The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

My people Bahamians everywhere, we of these beautiful islands of the Bahamas. When will we come together the yellow, red, green, black, purple all the political partners? When will we speak the truth and say to each other enough is enough.

History has shown regrettably it has not taught us that every election cycle we listen to the rhetorics, and as the days, months, and years pass by, there isn't any action. Do any among us recall the word of the former Prime Minister (vote us back in and this time it will be for the people) seriously! Sir, let me remind you that the people gave you that opportunity. It was under that belief and purpose that we entrusted our future into your hands. I believe there are more among us that believe in the rule of law, yet we conform and fall in line like sheep. Truth being said from the time in which those learned men all of whom were educated and taught by the same colonial masters in which the then UBP were educated, sat and plotted and decided to divide and dissect this country for their political and economic benefit. I believe that at the time in which this was negotiated, intentions were not so polluted, but as time passed, priority and the plan at nation building changed to rape and ravage this country as if they were entitled.

Sadly the only thing changed by those that governed us regrettably was skin colour, white to black (One can only listen to the words they speak and observe their actions) they tell the people what they will allow us to see and disseminate. Please hear what I am saying, people.

Let us look at a few of the issues we have been battling over the last few years. Freedom of information, political campaign reform, disclosure of assets and funds, transparency in bidding and procurement contracts, Immigration, crime, education and most of all the Elephant in the room, corruption within the government being that of the Courts, RBPF, RBDF, Customs, Immigration, BDOC the Public Service at large. My Bahamians, ask yourselves when and why it can't be all fixed. Everything starts from the top. The late Dr Myles Munroe always called those politicians out and spoke about servant leadership. He was a son of the Bahamian soil. God bless his soul, and may he rest in peace. Where are our religious leaders? Very few call them out and speak truth, very few, but yet, unlike many other countries of the West, the Bahamas is officially a Christian nation. T G Morrison, man of God, I applaud you, continue to be a beacon to speak truth in redefining purpose. There are times in which the masses need only to hear truth from those of you with influence and a voice to embark on a movement for change if God’s anointed words are not favorably received and put into action.

John Maxwell emphasizes that leaders should serve and prioritize the needs of the masses. Servant leadership practices humility, empathy, and compassion. Do we honestly see this in any of our leaders of today? Everyone wants to hold that position of power, yet nothing is fixed. The only thing that happens is a new slave master from the same coin. When power was taken away from the white UBP, there was an abundance of a new beginning, a promising future ahead under the late Lynden Oscar Pindling. Regrettably, good things don't last forever. The Honorable Hubert Ingraham again brought new hope to our blessed country for a brief period, an administration time short lived.

We must always be reminded that absolute power corrupts. This is what continues to erode the moral principles of this nation. There is no oversight, no check, and balance in government. There has not been a sitting Prime Minister in our history to fix this, and it's by design. This is wrong to the core. it's insanity we continually conduct business as usual, who checks the PM - no one. We call them Honourable, and we use this word so loosely without realizing that this word carries a lot of responsibility with it. Just take a page from British parliament proceedings they take it seriously, and it is held in high regard. The allegations the words uttered out of our parliamentarians' mouths, the charges before the courts, the scandals, this isn't what Honourable is all about. Honouerable is about doing the right thing by resigning. We must hold our parliamentarians to a higher standard, it does not mean that if you are now a part of this club, you are untouchable. It is not casual formality in which a sitting Prime Minister can simply say that he or she doesn't accept a resignation from a fellow parliamentarian it is their duty to do som it is the Honourable thing to do. Resign and move out of the way.

When will we demand change? protesting, marching, demonstrating. When will we take our country back from these past leaders of 35 years of complete non-governance? There are things they don't ever wish for us to ever know. Do our taxpayers' funds go to pay for their escapades and lavish trips? Contracts are given to friends and family. Legislation is passed for the same, while they burden the masses with taxes and mismanage public funds. There is no honour in many of them. Do you really think if it was their monies to be spent their businesses to chance they would be spending so lavishly as if there is no end? Waste is the order of the day.

Friends do any of you recall a few years back when we, the taxpayers, were informed, mistakenly informed, I must add, the Christmas Carnival that comes here each year, pays the sitting administration XXX amount of monies, as patronage to conduct business. Through this information, we were further advised that this payment goes to the actual party itself. Is this a real country? If true, where was the outcry? Why are we accepting this type of mediocracy behaviour? One can only imagine what other unscrupulous acts take place and is at play among these, so-called honourable men and women during the back room deals. Regrettably, unless serious change takes place, we will never know.

I reflect on this point and ask you this question: We are a small country, why do we try to compete so hard with acquiring resources that we do not need and can't certainly afford or sustain for the most part? The majority of countries' expenditure is absorbed into an island 21x7? We boast of being the richest little nation in the Caribbean causing various administrations to heist our basket to that of our big brother to the north, the United States of America, a country that is able to afford and maintain the lifestyle. Look at other countries around the world, Europe or the Caribbean, do they spend so lavishly on (shiny things) such as Police vehicles as we do? Imagine just one of those cruisers purchased by successive governments can purchase four mid-size sedans, causing an increase in adequate Police vehicles at various outstations that can truly decrease response time and provide timely service for complaints.

It has been alleged that just about every high-ranking Police Officer, and I dare to say, superintendents and up drives around in a brand new Explorer Jeep. Look at what our ministers, judges, and senior government officials are driving today. Who pays for this? Why do they need such expensive vehicles, and guess what, people, when they retire, those same vehicles are gifted over to those individuals for a small cost. Is this what they do to keep you, our more learned voices of society silenced?

The police outriders! The motorcycles who bought those vehicles? Is it not the Bahamas government via the Bahamian taxpayers? So, every day you see them speeding and traversing through the streets, whether being funerals or otherwise, are those funds paid into the public treasury? After all, they are government bought and owned vehicles, are they not? With that being said, can I then use the government’s bus on weekends, book tours for the tourists, and the proceeds from that undertaking go to a social club at my ministry? How did we get here? They spend, and I dare the masses to question, but God forbid you or I to question this, then you become the enemy of those who benefit without ever thinking about the country's future and our children's future, again a way to keep the Police Force silenced.

Good people, we need an awakening, true intervention. The Bahamas has many resources and has a lot of wealth. We are blessed because of our proximity to the great United States of America. regrettably, current and past leaders, in my opinion, have inflected more injury and harm to this country over the past years than that under the former UBP era.

They say government's are to be continuous, but are they really, because each time an administration/government changes it’s a stop review and cancel policy. Regardless of how efficient or beneficial the undertakings or ideas were, it would be cast aside regardless of the cost. Tell me if this makes sense to you? We scrap the working ideas and waste funds because it was not under your administration? We are like a hamster just spinning and spinning, but not going anywhere.

Ask yourself the question when last has a law been passed that truly aids and benefits the masses? Take a look at the amendments and laws passed, especially in finance. Understand it research who actually benefits, then a month or two later, see what business emerged and who owns said business. People we know what we need, and we know what type of government we should have. We all know who among our parliamentarians actually means well despite the collective agreement foolishness that's at play. Let us force the hands that present themselves to govern us. We know who works, we know who is corrupt, and whose loyalty lies elsewhere without looking at the colours. Once we establish this, we then must grab the table, turn it upside down, and start over. Always remember that this crime is fueled by corruption. They both need each other to coexist with success. Open your eyes and look within. Are you truly satisfied with the life you're living? - Robert Nesta Marley.

T ROLLE

Nassau,

January 23, 2024.