CANNABIS/MARIJUANA BILL CIRCULATING

This Bill is sure to engender much contention and shards of tiny broken pieces of splintered glass of competing and combative opinions. The Bahamian people have to weigh this very carefully and make fundamental changes in Social, Environmental and Health policy.  Let your voices be heard from the rafters - either pro or contra. Just say something.

​

The religious community will weigh in and the medical community must also be out front. Public Education away from hysteria and debunked old prejudices have to be carted to the way side.

​

All in all the Government’s initial steps on Cannabis are cautiously conservative. My opinion.

​

Marijuana has lots of cleaning up and mending to do.  From the near 100 year avalanche of misinformation, hysteria and criminalization. All substances of contraband come with  varying  degrees of abuse.

​

Hundreds of Bahamians and Visitors have suffered penal sentences for possession of miniscule amounts.

​

There are some who think the introduction of evidence in certain criminal trials where accused persons were alleged to have been high or under the influence of marijuana prejudiced juries to bring convictions.

​

There must be a way to decriminalize this substance and this may also be a very opportune time for this country to come to grips with its Tourism industry and the popularity of weed with visitors.

​

The Medical evidence has to be substantiated and there must be clear and direct avenues to prevent abuse even in the cases of medical, scientific and religious use.

​

I expect wider society to make the case for recreational use of weed.

​

One thing is very certain about the 21st century and that is people will not have special interests groups based on their prejudices and dogma and religion subject them to the denial of their right to exist and people will resist being  marginalized.

The Davis/Cooper Government is demonstrating the Audacity of their forefathers in tabling this legislation for discussion.

​

The wider irony in all of this will be how the Bahamas, with all its self-centered religious piousness turned its nose up at Prohibition in the United States which was driven by a religious posture.

​

When Americans could not consume, manufacture or sell Alcohol, the period known as Prohibition, the Bahama Islands was awash in booze. The nefarious trade linked to the word “Smuggler” never hit home here. Smuggler was so romantic and manly. We has “Smugglers Pub”, “Smugglers Cove”, and bigga bosses passed themselves off as rum smugglers.

​

The Roland Symonette fortune came from Prohibition.

​

The colony of the Bahama Islands smuggled rum into the US and huge fortunes were made. In the early 1960s, the Guinness Book of World Records had pinned these Islands down as the number three per capita in consuming rum. Imagine that. Less than 200,000 persons but we were shucking it down at levels comparative to foreign cities with populations in the millions.

​

Yes the first mate and the captain on the Sloop John B got pissy drunk in Nassau Harbour so the song says.

​

Amazing how the rum gods and prohibition lords of this era condemned Weed and passed fierce laws to police their prejudices. Get drunk. Don’t get high. Just say No to weed. Say hello to Rum and Coca Colas.

​

Now we will see another roll out of Bahamian duplicity as this Cannabis legislation makes the rounds and the country has to take off all of its many layers of well-worn masks and finally face a truth. Or will we?

​

JOMO AT AGRICULTURE

I expect amazing things from Minister Campbell. Expect Food self-sufficiency and modernization and the link between food production and elimination of our huge import food bill to face a show down.

​

Jomo will live up to the Prime Minister’s expectations and the Agricultural and Marine industries will thrive and become very sustainable economic enterprises owned by Bahamians.

​

The new Minister will have to turn his attention to avail Crown Land for production and development, modernizing Packing House and food processing plants.

​

The Food, Agricultural and Marine resources revolution will continue.

​

PIA BROUGHT FOCUS, DELIBERATION AND A LISTENING EAR TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Pia Glover’s promotion to Minister of the Public Service and Labour is well deserved.

​

She has churned out record labour agreements and kept peace with the Unions. She clearly has a very concise and clever understanding of the tri-par trite ILO conventions. Pia arrived in her portfolio with many years of training in labour relations and negotiating under her belt. The Unions know the fine bolt of cloth from which this lady is cut.

​

The Davis Government moved every early to look at salary increases and increments and promotions in the Public Service upon coming to office.

​

The trick here will of course be waltzing with Bahamian workers; who can have very short memories of recent pay increases and behave as if the country generates cash like sand on the sea shore. And those Unions who will play “political tricks” with the FNM as time counts down to decision time.

​

Pia will not disappoint. We are in very good and capable hands.

​

RING KEITH’S BELL

Keith Bell has a story of perseverance and achievement in his many faceted careers. He is a genuine people’s person and enjoys what he does and helping folks.

​

I was always appalled at the Opposition’s scape goating and vile and personal attacks on Minister Bell’s character and competency.

​

So let’s say the Opposition is patting itself on the back in their political delusion.

Well I just stopped by to tell them that Keith Bell will have houses popping up out of the ground like a popcorn machine on steroids. Affordable, quality Bahamian home ownership will soar.

​

The new keys you see on your co-workers key chain are the ones for their new home.

​

Urban Renewal will get another boost and disenfranchised youth will find attractive and meaningful ways to avoid negative activity and to get on with it.

​

Ring the Bell and tell them Keith is at the front door.

​

MINNIS TO MAKE A GO FOR IT

Dr. Hubert Minnis is the new FNM ONE MAN BAND. If he can’t be Leader then the Party can have no peace. Minnis is visibly upset over his general election shellacking. He wants to sit in the Blue Chair again at OPM. The same fluke which brought him to office in the first place and then took him out; is driving the good Doctor up the wall.

​

Besides that Hubert Ingraham is laughing at him and taunting him.

​

I fear Dr. Minnis will not get it until the children at the back of the parade bleat out what is obvious to everyone- Dr. Minnis has on no Prime Minister clothes. The beating Minnis will tote in FNM Convention will not bring him to his senses. Dr. Minnis reminds me of an old television commercial of two brothers. One brother gets hit and takes the blows. But the other brother feels it. Cyril “Boxer” Minnis took plenty blows to the head in the squared circle. Is his brother Hubert  the one who got the damage from the showers of licks to Cyril’s  box  head?

 

The answer may explain one brother’s fantastical delusion that the people want him back. 

​

PLP SIR LYNDEN PINDLING 70th ANNIVERSARY AWARD

I want to commend the Advisory Committee of the PLP for establishing this Sir Lynden Pindling Platinum Award. It is refreshing to see serving and former Members of Parliament are disqualified. For a while it appeared as if the country has been given out more posthumous national awards than to the living.

​

A nation is as great as it seeks to remember and honour its past heroes but the process can only be secured by future generations when the new Praetorian Guard is also recognized and honoured.

​

I want to see Athama Bowe, Felix Mailman Bowe, Lullamae Smith, Kayla Smith, Andrea Jenoure, Pat Mortimer,  Scorpio Evans, Kevin Simmons, Alverne King,  Minky Isaacs, Dashie Williams seated at the head table. Who are you Nominees for the 70 persons  who will wear this grand and elegant PLP trophy and recognition? Go on line and complete the PLP honours application. Give Honour where Honour is due.

​

OUR NEW GOVERNOR GENERAL

Congratulations to Her Excellency Dr. Cynthia Mother Pratt on her elevation to Governor General.

​

Can we now close all nominations until further notice? 

​

We are paying six retired Governor Generals pensions. I move that the current occupant of the Office of Governor General the distinguished Lady from St. Cecilia Constituency do serve until she personally decides to demit. She brings energy, service, compassion and   wide public support to the post.

​

Bye  Sir Cornelius. Good bye.

​

STATE OF JOURNALISM IN THE COUNTRY

Great reporting on the Marijuana legislation. All those  comparisons on what is taking place around the region.

​

Its ad nauseum where the dailies have a regimented list of talking heads who fill the white spaces in nothingness and uninformed non researched opinion. Are they really that damn lazy? Yes they are.

​

We can use some credible columnists who can actually write and be entertaining. The bulk of what we get seldom are like a grade six  high school essay. 

​

The Talk Shows have become ego echo chambers. And can we just get some real talk going on and save all the religious posturing and “Come to Jesus” moments for when the Carnival gets here in December. It really does get much too holy up in there. To hell with frank conversation, stern debate and spirited discussion.  No one comes on to discuss a great book they read, a philosopher they have followed or studied and a great work they have in progress. John 3 and 16 tired of them.

​

BET ON JOBETH TO TAKE US TO ANOTHER LEVEL

Jobeth Coleby Davis is a highly talented and skilled professional. Very early in her political journey the beasts of prey came for her with their mouths packed with a tissue of lies. Jobeth survived and today she steps up again as the new Minister for Energy and Transport. Prime Minister Davis picked a great team from day one and he has not been disappointed and neither will the Bahamian people in the performance of the new go-getters.

​

THE LION OF THE SENATE

Leo Ryan Pinder, Attorney General has spread his legal eagle wings and soared to new heights. THE AGs office has brought credible legislation to the parliamentary agenda and the AG can think on his feet in debate and shows an openness and transparency. We have never seen nor heard of an AG with competent, dynamic  energy and skill as the Lion of the Senate. Even I blush at times when he gently scolds colleagues over their misrepresentation of the law and the facts. Roar Lion Roar. The Nation needs its top Lawyer to instill confidence and trust and make us comfortable with the rule of law and the pursuit of justice.

​

RANDY ROLLE THE CLEAN UP MAN
 

Randy Rolle is taking his mandate from the Minister of Tourism I Chester Cooper to clean up Bay Street very seriously. For more than 20 years, the nation put its hand under its chin and watched helplessly as large sections of down town became gaping eye sores and horrific disasters waiting to happen.

​

Senator Rolle knows the power of a bulldozer. More importantly Senator Rolle knows how to negotiate and bring the owners of these properties along.

​

Randy Rolle is another handpicked choice of Prime Minister Davis, who is proving his competency, reliability and organizational skills.

​

Years from today the nation will pause to remember that Randy Rolle got done what others just ran up talks on for years.

The new gentrification of Bay Street will be simply amazing.

 

PLP NATIONAL PARTY CONVENTION SET FOR NOVEMBER

The Party must report to the Nation.

​

Party Officers must present themselves for evaluation and to obtain fresh mandates.

​

There will be much charged debate around the post of National Chairman which just always seems to  the weighty  horse shoe conversational piece in PLP theatre.

​

The PLP has taken a page out of the British political system which favors the National Chairman being a member of the Cabinet. The rationale behind it is the party’s various arms and support tentacles require a National Chairman who is at the table and not contained or completely reliant on second hand information.

​

The party in government should have its National Chair at the table to ensure the wishes of the party’s arms like the leadership Council and National General Council’s views are reflected and adhered to.

​

The role of National Chairman has evolved from merely a press spokesman for the party. Or a grounds and event organizer.

​

Parliamentary democracy in this country has evolved with a fast and sudden pace and there is no question that the Party Leader should be supported in his choice of National Chairman.

​

Next week I will talk about an earlier situation in the party when Party Leader Sir Lynden had his choice for National Chairman and Deputy Leader A. D. Hanna had his choice for same post. Some of you know what happened.

​

Hubert Ingraham who came out of the PLP as National Chairman and crossed the floor to lead the FNM would comment on the Pindling/Hanna national chairman confrontation when Mr. Ingraham as Prime Minister supported a candidate for National Chairman and rank and file FNM stalwarts voted in Mr. Ingraham’s opponent. See if you can remember those FNM names.

Politics and bedfellows.

​

See you next week.

​

Please leave your comments and questions in this section and I will answer them in subsequent dispatches.