Posted By: Marty On: 1/18/2010

Title: I agree with BillieBart and Joe Blow

"Not sure why I'm so amazed at the level of ignorance masquerading as Christianity. "
Exactly. Own your prejudice. Leave Jesus out of your hate.

Posted By: billiebart On: 1/15/2010

Title: Unbelievable!!!

I am perplexed and amazed at some of the comments here.
Cuba suffered 4 hurricanes just over a year ago, they're not crying about hurricanes that happened 5 and 6 years ago. The day after the last bad hurricane that also destroyed Galveston Texas the cubans were out repairing they damage and working together to keep things going, and the tourists kept coming. The Dominican Republic is also a poor country, worse off than the Bahamas. The Dominican are opening their borders and their arms to the Haitians - and that's just a walk across border. They're airlifting the desperately sick to Martinique, no one there is shouting to man the barricades to keep 'those people' out. For those of you 'Christians' who say it's the wrath of God on a sinful people. I would be careful of that logic. Right now I can't think of any time I have ever heard and read more Christless godlessness and lack of Christian values. Or is just plain ignorance and stupidity.
I wonder what the comments would be like if a tsunami had indeed made it's way here, would we then be rushing to get to the US legally or not?
How may Bahamian go to the US to have their babies so they can get US citizenship? Should the US now revoke those citizenships and charge the mothers with 'illegal birthings'?
The scope of the hypocrisy is stunning.

Posted By: Mackey On: 1/15/2010

Title: Haiti's Tragedy

Opening up our borders would be a very very BAD idea. Our country is in an economic bind as it is. Taking on an mass influx of Haitian Nationals will leave us in dire straits. What will happen to this country in the long run. Our leader is not thinking long term right now. God Be Praised

Posted By: Joe Blow On: 1/15/2010

Title: Ignorance reigns in the Bahamas

Not sure why I'm so amazed at the level of ignorance masquerading as Christianity.

Posted By: Adrian La-Roda On: 1/15/2010

Title: Our Hurricane Katrina

I am in support of sending monetary aid to Haiti. However I am extremely dissapointed in our governmnet for making a public announcement that they will not be apprehending any illegal immigrants, and repatriations are indefinatly suspended, this new policy should have been put in force without the fanfare as our borders will now be flooded with evacuees who may very well claim a right to stay here.
After hurricane Ivan in Cayman, 4,000 Caymanians moved to the US, 9 months later they were extricated from the US, now we are talking about 4,000 people. After the Montserrat valcano eruption we, the Bahamas sent 23 people back after 1 year. The Bahamas did not cause the Haiti earthquake, yes I am sympathetic, and yes we can have our own disaster, and when it does happen I am certain we will not be afforded any special treatment. As a small country we can only be expected to carry so much load, has the UN ever provided assisstance to us for refugees NO, has the US, NO.. has France.. NO...
On a positive note, the influx of aid money should greatly benifit that country and I look forward to the day when proper infrastructure and an improved general environment has been established.
I pray for Haiti and the world.

Posted By: King Solomon On: 1/15/2010

Title: Help (with conditions also attached)

While money and food is being poured into Haiti conditions should be attached:-
1) Renounce voodoo, the bocour, baron Samedi which is the source of evil and anti Christian.
2) Bring to punish all those officials who allowed illegal construction for shoddy work.
3) Bring back all the 4,000 plus escaped prisoners who are probably escaping to all nearby countries.
4) Accountability on those govt officials for mismanagement etc who did not provide for their people after 200 plus years of independence.
Indisputably Haitians need help, but conditions must be attached to punish those who by negligence and their supporters who are responsible for poorly built buildings unregulated shantytowns, lack of basic health care facilities who may have been saved if the laws were followed.

Posted By: Martha On: 1/15/2010

Title: Haiti

I really sympathise with our Haitian brothers and sisters but Bahamians please stop trying to be politically correct and be real. the Bahamas has absorbed more Haitians legally and illegially than any other nation in the world. the Us is sending $100,000,000.00 some of this money needs to be used to TEACH them to build the right buildings, farm, fish and help themselves. Even if you have a child you teach that child that he has to grow up and fend for itself. Please do not open our borders. I live in Exuma and we have been suffering this past year. The Bahamians cannot get jobs because the Jamaicians and Haitians Have all the jobs.The Haitians work for $80.00 per day. Bahamians on this Island have no electricity, no gas, no jobs. Help the Haitians but help us too. Remember Jesus said " how can you see to take the mote out of your brothers eyes if you have a beam in your eye".

Posted By: NEIL On: 1/15/2010

Title: HAITI

I AGREE, SEND CLOTHING AND MAYBE AID WORKERS,DONT OPEN THE BORDERS BECAUSE THEY GONNA COME ANYHOW AND WE ALREADY HAVE TOO MUCH HERE NOW.

Posted By: Ron On: 1/15/2010

Title: have a heart put be smart

I am sorry for what happed to my brothers and sisters in haiti my heart sincerely goes out to them.I honestly feel that alot of this foolishness would not happen to them if they put GOD first.My Bahamian people we should send food ,money would not help and opening borders is a no no we do have a major problem with Haitians right now,please keep haiti in your prayers GOD bless

Posted By: help those you can see too On: 1/15/2010

Title: HISTORY OF TROUBLE

IF WE CHECK THE HISTORY, HAITI OR THAT MASS OF LAND OUTSIDE OF SANTO DOMINGO, WAS IN TROUBLE FROM BEFORE TOUSAINT DUVALIER TIME AND THAT WAS HOW MANY HUNDRED OF YEARS AGO?WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO HELP THEMSELVES BUT PUT VOODOO ASS THEIR OFFICIAL RELIGION? YOU DON'T NEED A KIDNERGARTEN CERTIFICATE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE. IT WAS THIRD WARNING AND A WAKE-UP TCALL FOR US. THERE ARE PEOPLE WE SEE EVERYDAY AND WE DON'T FEED THEM OR GIVE THEM A HELPING HAND. YES SEND SOME FOOD, BUT DO THE SAME FOR THE PEOPLE HERE IN THE BAHAMAS YOU CAN SEE.

Posted By: Smith On: 1/15/2010

Title: HATIA'S DISASTER

THE COUNTRY WAS IN A TERRIBLE condition before this extreme disaster!! Let us lend a hand in food and clothing even though we are in an economic recession, we are nowhere close to Haiti's historical (decadal) economic standings. I feel for th epeople of Haiti, but at the same time I hope that this is a wake-up call, their foundation is not christian I pray that many come to God the one and only Saviour.. We need to realize this, God is tired of wickedness, his wrath has come.

Posted By: anonymous On: 1/14/2010

Title:

where are all the Haitian nationals that should b heading home home to aid in the recovery efforts, they are waiting for international help but i dont see any of them heading home to help themselves

Posted By: citizen of the world On: 1/14/2010

Title: where's the love

1stJohn3:17-18 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and truth.

Posted By: Distant On: 1/14/2010

Title: regardless

i completely agree... regardless of the 'boundaries' and 'circumstances'... at the end of the day ... they are still ppl-- ppl with familes, ppl with a purpose, ppl that exist... so if there is anything that can be done as a NATION- regardless of the expediture we've endured for whatever circumstance... an attempt in this regard should be made by the BAHAMIAN GOVERNMENT as well...

Posted By: McCartney On: 1/14/2010

Title: A shame

It is a travesty that people are still worried about the borders when our neighbors are suffering. Reading some of these comments makes me sad that a Christian nation is not showing its faith when it is needed most. When someone is in need, you do what you can to help, no matter who they are.

Posted By: Ma buuoy (My boy) On: 1/14/2010

Title: Interferance ?

- A Central Bank report some 10 + years ago mentions some 65 million dollars in remittances leaves the Bahamas yearly for Haiti and other places.
- The Bahamas has probably contributed the most towards Haiti over the decades via educating, health services etc to illegal migrants.
- The Bahamas has recently made efforts to import the abundance of vegetables and other produce from Haiti.
- Haiti has a Gross National Product of 3.9 Billion dollars.
For those who say the Bahamas is and has not been bending over backwards and assisting for decades is being intellectually dishonest, mischievious or perhaps just arrived. And the Bah. govt is presently borrowing to pay its workers, and you now dare bring up the subject offering assistance ! You should be bringing your food donations etc., to the Assemblies building behind Sun Tee on Shirley St. to assist.

Posted By: Distant On: 1/14/2010

Title: relief

Countries from around the world as far as China, have sent rescue teams, doctors, food, medical supplies to provide relief in Haiti? Can anyone tell me if the Bahamian Government has offered any type assistance?

Posted By: Lex On: 1/14/2010

Title: "Haiti devastated" Really?

There is no question that this is one of the times when everyone must help. People made in the image of God are suffering and have suffered in indescribable ways. However, can someone please tell me why the media all report "Haiti" as being devastated when in fact it is the city of Port-au-Prince and its surrounding areas that have been specifically impacted. Has anyone looked at a map of that country recently, or heard the international reports which indicate that areas outside of Port-au-Prince remain untouched? The people who are walking as quickly as possible out of Port-au-Prince with all their wordly goods apparently know this fact. While a large majority of Haitians do live in that city and its surrounding areas, and while it is the Capital, Port-au-Prince is not Haiti. It is this lack of disctinction which perhaps has motivated the Department of Immigration to suspend deportations, and have led to calls for Immigration to discontinue raids. After all if "Haiti" is devastated there really is no place to return its citizens to. Not so. Please stop the intellectual dishonesty.

Posted By: Observer On: 1/14/2010

Title: Haiti

About all we can do is send food. We are in no position oto send money and most definitely cannot further open our borders. Their culture is too at odds with ours: witness the large increase in crime rates since they started flooding us beginning four decades ago. Pray for them

Posted By: alexander adderley On: 1/14/2010

Title:

for people to say send nothing is very inhumane because it could have been us and we would be the ones turning to the world for help bahamians please do not forget hurricanes francis,floyd,andrew when we also were brought to our knees

Posted By: Stacy On: 1/14/2010

Title: Bahamian Families Need Your Help Too

Wow, Charities like Great Commission have been begging for weeks for help with food, clothes, blankets for our own people and I have not seen a response like this. Yes, we must be sympathetic to Haiti and lend a helping hand, but check your neighbourhood, the person sitting next to you in church or next to you at work, or sitting by you in class. There are many families right here who need your help too. On a regular basis families are looking in boxes left outside of Social Services for clothes and shoes. Social Services just said that the request for help went up more than 50 percent. Don't do more for someone you can't see and ignore the person that you can. We can't afford to open our boarders.

Posted By: Rashad Amahad On: 1/14/2010

Title: I believe

Bahamians have a great opportunity to show that we care by collecting food and clothing and send an envoy to support the search and rescue missions for the thousands of haitian brothers and sisters main while those of you who could pray.Rashad Amahad Big brother.

Posted By: South Beach On: 1/13/2010

Title: Desperate and have travel money.

Realistically speaking, if people were handing out money and I was one of the hundreds of escaped prisoners, looters, bad guys or if I was one of the illegal squatters among the 3-4 million people in the capitol of Port of Prince built for a population of 250,000 surviving on $2. an day, in now rougher times, I would use the money to flee to the Bahamas. Ironically, the money and food should go to our Defence Force to create bases and strengthen our borders from desperate illegal invasions which are sure to start and threatens our small nation survival.

Posted By: Bahamian cultured. On: 1/13/2010

Title: Teach a man to fish...

We keep sending food, money and other material items to sustain Haiti over the years and with no success that they are making any progress and the misery increases with us, the Bahamas having to spend/divert enormous portions of our Bahamas Financial product to sustain those illegally here whose parents have broken our laws to give medical and education support for life. Bahamas assistance yet again, must be tied to teaching them to fish, farm and with an ample dose of educational videos in creole on health standards and birth/family planning ! (One of the first sentences a former US Ambassador interviewed by CNN mentioned was Birth Control ! )

Posted By: Eunece On: 1/13/2010

Title: Haiti

I do not believe in sending monies during such devastation as it get tied up and almost never reach those most in need

Posted By: Lorraine On: 1/13/2010

Title: Haiti

Send food and clothing