Party chairmen speak out on House row

The Nassau Guardian

Party chairmen speak out on House row

A heated row in the House of Assembly between Prime Minister Perry Christie and Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner was uncalled for and reduced the level debate in the House, several politicians said yesterday.

Butler-Turner suggested that Prime Minister Perry Christie has a dislike for women after he said he will not be intimated by her “might or size”.

Christie shot back, saying, his family would be amused “at the question of my sexuality” suggested by Butler-Turner.

St. Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman said Christie’s comments were disgraceful.

“I felt embarrassed,” he said. “I was just sitting there and you ask yourself, ‘Is this what you got into politics for?’ We crossed a line there.”

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts felt that Butler-Turner was too emotional.

“She threatened to slap somebody again,” he said. “Christie certainly took a swipe at that. But she was like a bull in the china shop. She was way off base.

“Christie in a nice way said my colleague right here…is of a similar size too. He certainly took no umbrage with regard to that.”

Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Darron Cash said Christie was thin-skinned and defended Butler-Turner’s reaction.

“She is a good woman to be able to exercise the kind of constraint that she has,” Cash said.

“They have dropped the level of debate on the other side, but she has continued to comport herself in a most dignified manner. She has done better than most people can do.”

Cash noted though that MPs should remember that they are being looked up to.

“On the rare occasions that our members loose their cool, all of them are still under a strong obligation to remember that people are watching and people are looking to them for leadership,” he said. “So as much as a strong response may be necessary, sometimes you will have to control your tongue and not give them the benefit of a response that is really justified.”

Butler-Turner and MICAL MP V. Alfred Gray were arguing over amendments the Ingraham administration made to the Mayaguana deal between the government of The Bahamas and the I-Group.

The Ingraham administration had referred to the original deal entered into by the first Christie administration as the “great land give-away”.

“I am not ashamed of who I am,” Butler-Turner said. “When (my grandfather, the late former governor general) Milo Butler was leading the charge for the PLP, nobody had a problem with his size.

“But because I am on this side, you have a problem with it? Well you face it. This is my size, I am a woman and I am proud of who I am.

“As for my being offended by the prime minister, I don’t need an apology from him.  He clearly demonstrates that he has a dislike for me, my size and maybe women.”

Christie fired back: “To those gladiators who sit along with her...they would know the tragic error of her ways in applying an imputation, the suggestion to me, they would know better. And they would know better because we have met in the forum of activities before.

“My wife knows, she knows what I was when she met me, a man of distinguished reputation in the field of valor.”

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BEC pulls plug on Inagua

The Nassau Guardian

BEC pulls plug on Inagua

Nearly half the residents of Inagua were plunged into darkness this week when the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) carried out a mass disconnection exercise.

Around 200 residential customers and several commercial customers were impacted, The Nassau Guardian understands.

There are approximately 450 households on the island, MICAL MP V. Alfred Gray estimated.

BEC Executive Chairman Leslie Miller said yesterday delinquent consumers on Inagua owe more than $500,000, and have not paid their bills in at least four years.

Miller said those residents have been fortunate, benefitting from bill reductions, numerous payment plans and other incentives such as a two-week amnesty period.

“The amnesty is now up,” he said. “They now need to pay their bills.

“Some people are complaining that they did not get their bills, but I’m sure the bills would have been issued.

“And I know they know where to pick up their bills... so they need to stop playing these little silly games.”

However, some residents said they simply cannot afford to pay 30 percent of their bills to have their lights turned on.

Some residents admitted they owe thousands of dollars.

Prudence Palapious, 62, a retired mother of two, said she owes more than $3,000.

But she said she can barely afford basic essentials.

“It is something that you can only sit down and cry about,” she said.

“I mean to demand so much money from people and then come down, and just turn people off, it’s just terrible.”

Miller said despite BEC giving residents “every opportunity to pay” in many cases, no attempt was made to even pay a portion of the bill.

He said those who made an attempt to pay their bills have remained on the grid.

But Elva Lindo, a mother of four, said she is struggling and just could not afford to pay 10 percent of her now $3,500 bill when BEC offered its assistance program in June.

The program was launched in an effort to reconnect more that 7,000 delinquent residential customers throughout The Bahamas.

Novelet Turnquest-Handfield, a self-employed mason, who has two dependents, said she owes around $13,000.

“I have been trying to pay on it every time I get a couple of dollars, but what they are asking for is a killer,” she said.

“When they (BEC officials) first came up here they were asking you to pay within two years.

“I said I could do mine in three years with a push.

“Then it was changed to two years, and now it is 18 months. How can people afford that?”

Leon Turnquest, a retired contractor, said unemployment has been high on the island for years.

Turnquest said it would take time before residents can make any dent in their bills.

He called on the government to assist before the whole island ends up in darkness.

Turnquest said his bill is $7,000.

He said he managed to come up with the 30 percent ($2,100) required for reconnection, but doubts the next payment will be met.

“People don’t make that kind of money here on this island,” Turnquest said.

“Even after signing the agreement people can’t afford it. And my bill is a joke compared to some people.”

In the House of Assembly last December, Gray said he understood the outstanding bills owed to Morton Bahamas Limited before BEC assumed responsibility for power generation had been “forgiven”.

He said he would work with the government to find out why that had not happened.

Yesterday, Gray said he tried to have the matter resolved, but BEC’s debt burden did not permit it to consider it.

“I was able to get them to offer a payment plan, which [was reasonable],” he said.

“But that was the best they could have done because they too were going through heavy financial losses.

“They could not write it off.”

Asked about the corporation’s cut off policy and why residents were allowed to run up such large bills, Miller said that following the transfer of power generation from Morton to BEC, residents did not pay for 54 months.

But he did not say why BEC went so long without disconnecting supplies.

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Roberts tells Abaco residents govt’s cleaning up FNM mess

The Nassau Guardian

Roberts tells Abaco residents govt’s cleaning up FNM mess

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts told North Abaco residents that a protracted recession and slow recovery have hindered an economic turnaround.

Roberts said the Christie administration is working to clean up the “mess” made by the Free National Movement (FNM) administration.

“The government’s mandate to turn things around is a five-year mandate, not three months, not six months and not a year,” said Roberts at a public meeting of the North Abaco PLP Branch in Marsh Harbour.

October 15 marked the one-year anniversary of the North Abaco by-election, which saw PLP candidate Renardo Curry beat out FNM hopeful Greg Gomez.

The area’s previous MP, former Prime Minister and former FNM Leader Hubert Ingraham, won his seat eight consecutive times before retiring last year.

Roberts blamed the Ingraham administration’s fiscal policies for the country’s current financial situation.

“We are working from a severe deficit position that was not of our doing,” Roberts said.

“You hired us to clean up the mess left behind by the FNM and for all the gloom and doom preached by the critics of the PLP government, not one critic can say with the support of empirical evidence that the policies of the PLP government have made conditions in the country worse.

“We all agree that the economic recovery is slower than we would like and that serious crimes are not declining as rapidly as we would like, but all objectively minded people can see that the government is making the right decisions for the long term growth and stability of The Bahamas.”

Roberts said the government has committed to several initiatives meant to help North Abaco.

He said the government has approved several projects, including the Blackfly Bonefish Lodge at Schooner Bay; the Sand Bar Beach Club and Resort at Treasure Cay Beach and Caribe Farms Ltd., a 2,000-acre commercial farming project.

Roberts said the government is evaluating several large projects in Sandy Point and the Abaco cays.

He referenced an ongoing program for road repair and potable water distribution in Abaco and other Family Islands and a $10 million allocation in this year’s budget for sports infrastructure on the Family Islands.

Roberts added that work on the new Marsh Harbour International Airport will be done soon and said the government will contract a third party to operate the new facility.

He said the government has also committed to constructing the North Abaco seaport and expediting repairs at the Treasure Cay Airport in this budget cycle.

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Latest airport terminal opens

The Nassau Guardian

Latest airport terminal opens

A new Domestic Arrivals and Departures and International Departures Terminal was officially opened at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) last night.

During the event, Prime Minister Perry Christie acknowledged the contributions of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham in continuing with his government’s plans for the facility.

“This modern, spacious airport has been completed just in time, when we need to secure more airlift to accommodate the large traffic demands being created in Nassau/Paradise Island by the new Baha Mar mega resort, new programs and attractions at Atlantis, the next phase of expansion at Albany, the revitalization of the tourism industry taking place in Grand Bahama and expanding resort projects in Abaco, Bimini, Eleuthera, Exuma and San Salvador,” Christie said.

“In this stage alone, more than $105 million was awarded to Bahamian contractors and at the peak of construction some 350 workers were working on-site.

“Transforming LPIA took a lot of man hours, and an investment of some $400 million, the largest single infrastructural project ever undertaken in the history of our nation.

“I acknowledge the contributions of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and his administration in continuing with the implementation of the plans which my administration had left in place.”

Vantage Airport Group was awarded a contract by the first Christie administration to transform LPIA into a world-class airport.

Scores of dignitaries and other Bahamians attended the opening last night.

Before Christie spoke, the Grammy award-winning group Baha Men performed.

Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin said the opening of the new terminal would have made former Prime Minister the late Sir Lynden Pindling proud.

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Prime minister tells customs, immigration union be patient

The Nassau Guardian

Prime minister tells customs, immigration union be patient

Prime Minister Perry Christie urged the Bahamas Customs Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU) to be patient with the government over its requests for additional health insurance and benefits, adding that the union should take a look at the government’s finances.

Last week, BCIAWU Vice President Sloane Smith threatened to take a strike vote if the government does not provide medical insurance coverage for non-uniformed customs and immigration employees.

The union also wants the government to provide utility and transport allowances for people relocated to the Family Islands.

Smith said the union filed a trade dispute with the Department of Labour last Thursday and would take further action if the government does not resolve the matter by November 1.

Christie said while he is sympathetic to the union’s demands, the government is constrained financially.

“We have been in discussions with the customs and immigration union for a very long time; since we first came to office,” he said. “We have told them we are very committed and prepared for them to look at the books.

“We invited them to even talk to the International Monetary Fund. . .to see what kind of slack we have in the system to be able to accommodate them.”

He added: “We are sympathetic to people who have to go and work in islands and who suffer as a result of it. I’m sympathetic of any kind of condition we place people who have to leave their homes and go to an island to serve the country and have their quality of life diminished.

“The question will always for us be when are we able to accommodate requests given the state of the economy.”

However, before the 2012 election Christie pledged that a Progressive Liberal Party government would resolve outstanding union issues.

“I want to say to labor in the public service, to the customs and immigration officers in particular, to the air traffic controllers union, you know when the PLP says is will sit down and talk with you and resolve these matters, you know that we will do so,” Christie said at an election rally at Arawak Cay.

“You can depend on us.”

The BCIAWU protested in the weeks before the May 7 general election and said its concerns were dismissed by the former government.

Their issues included health insurance, compensation and what the union called an illegal shift system.

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Govt changes gaming bill

The Nassau Guardian

Govt changes gaming bill

The government has reversed its decision to include a controversial provision in the new gaming bill that would have allowed permanent residents and work permit holders to gamble in casinos in The Bahamas.

The new bill was tabled in the House of Assembly last Wednesday.

The recommendation to allow those categories of people to be able to gamble legally was made by the casino committee established to push for reforms of the gaming industry.

After The Nassau Guardian made the last draft of the bill public in April, it sparked outrage among some Bahamians.

The bill in its previous form would have allowed work permit holders and permanent residents to gamble legally in The Bahamas.

In response to public angst over that revelation, the government revised the bill and eliminated that provision.

As it regards who would be allowed to gamble legally in The Bahamas, the government has now decided to allow the status quo to remain.

The bill that was tabled in the House of Assembly prohibits gaming for any person who is ordinarily resident in The Bahamas; is the holder of a permanent residence certificate; is the holder of a work permit or is the spouse of any of those people.

“Insofar as the permanent residents or the whole discussion of Bahamians in casinos, that is a discussion that requires further and much broader dialogue,” said Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe, who has responsibility for gaming.

“And why that’s important is when you take into consideration that there was a referendum that spoke to how Bahamians generally feel about the participation in Internet gaming or numbers as we call it, it is my view that before you introduce widespread gaming to Bahamians, we must begin a process of dialogue on gaming, the good and the bad.

“We must put in place a program that deals with individuals who become addicted and we must put funding in place for that.

“That to me is a process that takes much longer than what we are doing now.  We would need a significant period of time to do it correctly.”

The licensees had proposed the imposition of an entry levy for permanent residents and work permit holders.

The bill is viewed as crucial to casino operators who fear losing ground to other jurisdictions.

While the bill is intended to make them more competitive, it does not provide for the regularization and taxation of other forms of gaming, including web shop gaming.

On January 28, a majority of people who voted in a referendum on gambling voted against the establishment of a national lottery, and the regularization and taxation of web shops.

The new bill would allow casino operators to engage in mobile and Internet gaming.

Debate on the bill is scheduled to take place next week.

Asked yesterday whether the government bowed to pressure in eliminating the provision on permanent residents and work permit holders, Wilchcombe said, “You have the voice of the people that we heard through the radio stations, through the newspapers.  I think that is the voice of democracy, which is good.

“This is a victory for democracy.”

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Crooked Island school finally repaired

The Nassau Guardian

Crooked Island school finally repaired

CROOKED ISLAND – More than two years after Hurricane Irene severely damaged Colonel Hill High School on Crooked Island, students were finally able to relocate to their school on Monday, October 7th.

Minister of Education, Science and Technology Jerome Fitzgerald had promised that the school would be open in September.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said: “School started on September 2, in the rented facility and the new school was ready for occupation on Tuesday, October 1, although students did not attend on that date.

“The ministry is satisfied that the repairs carried out will allow the school to operate as normal for the principal, eight teachers and 30 students at the Colonel Hill High School.”

The students were relocated to a guesthouse in September 2011.  The Nassau Guardian visited the area back in 2012 and noticed that a nightclub and bar were on the same property as the school.

The statement said the supplemental works started on September 30, they were completed on October 1 and the cost was $9,000.

The statement added that the repairs were executed in addition to the works done under the $280,000 contract awarded to Renzo Construction earlier this year.

However, Parent Teacher Association President Edith Bain said teachers and students were forced back into the school on September 27, while work was still ongoing at the school.

“Please be advised that the children of Crooked Island High School were out of the classroom last week because the school was not ready for them,” said Bain in an email to The Nassau Guardian.

“This left the teachers traumatized emotionally and the local pastors had to go and pray with them so that their spirits could be lifted.

“Note also that workmen were still on the premises with the tractor working feverishly trying to ready the school for occupancy.

“The parents wrote to the minister of education asking him to allow the school to remain where it was until at least December and we got no answer from him, rather the authorization was handed down on [September 27] to move immediately.  Why the haste to move?

“We do not know, but we refused to send our children in that environment last week.”

Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) President Belinda Wilson said the union’s concern is that teachers may not have enough space to operate.

The Nassau Guardian understands that half of the school was bulldozed and the other half was repaired.

During his first year in office, Fitzgerald had boasted of a multimillion-dollar school upgrade around The Bahamas, but never mentioned Colonel Hill High School until The Nassau Guardian published a story on the school’s plight.

The school remained almost untouched after Hurricane Irene until earlier this year when work started.

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Nottage out of town for medical attention

The Nassau Guardian

Nottage out of town for medical attention

Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage is in the United States receiving medical attention, according to a statement issued by the Cabinet yesterday.

The statement said Nottage is expected to return home shortly, but did not state what he was receiving medical attention for.

Prime Minister Perry Christie will act as the minister of national security in Nottage’s absence, the statement said.

In May, Nottage flew to Florida for an evaluation at the Cleveland Clinic, according to a press release from the government.

According to a source close to the matter, Nottage is conducting a follow up to his initial visit in May.

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FNM concerned over contract workers

The Nassau Guardian

FNM concerned over contract workers

The Free National Movement (FNM) yesterday expressed concern that more than 20 employees at the Business License Unit were let go on Friday after their contracts expired.

Peter Turnquest, the FNM’s shadow minister of finance, said in a statement the workers performed essential services and the issue is a cause for concern.

“Quite frankly, the FNM’s position is that the prudent step for the government would be to hold the line on public employment levels for a while longer, especially if — as the present case suggests — there is meaningful work for the people to do.”

Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis said yesterday the contracts of the workers in question expired earlier this year.

He said some workers will be rehired.

“For administrative purposes we decided to let all contracts expire and reengage some of the workers on a contract basis based on the need of the department and the past performance of the workers,” Halkitis said.

Turnquest also questioned why the government would spend money on advice from foreign consultants instead of keeping Bahamians employed.

Minister of Health Dr. Perry Gomez said recently the government had talks with a Canadian-based healthcare company and an international accounting firm on the implementation and cost of National Health Insurance.

“Such a move would not be money well spent,” Turnquest said. “Instead of keeping average Bahamians employed, the government seems prepared to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions of dollars, to study how they can impose yet another tax on the public.

“The new health charge would be in addition to passed-along new bank fees, customs levies and VAT.

“Given the considerable level of new and impending taxes already announced, the new health charge seems highly unlikely to fly. This begs the question of whether the administration should spend money on the high-priced consultants at this time.”

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PAC wants government to disclose consultant costs

The Nassau Guardian

PAC wants government to disclose consultant costs

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament will request the government to disclose exactly how much it paid U.K. and South African consultants it engaged to advise on gaming before the January 28 gambling referendum.

“You can say to me that we always use them as consultants, but you brought them down for a specific reason,” said St. Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman, who chairs the Public Accounts Committee.

“That cost has to be associated with the referendum.  I’m going to demand it.

“We have to know how our money was spent and right now we can’t say.”

However, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts, who has served on the Gaming Board, suggested the opposition is pursuing a non-issue.

“Dixon, Wilson and Co. was engaged for countless years with The Bahamas,” he said.

“They have always been paid on the basis of annual retention subject to any work that they do.

“The opposition is wasting the public’s time suggesting that something unusual was paid out to Dixon, Wilson and Co.

“They need to go beat a drum somewhere else because that is a dead horse.”

Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage tabled the breakdown of costs associated with the referendum last week, but brushed off a request by Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis that the government table the costs of payments to the consultants.

“There were no consultants of which I am aware, not hired by my ministry or the Parliamentary Registration Department for the referendum,” Nottage said.

The document from the Parliamentary Registration Department stated that the referendum on web shop gaming and a national lottery cost the government $1,238,092.95.

Prime Minister Perry Christie told reporters in August 2012 that the government had engaged consultants from the United Kingdom to advise the Ministry of Finance on how a national lottery would be best structured in The Bahamas.

Christie then made the consultant, James Kidgell, a partner in Dixon, Wilson and Co., available to the media in November 2012, alongside his entire Cabinet.

When asked how much the consultant charged the government, Christie said: “I don’t know because there has been no bill put forward. But I know by and large we established a budget for this exercise.”

In January, Christie told reporters that South African consultants were advising the government on drafting comprehensive legislation relating to lotteries and gaming.

He said A and G Consulting, a firm recommended by Dixon, Wilson and Co., had “discussions with the Ministry of Finance and the Gaming Board with respect to how web shops function in The Bahamas”.

Christie said he expected the gaming industry to help pay the consultants’ fees. However, he could not confirm what the cost will be.

Chipman said he plans to put the question to the government next week.

Nottage was out of the country receiving medical attention, according to a statement issued by the Cabinet on Monday.

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DNA: Govt House rejected attempt to pay FNM bill

The Nassau Guardian

DNA: Govt House rejected attempt to pay FNM bill

The Democratic National Alliance claims that Government House yesterday rejected it’s effort to pay the Free National Movement’s outstanding $2,500 bill for a recent event at the facility.

DNA Interim Chairman Andrew Wilson, Deputy Leader Chris Mortimer and candidate for Montagu Ben Albury appeared as guests on Guardian Radio 96.9 FM’s Darold Miller Live, where host, Darold Miller, challenged the party to foot the bill.

It was a challenge Wilson took on with very little hesitation “to demonstrate to the Bahamian people the type of opposition we have”.

“When we look at the declarations of these men at the last election, they are all millionaires,” Wilson said.

“Some of them are the wealthiest people in The Bahamas.

“For them (the FNM) to go to Government House to be wined and dined like kings and queens... and refuse to pay the bill in these hard times when mothers can’t afford to put bread on the table is a disgrace.”

He said he would deal with any political consequences of his decision from the DNA.

Mortimer immediately chimed in that there would not be any.

DNA Leader Branville McCartney, who was contacted for comment, said he fully supports Wilson’s decision.

“As opposed to just bickering over this $2,500 we want to take it off the table so we will pay the bill,” he said.

“Let’s get back to the peoples’ business. We’ve got issues of VAT (value added tax) coming up. There is still this issue of crime.

“[There should not be] this back and forth as to who is going to pay for a party by our leaders.”

The reception followed the appointment of Carl Bethel as the FNM’s new senator.

Minnis has said the FNM will not pay the bill and called the incident a “slap in the face” to the party and democracy.

In Wednesday’s House of Assembly sitting, Prime Minister Perry Christie told Minnis not to expect the government to pay the bill either.

McCartney said he signed a check for the full amount and it was delivered to Government House around 1 p.m.

However, McCartney claimed a representative, who he did not name, later informed him that Government House could not accept the DNA’s check unless Minnis agreed to allow the party to pay his bill.

Attempts to contact Secretary to the Governor General Irene Stubbs were unsuccessful.

Asked whether the DNA would reach out to Minnis, McCartney said, “We made the gesture. We do not see any reason why after we paid. We are satisfied.”

The check was issued to the secretary to the governor general in the amount of $2,474.26.

When informed of the DNA’s commitment to pay the reception bill yesterday, the opposition leader laughed.

He said he is focused on holding the government accountable to the Bahamian people and did want to comment of the DNA’s decision.

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Norwegian megaship comes to Nassau

The Nassau Guardian

Norwegian megaship comes to Nassau

Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) cruise ship Breakaway made its maiden voyage to the port of Nassau yesterday, bringing about 4,000 passengers.

Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe, who spoke to reporters after an inaugural ceremony on the megaship, said the cruise will bring in about 200,000 passengers a year.

However, he said the ministry is not focusing on the number of cruise ship passengers who come in. He said the focus is on giving the passengers a real Bahamian experience.

Breakaway offers its guests a variety of dining options, various forms of entertainment including a casino, an aqua park, sports complex, and a number of live shows.

Wilchcombe said The Bahamas has to find a way to successfully compete with what the cruise ships are offering and get passengers to spend more on the island.

"In Nassau, we've got to get more of our visitors off the vessel because if you look at the spend, that's where my difficulty is,” he said, “If you have millions of visitors and they spend an average $60 to $70, that's not enough. We've got to get more spend which means there’s a demand on Bahamians to create more.

“We need to create more tours, more activities, more nightlife and to ensure that we have activities generally.”

Wilchcombe added: "The Bahamas must renew itself. If we don’t do that effectively then you become an old, tired destination, and once that happens people will want to go somewhere else. We want people to be so interested in The Bahamas that they want to spend.”

He said Bahamians must focus on the entertainment aspect of the business.

At 145,655 gross tons, the Breakaway is the world’s fifth largest cruise ship.

It will sail to Bermuda during the spring and summer and to The Bahamas and Florida in the winter.

Norwegian will also introduce another cruise, Getaway, which will travel to The Bahamas year-round, Wilchcombe said.

During the inaugural ceremony, Captain Evans Hoyt, the ship's master, said Norwegian is pleased to bring another ship to Bahamian shores.

He said the voyage was a "big first" for the cruise line and an example of the partnership that Norwegian has with the Government of The Bahamas.

The ship has the capacity to carry 3,969 passengers and 1,651 crew members.

Norwegian offers three, four and seven-day vacations to The Bahamas and Florida.

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Four charged with Clifton Pier drug bust

The Nassau Guardian

Four charged with Clifton Pier drug bust

Four alleged drug traffickers appeared in court yesterday in connection with the seizure of 118 pounds of marijuana.

Sherlin Woodside, 49, of Stafford Creek, Andros; Raymond Bain, 40, of Sandypoint, Abaco;  Dominique Smith, 32, of Firetrail Road, and Taneko Ferguson, 24, of Minnie Street, denied charges of conspiracy to possess drugs with intent to supply and drug possession with intent to supply at their arraignment before Magistrate Andrew Forbes.

Officers from DEU allegedly busted the men at Clifton Pier shortly after they arrived by boat on October 6.

Forbes told the men he did not have the authority to grant them bail for the offenses. He said they would remain in prison until their lawyer Ian cargill could seek bail in the Supreme Court.

Smith was charged separately with another count of drug possession with intent to supply that involved three pounds of marijuana. He also denied that allegation.

Forbes set trial dates of April 24 and 25 for both cases.

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Crooked Island police shooting death inquest begins

The Nassau Guardian

Crooked Island police shooting death inquest begins

A coroner’s inquest began yesterday into the shooting death of an unarmed man at a school fair in Crooked Island.

Ezra Ferguson, 26, was shot during a struggle with Corporal 2587 Sterling Thompson on March 17, 2012 in front of family members. He was among six people killed in police shootings that year.

According to witnesses, Ferguson had an argument with O’Brien Bain after he moved a bottle of vodka from the bar at the function around 9 p.m.

Ferguson was eventually persuaded to return the bottle.

However, according to the decedent’s cousin, Anna Fae Ferguson-Knowles, Ferguson became belligerent when Desmond Collie approached.

Ferguson-Knowles said Ferguson grabbed Collie’s shirt. The witness said she and Ferguson’s mom, Bloneva, tried to calm Ferguson down.

While Ferguson-Knowles said she could not say whether Ferguson was drunk, she said he appeared “nice” from drinking.

She said Thompson intervened and warned Ferguson to behave or he would be arrested.

Ferguson-Knowles said a struggle that lasted about five to seven minutes ensued. She said she heard Ferguson say, “Don’t (expletive deleted) with me.”

Ferguson-Knowles said she never saw Ferguson reach for the officer’s gun or threaten to shoot him before she heard a gunshot.

She said Ferguson collapsed and died afterwards.

Ferguson’s mother’s account of the events leading to her son’s death were different from that of Ferguson-Knowles.

Mrs. Ferguson said that her son was not involved in any altercation on the night in question.

She said he had a conversation with Bain and returned a bottle.

That’s when Cpl Thompson walked over and told him he was locked up, she said.

Mrs. Ferguson said her son asked the officer the reason for his arrest. Mrs. Ferguson said she told her son to go home and as they were walking to the truck, Thompson shot him.

She said Thompson refused to let anyone approach the body and told them to “get back” as he held a gun in his hand.

The inquest continues tomorrow before Acting Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez.

Christina Galanos represents Ferguson’s family and Wayne Munroe represents the officer. Algernon Allen Jr. is the marshal.

The coroner’s jury does not make any finding of criminal or civil liability.

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Tribunal knocks NIB over contribution collection

The Nassau Guardian

Tribunal knocks NIB over contribution collection

The Industrial Tribunal recently blasted the National Insurance Board (NIB), suggesting in a ruling last month that the department responsible for collecting contributions “is not performing up to standard” which could have an “everlasting disastrous effect” on retirees.

“This court hears many stories as it relates to the payment of National Insurance contributions,” the ruling, dated September 27, 2013, read.

“The relevant department responsible for the collection of contributions is either short staffed or not performing up to standard so as to keep on top of the situation. This is a very serious issue which must be addressed forthwith as it has an everlasting disastrous effect on the quality of life an individual will be able to live after retirement.”

The concern is contained in the court’s ruling that an employee of Montagu Motors was unfairly dismissed.

Vice President of the Industrial Tribunal Keith Thompson found that Andre Cherisme was wrongfully dismissed from Montagu Motors and awarded him $7,800 and interest at 10 percent per year from the date of the judgement until it is paid in full.

The ruling read that Cherisme, now 67, started working with Montagu Motors owner Brent Fox at Fox Apartments in 1988, Water Polo Restaurant in 1992 and later at Montagu Motors in 2003.

According to Cherisme, from 1988 to 2003, Fox never paid his National Insurance contributions. However, evidence showed that Fox did pay for some of Cherisme’s contributions.

“Based on the applicant’s evidence, there was a continuous master servant relationship between the applicant and the respondent,” Thompson ruled.

“Whatever businesses Mr. Fox ventured into he took the applicant along. In this regard, the National Insurance records, however, tell a different story. Mr. Fox, as employer for whatever entity, has committed a criminal offense.

“Of course, this court has no jurisdiction to deal with criminal matters but that does not prevent us from highlighting and exposing those employers who blatantly and repeatedly commit such acts.”

The ruling stated that in 2002, Cherisme said Fox started “acting funny with him”.

On September 9, 2009 Cherisme said he arrived to work at 9:15 a.m. and was told by Fox, “no work today”.  Cherisme said he was told this for several days and after agitating to ascertain if he was still employed, received a letter in which he was terminated.

“We must add that we have no doubt that the applicant worked for the respondent as the applicant has supplied the tribunal with any number of applications for initially a work permit, and thereafter a series of renewals and ultimately the applicant received his permanent residency,” the ruling read.

In a letter to the applicant in 2011 in response to a request for retirement benefits, the National Insurance Board informed Cherisme that he didn’t have sufficient contributions to get full old age pension. He received a lump sum payment of $10,800.

“The printout of the history of National Insurance contributions tells a sad story as it relates to the benefits that the applicant ought to have received,” the ruling read.

The Ninth Actuarial Review of the National Insurance Fund, for the period 2007 to 2011, recommended that NIB move to significantly increase penalties on late-paying businesses.

The review pointed out that less than 25 percent of monthly NIB contributions are paid on time, and almost 50 percent pay more than three months late.

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New prison law to place focus on rehabilitation

The Nassau Guardian

New prison law to place focus on rehabilitation

Parliamentarians began debate yesterday on the Correctional Services Bill, which would repeal the 70-year-old Prison Act and transform the focus of Her Majesty’s Prisons from incarceration to rehabilitation.

Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage noted that young men who will be released into society at the end of their sentences make up a great portion of the prison population.

The minister said over the years the prison has been the most neglected government institution, which is “inhumane” to those who work there or are serving sentences.

“A lot of people have the view that persons who are convicted of a crime, that we should just put them in jail and throw away the key,” Nottage said.

“But we have to remember, number one, that is inhumane and number two, most of these people are going to return to society and the way we treat them will have a very serious impact on how they are able to be integrated back into society.”

Nottage said a third of the prison population – 520 out of 1,500 –  is between 15 and 25.

“In Her Majesty’s Prisons today, [of the] inmates between 15 and 25, there are 92 who are remanded, 90 of whom are charged with murder and two with manslaughter,” he said.

“For sentenced inmates who are that age, 13 of them are sentenced because of murder and 11 because of manslaughter.”

Nottage said that nearly 50 percent of the prison population consists of inmates on remand, some whom are of school age.

He noted that under the law, the government cannot force inmates on remand to take part in educational or work programs in prison.

The new bill would allow remanded inmates to be exposed to training, education or work opportunities.

Nottage said the prison, especially the maximum security unit that is more than 50 years old, is overcrowded with five or six people confined to one cell.

He said the government plans to replace a leaking roof at the maximum security section at a cost of $750,000, but stressed that the section, which is the most important, needs to be rebuilt.

In addition to infrastructure and space challenges, the government also has problems with inmates’ access to drugs, cell phones and other contraband while incarcerated, Nottage said.

The new bill would ensure that inmates are subject to periodic drug tests and psychiatric evaluations when necessary.

The name of Her Majesty’s Prisons would be changed to The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

The bill also makes provisions for a correctional services review board which will review the prison periodically and inspect the facilties at least once every quarter.

Nottage said this board will be a “watchdog” for the prison.

The bill also removes discrimination against women which is in the current Prison Act.

Under the current law, female prison officers cannot move beyond a certain rank and cannot carry weapons.

The bill also provides for benefits to be paid to the spouses and children of officers who die in the line of duty.

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Two plead guilty in Bimini jailbreak

The Nassau Guardian

Two plead guilty in Bimini jailbreak

Two men who broke out of jail on Bimini earlier this week, were yesterday convicted on escape charges and sentenced to six months in Her Majesty’s Prisons.

Gavargo Saunders, 22, and Sean Livingston Solomon, 40, both of Alice Town, Bimini, both pleaded guilty during separate arraignments in a magistrate’s court.

They escaped from the Grants Town Police Station on October 6.

Solomon was in custody after he was arrested in connection with drug possession, while Saunders was in police custody on a separate drug matter.

According to prosecutor Ercel Dorsett, the bars in the block where they were being held were cut.

Dorsett said officers checked on the suspects around 1 a.m. However, when officers checked the cell again several hours later, both Saunders and Solomon were gone.

Saunders admitted that he was wrong for escaping lawful custody. He said he escaped because officers held him for 40 hours without questioning him. He also told the court that his family came to the station to bring him food but it was not given to him.

“I don’t know what they were trying to do to me,” he said.

Saunders admitted that he didn’t think about the penalties of his actions when he escaped.

Solomon said he escaped because he didn’t want to go to jail. Prosecutor Dorsett said when asked by officers why he escaped, Solomon said it was the “young brother’s idea”.

Solomon was also charged yesterday in connection with possession of 411 pounds of marijuana police confiscated in a bust on Bimini on October 5.

He pleaded not guilty to possession and conspiracy to possess.

The matter was adjourned to April 24 for trial.

Nineteen-year-old Kareem Chea and 26-year-old Andero Clarke, who faced the same drug charge as Solomon, appeared before Magistrate Andrew Forbes earlier this week.

Both men pleaded not guilty to possession and conspiracy to possess.

Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) officers and Bimini police, working on intelligence, reportedly found the marijuana along Bimini’s northeastern shoreline around 8 a.m.

Head of DEU Superintendent Samuel Butler said the marijuana was packed in numerous bags and ready for transport.

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‘Hitman’ convicted of banker’s murder

The Nassau Guardian

‘Hitman’ convicted of banker’s murder

A jury yesterday accepted the prosecution’s theory that the murder of banker Stephen Sherman was a contract killing.

After deliberating for three hours, a Supreme Court jury convicted Janaldo Farrington of Sherman’s February 17, 2012 murder, conspiracy to commit murder and armed robbery.

Sherman’s family convulsed in tears at the verdict, whispering, “Thank you, Jesus.”

The convict smirked at the grieving family as an officer led him to a holding cell at the Central Police Station.

He is scheduled to return to court for the penalty phase of his trial on November 28.

Outside court, the victim’s relatives said they were “elated” at the verdict in stark contrast to their disappointment at the directed acquittals of Sherman’s widow, Renea, and Cordero Bethel.

The prosecution can appeal those acquittals which were directed after Justice Roy Jones upheld the no-case submissions. It is not known whether the Crown will avail itself of the provision made possible in a 2011 amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code.

Jurors did not accept that police fabricated or illegally obtained a confession from Farrington as his lawyer Murrio Ducille suggested.

In his testimony, Farrington claimed that he signed a prepared document after officers from the Central Detective Unit struck him in the chest twice with handcuffs and placed an ammonia-laced plastic bag over his head.

Prosecutor Sandra Dee Gardiner dismissed the allegation of police brutality as a fabrication, noting that Farrington did not complain about any abuse at the hands of police until he was remanded to prison.

According to the confession, Farrington said he was recruited by his cousin Jermaine “Timer” Russell to kill a man whose wife wanted him dead.

Farrington said he was told the man “beat his wife and had a big insurance”.

He said he waited outside Sherman’s two-storey home in Yamacraw Shores and accosted him and a young woman at gunpoint when they arrived home.

He robbed them before shooting Sherman at point-blank range in the head, according to the confession.

Gardiner said that Farrington could not wait to receive his payment from the insurance settlement and decided to see what he could get right now.

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Attorney says Cuban medical records still not turned over

The Nassau Guardian

Attorney says Cuban medical records still not turned over

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) officer prosecuting a case against five marines accused of abusing a group of Cuban detainees has asked the defense to resume the matter without the detainees’ medical records, their attorney Wayne Munroe said yesterday.

Munroe said he requested the records and other information relevant to the case during the first hearing into the matter on September 30.

“I told them I would not start without it,” Munroe said. “How do you make a determination to listen about injuries if there is no medical report?”

Munroe said the officer contacted his office either last week or early this week with the proposal.

“It’s very important to see exactly what the medical material says,” he said.

The five marines were charged with causing harm and causing a wound under care, Munroe said.

They were charged during a disciplinary hearing at the RBDF base at Coral Harbour on September 30.

The hearing also proceeded without the presence of the three independent observers promised by Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage, Munroe said.

The observers were appointed a few days later.

Retired Justice Cheryl Albury, former RBDF Commander Leon L. Smith and Bahamas Christian Council President Rev. Dr. Ranford Patterson were appointed to sit in on the hearings.

Munroe said the hearing was adjourned after he asked for more information concerning the case, including the Cuban detainees’ medical records.

At the time he said he was confident that the prosecution was taking steps to get the information he needed.

The men are accused of abusing Cuban detainees after some of them attempted to escape from the facility four months ago.

The allegations have set off a firestorm of controversy and protests from a group of Miami-based protestors who labeled the incident as an “abuse of power”.

Munroe said his clients deny the allegations.

An RBDF officer, who is also a lawyer, is prosecuting the matter.

Munroe said the hearings will resume once he has had the opportunity to review the files that he requested.

The disciplinary hearings are not criminal in nature.

Munroe said the marines could face a hold on their pay, a reduction in rank or other disciplinary actions that would be placed on their record.

The marines remain on active duty, Munroe said.

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National security minister pleased with results of crime fight

The Nassau Guardian

National security minister pleased with results of crime fight

Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage said yesterday while he does not want to take credit for the recent lull in violent crime, he is pleased with the work of the police force and defence force in the crime fight.

On September 6, Nottage announced an initiative that involved deploying 150 defence force officers to assist police and put officers on a 12-hour shift.

Nottage said he thinks the changes have had some impact.

“They have a measure of control over communities which are the hot spots and I’m just hoping that we can sustain this,” he said.

“As you know with officers working 12-hour shifts, it becomes quite difficult for them to do for a prolonged period. But we want to establish a culture in our communities now of the presence of police officers.

“I want the bad boys to expect them to be everywhere because they are everywhere. And if the community continues to work along with us, I expect us to continue to have a measure of success.

“I’m not prepared to take any credit.  Things are better now, people appear to be less fearful, and we are going to do everything we can to maintain it.”

Nottage said he does not know how long officers will remain on the longer shift. He said that decision is up to Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade.

“I expect him to use his best judgment as to how long it is necessary,” Nottage said. “For me, I expect it to continue for some time.”

Nottage said 105 defence force officers have been reassigned to the police force so far. He said these officers have handled police work well.

“The defence force officers are getting a different experience because by and large they are isolated from the public,” he said.

“They are getting an opportunity and the public is getting an opportunity to know them as defence force officers and they will have found that these are a group of young, very well disciplined persons but who are no nonsense in the execution of their duties.

“Those who are doing the Urban Renewal patrols, etc, have been getting on like a house on fire. We are very pleased with them.”

Nottage rolled out the new crime plan after a dramatic rise in murders and violent attacks in August.

Thirteen people were murdered in two weeks.

The plan entailed moving police officers on sedentary duty to the front line and replacing them with RBDF officers.

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60 lose jobs at timeshare company

The Nassau Guardian

60 lose jobs at timeshare company

Approximately 60 employees of the Royal Holiday Club were left without a job yesterday after the company closed its Bahamian operations after 30 years, The Nassau Guardian learned.

The Royal Holiday Club is a timeshare company that operated from the Wyndham Nassau Resort.

A copy of a letter to the employees was sent to The Guardian by a former                 employee.

“Dear employee, the owner of Bahamas Vacations International (Nassau) Ltd. and Bahamas Vacations International (P.I.) Ltd. has decided to close its Bahamas operations,” the letter read.

“Consequently, it has decided to terminate all employee contracts with immediate effect.

“Please feel free to contact myself or the company's attorney, Philip McKenzie, regarding any concerns you may have resulting from these decisions.”

The letter is dated October 7 and was signed by the company’s comptroller Paulette Smith.

A former employee of 17 years, who did not wish to be named, said that on Friday, employees received an urgent message stating that a mandatory meeting was scheduled for yesterday morning.

She said that at the meeting McKenzie informed the employees of the closure.

“There was no (prior) indication to the staff that the company would close,” the employee said.

“We had no idea what was going on.”

She said some of the former employees are distressed.

The company is based in Mexico.

Royal Holiday has over 100,000 members in 52 countries worldwide, according to the company’s website.

“Our commitment stands stronger than ever,” the website says.

“That is to offer the highest standard in quality service in the best hotels, affiliated resorts, condos, villas, international timeshares (through Resort Condominiums International, RCI) and cruise ships.”

Employees of Royal Holiday Club Bahamas claimed that they were not given severance pay when they were sent home yesterday.

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Gambling vote cost $5 million

The Nassau Guardian

Gambling vote cost $5 million

The January 28 gambling referendum cost taxpayers around $5 million, Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage revealed yesterday.

Nottage, the minister responsible for elections, also said the public was “ill prepared” for that referendum, which failed.

He did not outline what the $5 million was spent on.

The status quo has remained in the months since the failed referendum as a challenge by web shop owners remains tied up in court.

Prime Minister Perry Christie had previously estimated that the referendum would cost more than $1 million.

“I know it’s going to be over $1 million, but I don’t know what the actual cost will be,” he told reporters.

“It is going to be a very expensive proposition, but it is something that the government has to do.”

But Christie acknowledged on several occasions that the government could have legalized web shops “regardless of what the people feel”.

However, he maintained throughout the process that it was a "noble act" to consult the Bahamian people on such a decision.

The overwhelming majority of people who voted in the gambling referendum voted no to regulating and taxing web shops.

Nottage could not say how much the constitutional referendum planned for next year will cost, or how much any future referenda will cost.

Christie announced on Wednesday that a constitutional referendum will take place before the end of June 2014 after a public education campaign.

Yesterday, Nottage said the public should understand the need for multiple constitutional referenda given the complexity of the different issues the government has received recommendations on.

The Constitutional Commission chaired by former Attorney General Sean McWeeney presented 73 recommendations to the government in July.

“The last referendum on gambling and the first one that I had an opportunity to observe, which was in 2002, in both cases the public was ill-prepared to make judgments,” Nottage said.

“The first one really had too many issues in it I think, and the last one was so emotive without people having the facts.”

There were six questions on the February 27, 2002 referendum.

Key among them related to the elimination of discriminatory language in the constitution.

It was the first constitutional referendum held in the country.

In addition to constitutional referenda, the current government has also promised a referendum on oil drilling, which has been foreshadowed to take place in 2015.

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Democracy Movement responds to CARICOM

The Nassau Guardian

Democracy Movement responds to CARICOM

Miami-based protest group Democracy Movement said yesterday that a statement issued by CARICOM over the weekend in support of The Bahamas government was “misguided, inconceivable and biased” and has the group threatening to reactivate its protests against The Bahamas.

In its statement, CARICOM said it “deplores the threatened economic boycott of The Bahamas and attacks on Bahamian economic interests in Florida by certain interest groups based in Miami”.

Democracy Movement spokesperson Ramon Sanchez shot back in a statement yesterday that the group took every peaceful measure to convince the Government of The Bahamas to address the alleged abuse of Cuban detainees at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

“In fact, if there has been any negative impact on the economy and image of The Bahamas, it has been the direct responsibility of the Government of The Bahamas for refusing to timely investigate human rights abuses, [and] for dragging its feet in producing the report,” he said.

“Democracy Movement had already stopped all demonstrations three days after the Government of The Bahamas created an independent panel to investigate the alleged abuses.

“However, if we see that the minister of foreign affairs (Fred Mitchell) continues to revive the conflict instead of thoroughly investigating the gross human rights abuses, the Democracy Movement will have no choice but to then reactivate its human rights advocacy efforts.”

The group met with Carnival Cruise Lines and planned to meet with several Florida businesses that work with The Bahamas to discuss the alleged abuse.

However, Sanchez said the group put all of its protests against The Bahamas on hold following an announcement from the government last week that the proceedings against the marines involved in the alleged abused would begin.

Five Royal Bahamas Defence Force marines were charged yesterday at the Coral Harbour base, their attorney Wayne Munroe said.

Sanchez said Democracy Movement would not stop advocating for human rights.

“We humbly say to CARICOM: You can rest assured that we will not stop advocating for human rights until human rights are respected and abuses are thoroughly investigated, regardless of how many regional political maneuvers the minister of foreign affairs of The Bahamas might make,” he said.

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Porter pleads to UN

The Nassau Guardian

Porter pleads to UN

Bahamas Cancer Centre Director Dr. Arthur Porter is seeking a declaration from  the United Nations high       commissioner for human rights concerning the alleged violation of his basic human rights during his four-month long “illegal” imprisonment in Panama.

Porter, who reportedly has end-stage lung cancer, is wanted by Canadian officials in connection with Quebec’s ongoing corruption scandals.

Porter said in a statement received by The Nassau Guardian yesterday that he is being denied medical treatment, but has been “fortunate enough to get some chemotherapy and other medications into the prison”.

He said he has been “self-treating using my symptoms as a guide”.

“I have also had the privilege of treating my fellow prisoners to the best of my ability,” he said.

Porter was detained by Panamanian authorities, along with his wife Pamela Porter, several months after Quebec police announced they wanted to charge him in connection with the corruption claims.

Back in February, Canadian authorities issued an arrest warrant for Porter and four other men.

In the formal complaint to the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Porter’s attorney, Dr. Ricardo Bilonick Paredes, is asking the high commissioner to investigate alleged human rights violations and the alleged violations committed in the “illegal” extradition to Canada of Porter’s wife.

The complaint says that Porter is in “grave and imminent danger of being extradited to Canada”.

It accuses various governmental authorities in Panama of multiple violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The complaint also alleges that there are no grounds to “maintain his illegal detention in Panamanian territory”.

It seeks to have Panama sanctioned “for violation of ground rules of human rights duly recognized by the Panamanian state”.

The complaint alleges that Panamanian officials did not follow proper legal procedures in the arrest and continued detention of Porter.

And it requests that the high commissioner visit the holding facilities where Porter is being held.

In his statement, Porter said while he had been made aware through the press of a Canadian warrant against him, he had not received any official communication or been formally charged.

“Since then, I have been incarcerated in La Joya prison, one of the most notorious jails in South America,” he said.

“I understand that I am not under arrest, as I have committed no crimes in Panama, but under preventative detention at the request of Canada.”

Porter said he is suffering from stage four cancer, which is generally terminal.  He said that on his arrival in Panama in May, he informed the authorities at the airport and later police at the prison of his medical condition and provided them with copies of his medical reports.

He said his plan had been to return to The Bahamas in early June to complete his radiation treatment, which had been prescribed prior to his trip.

“As I sit in this prison, without medical attention, and with the negative press that I have received in Canada, I cannot help but think that in some circles, the presumption of innocence is not a valid concept and that a judgment has been made and the punishment is being carried out,” he said.

“In February, back in Nassau, having been told I would have a year or so to live, I started writing a book, a memoir of my life, if you like, chronicling some of the sentinel events.

“Last week, my co-author and I finished the book.  Whether or not I survive to tell my story in the flesh, it will be told.”

Porter is wanted in connection with fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud, fraud against the government, embezzlement, breach of trust, secret commissions and laundering proceeds of crime.

The claims relate to business dealings he allegedly made with McGill University Health Centre (MUHC).  Porter was CEO of the MUHC from 2004 to 2011.

He has been involved in a firestorm of controversy in Canada relating to the alleged nonpayment of loans from McGill University and a litany of other allegations.

Porter, born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, was chairman of Canada’s Security Intelligence Review Committee, a member of the board of directors of Air Canada and a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.

Last year, Minister of Health Dr. Perry Gomez appointed Porter chairman of the Bahamas government’s stem cell research task force.

He is a permanent resident of The Bahamas and has a home at Old Fort Bay.

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Minnis narrowing down Bannister replacement

The Nassau Guardian

Minnis narrowing down Bannister replacement

The Free National Movement (FNM) is considering eight people to take Senator Desmond Bannister’s position in the upper chamber once his resignation comes into effect, party leader Dr. Hubert Minnis said yesterday.

“Desmond’s resignation takes effect on the 30th [of October] and by the first [of November], you would most certainly know who’s the new senator,” Minnis told The Nassau Guardian yesterday.

Bannister resigned in a letter addressed to Minnis dated September 1.

In the letter, Bannister, who is the leader of opposition business in the upper chamber, said he only intended to remain in the Senate for a 12-month period to provide guidance and leadership for the FNM’s young Senate team.

“That 12-month period passed several months ago,” he said in the letter.

Minnis said the FNM is looking to bring someone into the Senate who will add to the talent that is already in place.

“I’m analyzing what is best for the FNM,” he said.

“We have had executive meetings where the executive members would have put names forth... and some of the names that came forward were names that I was thinking about. I just have to make the final decision.”

Minnis would not say whether the selected person will be a senior member of the FNM or whether that person will also act as the leader of opposition business.

However, he said the appointee will be capable enough to fill Bannister’s shoes.

As for the remaining FNM senators, Minnis said they will be rotated out of the senate in the future.

“I want to introduce a [rotation] type system because I want as many young people as possible exposed and for their leadership potential to come in the forefront,” he said.

“I want to build a cadre of leaders.”

Minnis said once an individual would have been in the Senate for two years, he or she could be moved out.

Other current FNM senators include Kwasi Thompson, Heather Hunt and John Bostwick.

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Nottage: Hearings into alleged detention center abuse to begin soon

The Nassau Guardian

Nottage: Hearings into alleged detention center abuse to begin soon

The investigation into the alleged abuse of Cuban detainees at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre is complete and proceedings against the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) marines implicated in the matter will commence "imminently", Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage revealed yesterday.

He said the proceedings are being conducted in accordance with the Defence Act and Regulations, and are comparable to a trial before a magistrate’s court. However, he added that it is not a criminal hearing. He said based on the outcome of the proceedings, officials will determine what will happen next.

“The persons who have been implicated in any way will have the opportunity to have their case heard by the defense force process,” Nottage said during a press conference a the Ministry of National Security yesterday afternoon.

"This isn't anything new. The defense force constantly has to deal with reports or infractions by persons who are a part of [this] agency.”

“Just understand that the defense force has a stipulated process and these are defense force marines who are subject to that process and they are being dealt with in accordance with that process.”

Nottage did not reveal the names of the marines who are implicated, nor would he say how many officers are involved.

According to one of the marines interviewed as part of the initial investigation by the RBDF, Cuban detainees were severely beaten at the detention center for almost two hours after they attempted to escape on May 20, and one even appeared to have temporarily lost consciousness as a result of the abuse. That information was compiled in a report that was leaked to The Nassau Guardian last month.

Randy Rodriguez, a former detainee who was granted asylum by the United States, said he was "mercilessly" kicked on the floor by guards, pepper sprayed and doused with water.

Minister Nottage said he will refrain from commenting on the case until the proceedings are complete.

He added that the hearings will be held in private, however, a full report of the proceedings will be issued at the conclusion.

"This is to avoid publication of matters which may compromise national security," he said.

“However, three independent observers will be permitted to attend the hearings in order to assure the public that the proceedings are transparent and just."

Nottage said the independent observers have yet to be chosen, but the group chosen is likely to include a judge, a member of the church and a person who is familiar with such proceedings.

He said the names will be released shortly.

Nottage said he expects the hearings to be dealt with as quickly as rules permit.

"It is our hope that it will be complete in the shortest time possible consistent with transparency and fairness," he said.

Nottage’s announcement comes as Cuban-American protest group Democracy Movement continues to agitate and demand answers from the government.

The group plans to submit a report to the Organization of American States’ Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on the alleged abuse, group spokesman Ramon Sanchez told The Guardian on Sunday.

The move is another measure the group is taking as it continues to push for the Bahamian government to start its formal investigation into the abuse claims and release a report on this probe to the public.

The Free National Movement has also called on the government to release a report.

Nottage said yesterday that both groups are only concerned about “politics”.

“They would have Cuban detainees come to The Bahamas, break our laws and we are supposed to treat them with the red carpet,” Nottage said referring to Democracy Movement.

“But as you know there is now a constant trickle of Cubans through our waters. There are 17 in the detention center today. Cuba has agreed to take 14 of them, who we expect to be returned to Cuba sometime this week. At the same time, we found another 13 who were in Grand Bahama this morning.”

Nottage said Democracy Movement has not been fair to the country.

However, he added that the government does not condone abuse of any kind.

 

 

 

 

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Man shot to death

The Nassau Guardian

Man shot to death

A man died last night after he was shot to death, police said.

The victim was walking on John Road near Market Street around 9:30 p.m. yesterday when he was shot to the upper body, according to police.

He was taken to hospital via private vehicle where he later died.

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Tanker runs aground

The Nassau Guardian

Tanker runs aground

A fuel tanker ran aground off the coast of Grand Bahama Thursday afternoon, however there was no evidence that the vessel spilled any of the fuel it is carrying, according to a statement from the Ministry of Transport and Aviation yesterday.

The incident happened at around 2:30 p.m. when the Motor Tanker-Formosa Falcon, a 39,307 ton vessel ran aground. The statement said the fuel tanker was carrying 12,796 tons of alkylate.

“Reports are that the vessel was altering her position at Freeport anchorage due to her proximity to another vessel,” the ministry’s statement said. “Whilst altering its position, the vessel’s captain reported that westerly winds of 15 knots forced the vessel aground.”

“There is no evidence of emission of this product into the waters and the hull is reported intact.”

The ministry said an inspector from the Port Department, staff from the Freeport Harbour Company and the agents for the vessel were sent to inspect the ship, which was grounded at the bow (front).

Yesterday, marine experts tried to refloat the ship using tugboats but were unsuccessful.

The statement said a team will try to refloat the vessel today.

The Ministry of Transport and Aviation said it has been in contact with representatives of the ship's owners to ensure that prompt and appropriate actions are taken and that an assessment is carried out.

The statement said that the National Oil Spill Advisory Committee has been placed on alert and the Ministry of Transport and Aviation and the Port Department will conduct a full investigation into the incident.

Earlier this year, ministry officials dealt with several oil spills off of Grand Bahama.

In late March, the Ministry of Transport and Aviation reported an oil spill on Grand Bahama, in the same area that an oil spill occurred in February.

The Bahamas Oil Refining Company (BORCO) reported the spill on March 22 around 6 p.m. in waters near Pinder’s Point in Freeport.

On February 15, BORCO reported an oil spill from a pipeline containing oily residue in the vicinity of Pinder’s Point, Grand Bahama. In that incident, it was unclear how much fuel spilled.

It was the second spill reported for the year at BORCO. The first occurred on January 20, when 210 gallons of diesel fuel spilled in waters off Grand Bahama while a ship was being refueled at BORCO.

 

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Jury still out in murder-for-hire trial

The Nassau Guardian

Jury still out in murder-for-hire trial

Justice Roy Jones yesterday excused the jury hearing the trial of a woman accused of arranging her husband’s murder.

Prosecutors allege that Renea Sherman, Cordero Bethel and Janaldo Farrington hatched a plan to kill her husband, Stephen.

Bethel and Farrington are charged with Mr. Sherman’s murder and armed robbery as well as the robbery of his juvenile niece.

That plan was allegedly executed on February 17, 2012 when Mr. Sherman, a loan officer at the Royal Bank of Canada, was gunned down outside his home.

Jones told the jurors to return on Wednesday.

Legal discussions began in the jury’s absence on September 17, the second day of the trial.

Sherman is on bail. Her co-defendants remain on remand at Her Majesty’s Prisons.

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New oil regime coming

The Nassau Guardian

New oil regime coming

The government is looking to introduce a new Petroleum Act and regulations that would award greater royalties to the country if oil is discovered, Minister for the Environment and Housing Kenred Dorsett said yesterday.

The new legislation and regulations will hopefully also establish a sovereign trust fund for proceeds from any oil royalties; establish additional

revenue streams for the country and ensure Bahamian employment in the sector.

Dorsett said this framework should be in place before the possible oil drilling referendum in 2015.

Dorsett hopes that this change would allow the government to negotiate terms that are more aggressive in terms of the benefits for the Bahamian people in the future.

“When you look at all the licenses that have been issued, our regulatory framework speaks to minium royalties,” he said.

“And all of the transactions that have been negotiated by successive governments tend to be framed where we impose the minimum royalties, as opposed to impose a higher royality mechanism.

“We are looking at that framework as we go through the new regulations and act to be advanced. We are certainly looking at establishing a sovereign trust fund and looking at other means by which we can ensure the country earns revenue in addition to ensuring that regulatory regime imposes the need for the incorporation of Bahamians in the sector through certain positions having to be held by Bahamians.”

These changes though, would not affect the agreement the government has with the Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC), according to Dorsett.

“Based on the legal advice that we’ve received from the AG (Office of the Attorney General), that will not mean that it would retroactively sort of affect the legal agreement that they have in place,” he said.

He also told The Guardian: “The royalties under our legislative framework was agreed at the time the license to explore was issued. That was done eight years ago.”

Dorsett said when the draft regulations are complete the government will place them in the public domain for discourse.

He said the government has engaged the Commonwealth Secretariat and its team to assist with finalizing the draft regulatory framework.

The government is hoping that the regime would last for the next 25 to 50 years if the oil sector is going to be a sector that advances in the country.

 

BPC CEO’s Comments

Dorsett also downplayed comments made by BPC CEO Simon Potter concerning its financial agreement with the government.

Dorsett said he contacted Potter to ask about the comments, which appeared in Guardian Business, and Potter told him that he was misquoted.

However, The Guardian has an audio recording of Potter’s exact comments.

Potter, who was speaking at a gathering of potential investors in London earlier this month, said based on the fiscal terms the company has obtained with The Bahamas government, the potential returns to investors from any oil strike would be “second to none, with a simple royalty” and likely to be “music to people’s ears”.

Potter also highlighted the fact that while the government could seek to change these terms in the future, The Bahamas' "ultimate court of appeal is the Privy Council in London".

“I spoke to Mr. Potter because I was concerned with the manner in which his statements were printed,” Dorsett told reporters.

“He indicated to me that he was misquoted.

“At the end of the day I didn’t hear or read his statement. I only have what has been printed in the media. I won’t speak to Potter’s statements but I’ve been made to understand that he was out there speaking to investors. If he has an opinion on the royalty provisions, which were negotiated eight years ago, that is certainly his opinion.

“Moving forward I certainly would hope that when a government negotiates terms that we are a little more aggressive in terms of the benefits that would accrue to the Bahamian people.

“The terms are entrenched in contract, unless for some reason that the agreement is terminated. But he's got a legally binding contract.”

Dorsett was also responding to Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner, who suggested that the government is trying to keep Bahamians in the dark regarding its financial dealings with BPC.

Butler-Turner said that some of Potter’s remarks were “deeply troubling”.

“First, what exactly are these ‘second to none’ financial terms being offered to the company by the Government of The Bahamas on behalf of the Bahamian people who have yet to vote in a referendum on oil exploration, as promised by the PLP during the 2012 general election?” Butler Turner asked in a statement.

"...Some of the remarks are deeply troubling and suggest that the Bahamian people are being kept in the dark by the Christie administration on oil exploration in general and the activities of BPC in particular.”

The government has said previously that it will allow exploratory drilling to determine if the country has commercially viable oil reserves before it holds a referendum on the issue.

Dorsett said in March, and reiterated yesterday, that the government will hold a referendum on oil drilling once it has determined whether there is oil in commercially viable quantities.

“It doesn't make sense to spend millions of dollars on a referendum if we don't even know whether oil exists,” he said.

 

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Bahamas to push migration issues at UN

The Nassau Guardian

Bahamas to push migration issues at UN

A Bahamian delegation left yesterday for the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York where the group will discuss immigration issues, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell said yesterday.

Mitchell said the delegation planned to speak with the UN’s International Organization for Migration and the Human Rights Commission about the challenges The Bahamas faces with migration.

“The UNHCR is responsible for the resettlement of migrants who come to this country, who are adjudged to have asylum status,” Mitchell said at a press conference at the diplomatic lounge at Lynden Pindling International Airport.

“We hope to make the case publicly of The Bahamas’ continued problem with this issue, the Cuban issue on the one hand, the Haitian issue on the other hand, and the need for us to employ international resources to help resolve the problem.

“Secondly, [we will mention] our concern about the procedures with UNHCR and the fact that there is too much delay in making sure that these claims are adjudicated on a timely basis.”

Minister of Social Services Melanie Griffin is part of the group which left yesterday. She will sign on to the UN’s convention on the rights of persons with disabilities on behalf of the country.

“It’s a very significant and historic time for persons with disabilities in The Bahamas,” Griffin said.

“The Bahamas will be signing on to the United Nations convention and this sets the stage for the upcoming legislation which we expect to put before Parliament very shortly and have passed before the end of the year.

“There will be provisions from the convention of course... the convention actually gives teeth to the legislation. Many countries in the region have signed on and so we’ll be joining them.”

Mitchell said The Bahamas will also have the opportunity to make the case for global governance infrastructure for the regulation and support of the financial services sector, the issues of small island developing states and the adverse effects of climate change.

Prime Minister Perry Christie, who is scheduled to arrive in New York on Friday, will deliver the country’s national statement to the general assembly on Saturday at 3 p.m.

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