It appears that the Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party is either stuck on ignorant and if he truly represents the views and values of his party, then they are also or they honestly believe t…

Source: My Morning Paper – April 13, 2016 -Irrational and Illogical Rantings

It appears that the Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party is either stuck on ignorant and if he truly represents the views and values of his party, then they are also or they honestly believe that we the people are; ignorant that is.

“Politicians ‘unpatriotic’ for protesting” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts claimed yesterday the actions of the political leaders involved in a demonstration against dump fires on Sunday were ‘unpatriotic ‘ and a demonstration of poor judgment.”

It is amazing the manner in which the Progressive Liberal Party throws around the label ‘unpatriotic’ whenever they feel that they, as a government, are being shown for the failures that they are on the international scene.  I am actually suspired that Mr. Roberts has not deemed the organization of this NON-POLITICAL protest as “Enemies of the State’, but then I have the feeling that it will soon come but indeed the protest as organized by Raising Awareness about the Bahamas Landfill (RABL), was a non-violent and non-political event that was supported by members of the Free National Movement (FNM) and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), some of whom live in the area themselves and are constantly affected by the smoke from the constant dump fires.  I find it interesting that members of the Progressive Liberal Party and some of its supporters only sought to condemn the protest instead of becoming more involved in a solution to the problem as they promised; are they not affected by this problem or are they as a political organization just not interested in environmental issue; Rubis gasoline spill and Save the Bays being examples.

Playing to the ignorant or attempting to play to those that he perceives as being ignorant, Chairman Roberts then goes on to say, “……..I question the intent and utility of staging the demonstration at or near the precincts of the Baha Mar resort, Cable Beach, the venue of the IDB board of governments meeting,” he said.

The public landfill is not located on Baha Mar’s property on Cable Beach.” 

Well Mr. Roberts if you were at the meeting then that point can be debated but then I digress.  The Bahamas government has secured several loans from the International Development Bank (IDB) to improve the conditions at the landfill and to date, despite the landfill being ‘privatized’ they problems still persists, so this was the ideal venue for this protest and for the Chairman to claim otherwise is to mislead the public but then this is nothing new.

“Mr. Roberts invites the Leaders of the FNM and DNA to immediately discontinue, eschew and condemn all forms of political activism, demonstration of acts interloping that will have consequences of negatively portraying the Bahamas internationally, harming the reputation of the country and people.”  Mr. Roberts seems not to realize that his government does this with each and every new scandal that they are involved in and the IDB will soon question where the money from these loans is actually going.  Also, Mr. Roberts must realize with all persons wearing black then the protest was seen as citizens of the Bahamas exercising their right to have their voices heard and the only way that any members of the foreign delegations knowing who was who is if Mr. Roberts pointed out these people himself.

Finally, I find it interesting that with close to a year of Bahamian citizens complaining about this problem at the landfill not one ‘puff of smoke’ was to been seen during the entire IDB meeting, simply amazing.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is within their nature.

END

Now it appears that the governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government has worked itself into a corner of sorts and is attempting to find a way out, I feel that it is the duty of the Opposition Free National Movement (FNM) and all other concerned citizens that find the use of another person’s personal and private data by any the members of this government to not allow them to wiggle their way out.

“Grain of Salt – Financial services minister sends dangerous signal to sector” – The Nassau Guardian, National Review

Excerpt from this article; “On March 12, Minister of Financial Service Hope Strachan posted to her Facebook page a statement from her colleague Minister of Education, Science and Technology Jerome Fitzgerald, in which he said it appears certain people are more concerned about how he came about the private emails of certain members of Save the Bays as opposed to the ‘damming information’ contained in these documents.”  This statement within itself by the Minister of Education shows not only the total lack of morality he has but it also shows the blatant disregard and concern that he has for another person’s privacy and we know that at least one other in his camp, the Hon. Shane Gibson, that shares the very same distain for the general public’s basic right to privacy but indeed Minister Fitzgerald persons must concern themselves about how you obtained these private documents/correspondence because of the simple fact that they are PRIVATE; I am beginning to believe that Minister Fitzgerald either lacks an understanding or appreciation or both of this concept, now back to the bind that this government finds itself in.

“Strachan has known to show blind allegiance to the political party she is a member of, and to her colleagues.

But in her position as minister responsible for ensuring the protection of the financial sector, she ought to be careful of the signal she sends in supporting her colleagues.”  Here we have a case of a member of Parliament knowing what is best for her sector and country but not doing what is right because of her allegiances.”

The reason why I would hazard a guess that she knew what was right is because her disconcertment over the leak of private [financial] documents in the Panama Papers; which could possibly have negative repercussions on our financial industry. So in light of her disconcertment and the warning by the Data Commissioner, the Progressive Liberal Party now finds itself in a bind over whether to violate the spirit of the Data Protection act; overseen by Minister Fitzgerald, and release more emails and been seen as a government that will openly and readily violate the law at their convenience or pay close heed to the warning of the Data Commissioner and take pause as to what damage can be done by the Panama Papers to our financial sector and learn from it and avoid making the same ‘mistake’.  At this point it is a potential ‘teachable moment’.

As Minister Fitzgerald has already shown, he is quite ready to violate laws that fall under his very own ministry; as I have said this minister shows very little evidence of having a moral compass about him now the Minister of Financial Services is faced with the dilemma of backing her colleagues and basically condoning the leak of the ‘Panama Papers’ and proving that she also has no moral fiber herself or standing up for her sector, the spirit of the Data Protection Act and basic right it privacy and showing the Minister of Education that he is wrong in his actions as these very actions on a larger scale are threatening the stability of our financial sector.  Actually it is a simple choice by ‘blind allegiance’………..

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is within their nature.

END

In each and every political battle that this Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has engaged in since coming to office in 2012, if they could not get you to ‘go along’ with whatever they were proposing; if you stood your ground, thought for yourself and challenged them, they then resorted to that which that had normally worked for them in the past, threats, insults and intimidation. 

“Mitchell warns activist could be imprisoned.” –The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday slammed Save the Bays Director Fred Smith for threatening to commit certain MP’s to prison, warning he outspoken attorney that such actions are grounds for ‘contempt of Parliament’ and that he could find himself faced with imprisonment.

Mr. Mitchell, in a statement criticized Mr. Smith QC, for seeking to offend the privileges of members of Parliament. “Mr. Mitchell said no one in the ‘21^st century’ would allow a lawyer with half baked ideas to set aside the hard won privileges which exist for the ultimate protection of the public.”

“……for the ultimate protection of the public.”? Really?! Because from my point of view it would appear that Minister Mitchell and the rest of this Cabinet colleagues now seek to invoke one privilege to violate another privilege, thereby violating the protection of several members of the public and someone needs to clue him in on the fact that life does not work that way, well not in the real world just in one of the Ministers making.

During the past week both Jerome Fitzgerald and Leslie Miller have threatened to release each and every email and financial report that they have obtained about the Save The Bays organization, as Shane Gibson threatened the week before, in an effort to prove that this environmental group is really a political organization with ambitions of destabilizing the present Progressive Liberal Party government; the only problem is that the emails and financial statements were never formally or legally released to these two men and all are private information/data that Jerome Fitzgerald claims to have found in his ‘political garbage can’, really?  With that in mind this information should be viewed as nothing more than ‘salacious, unsupported gossip’ which the minister is simply seeking to get in through the back door that which should never have been allowed through the front door.  Now, as Save the Bays has seemed to have obtained an injunction from a court of law that ‘seeks to restrain everyone and anyone and persons unknown from repeating information regarding emails related to Save the Bays’, and even with this injunction in place Minister Mitchell has already suggested in a letter to Kendall Major, Speaker of the House, that he will not abide by it and further suggests that such an act by Fred Smith QC is tantamount to ‘contempt of Parliament’ and he would seek have Fred Smith and any others jailed for not affording him the privilege of violating another person’s privilege of the right to privacy, any others would included the Data Protection Commissioner, by the way.

Simply put, Fred Mitchell has again proven that he is a mere tired, semi-delusional autocrat and a continuing threat to our democracy and to law and order as he now seeks to go against a court’s ruling and the advice given to him by the Data Commissioner about using another’s personal information/data that is obtained by questionable means and release more private information of others.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is within their nature.

END

In what can only be seen as a case of rank hypocrisy, a blatant disrespect and disregard for the rule of law, just plain ignorance or maybe just all of the above; the Minister of Education and sometimes acting Attorney General, member of Parliament for Marathon continues down a very dangerous path that he has been cautioned about by the Data Commissioner.  Not only has he been cautioned by the Data Commissioner, he goes against his very own words when he seeks to inform the public about the importance of a Data Protection Act.  He should be very ashamed of what he is doing at this time but shown no regard for the rule of law as he seeks to introduce even more private correspondence that he has obtained through questionable means and it were not for parliamentary privilege, which he hides behind like the coward that he has shown himself to be, he probably would be investigated and jailed for breaking the law, in any other country.

“MP dismisses email concern – Fitzgerald refuses to reveal how he accessed messages” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this story; “Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald yesterday dismissed calls from a law firm to provide information about the private e-mails exchanges he shared about persons connected to Save The Bays (STB) in Parliament several weeks ago, saying that the leak should be ‘the least of their worries’.

He also warned members of the environmental group to ‘batten’ down because a ‘category five’ hurricane was on its way, as he threatened to table ‘every single’ email and bank statement in his possession if needed to protect his integrity and parliamentary privilege.”

I am sorry to inform the Mr. Fitzgerald that his integrity has been destroyed a long time ago, so I am at a lost as to what he now seeks to protect.

As acting Attorney General he pardoned two gun smugglers without explanation, from this moment his integrity was on the decline and then of course there is the entire incident concerning the Rubis Gasoline spill and the subsequent cover up by the Attorney general, himself and the entire Progressive Liberal party government; this further eroded his already  very tarnished integrity, so what is the honorable minister seeking to protect?

Now Minister Fitzgerald seeks to circumvent the laws of the country by the clear violation of a person’s privacy and he says it is to protect his integrity.

What manner of madness is this?

Minister Fitzgerald, as you continue to march down this ‘dark and dangerous’ path that you have chosen, I will remind you in your own words; “The Data Protection Act will ensure the protection of personal data, It is designed to ‘protect people’s fundamental rights and freedoms’ and in particular their right to privacy with respect to processing and access of personal data”.  So feel free to dismiss the calls for you to provide information about the private emails that you refuse to inform the public of their source.  Feel free to violate the rule of law and your very own words, not worth much anyway, but always bear in mind the old saying; “Time is longer than rope” and when that rope snaps taut…..

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is within their nature.

END

Just when we all were of the belief that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) MP for Tall Pines was the ‘voice of reason’ within that party; he finds a way to disappoint as the rest of his parliamentary  colleagues have.  From his comments last week where he stated that “ he is prepared to put his life on the line that Prime Minister Perry Christie and Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis have done nothing unbecoming in their respective roles, citing that it is beyond them to do so.” In regards to the possible involvement of the Prime Minister and/or Deputy Prime Minister in an alleged murder for hire plot, to him now seeming to endorse the actions of his colleagues in obtaining by, questionable means, private e-mails and having them used in the House of Assembly; promoting one of the most cowardly acts that I have ever seen while hiding behind ‘privilege’.

“Miller threatens to reveal more on STB” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Tall Pines MP Leslie Killer yesterday threatened to reveal more information to support the government’s clam that Save the Bays (STB) is seeking to destabilize the Christie administration, and said a lawyers request for him to turn over confidential documents related to STB a ‘joke.”

However, Miller told The Nassau Guardian that he left the requested documents on his desk in the House of Assembly, and would have no problem turning it over to Ferron. J. M. Bethell, of Harry B. Sands, Lobosky & Company when the House of Assembly reconvenes on April 25.”

So it Mr. Miller really saying that he is willing to take what has been found in Minister’s Fitzgerald’s ‘political garbage’ and use, to attempt to prove a point that it pointless?  Anyway, I cannot get bogged down in the cowardly actions of this government this morning but yet I wish to question their morals, integrity and ethics and I feel that I must.

First of you cannot be a part of a government that openly advocates for a Data Protection Act, “The Data protection Act will ensure the protection of personal data. It is designed to ‘protect people’s fundamental rights and freedoms and in particular their right to privacy with respect to processing and access of personal data.” , and then go out and threaten to violate the very same privileges that you seek to bring about and protect…..this can only be described as “Election Fever”.  It is very disingenuous as best and duplicitous and hypocritical at the very worst to even suggest carrying out such an action but yet this Progressive Liberal Party government and its members seem openly willing do it without and feeling of any guilt about it but as I always say they lack a moral compass.

But in a strange turn of events regarding data protection and leaked emails; “During a press conference yesterday, Minister of Financial Services Hope Strachan said the leak [in reference to leaked financial information contained in ‘Panama Papers’ regarding the Bahamas] of documents is ‘disconcerting’.

“The leak challenges the work and validity of international financial centers.  We are following the developments of this investigation closely.”

Well Minister Strachan, as you are ‘disconcerted ‘ about this leak of confidential financial information and considering the ramifications and as you continue to watch this situation very closely; there are others of us that find the ‘leak’ of financial information from Save the Bays very disconcerting, as it could have been from any place and about anyone of us but we were advise by your government ‘to get over it” but we continue to watch this situation very closely as government minister after government minister threatens to violate basic privacy laws and attempt to expose others through the leak of other person private e-mails/data.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is within their nature.

END

 

 

Urban Renewal has been heralded as the ‘brain child’ of Prime Minister Perry Christie. Urban Renewal was intended to lower the crime rate in high crime areas, provide positive outlets for people in these areas, especially the youth, and along with other things help the residents of the inner cities create and maintain a clean living environments by aiding those in need of assistance with small repairs to their homes.

The entire program of Urban Renewal has never called into question but the small home repair component of it has been called into question, more appropriately its appropriation of funds and it would seems that the Auditor General found certain ‘accounting irregularities’ and instances where it was alleged that persons were paid for works that did not seem to have be carried out.  At this time these questions have gone unanswered but yet the government seeks to undertake a ‘super plan’, with repairs to about 3,000 homes within a year’s time.

“Urban Renewal to repair 3,000 home” – The Nassau Guardian, Saturday April 02 2016

Excerpt from this article; “The Urban Renewal Commission will carry out a ‘super plan’ to repair 3,000 homes that have fallen into a state of disrepair across New Providence in 2017, Commission Co-Chairman Algernon Allen said yesterday.

He said Urban Renewal will begin surveying houses in the summer months and will moblize work on January 1.

Allen was speaking at a key presentation ceremony for disabled Centreville resident Susan Moss, whose dilapidated home was demolished and re-built by Urban Renewal in partnership with gold medalist Eldece Clarke.

Allen said the commission is currently putting together a ‘super grouping’ of contractors top carry out the massive project.”

It simply amazes me that a program that should be under investigative review for the possible misappropriation of funds would be allowed conduct business as if all is well and to make matters worse, “Prime Minister Perry Christie said Urban Renewal will have an expanded mandate and said the final budget for the homes repair program has not been identified yet”.  Okay it would stand to reason that the homes would have to be ‘surveyed’, therefore a budget could not be presented but this is the very same Urban Renewal program that, on a much smaller scale, has shown that it goes unchecked but yet, “We have a ‘super plan’ and from the first of January to the end of January 3,000 homes will be repaired,” Allen said.”

“We will be mobilizing thousands of young men and we will putting……..millions of dollars towards this initiative”

The goal here is to carry out repairs to 3,000 homes in one month’s time when no survey has been carried out to know the extents of works to be done and by this government’s very own admission, the Urban Renewal home repair program has only affected 900 homes in the past four years and this minor undertaking brought about an audit of the program so now we have a ‘super plan’ proposed without answers being provided to the first set of allegations against this program…….what am I missing?

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is within their nature.

END