wrong and wrong can never be right. Will we next have a group advocating for marriage to ten year olds? I listened to Aaron Green, a gay and lesbian activist and I was utterly impressed with her level of intelligence. She was commenting on Bishop Hall’s statement on MSM’s high rate for contracting the HIV virus. She said that Bishop Hall needs to focus on the behavior of all sexually active people as opposed to just one group. I believe that she made a valid point, but I cannot agree with the lifestyle that she supposedly supports.

 

Some will say that the liberalization of the gay and lesbian marriage agenda will add to our tourism figures, being that a lot of our visitors come from New York who last year legalized gay and lesbian marriages. This may be true but someone once said that if you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything. The line where we stand in the Bahamas should not be drawn in the sand but it has to be chiseled in concrete.

 

The gay and lesbian agenda goes contrary to humanity’s moral and survival code. Activists are using great penmanship and campaigns to try to convince the majority of citizens of the world to accept their alternate lifestyle, but deep down, most of us still have a good sense of good and moral behavior. And we need not only tell our children the difference between right and wrong, but we have to show them as well.

 

I firmly believe that we should be condemning “scheming” between men and women just as we are condemning gay and lesbian activities. Our values have deteriorated as a people and as a world. Jean Toomer said that “Acceptance of prevailing standards often means we have no standards of our own”.

 

Are we to keep shifting the stake and let the chips fall where they may? Or are we going to get back on track and enforce the values and moral systems that we as Bahamians know to be Godly and Christian-like?

 

Dehavilland Moss

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Police Brutality in the Bahamas


Police Brutality in the Bahamas

My understanding of police brutality is the unwarranted rough treatment of residents while in the commission of an arrest and or while in protective police custody. Protective custody means that the police have assumed responsibility for the health and care of someone who has been arrested and or detained for reasons that the police deem reasonably sufficient for investigative purposes. Once a citizen is in protective police custody, it is expected that that police would take care of that person’s well being.  Recently, two Bahamian males have died while in police custody and this has sparked wide public outrage with some Bahamians not having a problem with it and many others calling for an end to alleged police brutality.

These matters have been rightfully referred to the head of the coroner’s court, magistrate Linda Virgill. She has initiated her investigations and once completed, same will be made public. The Attorney General’s office will be guarded by Virgill’s decision.

No one can say for sure at this time what happened to the deceased individuals, but the officers on duty are in the best position to offer factual critical evidence that will help establish the causes of death. But there is one thing for certain that black belt Bahamians do know; police brutality is alive and well in our country. In fact this is a subculture in the Bahamas that young men, most of whom have decided to engage in a life of crime have come to expect to endure once they are in police custody.

I myself have heard first hand of many alleged stories where police have used sub-humane and unlawful methods to try to get suspects to admit to crimes that the police felt that they committed. I have heard that the police use several methods to get the desired information out of suspects.

(1). They allegedly would handcuff the suspect’s hands at the back and then repeatedly put his face in the toilet boil for extended periods, leaving him gasping for air.

(2). They allegedly have a coffin that they would put suspects in. While armed with government issued rifles that have been cocked, the police would seemingly give suspects the choice of either confessing or being placed in a coffin where the suspect would think that death was imminent.

(3). They allegedly would just put an old fashioned cut hip on the suspects. I have heard stories where suspects were beaten in the face, suffered broken jaws, broken ribs and broken legs while in police custody.

I have also heard that the police now use more efficient methods to “deal” with suspects now because of the excessive amount of complaints now being sputtered out in the magistrate court. I heard that they have perfected the art of using pillows where they would beat suspects in the face and about the body without leaving any external marks or blemishes.

I have some understanding of street life in our country and I can tell you that the alleged police brutality is not garnering the results that police may desire. Criminals become more hardened. They say that some police are “lazy” in their investigations and would rather beat you up to get a confession as opposed to doing the hard meticulous work of actually finding evidence that the Attorney General’s office can use in a court of law.

There is no doubt in my mind that police brutality is entrenched in the Central Detective Unit (CDU) section of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF). These officers are under a heavy load of stress every day and they have to deal directly with the new breed of criminals and the miscreants on our streets. They have to deal with criminals who are arrested today and then 48 hours later, these same thugs are back on the street, free to commit other crimes and terrorize our society. This has to be taking a significant toll on our officers, who are doing their endeavor best to protect and serve the Bahamas and who know firsthand that some criminals have made a resolve to commit crimes for as long as they live.

But in all of this, they have to remember that as police officers, they must uphold the laws of the country. They cannot cross the line of breaking the law while investigating crimes because they then become bad guys and the public’s trust in them would be diminished. Let me be the first to say that I have no problem with the police using deadly force when it is necessary. I know that police are already at a disadvantage because the criminals now are shooting first and the police are in a reactionary mode.

Criminals are now using assault rifles in the commission of their crimes against ordinary citizens and against the police. People who know about guns would tell you that assault rifles are intended for overkill. Our police officers face a daunting task in the apprehension of dangerous criminals and I think the public fully appreciates this fact. But when these suspects are in protective police custody, the law provides even these alleged scoundrels of the earth certain constitutional rights.

The country will await the findings of Coroner Virgill. I hope and pray that our dear police in this instance have not crossed the line.

Dehavilland Moss

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Gambling referendum was botched


Gambling referendum was botched

One of the most astute members of parliament is undoubtedly Fred Mitchell. If you listen to a lot of his contributions in the house of assembly, you could many times follow his trend of thought and believe in what he says.

Mitchell’s contribution in the house of assembly on Wednesday, February 06, 2013 was however an all time low. I heard him say that he was pleased with the gambling referendum process and he basically gave the government a pat on the back for its handling of the referendum.

Mitchell is a Harvard graduate and as I said he is very astute. But why he would bring false commentary to the public is mind boggling. Mr. Mitchell, please contemplate the following facts.

(1). The referendum date was changed from December 3rd to January 28th, 2013 amid public pressure that the process was being rushed.

(2). The government promised a public education campaign that never materialized.

(3). The prime minister said that he had no horse in the race, but yet he told the public that if they voted no, social services would be stretched and he would have to seek to find jobs for persons left unemployed.

(4). The chairman of the gaming board said that the process was awkward and untidy.

(5). The chairman of the governing party told supporters at a meeting to vote yes and a few hours later he said that his party’s position was neutral.

(6). The referendum initially had one question and then a second question was added. Additionally, when the questions were made public, not enough time was given for public discourse.

(7). The electorate was sufficiently confused by question number one which sought to regulate web shop gambling as opposed to legalizing this industry. This is unheard of in any civilized society because you cannot regulate an industry that is illegal.

(8). The consultant report which the prime minister initially said was going to be released was never made public because he later said that no report was prepared.

If the government wants a pat on the back for all the confusion it caused, it certainly won’t come from me. The gambling referendum was a textbook case of what not to do in the future. I trust that the government would learn from its mistakes and not waste time talking fool in the honorable house of assembly.

Dehavilland Moss

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Deceiving a nation and disregarding the rule of law


Deceiving a nation and disregarding the rule of law

I met the current commissioner of police about 14 or 15 years ago at police headquarters on East Street when I was a member of the Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF). I had received a directive from my commanding officer to seek information on a matter that could be beneficial to the force at that time.

I don’t remember the date or the exact year that I met Commissioner Greenslade but I can tell you that he is the most intelligent and most well spoken human being I have ever met.

I was basically speechless when we met and was unaware at the time that persons of this heightened intelligence worked in the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF). Our commissioner of police is well read, respected and I believe appositely qualified to perform his task as the chief of police. But why he isn’t carrying out his mandate is another story. The gambling referendum is over and the people of the Bahamas voted a resounding no.

Why hasn’t Mr. Greenslade executed his duty to uphold the laws of the country, despite having a clear mandate? Didn’t he say he was tired of this gambling fiasco? I have read and listened to a number of sources as it relates to the injunction that was filed on behalf of several web shop owners and I’m convinced that the injunction does not give credence to the commission of an illegal act.

The court as I have read and understood cannot sanction an illegal act. The court cannot direct the commissioner of police to renege on his duty to enforce the laws of the country. That being said, I think it is safe to say that the commissioner of police has been derelict in his duties and could be seen to be complicit in allowing casino gambling to continue unabated in web shops.

It would also appear that the attorney general and the prime minister for whatever reason have not told the Bahamian people the absolute truth as it relates to this matter. The prime minister ordered web shop gaming closed and then shortly thereafter made mention that an injunction was filed in the courts, which implied that his hands were tied.

What most of the Bahamian populace does not realize is that the injunction is only allowing web shops to remain open to conduct their business as they have been duly licensed. And that is the offering of web café services. The injunction does not give web shop businesses the right to engage in online casino gambling or selling numbers.

The prime minister and the attorney general in my opinion have intentionally confused the electorate with respect to this matter. The prime minister said that the matter was before the courts and that he could not comment further. The Attorney General said that we will maintain the “status quo”.

What they really should have said was the plain truth. They deliberately did not explain this matter to the Bahamian people who were led to believe that the injunction gives web shops the right to carry on with their illegal business activities. The commissioner of police in all his brilliance and wisdom should be able to see through this ‘hole in the wall’ and uphold the laws of the Bahamas.

The Bahamian people voted a resounding No to the gambling referendum and the top three most important people in the country with regards to law enforcement appear to be playing “cat and mouse”.

Bahamians have sadly come to expect politicians to give them misinformation and half truths, but not the office of the commissioner of police. I beseech the commissioner, an astute and professional man to act above the fray and carry out the laws of the country. I entreat the commissioner, a devoted Christian to refrain from being a part of this dishonorable and despicable plot to deceive a nation and do his part in ensuring that the laws of our great country are carried out. Stand your ground sir.

Dehavilland Moss

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Process is everything


Process is everything

On January 28th, 2013, the people of the Bahamas out rightly rejected gambling in all forms as presented by the Bahamian government. They voted loud and clear and they voted no.

Opponents and proponents alike will now ask the question why? Why did Bahamians vote against a thriving web shop industry that some say employ thousands of people? Why did Bahamians not support the possible 20 million dollars being added to the public treasury annually, especially given that the Bahamas is on the brink of financial collapse?

The government of the Bahamas said it had no horse in the race, yet it gave numerous statements to the contrary. On the surface, it was abundantly clear that the government by its actions wanted most Bahamians to vote yes. But a lot of Bahamians in their stubbornness believed otherwise. And a great many Bahamians I believe were confused about the government’s position; many of them still are.

You see the whole gambling referendum process lent itself to a blue hole of confusion. One minute the prime minister was saying that he had no horse in the race and the next minute he was saying that the web shops employed a great many Bahamians and that our social services would be stretched if Bahamians voted no. Even the Chairman of the gaming board, Dr. Andre Rollins said that the process was awkward and untidy. He seemed very much out of his element as I believe he was put in a position to support something that his inner convictions did not believe in.

The no vote on January 28th, 2013 was a culmination of several factors, but we can’t deny that the excessive administrative blunders by Perry Christie and his government contributed to the referendum not being supported by the majority of Bahamians. It is still mind boggling to me the juvenile tactics that the government used in this whole gambling referendum process.

Bahamians saw right through the government’s incompetence and they demand and deserve to know what they are voting for and the pros and cons of their vote. The government did not even make an attempt to educate the masses on this issue and they may have gotten what it deserves.

I hope that going forward the government of the day would see the wisdom in showing more respect to the Bahamian people and convey a well thought of process, with studies done and actual facts to the country. We are now 0 and 2 on referendums in the last 11 years. Bahamians are not going to accept any haphazard, half ass process that is whipped up like fast food and allow it to be pushed down their throats.

Get the process right and maybe the people will follow.

Dehavilland Moss

Sunday, January 27, 2013

The art of compromise


The art of compromise

In the epic novel Animal Farm, the true motives and behaviors of the pigs were summed up in the concluding statement. This was a most powerful expression of character which always manifests itself when you are in a position of power or when you have an insatiable lust for money.

The final paragraph of Animal farm states, “Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which”.

This to me is what has happened with some members of the Vote Yes campaign and the once thought of esteemed Bahamians who lead the charge. In my view, they haven’t even convinced themselves that what they are doing is right.

I have listened to the comments by Reverend Simeon Hall, Reverend Dr. Philip Mcphee, Theresa Moxey-Ingraham and Philip Galanis and I have not been convinced that their intentions are pure. Here are men and women who see nothing wrong with a number of questionable government decisions during the gambling referendum process.

First of all the question of the regularization of web shops is a slap in the face to all right thinking Bahamians. Many of us still don’t see how an industry can be regularized when it is in fact illegal.

Secondly, the fact that the “numbers men” are breaking the law and the fact that none of the aforementioned persons have unequivocally acknowledged this is indeed remarkable.  If you listen carefully to the arguments presented, you will find an abundance of flaws.

Furthermore, I had to stop and think when I heard the prime minister’s statements after the Vote Yes march. He said that it was “a wonderful expression of democracy”.  He was gleaning from ear to ear and if you were sober, you could very easily see which horse he supported in this race.

It will be very difficult for Hall and Dr. Mcphee to be viewed in the same light by church goers, given their conduct as this gambling referendum unfolds. These men of God have sadly been tainted and they have openly supported an unlawful entity. I am of the view that you must wear your hard hat at all times especially when you have been charged with being a gatekeeper of morality and the rule of law.

As for Moxey-Ingraham and Galanis, it is clear to me that they have been equally compromised. When you have well educated and “esteemed” and “honorable” persons supporting a cause that they themselves can’t justify, one must ask the question why.

When bad men do good things, are we to just look at the good and forget about the bad?  What will be your selling price before you compromise?

Dehavilland Moss

Tuesday, January 22, 2013


School Bus Danger
(This article was first published in February of 2012 and it is still relevant in January 2013)
 

The movie “Forest Gump” starring Tom Hanks is one of my best movies. I never tire watching this movie. One of Tom Hanks lines in the movie reads, “Stupid is as stupid does”.

Students on the Carmichael Road strip are riding on a large yellow school bus daily. They get dropped off after school to certain points. What is horrifying is that the exit is on the right hand side of the bus. Yes, the exit is on the right hand side. This means that students exit the bus onto the main road. Are we serious? This is a disaster waiting to happen.

I am beseeching the powers that be to please desist with this dangerous and irresponsible practice forthwith before we have another tragedy on our hands. Surely there must be an emergency fund somewhere that can be used to replace this bus or construct the exit on the left side.

And how can the Road Traffic Department sanction such a vehicle to be used for this purpose? The end certainly can’t justify the means. We need to protect our youth, not expose them to obvious risk.
Dehavilland Moss

No horse in the race – a letter to the PM


No horse in the race – a letter to the PM

The prime minister of the Bahamas has been stating since last year that the government has no horse in the race as it relates to the gambling referendum. Many Bahamians were skeptical of this view but the economic state of the country and some of Prime Minister Christie’s actions have proved otherwise.

Mr. Christie, please consider the following items.

(1)    The Bahamas was downgraded in December of 2012 by Standard’s and Poor’s (S&P), who says our economic outlook, is now negative. This was our fourth economic downgrade since 2008. Our debt service is now on par with the annual education budget and it is increasing.

(2)    Unemployment is still over 14% nationwide.

(3)    The Bahamas Development Bank has suspended small business loans until further notice.

(4)    Michael Halkitis has suggested that the government may need to borrow an additional 100 - 200 million dollars to cover this current budget’s shortfall.

(5)    You yourself sir said that if Bahamians vote no, unemployment would be in increased and the burden on our Social Services would be more stretched. You said that the government would have to see if it could find ways to employ persons now working for web shops.

(6)    Much needed revenue would be at the government’s disposal if the Bahamian people vote yes in the upcoming referendum.

In your most recent interview sir you said that the referendum is non-binding. I believe that you sir and the Vote Yes campaign realize that it is patently clear that Bahamians will vote no. You have now realized that a lot of people who gamble in this country will not vote yes because of this botched process or can’t vote yes because of their legal status. It is desperation time now.

I would conclude and agree with you sir that indeed you don’t have a horse in the race on the gambling referendum. I submit that you have a herd of horses in this race and you took a calculated step to take this vote to the Bahamian people, but it has blown up in your face. I believe that you should have made the government’s position clear as opposed to issuing confusing policy statements to the electorate. Your tactics have backfired and this flawed process will cost you thousands of yes votes. Additionally, many Bahamians who gamble will not vote because they see it as a mute exercise. They don’t believe that any government has the will to make a concerted effort to stop gambling in web shops.

If the electorate votes no, are you seriously going to see to it that the law is enforced? You will definitely need a strong horse to do that.

Dehavilland Moss

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Bahamians have a slave mentality – “Master still knows Best”


Bahamians have a slave mentality – “Master still knows Best”

(First published in 2011) 

Crime is out of control; it’s the master’s fault, aka the government. Illegal immigration is out of control; it is the master’s fault, aka the government. The economy is bad; it’s the master’s fault, aka the government. The Master will fix the problem. He knows best.

 

But what are “You” doing about it? We should know by now that the change starts with us. During the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, Africans were illegally sold as slaves. Many of these Africans ended up in the Caribbean and thus were forced into a new way of life.

 

The indoctrination of Africans (Blacks) into mental slavery and the European culture continues even today. The celebration of Guy Fawkes Day, Halloween and that “foreign is better” are just a few examples of the former in the Bahamas. We as Black Bahamians are mentally enslaved and even though we are free physically, we face some of the most dangerous times in our history. 177 years after the proclamation was read to free slaves in the British colonies, Bahamians still continue to have a slave mentality.

 

Slaves in the Bahamas worked on small plantations when compared to other Caribbean islands and the treatment of Bahamian slaves was much better than their Caribbean counterparts. James Stephen, an abolitionists wrote, “the provisions and stock raised on the plantations did not provide the remuneration received by planters in other colonies, ‘but to slaves the effects were ease, plenty, health and the preservation and increase of their numbers, all in a degree, quite beyond example in any other part of the West Indies”. (Source from The Story of The Bahamas by Paul Albury, chapter 14, p126). In my view, this explains the basis of the way that we act toward our “Master” today.

 

Bahamian slaves accepted their master as a good person and viewed him favorably. Our Caribbean counterparts were treated more harshly than us and as a result they had a fundamental distrust of their Master. Could this explain why they are more aggressive than us and the fact that our attitude is more laissez-faire?

 

Since 1967, in the Bahamas, the black master (government) replaced the white master (government). There was a changing of the guard, but most Bahamians have not seen the kind of progress that is to be expected. Black Bahamians in particular still do not possess the majority of the land; we still do not own a major hotel and we are still second-class citizens in our own country. We now have Black Masters as our gatekeepers but they are continuing the historical trend of our demise, albeit in the same subtle nature. Yet we elect the same people over and over. When will the cerebral revolution come?

 

Look at the way that our country is run with little or no objection from Bahamians. The government sold BTC and there were only about 1,000 marchers on Bay Street. In fact, Minister of Labor Dion Foulkes literally squawked when asked about the effectiveness of the march for BTC. Lawyers illegally sold land owned by Arawak Homes to unsuspecting Bahamians. Due to the large scale of Bahamians who were defrauded, there should have been major campaigns initiated by Bahamians in protest of this. The government refuses to do all it can to help curb our crime and immigration problems and its policies have failed miserably, specifically over the last two decades. Additionally, government policies have caused the price of land in the Bahamas to soar so high that the average Bahamian can no longer afford to buy land (except for those in Mackey Yard); and yet Bahamians sit back and do nothing. Sadly, we still believe in the old slave adage that “Master (aka the government) knows best”.

 

Listening to the talk shows daily, concerns by Bahamians appear to be on the rise. They call in and seem to expect more accountability from the government elect representatives. This is a good thing and this type of activity on a wide scale can certainly help break this slave mentality that we continue to be suffering from. I feel proud as a Bahamian when callers suggest that the issues affecting us should be looked at for what they are worth. Forget party lines. For too long, we have been using our party biases and not looking at issues from a nationalistic point of view. We must realize that when our ancestors were enslaved, the underlying tone would have been to regain freedom for all in the British colonies and this bode well for all involved.

 

Bahamians by heart are not a fighting people when it comes to challenging “The Master”. In fact, the only time I can say with certainty that Bahamians would come together and fight the Master is when he “messes with their pay”. From the Burma Road Riot on June 1st, 1942 to the teacher’s general strike in the mid 80’s, Bahamians came together in solidarity to protest wage disputes. In fact, before the Burma Road Riot, even the American workers who were earning higher wages were agitating for the Bahamian workers wages to be increased. Foreigners were given preferential treatment even back then. Does this sound familiar? In the case of the general teacher’s strike, the government of the day said that the treasury was broke. Yet, after the teachers’ salary was increased, Prime Minister Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling and his cabinet increased the salary of all Members of Parliament.

 

If the government had told BTC workers that they would be receiving pay cuts you would have seen a different outcome from the employees. Contract after contract can be given to foreign contractors without a whimper of dissatisfaction from Bahamians. Let me go on record as saying that I was utterly surprised that the present government was able to take overtime pay away from Customs and Immigration officers with virtually very little opposition from the Bahamas Public Service Union membership.

 

The recent debacle of the government in the Mackey yard subdivision speaks again to our slave mentality. Here we are as Bahamians just sitting back and allowing the government to do what it wants to. Let the “Master” handle it is the conclusions of many Bahamians. There are Bahamians though, whose minds have bypassed this slave mentality, but these numbers are infinitesimal.

 

Just as the slave trade was supported by Africans themselves who helped capture their own countryman for a few dollars more we have replication going on in the Bahamas in 2011. Many in the remaining middle class in the Bahamas are utterly quiet as to the state of affairs because they are still getting their hefty salaries. They are still able to live their lives, buy what they want and travel when they want. In their eyes because they are not directly affected by these adverse policies, they choose to turn a blind eye. They are not speaking out and are allowing their “brothers” to be further humiliated and defrauded. In the same vain, thousands of people turned a blind eye to the Slave Master during the slave trade because they were thinking about self and not country.

 

The slave mentality in the Bahamas is alive and well and the time has come for Bahamians to open their eyes. We cannot just leave it in the hands of “The Master” and hope and pray that the correct decisions will be made and take for granted that we will always have bread to eat. Bahamians, we need to change our sorry, lethargic and lackadaisical attitude towards the myriad policy decisions that affect us. We will continue to suffer as a people in our own country if we don’t.

 

As Disraeli, the great English Statesman said, “Nurture your mind with great thoughts for you will never go any higher than you think”.

 

Dehavilland Moss

dehavmoss@live.com

 

Friday, January 4, 2013

Questioning Dr. Simeon Hall’s actions


Questioning Dr. Simeon Hall’s actions

Dr. Simeon Hall is a prominent pastor in the Bahamas and he is also a towering social activist. I am not a member of his church but I had the pleasure of attending a service when he pastored a few years back. I must say that I was not disappointed and he lived up to the billing of being a great preacher.

Bishop Hall has never been one to hide his views on a particular subject and though controversial at times, you can rest assured that he will stand by what he says. Bishop Hall has retired from his post as pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church and seems to have more time on his hands to speak about matters affecting the public.

He chastised the Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) for being homophobic after they set up a campaign to encourage Bahamians to vote no in the gambling referendum set for January 28th, 2013. He said that there were a myriad of other issues that they should be focusing on. He did not do this privately as would have seemed the proper thing to do, but rather he had a press conference and basically brought the BCC to its knees. Bishop Hall was president of the BCC at least two times and for him to now openly criticize the council leaves many Bahamians, especially Christians perplexed.

Just recently, Hall was invited to hear firsthand the referendum questions by Prime Minister Perry Christie, a move to this day that for me is still inexplicable. Hall purports to be neutral, but this act certainly does not help his position.

Many might not agree with Hall’s actions so far on the gambling issue, but if you look at it from a Biblical perspective, he may not be in violation of God’s teachings. I have yet to see a pastor show any proof in the Bible where God said gambling was wrong.

Last week, Hall said that pastors need to stop demonizing gays and lesbians and that pastors who still practice this act may themselves have these tendencies.

His last criticism against pastors who say that gays and lesbians are not practicing God’s wishes to me is mind boggling. In a world today, where liberal views are being put in the forefront, I cannot support Hall’s disdain against pastors who see the need to preach Biblical facts whether it may be popular or not.

It would be ungodly of pastors if they said that a murderer was not committing a sin when we all know that this is in contravention of one of God’s 10 commandments. How is it then that when pastors speak about gays and lesbians activities being wrong, Hall wants to castigate them?

We must always love our brothers and sisters but I believe that we must not encourage acts that are sinful. Involvement in murderous acts and gay, lesbian, transsexual and bisexual activities in my view are sins in God’s eyes, no matter who says otherwise. Even heterosexuals who engage in sex before marriage are committing a sin, but the fact that this has widely been accepted as the norm does not make it right in God’s sight.

I call on the great reverend to use his influence not to down those who stand for God’s will, but to help keep our moral and Godly beliefs intact.

Dehavilland Moss

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

A Nolle Prosequi


A Nolle Prosequi

According to Wikipedia, a nolle prosequi is a legal term that means “unwilling to pursue” and “do not prosecute”. It is usually made after an indictment against an individual or individuals. A nolle prosequi is a withdrawal of the claim against a defendant by the prosecutor, but the charges can be filed again at a later date.

The most famous nolle prosequi case I remember in the Bahamas involved former Attorney General (AG), Sir Orville Turnquest. He did not prosecute defendant John Moscow who was accused of discharging a weapon and killing a male who I believe was fleeing the Moscow family property at the time.

Just last week, the Attorney General’s (AG’s) office was unwilling to prosecute a case involving the discovery of a 380 pistol and 19 rounds of ammunition in the home of John and Janice Hayes. The interesting thing about this case is that the present AG, Allison Maynard Gibson, was the defense lawyer for the Hayes under the Free National Movement (FNM) administration in 2010. Senator John Delaney was the AG at this time.

Now hear this, when the nolle prosequi was re-filed last week, Gibson was conveniently out of the country. Acting AG Jerome Fitzgerald signed the order. He said that he will not go into details as to why the AG’s office moved in this direction, but he did say that it was a matter of national security.

Fitzgerald’s statement caused my curiosity to be heightened. Former AG Delaney who brought charges against this couple certainly did not see this as a national security issue. If he did, he and the former government had ample time to take this course of action. How is it that the new Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government now sees this as a national security issue after two years? Was the FNM that incompetent?

I submit that on the surface there appears to be an abuse of power by the present AG’s office. An illegal 380 pistol and 19 illegal live rounds of ammunition found in a draw certainly leaves Bahamians wondering how is it that this decision was made. I have several questions for the AG’s office.

(1). Was this couple involved in a sting operation for the government of the Bahamas and if so why wasn’t the weapon and ammunition registered.

(2). Why weren’t the police and the national security minister aware of this? Obviously the commissioner of police, Ellison Greenslade and former national security minister, Tommy Turnquest had no knowledge of this case providing a security threat to the Bahamas.

(3). Why did it take so long for the present government to realize that this was a matter of national security? Or is this just a matter of someone’s friend cousin uncle being in trouble and requires a favor?

(3). Will these type of cases be made public under the Freedom of Information Act?

I wonder if we will hear from former attorney general, Anthony Delaney on this matter. He certainly did not have any information that this was a matter of national security because I believed that he would have acted accordingly. We all know that Hubert Ingraham would not have allowed this matter to drag on had he believed that this case was a threat to the security of the country.

I think the AG’s office has some more explaining to do. On Maynard’s return to the country, the fourth estate really needs to dig deeper and question her extensively on this matter. This act does not maintain the faith that citizens have in the AG’s office, but rather it erodes it. They say that the truth will set you free and in this case Bahamians wants to know the truth behind the Hayes being set free.

Dehavilland Moss