The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

It has come to my attention that rumours have begun to spin the past few months regarding who will become the new Controller of Road Traffic.

I am advised that among a short list, names like Leon Bethel and Quinn McCartney have surfaced to replace now controller Ross Smith when he demits office later this year. Honestly, a decision to put either gentlemen in the chair, would reek of political cronyism and ripe nepotism and would thoroughly mirror the actions of the now disgraced and defunct Progressive Liberal Party 2.0, (The Christie Edition) since it has been rumoured that both men have a special affinity to the political group known as the Free National Movement. 

Presently, the Department of Road Traffic finds itself with a minister of Transportation, who is either uninterested with Road Traffic Safety and Policy Implementation or extremely overtaken by some other portfolio, whether personal or otherwise. It is becoming increasingly more difficult not to realise that Frankie Campbell is possibly the most inactive minister in the cabinet today. In actuality, the only thing I can recall hearing from the Minister in the last year of his tenure were fledgling attempts to out the flames started by former Senator Rodney Moncur surrounding his citizenship. 

Much of his articulations and communications surrounding traffic policy, particularly the public transportation sector, appears to be nothing more than lifted talking points from, The Hon Glenys Hanna Martin’s past speeches and interviews. There is no clear direction, no clear plan, no clear policy position, no clear amendments and more importantly no sign of any tangible improvement to the public transportation sector. Frankly put, in a real life situation, this minister of transportation would receive a fixed penalty for being asleep at the wheel. 

The minister needs direction. He needs vision with seniority and someone with the ability to execute in the department of Road Traffic, as his controller. What he does not need, is some former senior officer with a sense of entitlement coming into the chair, simply to soak up some gravy. We must realise from our past experience that this formula has borne no fruit. Further, he must also be aware that he doesn’t need a well-intended novice, with great ideas but poor methodology and the inability to execute in the seat of Controller of Road Traffic. You should recall, only as recent as the appointment of this present controller, that formula resulted in the screeching halt of the public transportation system with the unlawful removal of bus stops in the downtown area. 

The rookie minister must now lean on someone that will do well for his lack of performance in and around the transportation industry. He needs someone that can second string and shuffle well. It must be someone that knows the ins and outs of the department and has the respect and reverence of members of the public transportation industry with the ability to be reasonable and fair. The next controller must be a person that is seen as credible by those members and a person who has enough energy to push on the work that Mr Smith has undertaken; with new policies, like the implementation of a more regulated public transportation system firstly and possibly of a unified transportation system in the future. There is therefore only one person that comes to mind when we consider who the next controller should be; “A Woman,” one who has proven that she has all of the capabilities and competence necessary to fill that chair. How long will we pretend to be unaware that it was this woman who successfully shadowed at least three of the last four controllers and in many instances appeared more competent, compassionate and firm, but fair in the execution of her duty as the Assistant Controller. 

You can ask around the industry of public transportation and will no doubt be resoundingly assured that Ernestine Fernander is possibly the most capable and competent person to fill that chair at this time. 

When we consider the massive failings or underperformance by controllers in the past, one would be hard pressed to understand in fact, what would be keeping her from the chair. What? Other than the fact that she is a woman and the greatest injustice of mankind which is, man’s inhumanity to man, has been visited upon this woman. I am frightened to imagine what would happen to the industry of the public transportation sector of the Bahamas under a rookie cabinet minister who seems detached from his responsibilities as Minister of Transportation; particularly if paired with someone that he may still see himself as a subordinate to. You see, old habits die hard and it may be difficult for an inexperienced minister to reign in an overly ambitious, new controller, ill-advised of the policies and procedures of the Road Traffic Department that he, because of old habits may still see himself as a subordinate to. Certainly we can overlook this woman no longer, as I firmly believe that the route to fixing, enhancing and efficiently regulating the public transportation sector is something that she is quite capable of achieving. 

There will be nay-sayers that suggest that she has had an opportunity to be assistant controller and may ask, what could she possibly bring to the table now? One would need only look at the sample of the formula, of the transition of former Commissioner Greenslade to his immediate deputy and now Commissioner Ferguson; who has in six months almost unquestionably, changed the direction and the performance of the force; subsequently changing the trajectory of our crime statistics. 

This most recent test case is a clear testimony that sometimes, it only takes one person in the right chair. It takes one person to change the culture and one person in the right chair to usher in the dawn of a new day. I believe that person is Ms Ernestine Fernander and the most appropriate chair, is Controller of Road Traffic.

Minister Campbell must wake up, because we are headed toward the one-year mark under his leadership and the road ahead will be difficult to navigate. The honeymoon is over and we require action and manifestation. He cannot do it asleep at the wheel, as he has in my estimation been doing the last eleven months. Further, if by chance the intoxication of the power of his new office, the tailored suits and the chauffeured blue plate, with preferred parking is impairing his ability to steer the Road Traffic Department in the right direction, then I would rather no other designated driver than Ms Ernestine Fernander. After all, the other rumoured names in the mill, may be just as equally intoxicated and drive us all off the cliff. We must end this inhumanity to this woman, Mr Campbell, and we must do it now. 

Presently, I am thoroughly disappointed with Frankie Campbell and he is no longer a member of my big three possible top performers in this administration. Mr Campbell, keep the others, deny your allegiance that you may have to them and for the betterment of the industry, give us Ernestine Fernander and I assure you, I tote water for nobody.

LEYVON A MILLER III, JP

Nassau,

April 18, 2018.