By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis pledged to transform ZNS from what was a “state propaganda machine under the last government” into a “properly functioning public broadcasting corporation” yesterday as he spoke at Government House during a swearing-in ceremony for parliamentary secretaries and government senators.
“In 1992, the Free National Movement freed the broadcast media from state control,” he said. “It is now time to liberate the state broadcast agency from political manipulation.”
Dr Minnis appointed Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe, the MP-elect for West End and Bimini, as parliamentary secretary to the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for information and communications.
Dr Minnis also said that “in due course” he will appoint people to serve on various boards and councils of government corporations and organisations.
“I am especially excited to invite a new generation of young people to serve on government boards,” he said. “They will bring new energy, new ideas and a new perspective.”
His comments came as Carmichael MP-Elect Desmond Bannister was officially appointed minister of works.
Five parliamentary secretaries were also sworn in yesterday, including Vaughn Miller to the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development; Mrs Parker-Edgecombe to her post in the prime minister’s office; Carlton Bowleg to the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources; James Albury to the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Abaco and Travis Robinson to the Ministry of Tourism.
The nine FNM senators appointed were Katherine ‘Kay’ Forbes-Smith, who will serve as Senate president; Dr Mildred Hall-Watson, who will serve as vice-president; We March organiser Ranard Henfield; trade unionists Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson and Sharon Ferguson-Knowles; former FNM Torchbearers President Jamal Moss; FNM Treasurer Dwight Sawyer; Pastor Jasmin Turner-Dareius and former Fox Hill MP Juanianne Dorsett.
Last week, Attorney General Carl Bethel, Labour Minister Dion Foulkes and Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson were also appointed as FNM senators. Mr Bethel will serve as leader of government business in the Senate.
The Progressive Liberal Party also released its list of expected Senate appointees yesterday, with party Chairman Bradley Roberts saying former Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell, former Grand Bahama Minister Michael Darville, attorney Jobeth Colbey Davis and the PLP’s North Eleuthera candidate Clay Sweeting will be the party’s senators to be appointed today.
Comments
birdiestrachan 6 years, 11 months ago
never mind doc, he never ever makes any sense. empty barrel making much noise. the seven tried to get rid of him these others will succeed. It is not long now doc..
themessenger 6 years, 11 months ago
Birdie, I see you've reverted to form. Ya'll been eating those PLP road apples for so long the crow yinna eating now must taste like turkey buzzard.
TalRussell 6 years, 11 months ago
2012 Election Results Darold Miller can't pronounce name.
...////https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaL8O...">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaL8O...
by TalRussell
birdiestrachan 6 years, 11 months ago
Kay Smith appointment to the senate. The woman is unable to keep a job in the real world But she is Papa's girl so roc wit doc had no other choice.
DonAnthony 6 years, 11 months ago
How about a pledge to privatize ZNS and free the Bahamian people from this tax straining, biased, yoke around our neck. Taxpayers are sick and tired of paying for needless free riders. At the least half of ZNS's budget should be cut... like tomorrow. Why will my child and their children be paying for this useless crap?
sheeprunner12 6 years, 11 months ago
Sooooooo, a former news anchor is now running ZNS ........ like promoting Fredricka Whitfield to run CNN ....... That is the Bahamian way!!!!!! .......... But truly, ZNS needs a 180 degree turnabout
TalRussell 6 years, 11 months ago
Comrades! There was a time when ZNS was a radio station ran like a fine Swiss watch. The citizens tuned in religiously for their fill the days news, sports, mail boats sailing schedules and who dead and who going funeral home them and what time they going be churched. Them were the good old radio days atop Collins Avenue - I myself did a live-on-air talk show at ZNS.
OMG 6 years, 11 months ago
It was so blatantly obvious that it was a PLP political platform paid for by our taxes. The "peoples station" like hell it was. In talking about the nightly 7 pm news a friend of mine disclosed that only now has he started watching again as previously it was Perry-Perry and more Perry. In fact it should have been renamed the Perry Christie hour. On another note the programming is so out of date and out of tune. Every afternoon about the time when kids are going home after a long day in the classroom is this boring useless "a time for eduction". I would be surprised if more than 50 kids listened to it. Then Sat when there should be fun music we have the same old Junknoo talks with the same subjects being discussed week after week. As for TV -that's a joke and most citizens and residents watch cable or Netflix. Time for a great change.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 11 months ago
Amen to that!!! ........ I trust that William Thompson, Diana Swann and Andrew Burrows have already cleared out their ZNS offices ........ They were disgraceful PLP operatives at the "people's station"
Honestman 6 years, 11 months ago
ZNS has become a national embarrassment. Time to privatize.
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