The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

‘Many eons ago, Troy, an island state of fabled fame, with an abundance of skilled and battle harden warriors, complete with an impregnable barrier wall, was overcome when the inhabitants pulled a huge wooden horse into the capital city. It was a beautiful and a magnificent creation that entranced the residents and was considered a favourable omen from ‘the gods’.

The wooden horse was filled to capacity with Greek soldiers who, once night would have descended on the city state, rappelled down from the hallowed interior of the horse and sacked the same while inflicting massive human and material damage. From then to now, people all over the world and throughout history have adopted the adage: ‘Beware the Trojan horse’. Simply put, this means that one must always be aware of the ‘enemy’ within.

It is no different today in our wonderful nation.

The Trojan horse is now outside our collective gates and is poised, if we succumb, to be pulled within our midst by over zealous fellow citizens who might be dazed or enchanted by the beautiful wooden horse.

As a trained lawyer with extensive criminal and constitutional law experience, I have always been of the firm legal view that Sarkis, et al, was shafted by the Gold Rush Administration, relative to the Baha Mar saga. I am PLP to my very core, but the man was wronged, big time.

Having said this, however, it must also be clearly understood that the legal maxim: “He who comes to equity must come with clean hands” still applies.

It has been alleged that Sarkis, even while negotiating with the PM, in supposedly good faith, he and his legal eagles were preparing to file assorted petitions in Delaware over in the USA, without prior or any notice to Mr Christie! This, I submit, does not qualify Sarkis for the invocation of any sort of equitable relief herein. His best bet, in my considered view, is to file an application right here in The Bahamas for compensation on a quantum meruit basis, against all relevant parties, inclusive of the government. How more simple can it get?

It is useless and possibility treasonous, for a foreign investor, with residency status, to even contemplate a politically disguised coup d’etat via a thinly veiled Trojan horse, to overthrow or compromise a Bahamian government. The FNM appears to be in his camp and has now approved and ratified several candidates who are known to be associated with him and his business ventures.

Is it conceivable that he, et al, will fund the campaigns of these apparent Trojan horses? Is it possible that the economic crumbs will fall, conveniently, into the lap of this political entity?

The PLP is a flawed party.

It has made many mistakes and missteps over this term but at least we tried.

Failure, my beloved, is all a part of the process of life.

When one falls in life it is not so important that one fell.

What is important is that one gets back up and presses on with the never ending battle. So it must be with the PLP.

On a personal level I am happy to see some of the candidates being rolled out by the two major parties.

Most of them are still youthful and have accumulated much experience in the various professions; the business world and other fields of endeavours. Whoever is elected from the mix will, I am certain, bring something new to the parliamentary and national tables.

There are some other candidates, however, who are not known to have been politically motivated or even to have vocalized any minute desire to serve the unwashed masses hitherto. I do not state this to merely suggest that they might have an ulterior agenda, but you ask yourself the questions which you might, no doubt, wish to ask me. The answers are so clear-cut and salient that no explanation is needed.

The Trojan horses, along with at least one mule, are at our electoral gates.

If we let them in what will be the consequences and where will their equine loyalties lie?

It is not desirable, in my opinion, for any foreign investor/resident to inject him or herself into our local politics in an overt manner.

Yes, all parties and most individuals who are seeking to retain or to be first elected to office will approach or be approached to secure funding from whatever sources. That, sadly, in the absence of campaign finance laws and regulations, is how it is.

Sarkis , seemingly, is being badly advised. It is yet another Bahamian adage that: “There is more than one way to skin a cat”. It is time, I suggest, that someone in his orbit tell him this in all seriousness. The PLP is being handed an electoral bone that we will run with while gnawing on the same.

The PLP knows a Trojan horse and, certainly, an Inagua jack ass when we see one.

It does not, however, matter, who comes up against the Gold Rush 3.0 in 2017. We did it before and we will do it again. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H.

BODIE JR.

Nassau,

October 29, 2016.