The Tribune

SHARP eyes spotted what could be called a sign of the times at a complex off Bernard Road.

A sign, half hidden, has gone up on a long-empty development there. The sign reads “Commission of Inquiry”.

Of course, no such commission exists. Yet.

What will such a commission explore? Well, there are various possibilities. In this column, we have agreed with the call from Central and South Abaco John Pinder for a formal inquiry to establish how many people really died in Hurricane Dorian.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis in opposition promised a commission into the events surrounding Hurricane Dorian. He said in the summer that he has not ruled out an inquiry – although so far he has not ruled it in either.

It would not be out of line to consider such a commission into the handling of COVID-19 in The Bahamas – so that we might better learn how to handle such matters in future, heaven forbid such wisdom would be needed.

Then there are the unlikely options – we doubt the government is heeding our February 2020 call for a commission to sift through the allegations surrounding Peter Nygard, including claims Mr Nygard was able to carry out his alleged crimes protected by a screen of senior politicians and police.

The value of a commission is to thoroughly bring to light issues that deserve to be dealt with. The lack of closure suffered by relatives of those who died in Hurricane Dorian demands answers – but it is not just about grief, it is about allowing individuals to move on, to resolve necessary paperwork to be able to confirm a death. That can have an affect on other people’s lives in terms of wills, all manner of documentation requiring proof of death, it can stop people remarrying, and so on.

That there is a place for such a commission is understandable – but it is curious that the build-up to it is so quiet if the issues are so pressing and demanding of answers.

What we don’t need is a side show that is intended to dig up dirt ahead of an election. If there is dirt to be had, it ought to be exposed, by all means – but the last thing relatives need is their situation of genuine grief being used for political point scoring. We hope that is far from the case.

There is a curious side story to all of this, too.

Those who have driven past that Bernard Road complex have doubtless wondered over the years why it has been standing there empty so long.

If the government is renting it, it would be intriguing to know how long it has been rented and how much we have paid overall – plus who is being paid. It should be easy enough to check the contract and let people know.

Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis suggested it had been approved as a location for Road Traffic under his administration but then deemed insufficient. We hope we have not been forking out for an empty space since then. Money for nothing is of no help to our pockets.