<<< As Bodie would say, “What kind a ‘sugar’ is this?” A ‘Steady Hand’ man flying the country on a one way ticket to HELL! The country is losing cabin pressure and the one man captain is not asking for help. BAHAMAS!!!!!!!!!!! WE NEED CHANGE! (Photo by http://bahamian.ebloggy.com website)
Nassau, Bahamas — Some, who continue to suggest that Hubert Ingraham has a ‘Steady Hand’ to run the country, tires Bahamas Press with their bilious pronouncements. Now they can say that once they properly define ‘STEADY’, especially when it comes to Ingraham. We believe this is utterly untrue and is a false statement when one examines the facts.
In 2007 Ingraham himself said when he took office how ‘SHOCKED…Indeed surprise’ he was when he saw the level of reserves and management of the state affairs upon coming into power. More than $800 million was stacked to the roof sitting in the Central Bank collecting dust under the former administration. Unemployment was down to 6.5%. Foreign Direct investment was high nearing some $20 billion dollars. Standards & Poors gave the Bahamas an A- rating. Bahamian could buy chicken ‘n’ the bag for lunch and supper cause the dollar was stronger and inflation was down! Breakfast at the van in the morning was .99¢ before the ‘Steady Hand’ man came back to power. Taxes was down on more than 160,000 items, and Bahamians outside of the great United States and Canada lived much better that anyone one else on this side of the world. We went to family island regatta so much, Novie Pierre wrote a song about it! Those were that facts prior 2007.
But look what we are facing in two short years since Ingraham’s administration rolled into office on a ‘Trust & Colour Red’ agenda. Bahamians are beginning to see a different picture. If ‘Blind Blake’ was with us today perhaps he will stroke the cords of his tenor banjo and begin the song, “Run come see Jerusalem”. It would not 1929 anymore, but 2009.
Run come see the man with the ‘Steady Hand’ Blake would write. Oh boy, we can hear the loud chorus with the tears of the unemployed Bahamians who would sing in the background, “RUN COME SEE, RUN COME SEE…. The man they say with the ‘steady hands’”.
We wonder, where was the ‘Steady Hand’ man when the homeless on Grand Bahama was being kicked out of shelter trailers. The ‘Steady Hand’ man ordered them onto the streets, babies and all!
What a wicked ‘Steady Hand’ that must be to force the Cabinet into agreement and demanded BEC to discontinue allowing consumers the chance to pay their bills bit by bit. And those who failed to pay were quickly shutoff supply, all 6,000 customers. We remember the old pensioners on the island of Bimini protesting against BEC. And with no lights, mama only could sing in the dark.
Perhaps one could say those shriveled creepy looking ‘Steady Hands’ was clearly not concern about the Bahamian public when it STOPPED, Cancelled and Reviewed million of dollars in projects. Running them back into the ground. The loss is still being calculated and yet persons have the gall to describe Ingraham as having ‘Steady Hands’?
Those hunted ‘Steady Hands’ didn’t care about the more than 1,200 temporary government workers who needed a job and a chance to work. Many were hanging on a thread of survival in 2007. But thanks to ‘Steady Hand’, they’re all sitting home looking through the porch window. Mother home, the daughter (who cannot pay her college fees) home, the son in the back yard smoke leaf, home. And by June 15th, the father will join them all because Ingraham is sending him home on retirement at age 48. Boy, that sounds like one cold iron hand to me.
The ‘Steady Hand’ man didn’t stop there! He began weeding out law enforcement officer, customs officers, teachers, senior public servants and immigration staff. And after his Stop, Cancel and Review policy took affect on the owners of the many projects, it lead to mass layoffs: masons, carpenters, tile layers, painters, plumbers, steal workers, and associated construction staff. Yes, that’s the man with a ‘Steady Hand’.
Now one must not forget this all happened before the global crisis. Let’s now look and examine what the ‘Steady Hand’ man is now doing. Miss Universe is coming to the Bahamas and no one knows yet, what it the cost to the taxpayers, but the transparent ‘Steady Hand’ man says he has a stimulus package. He says Miss Universe will bring jobs to the ‘PLANTATION” site on Paradise Island. And so he must use those ‘STEADY HANDS’ and burrow money on the backs of the poor to build roads. Like an auction house, the burrowing started at $200 million to give to an Argentina based company the road contract. The burrowing started at $200m, then it was $210m, the last time it was published the burrowing stood at $230m for roads. Does anyone know yet how much chicken ‘n’ da bag money that is? ‘Steady Hand’ man has auctioned off our children future to the IDB! AND PEOPLE TALKING BOUT RAPE?
And look what the ‘Steady Hand’ man has done to the cultural artists in this country. He has canceled Carifesta, but is bending over backward to host Miss Universe. That must be one SLAP IN THE FACE TO ARTISTS IN THIS COUNTRY! But we say no more on that! Ingraham has a ‘Steady Hand’, so they say.
‘Steady Hand’ has delivered the largest tax increase on the Bahamian people in the history of this country. ‘Steady Hand’ has delivered the highest levels of unemployment ever seen in a post independent Bahamas, with unemployment now over 12%. ‘Steady Hand’ has delivered three deficit budgets in two years, with this year [2008/09] alone closing the country with a deficit of $422 million dollars, the highest ever! Now listen people, do you know how much chicken snacks that is? That’s more than all the chicken ‘n’ the bag sold by ‘Dirties’, “Keith’s’, ‘Sammy’s’, ‘Bamboo Shack’, ‘Father Allen’, ‘Kentucky’, Bertha’s, ‘Dominos’, ‘Super Value’, ‘City Markets’ and any other place you know selling chicken everywhere in the country.
Bahamians are seeing a decline in their country. The traffic lights don’t work. The ATMs don’t work. The small businesses closing their doors in droves, 10 a day! The police don’t know rape from rash. Traffic death from gunshot wounds, murder from suicide. And people have the nerve to say someone running this jungle, and possesses steady hands? They gat to be just as crazy as the ‘Steady Hand’ man!
‘Steady Hand’ has failed once again like successive government to fix the #1 problem in the Bahamas, THE COLLAPSE OF JUSTICE! Those paralyze withered hands has once again deferred the construction of a judicial complex. And he has failed appoint badly needed judges to the bench! But commonsense just isn’t common these days.
Some pride in suggesting Ingraham has a ‘Steady Hand’, all we say is this, the hand might be steady, but the head is ‘shaky’.
I watched a good movie on HBO during labour and whit Monday holiday week called into the storm ,It chronicled Sir Winston Churchill during the days of World War 2 and his battle royal with the Nazis which by way of one Adolf Hitler it was as I watched this movie that I likened WW2 to what is going on here in my own country ..You see folks it as if this FNM government is the gestapo and we are now being persecuted this government has presented one of the worse budgets in Bahamian history they have declared war on the middle class and because of the disastrous stop and review fiasco we have lost investors and we have lost billions of dollars worth of projects.
This FNM Nazi regime is to blame for it all they took almost five years of record growth as stated here in this Nassau guardian report http://www.thenassauguardian.com/bixex/304751906906744.php [copy and past the link to read] now fast forward to 2008http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2008/11/24/its-not-better-in-the-bahamas/ copy and paste as well .
So this regime have bought us doom and gloom a budget that probably was thrown together the night before the debate began ….I say to everyone that blog on this sight let us stand together here this Nazi FNM government has had their time we need to start a push for impeachment they must be made to get out of the HOA …..the Country can not afford one more year under this regime they have got to go.
I’m not a bitter person nor a person that is blinded by party politics but if a foreigner that came here in June of 2006 to work can utter these statements and I quote “when I came here in 2006 the place was much happier and things where swinging but since the fnm won and plp lost it all seemed to go down hill.” end quote we have got to wake up people yes they said that Perry was soft he was slow to make a decision but I say this it is better to take your time and make the right decisions than to be quick and make the wrong one and such that is what Hubert has been doing making the wrong decisions .
The person who came up with this photo of Prime Minister naked, they are too deep. I don’t see how they could sit down and imagine how he would look naked. I could barely look at him with clothes on, much less imagine him naked.
COME ON
With free education in The Bahamas and the fact that you are a twenty (20) year old, your grammar is very poor. Spend some time reading a book not surfing the computer/internet and pretty soon you will see some improvements in those areas where there are needs.
Just some motherly advice… for what it is worth.
@rb75
Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion and I can respect that but ronica7 if you live hear in the Bahamas today and had lived here from 2002-2007 then for the love of God any blind man or woman can see a real difference ….now if you still want to vote FNM then that is your God given right and no one can change that but I take umbrage with the fact that most FNM’s want to blame Perry and the PLP for what is happening today they are trying to say that Perry took to long to make decisions and that Perry was to slow to move ….well to this I say that the facts are the facts and this can not be change …So I say kudos to you objective thought you made some great points the end game of this FNM wutless government is at hand they will loose the next election and I hope by God’s will that they never get their cancer ridden paws back on our government .
You said that you are 20 but with all the NONSENSE you just wrote, I’ll say that you are no older than 10 and you are from a FNM family!!!
You call people who follow the PLP IGNORANT??? It seem as though you FNMs don’t really believe that you have won because you all continue to go around saying that the PLP has lost and they need to move on!!
Just in case you don’t know, I have never seen the PLP go into the HOA after May 2nd 2007 and refuse to sit on the opposition side…. From the HOA reopened in 2007 after the election, the PLP has never pretend to be the govt. so I don’t understand why you FNMs continue to say that the PLP has not accept their lost at the polls and they need to move on!!
HI used to be a go-getta as you put it but prior to 2002!! Now he is just waiting for Obama to turn things around while raising our national debt more than $500 million in only 2 years!!
With the country now in FAR WORSE condition than it was in 2007 you still say that you would vote for the FNM if elections were called this year… You are not just an FNM supporter but a HARDCORE FNM!!!!
You said that you don’t believe in voting for party then turn around and say you will vote FNM without even knowing who your FNM candidate will be!! You need to go check yourself before you try to play in the big league because you are mixedup and trying to ‘play’ neutral while exhibiting your obvious bias towards the FNM!!!!!!! You have no SHAME!!
PS. You actually called Maynard a good minister. I am bewildered!!! Obviously you don’t watch parliament!!
@Joe Blow
Joe Blow, I’m sorry but you expect the almost worthless civil service to police that? PLEASE!!! They will never be able to police businesses that are not registered!!! And you can’t get a business licence without first having the business registered!!! Many persons that I know used to pay their buisness licences and registrations every year but they did not pay insurances for their workers…
While I agree that something like this is needed to protect workers, The govt should have found a better way to impliment it especially in these tough times when the govt needs funds…
You are going to be surprised when you hear the mid term budget next year and the main budget in June as to how much funds will be lost in the business licence and registration department/s…( mark my words)..
Joe,
I beg to differ from you it is now a proven fact that HAI was clueless and out of touch when he came back to office he took a vibrant economy ,Billions of dollars of investments that where on the table and shoved it down the toilet he took all of that and ran it over a cliff and then he blew up the car……This is the facts this FNM government is by far the worse government that have govern this country in our entire history.
What wutless Laing and rudderless HAI have done to our economy is nothing short of treason I say this because it is the facts if Hubert gave a dam about the Bahamian people then this worthless excuse for a budget would have initiatives for Bahamians instead this budget will grow our deficit continue government spending and has no stoppage in government waste.
It is time for our people to rise up and that day is not long from now folks ..Now I know some here will say that I am just brow beating but if you look at our situation right now we are in a very bad way and this administration does not know how to dig us out of the hole..
In the end I will still say that the whole mess in our nation lays at the feet of one man and one man alone that is Hubert In graham and I hope to God that the Bahamian people will have justice for what Ingraham and his wutless band of airheads has done to our nation .
@Objective Thought: The requirement that a business has to produce their up-to-date National Insurance is one of the types of oversight that is needed in this country. It has the purpose of protecting the workers’contributions as well as seeing that the business is operating in a way that helps the economy of the country. Certainly we can allay your fears of possible lost revenue by having inspectors pay yearly visits to each establishment in an area to make certain there is a posted business licence available. Already, should a business import a product the owner must present customs with an up-to-date business licence. Those persons who already operate illegally are certainly not providing the government with any money now anyway, so what further loss could there be?
@ Russell Johnson: Your attitude appears to be born of the fact that the PLP lost the election. Sit back and take a deep breath. Party politicals is just that. There are good and bad people in both partys. Your comparison of HAI to Caligula, Stalin and Hitler is certainly an exageration and unjustified. Sometimes your comments are what turns right-thinking persons away from your party.Perhaps you are doing more harm than good by continuing in that vein. Think on it!
@ Ronica 7: Most of the time I quite agree with your more moderate comments. Sir Lynden was indeed a visionary in his earlier days. Unfortunately he became a man obsessed as so many politicians do. I ask you to look at whom in his Cabinet promoted the National Insurance Scheme and whom he put in charge. Remember also there is very little that is new “under the sun.” We are a young country that learns from the more established ones. So National Insurance was not an innovative idea- more a necessary one. Not to take away from Mr. Pindling”s tenure, PLPs tend to forget that HAI was Sir Lynden’s choice as “heir apparent”. Unfortunately for the PLP, but fortunately for the Bahamian people, when Pindling began to change, HAI would not accept what he preceived to be serious transgressions that were not, in the long term going to be for the good for the country. He was fired or resigned as the case may be. One can never call Mr. Ingraham clueless. His style might be grating to some but he is pragmatic and a man with the courage of his convictions and is the best person we have at this time for the job at hand. It is his time once again. The People have spoken!
Mr.Ingraham voted for the NATIONAL HEALTH SCHEME as leader of the then opposition and he promised the voters during the 2007 election campaign that his health plan was SUPERIOR to the PLP’S own.Mr.Ingraham went so far as to state that all mr.Christie needed to do was implement the additional parts of NATIONAL INSURANCE since it already had a health insurance component to it.This just proves that sir LYNDEN PINDLING AND HIS TEAM HAD VISION unlike these pathetic so call leaders of today.Well if mr.Ingraham had kept his promise as it pertain to a national health insurance the NURSES WOULD HAVE NO NEED FOR INDUSTRIAL ACTIONS.It will be interesting for mr.Ingraham to inform the Bahamian people how much money government is presently spending on health insurance and which organisation,departments,corporation and individuals are covered.It will also be very helpful if he will reveal the name/s of the insurance companies involved.
Folks,
You get what you pay for in the case of the FNM budget we just got what we as a country paid for when this FNM government came back HAI in his fashion did what he wanted to do to the destruction of our economy our international reputation and everything else that this administration could of thrown over a cliff.
This budget is a lesson in silliness and a complete failure of the governments stewardship of our economy ..for this Laing and HAI should resign from office and hide themselves in shame for what they have done to our economy is nothing short of treason……..This budget does not address the short fall in revenue even though The P.M. said that he is cutting funding from Ministries the cuts only amount to about 60 million dollars now Iam not a financial economist but for the love of God that still leaves us with a huge budget deficit doesn’t it so for all of those people that thought that the FNM was good for our country well I have only one thing to say I told you so.
In my opinion the entire Government has lost the confidence of the Bahamian people and what we need here is a new beginning .
Come On, no disrespect right, but i never read more garbage than what you just wrote. What dirty tactics are you referring to because inquiring minds wants to know. HI’s stop, review and cancel scheme was done for the purposes of finding corruption in the PLP but he didnt find any. Now you are stating that there were “dirty tactics.” Sound like you know something the FNM and the Tribune dont. Please share.
@ronica7
dont get me wrong or no offence. Ingraham big problem is is peoples skill however he dont sweetin shit up like Perry does. Ingraham is a GO-getta and has a back bone something u cant say about Perry. Now Im a 20 year old and im VERY OPEN MINDED… I HATE when BAHAMAINS say I FA FNM I FA PLP and dis shit and the next..
Partys affiliations dont make or break a country. WE as BAHAMAINS must teach our children to stop VOTING by party affiliations. My first election i voted for FNM. I had a Horrible representative Adderly and I am not for Perry’s (my cousin) leadership style.
What the PLP must do is rearrange there party… Im so sorry but they LACK THE LEADERSHIP i perfer in a leader… If I was a American i wouldve vote for Hillary Clinton because she has what it takes. I like Obama but personally I feel some people voted based upon his NICE speeches, His Party stances and most importantly his SKIN COLOR…
If they held a election this year I WILL more than likely vote FNM because I admire more of their members compared to Perry’s members. EG:
Ingraham, Minnis, McCartney,Maynard, Wallace is doing a SUPERB job. Now these members who need to be replaced ASAP: Bethel and Turnquest. and al the rest could stay but step UP!
REALITY iS despite our ecominic challenged I must give it to Ingraham’s administration and I AM SICK of PLP’s dirty tactics to try lead the IGNROANT PLP FANS. THEY LOST POINT BLANK MOVE ON……IT IS FINISH THE BATTLE IS OVER!
Joe Blow, why should we forget ‘stop, review, and cancel’? The fnm and it’s supporters are still harping on unfounded ‘PLP corruption’ 30yrs later
As for Mr. Ingraham having a steady hand i beg to differ! Mr. Ingraham has sat in the prime minister’s seat some 12yrs, and he has done nothing of national significance other than keeping us beside our radios!
He should thank god for Sir. Lynden, (that was a visionary leader)for leaving behind a national insurance scheme for him to cower under through the unemployment benefit.
Mr. Ingraham is clueless, and visionless! A 20th century leader!
@Objective thought
OT, i am not against unions per say, i am against some of their practices. I dont like how they does close the country down when they dont get what they want, plus they have put rules in the bargining agreement that makes the process of firing them very tedious. But you have to blame successive governments too for not putting in those agreements efficiency standards that each union member must meet.
That $800 lump sum payment was started under the FNM and that practice has to stop. the government isnt in a position to throw out millions of dollars in one swoop; but once you start something with these unions they wont let you take it back.
The problems in this country require a leader who isnt afraid to tackle the real issues. For all of HI talk, he wont touch the unions, or do a serious downsizing exercise of the civil service. You see what Pres Obama is trying to do in US with its debt? He is trying to deal with health care there because government health care cost is the main cause of their debt.
If we want to get rel bout this country’s finances, the civil service must be address, the failing government cooperations must be dealt with, and the customs duties system has to be done away with.
Until that happens nothing will change.
When any Govt.has control of the PRESS anything they do is advertised as gospel.The notion that HAI has a steady hand pertaining to the economy is rubbish.In assuming power in 2007 HAI just did not know what to do with a strong economy.The man fumbled the ball on the 1 yard line with no obstacles in front of him.This short spiteful man, so full of hatred went on a witch hunt and destroyed anything he felt was PLP.His misguided followers who cannot reason are blinded by his tactics even though many realise that it aint long now b4 this nightmare is over.What next?will we see the POlice searchintg the homes of opposition members of Parliament?Caligula existed along with Stalin and Hitler is HAI a reincarnation of the three?Supporters of HAI are on this site asking for ideas so since they persist,tell your Leader to call General Elections so the people can decide if they want to follow him down the road of oblivion.
@Altec. Oh yeah and there is something else which is very IMPORTANT if you ask me..
The govt has made a new policy for business owners which will further damage their tax collections.. They have said that If business owners cannot prove that they have paid their National Insurances, their business licences will not be renewed!!
I submit that many of the businesses that we have seen closed did not do so because things were tough as the world slows down but because many of them were not paying their National insurances and that of their workers!! Many will now operate illegally under no specific business name!!
So the govt will lose a lot more funds because atleast they used to get those funds from the renewal of business licences and their registrations!!
This new policy will cost the govt, I dare say, millions!!!
@Altec
I agree with you.. I am one of those persons who don’t really like unions because they cause worthless people to get exactly what the hardworkers get!! While some unions are useful, others are just sending this country down the drain… I am told that they are one of the main causes of many countries falling behind like Jamaica!!!
The PLP talked about the VAT but this govt seems to be more interested in the Sales Tax!! I don’t know enough about either to say what I think is best for our country!!
Unions will kill this country!! They continue to make it hard for any govt to survive!!
Very good advice Kevin. I giving up the three sweethearts I have tonight.
Lies always have a way of catching up with you.In 2007 just after the election mr.Ingraham announced that government had no other choice but to terminate 1200 workers since they were hired just before the election and were on contracts and the government didnot have sufficient funds allocated in the budget for their continued employment.REMEMBER THIS WAS BEFORE THE RECESSION.Well in late 2008-early 2009 the same prime minister said that government will BORROW SOME MONEY TO CREATE SOME TEMPORARY JOBS FOR 1500 PERSONS,HOWEVER HE CALLED IT A STIMULUS!!!What is so shocking this took placed during a RECESSION.As for those who will argue that persons are irresponsible if they cannot pay their lightbills let me give this simple equation to you,JOBS EQUAL SALARY WHICH GIVES YOU THE ANSWER AND THE ANSWER IS CALLED MONEY.ONE CAN THEN TAKE THAT MONEY AND SPEND IT ON THINGS CALLED BILLS AND ALSO SAVE SOME OF THE MONEY FOR A THING CALLED RAINY DAY.THEREFORE, NO JOBS MEANS NO MONEY.Unfortunately in times of recession all governments have to divert more of their limited funds in providing some measure of security and human dignity to its citizens.That is why a wise government will try to assist persons with food,shelter,clothing,medical care and electricity.There are some things however,that we the ordinary people can do to help us through these difficult times,there are as follows-1-Budget and spend wisely.2-Pool our resources.The African adage states that many hands make light work.By pooling our resources we can purchase in bulk thus realizing excellent savings.We can also take this concept further and by us pooling we can help each other to pay off our mortgages in a shorter time period.3-Reduce wastage by cutting off our lights and water heaters/air condition when no ones home.Donate our good used items to charity and church organisation.4-Adopt a public school and provide that school with some funds to purchase computers and science equipment.Example if 700 persons adopted Columbus Primary School and each person give $10.00 a month thats $7000.00 a month or $84,000.00 per year.5-Exercise and eat healthy,remember sickness leads to banruptcy.6-Finally,have ONE LOVER.THE MORE LOVERS YOU HAVE THE MORE MONEY YOU WILL HAVE TO SPEND.AFTERALL THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH!!!
Media: You are quite capable of getting your point across without resorting to this kind of smut. The picture is disrespecting the person, the office and is suggestiong to our young people that they have no need to follow the dictates of good manners, good sense and sensibility. Plus some aspects border on pornography. I say shame, shame shame!!!
As to your article, you neglected to add that while there appeared to be money in the Treasury there were a lot of ordinary outstanding bills to be paid.(I can have a large bank account too, if I don’t bother to pay my biis.)
As to the 6,000? who were disconnected from BEC, I noted that the majority owed more than for 2 or 3 months and were making no effort to pay on any of the outstanding balance.( You do understand that too many Bahamians will put their pleasures as the first priority and their bills way down the list. Also We who always pay our bills are the ones being punished because our billing goes up to compensate for the”slackers” while they’re off to Florida.)And this says nothing to the “big shots” who use their political affiliation to mount thousand of dollars of outstanding bills.
To the old and tiresome refrain, “stop, review and cancel”; I say Thank the heavens for the Steady Hand and Head of HAI. Our Country would be faring even more poorly than it is now! Baha Mar ( if the Christie led Gov. had ever gotten around to completing the necessary due diligence and paperwork) would now be one big mud hole with Bay Street being closed off to Bahamians and no new road yet constructed to relieve the traffic strain.
Every government borrows money for its needs. It is one of the reasons why we are in this global recession right now. Whether it is individuals or governments or businesses we spend beyond our means, hoping to recover enough revenue to pay it back. Unless one is very prudent, one always ends up behind the proverbial “eight-ball”.
We all have been complaining for years that the civil service is overstaffed because of political patronage. The worst offender has always been the PLP. Even when they assert that the do it because of their compassion for “the poor people” we all know it is to garner votes for their side. The 1200 contracted persons were hired by the PLP before the election for just that purpose. Had the Christie government wanted to hire them permanently, they would have done so before election day. So to come back on HAI is ridiculous. He kept them on far longer than he had to under the terms of that contract. Also getting rid of the deadwood in the various departments is a wise plan. While we complain about retiring these persons, we would be surprised at the number who were let go, not because of vindictiveness nor political persuation but because they were not capable of doing the job required or were too slack or were bordering upon criminal activity or at least turning a blind eye to it.
Yes,we are seeing a deteriation in the infastructure and employment in our country. It is not a diabolical plan of the FNM. It is the Global
depression and the unwise courses of action of 30 years under the PLP. We can fault the FNM for everything that is happening but with Hai’s Steady Hand and Head we will overcome and perhaps, in the end, learn our lessons and emerge better persons, with the kind of attitude and fortitude we need to forge ahead. Bless each and every one of us in these difficult times.
The old saying goes “if you live in a glass house don’t throw stones” well we know who started these low class photos, now Hubert in one all I hear is this is poor taste what nonsense. I love these types of satire it brings these men down to the common folk where they belong, not as our masters.
For example look at the way the Americans make fun of there presidents and leaders, most of us would be afraid to make fun of our leader in public because we feel, and some of us know we will be victimize. So I say off with the Emperors Clothes . If Ingraham wants our respect then he will earn it and so far to me he hasn’t, when a leader of a nation says he dont believe we Bahamians can’t run anything ma brudda he has lost all my respect.
@Objective thought
OT, you want to know why customs duties are really so high?
1)Every time a union negotiation with the government is complete, the government in its subsequent budgets have to increase taxes in order to pay for all those $800 lump some payments.
2) 30 cents out of every dollar the government gets in taxes goes toward salaries in the BLOATED civil service. Millions of dollars are being paid to people who dont do anything much.
3) The government has to find almost $80 million a year to subsidize ZNS and Bahamas Air.
4) The government does a poor job in collecting revenue. The government is only collectin 60-70% of total revenues. there are too many leakages in the system and every year you hear the minister of finance repeating the line about improving revenue collection. Blah, blah, blah.
Example: There is over $100 million on the books in real property taxes owed to the government and the government seems to scared to ask these rich people (mostly foreigners) to pay up.
Many businesses in this country pay off customs duty officers to look the other way.
5) The government doesnt have the structure to support a customs duty type system but yet it wont move away from it to a VAT tax system.
You want to see those customs duties go down? Let the government downsize, go after tax cheats, and stop this practice of giving every union member an $800 lump some pyment and watch and see how quickly the government gets a surplus on its books. The VAT tax will take time to implement but in the mean time it could do what was mentioned above which will have an almost immediate affect.
BP I got this picture in my email about a week ago so I don’t blame you for disrespecting the PM because this was NOT your creation!! You saw an opportunity and used it and I must say used it well!!
While I know mocking our leaders in this fashion is no where near nice or respectful and that I will not do such things, I can understand people sometimes can’t express their feelings by mouth or writing so they use their talents to express their feelings in the best way they know how….
But BP you did commend PC for laying the ground work for major development and I thank you for that because that is why I still believe that he is the best leader for this country at this time.. PC just needs a stronger deputy to push him when things seem to be going nowhere… PC layed the ground work but took to long to build on it…
As it stands PC’s legacy does not look too good and will be the equivelant of a man gaining 10 thousand acres of land for farming which he then cleared down and that man decides to go around bragging about how he got all of this land to farm but 20 years later he is still doing the same thing ie. bragging about all the land he got to farm on but did not plant a thing!!!
But I blame the persons who were around PC for most of his inaction because they did not push him!! His deputy is at the top of that list of persons around him who I thought did not push him enough!
Mother Pratt must quit politics and go into the church full time and she can still do a lot for her community!!! Like I always say BJ is the best person to be PC’s deputy because he will not kiss up to PC and will let him know just how he feels on every issue and if PC does not want to listen to him, he will let the public know especially on important issues!!!
hahaha cant gey my bearings
Ahhh haaaaa! My God BP what an interesting picture. I can’t stop laughing, however I think we must show the Prime Minister a little more respect than this okay. It’s quite funny though my God.
I thought I would have seen Thoman Finley on this one commenting. I guess he cant touch this as this is the Truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. We really need change but I am sort of happy that we get to see who HAI really is. I guess HAI and Kenyatta clash alot because they are very much alike. PhD in Opportunist
Media. Ya know seeing that you mentioned rape, I was having a conversation with one of my foreign clients today about the amount of customs we have to pay in this country and he was telling me how our govt is RAPING us!!!!
I was surprised to say the least because I thought all foreign white people loved the FNM!!!
@tp
I don’t know what you mean, but kongwa was not associated with that picture. Either way, it was in poor taste. So I don’t see why such a big fuss is being made over this picture of the PM.
@JT
I also remember that just a few weeks ago there was talk about a young man by the name of RAYMOND kWONGA being attached to this picture.This picture was used to humiliate Kwonga. You did not care that it was one of your leaders involved.Now you have the nerve to bring it up.You remind me of the suicide bombers in the middle east. Your hatred will consume you.
@Altec
All I can say is that the Cookie Monster is at it again….ALL FA ME! I am sure their pockets are being lined up while they are running our economy on a one way ticket to hell as BP put it. It’s disheartening.
I don’t know if anyone else recalls, but during election 2007, there was a picture of Fred Mitchell circulated that was in very poor taste. Someone put it on a banner and waevd it at the FNM rallies. Mr Ingraham said while laughing at the image, “yall wrong nah!” It was clear that he thought it was funny. It just goes to show, what goes around comes around. I have seen emails with PC that were in poor taste. I believe that it was done in jest, so let it go.
The image you have used in this story is disrespectful of the office of prime minister…I thought you had more sense than that…You’ve hurt the story and your web site.
I guess it is just, me I was brought up to respect people in authority.As much I might not agree with Mr Christie’s style of politics I would never refer to him in a derogatory manner.Nor would I speak about him without calling him mister.
Our kids are a reflection of us, they only do and say what we teach them.
Any how I repeat I believe this is not the type of picture that should be on this site. It only takes away from all the professionalism that most of us have come to respect and admire here.
My brudder, I agree with you. If this was any member of the plp, people would see nothing offensive about it, in fact it would still be circulating. Reverse. What goes around comes around. The government is doing nothing for this country right now. Man Up.Very Funny, I am LMAO
Before the election of 2007 when they had all those doctored photos of PLPs all over the internet, I suppose it was funny then! What goes around, comes around ma brudder!
@sandy peterson
Disrespectful, YES! For people who have no regard for the Bahamian people, in our minds should not seek political office in this country. Ingraham has left naked thousands of Bahamians without food, job and a place to lay their heads. And some have the gall to claim he has a steady hand?
Well here is just how thousands of workers now unemployed in this country feel, NAKED, STRIPPED and SHAMED of their dignity. Perhaps the PM now knows how it feels! And you now know, we at Bahamas Press gather NO RESPECT him.
BP/Editor
This is very disrectful this is our leader. Shame on you.
Lighten up TP! Can’t you take a joke?
Press I believe this was supposed to be funny but I am surprised that you should disrespect our leaders with such a picture.
For the people that think this is funny I can only say that you are the reasons that the youth of the nation are so disrespectful.
Media i agree with your sentiments! They really put to rest the lies perpertrated against the plp.
However, I think that the picture should not be used. I am no fan of Mr. Ingraham but respect is still due!
Think bout it JT, the national debt has almost doubled since 1992 and there is nothing to show for it. I dare any FNM to show me what HI has to show for his 10+ yrs as PM (and dont say Atlantis).
JT like you i dont understand how come the FNM is allowing a foreign company to come and pave roads when we have companies here than can do it. Tonique Williams Darling Highway is the proof. If your going to borrow money there should be an all out attempt to spend as much of that money at home as possible. But to borrow over $120 million for road improvements and award the contract to a foreign firm who will intern hire workers from that country reveals the lack of wisdom to which we have in leadership. the majority of that money wont stay in the Bahamas, its going overseas.
The FNM has at its main constituent the business class. Every election they throw big money in their coffers. Nobody seems to realize that the FNM’s own pledge of medical prescription aid has quietly been disbanded. Why? the medicl interests in this country wanted it dead just like they wanted the PLP’s national medical plan dead because they were afraid of loosing money.
The Immovable Property Act was repealed by the FNM government in their first term. Why? The Real Estate folks (the big three compnies in the bhmas) threw tons of money to the FNM at election time back then and repealing this Act was their reward.
Since that Act has been repealed almost 10 yrs ago, the price of land has double and even tripled all over the country. The fact is the only people who have benefited from that Act being repealed is the Real Estate giants (and we all know who they are) and their wealthy foreign clients.
The shiiping groups in the country gave the FNM millions of dollars in this last election becuase they didnt like the plans the PLP had for downtown. They didnt want to move all the way out west. After giving so much money to the FNM, ta da, the PLP plans to move the container port was scrapped and is being moved less than a mile away to Arawk Key.
Bahamians please wake up and connect the dots. The FNM is runned by a consortium of business groups made up of 4-6 wealthy Bahamian families that is only looking out for its own interest. They dont care about average Bahamians only their interest. Hi is just a tool.
The FNM/UBP has never and will never have the interest of Bahamians at heart. Its all bout their wealthy Bahamian and foreign friends.
@call it as i see it
We apologize for that Call it. So there you have it.
BP
I still laughing!
BP I know the bloggy boys went into a sort of lull. But if you are going to copy other people’s work at least give them the credit.
@Altec
I certainly agree with you there. I have yet to see where all the spending is taking place. Something just does not add up. The government has borrowed hundreds of millions of dollars; the new budget has many cutbacks; no wage increases, many early retirees…where is the money going. The cookie monster is at it again. What bothers me most is that with the economy being what it is, the government bypasses Bahamians to hire foreigners. Why do we need Argentinians to fix the roads? Why are there so many foreigners being hired according to the dept of immigration when Bahamians are losing jobs at record pace? The economy has grinded to a halt, but I was told recently that work permits haven’t slowed at all…
Well look here, I laughed for a least :30 minutes this morning before I could type a response. BP man look here you really have a way with words. I am still laughing! Yall Good!
WE CAN DISAGREE BUT WE DO NOT NEED TO CARRY ON LIKE THIS.
BP i have to agree with Kevin Mckenzie that this pic is in poor taste (but funny at the same time).
BP i done tell you that in the FNM’s 12 years of governing they have borrowed more money than the PLP in its 30 years of governing. Thats a fact. The rate of borrowing has skyrocketed since 1992. Before the FNM leaves office the national debt will be near or at $4 billion for a country whose GDP is about $6 billion. Since coming into office in 2007 they have already borrowed close to $500 million…Where are we going to get the money to pay it back?
The Nassau Guardian had a story this week stating that the IMF has warned the Bahamas about its debt. When the IMF is hovering over you its a bad sign. The government will have to sell BATELCO, BEC and dip even more into NIB to pay down the national debt.
Whats so frustrating is that for all this borrowing you dont see what was bought with the money. Lights dont work, roads are terrible, hospitals are run down, school buildings are crumbling, government services still suck, and taxes going up.
Bahamians need to wake up and realize that HI is a bad manager and that he isnt good for the country.
PS: BP i cant believe that you actually wrote something good bout PC. Wow, its probably going to rain today.
I love this picture. It makes me laugh and forget for a second the mess HAI has this country in!
This picture is in POOR TASTE.However,it is my opinion that mr.Ingraham suffers from MULTIPLE SPILT PERSONALITIES-therefore a person is never sure which Ingraham they are dealing with.Mr.Ingraham’s dominate personality is mean,spite full and insecure-it only feels confident by belittling and berating others.His second personality is impulsive-does things without thinking and it is also a pathological liar.In other words mr.Ingraham is so used to telling lies that he doesnot believe it is wrong and he just can’t help but to tell lies.Mr.Ingraham also has an addictive personality-persons who tend to suffer from the lack of parental love are more likely to abuse alcohol and other drugs.Finally,his recessive personality is quiet and shy as this personality leads him to feel inferior to others who he believes are from a more financially superior,educational,and loving family background.By loving family i mean a mother that shows love and tender care for her child and a father that spents time and seeks to groom his child in a positive fashion.I DONOT WANT ANY ONE TO GET OFFENDED BY MY ASSESSMENT OF MR.INGRAHAM SINCE IT IS KNOWN THAT THE CIA,KGB AND EVERY INTELLIGENCE AGENCY IN THE WORLD CONDUCT THESE ASSESSMENTS.
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