Kirkland 'KB' Bodie
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
SINGER turned activist Kirkland “KB” Bodie yesterday called the government’s actions against the Save The Bays (STB) organisation in Parliament hypocritical and disgusting.
In a scathing rebuke, Mr Bodie - a director of STB - defended his integrity against claims that he was paid by the environmental group or a political party to create disparaging songs against the government.
He said attempts to “drag down” STB was evidence that the organisation was doing an effective job of holding the government accountable.
“The punk action of hiding behind parliamentary privilege while trying to ruin another’s good name is cowardly and shameful,” Mr Bodie said in a letter to the editor.
“I’ve never had a government job, never compromised my ethics for anyone and will never cloak wrongdoing. I have always been forthright and if you can prove otherwise then put me before the courts, or shut up.
“All the rigmarole and spin doctoring you all have thrown at us must mean that Save The Bays is doing an effective job in holding this administration accountable that you would have to sink so low with your disgusting House of Assembly antics. Real men would never do such a thing.”
The STB controversy was sparked after its confidential financial affairs and e-mails were read out in Parliament.
Cabinet ministers, Jerome Fitzgerald and Fred Mitchell, and Water & Sewerage Corporation Chairman Leslie Miller, all disclosed the private information under the protection of parliamentary privilege during the House of Assembly’s mid-year debate.
Fred Smith QC, Save the Bays’ legal adviser, together with fellow plaintiffs, the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay environmental group, and Zack Bacon, brother of hedge fund billionaire, Louis Bacon, subsequently obtained a Supreme Court injunction to prevent further disclosure of the documents obtained by the three MPs.
In the House, Mr Fitzgerald claimed that Save the Bays masquerades as an environmental watchdog group but has used million of dollars to “entrap” Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard in an alleged murder plot to ultimately “destabilise” the government.
Mr Fitzgerald also said members of STB, including an entertainer, are paid handsomely.
In his letter, Mr Bodie said: “I was not paid by any political party to write songs, I wrote them on my own, nothing to do with Save The Bays, because I saw this government as incompetent.
“Did your political party pay me when I wrote the song ‘Dey Sellin’ Our Country’ under the last FNM administration? Once again, Mr Fitzgerald you and your kind are hypocrisy at its finest, you all loved it, called me a genius.”
Mr Bodie said he was proud of his journey from a humble start in Eight Mile Rock to musical acclaim. He said his job as director of STB’s music division has allowed him to make a transition from an artist focused on culture to one that also advocates for environmental preservation – expanding his repertoire as a composer, writer, producer and performer.
Mr Bodie said: “If asking the government to assist in protecting its nation’s natural resources, or insisting on the passage of a Freedom of Information Act for transparency and accountability in our public service; if insisting that you would facilitate these things is compared to toppling the government, then I understand why our education statistics are so abysmal, when the bottom is actually mirroring the leadership at the top.”
Mr Bodie pointed out that the government paid a Trinidadian artist $100,000 to perform at last year’s Junkanoo Carnival, but was now raising concerns about his ability to earn the same figure annually.
“Is this another example of them believing in Bahamians? Only a foreign mother can spawn a child to make that kind of money? It seems that these politicians think that Bahamians don’t deserve this, but I deserve it and more. I am talented, I am dedicated, and I’ve paid my dues through hard work and sacrifice.”
• SEE LETTER HERE
Comments
TalRussell 8 years ago
Comrades what has been the journey and main mission of Save The Bays 'Music Division?
Have the Tribune ever asked, or even seen, responsive STB financial records outlining who gets paid what and for what are they being paid?
Are salaries an "services contracts' in range of what is considered 'normal remuneration' compared to similar 'paid positions/contracts' held by others at other Bahamaland "non-profit" organizations?
Is it the norm for not only the public not be know this info, but apparently its a well kept financial secret within STB?
In fact, some in STB have even claimed that they as a "unpaid" director - didn't even know that their fellow directors were actually being "paid" for serving as a director of STB?
GrassRoot 8 years ago
Tal who cares. I fully understand that Bahamians have problems with the term "non-profit" bcz the ones that are expected to make profit make losses (BEC, Sewage, BOB, BahamasAir) and the ones that are NOT expected or allowed to make profit do (well you know which ones we are talking about...)
ThisIsOurs 8 years ago
Isn't the Red Cross non-profit? Non-profit doesn't mean an all volunteer staff. And some of the staff are paid quite handsomely for the expertise they bring to the organization. STB officials are probably paid pittance when compared to Susan G Kommen executives
BMW 8 years ago
Way to go KB. These civil servants ( everyone of them from Vomit at the top to Cleo at the bottom) need to have their feet tied to the fire. We Bahamians have sat by and listened to their BS and inaction for way to long. I wish there was an election tomorrow ! We have to get rid of the stink!!!!!! What you say KALIK/
BMW 8 years ago
Tal you are of the "D" mentality just like the rest!!!!!!
TalRussell 8 years ago
Comrade is it not within the right of any member public ask questions about a "non-profit" organization - more so considering what brings them in the news these days? What surprises me is, why STB thinks as you do?
The questions I am asking, should have been "demanded" by the appropriate government department responsible for supervising non-profit organizations?
Are they not presenting themselves as a non-profit?
themessenger 8 years ago
Tal, since when has it been the right of a politician to hide behind Parliamentary privilege and reveal the personal finances of private citizen, obtained by very questionable methods, to the public at large when we the public are still waiting for them to declare, or reveal if you would, their current assets which were probably even more questionably gained?
TalRussell 8 years ago
Comrade The messenger my posts have never excused the actions by government.
How can we cry out for government transparency but have no thirst when it comes down to seeing the right thing being done by ALL non-profits?
We the taxpayers' handed over close to a million dollars to some music festival organization and neither the public, government or media have asked to examine their financial records?
In fact the peoples government handed over the million and never asked see their financial records?
TalRussell 8 years ago
Comrade lets skip over the party that I 'go f$% myself' and focus your posts on joining with me to ask reasonable questions.
themessenger 8 years ago
Wrong Tal, we the taxpayer handed over nothing!! Our scheming government and their crooked bag men handed over a million dollars of our money and got swung by more accomplished crooks than them. We the taxpayers still waiting on an accounting for that too as well as many other glaring examples of guvment teefin. Further we the taxpayer would like nothing more than for a proper forensic audit to be carried out under the auspices of a Royal Commission of Inquiry and see who goes to jail
TalRussell 8 years ago
Comrade The Messanger i am probably the most non-political blogger on these hereto Tribune pages. I have never worn a party's colours t -shirt. I never take anything personal, nor will I respond on a personal level,
The major differences is I take no party or politician's sides. Good is good. You cannot be 90% honest. Wrong is wrong Corruption and greed, all should be punishable - some acts call for call for jailing.
Whenever the government hands over money, its always the peoples money. Is it not fair to say that it is good when the dirt of the politics practiced from both sides political isles, are being exposed before the public?
Maybe, I just want whatever needs coming out to come out and allow the chips to take down whomever it touches.
If you make bed nails, be prepared sleep on them.
themessenger 8 years ago
I actually see you as quite political but I am a firm believer in letting the chips fall where they may regardless of whose tree you chapping. However the bed of nails that I and the rest of the country are currently reclining on was sold to us by the PLP and was probably manufactured in China at the same time as we got sold down the river.
Economist 8 years ago
Has anyone asked what programs STB has in place?
I understand that they have established some very good programs that educate our young on how to protect the environment.
And yes, they are holding the government accountable for the environment. Nothing wrong with that.
sheeprunner12 8 years ago
There is a lot of good fodder here for KB to make some very good songs for all of our enjoyment
birdiestrachan 8 years ago
No disrespect to KB the truth is he can not sing. He does not have a good voice. Loud music and shake up Yes. The truth is KB is a disciple of "The out spoken QC" When he says jump KB says how high. Is he the same one on a talk show who said The women of Trinidad. were better looking than the Bahamian Women? I am hoping KB is not a part of the plot to cast the Government in a bad light. why place pictures of Mr: Christie as a puppet in a STB Advertisment? I trust that in the not to distant future one will see KB on the pavement praying along with the QC ' j
TalRussell 8 years ago
Comrade ThisIsOurs I know you want be STB's ringmaster but when was the last time the Red Cross sued your elected government? Don't Non-Profits like the Red Cross, actually produce audited records?
Neither do I don't think they fly-off delegations to Washington to advocate against your elected government on behalf of Cubans?
Shouldn't it alarm you, that just a week back a director who was announcing their resignation from STB, said that they were 'never paid a salary' as a director of STB, and were totally 'unaware' that their fellow directors were not volunteers but being paid?
Yes, STB have in fact contributed to the protection of Bahamaland's environment but is that all they've have been doing? If it was, we wouldn't be having this discussion now, would we?
i have more on my index card but why bother if it's that you're okay with going Washington and the other points raised?
I will save my index card's points for later.
John 8 years ago
While KB is a very intelligent Bahamian and a very talented entertainer his anger towards the government seems distorted. The man is just too angry and seems to ready to hurl insults at persons who don't see things his way or share even his political views. You cannot find peace or progress in anger. Maybe he needs to tune his temper down a bit so he doesn't appear to be the offending party.
asiseeit 8 years ago
More people SHOULD be as angry as K.B., maybe then we would get a government that works for the people instead of the crap we have today.
TruePeople 8 years ago
Bless up to KB man give real talk through music
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...">https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
SP 8 years ago
............................... Cuba reports 14 per cent tourism increase in March .......................
As we discuss another failed government laden with scandals, asinine stupidity, incompetence and corruption all over the place, Cuba continues moving ahead at lightning speed having already accomplished more in the last 9 months than successive Bahamas governments accomplished in 50 years!
http://www.topix.com/forum/travel/TC0...">http://www.topix.com/forum/travel/TC0...
Bahamas hotels are empty and laying off staff one after the other while the minister of tourism and PLP hardliners are strutting around telling us "everything is OK".
What will it take for government to finally admit the obvious, that they have utterly failed in developing our tourism product and never had any clue about the business of tourism!
Government needs to get the hell out of the way and call for seasoned tourism professionals to map the way forward.
The saddest part is, tourism is actually a very simple business as proven by Cuba's proven ability to suddenly surge.
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