Nassau, Bahamas — Bahamas Press along with members of the wider Bahamian community are now witnessing what can only be described as the ‘UPBIZATION’ of The Bahamas!
On yesterday Robert Mugabe’s twin, Hubert Ingraham, caused the appointment of Queen’s Counsel in the Commonwealth through the Governor General.
The eight lawyers all hail from ‘White Knight’ law firms were appointed Queens Counsel: Brian Moree – Mckinney Bancroft & Hughes, Philip Dunkley – Higgs & Johnson, Colin Callender – Callender & Co, Fred Smith – Callender & Co, Emerick Knowles- Alexiou Knowles & Co, John Delaney – Higgs & Johnson, Brian Simms- Lennox Paton and Sean McWeeney – Graham Thompson & Co.
A Queens Counsel is also known as QC or Silk. They are often referred as Silks, because whenever one is promoted as a Queens Counsel their court robe is made of silk.
Bahamas Press is not by any stretch of the imagination questioning the abilities of any of these men. To us they are simply senior officers of the court. But we patiently wonder why would Robert Mugabe’s twin contrive the idea of appointing all from ‘WHITE KNIGHT’ law firms?
Why would Ingraham, while on his last one leg hop out of power, not see the need to bring along and lift to the status of QC eminently practitioners of the court; Damian Gomez or a Wayne Munroe just to name a few. Person who we know have been active on the front lines of the profession in this country.
Why would not that man we liken as the DEVIL, clothe in a cloak as Prime Minister for the small, the weak and the down trodden seems to always have a special eye for the people of the ‘lighter hue’, the rich and powerful? The country’s BIG WIGS or better yet, BAY STREET!?
What about the smaller independent firms, which have produced some of the finest professionals in the legal profession. But this is Mugabe at his best; blessing those who have with more while he jail and threaten to imprison the backside of those who struggled up the ladder as he did.
We need Change Bahamas. Please, for goodness sake Bahamas send Hubert Ingraham home! Please send this Damn Pedophile PROTECTIVE Government HOME!
Dear Editor,
I am not qualified to speak, authoritatively, on matters of the Judiciary, nor am I qualified to be heard, respectfully, on anything of judicial interest; However I need not be so qualified as to be disqualified from giving my input on the recent group of candidates, nominated for and named to that loftiest honor in the fraternity, that of “Queen’s Counsel.”
Heretofore Queen’s Counsels, as we know them, were selected from eminent lawyers in the country; Barristers at law, who have distinguished themselves as fierce advocates before the courts, on behalf of clients, and who are no strangers to appearances before the final court of appeal in our land-the Privy Council. Collins Pocket English Dictionary says that a King or Queen’s Counsel would be an eminent Barrister, selected to serve as counsel to the crown. Based, then, on the observance of the bare minimum of these standards, would anyone disagree with me if I were to submit that, of the nine or ten names put forth by Ingraham, it appears that only one of the group is able to pass that acid test?
It seems to me that Hubert Ingraham is determined to complete Bay Street’s agenda during this term in office, never mind that by doing so it makes him look like a real “uncle tom.” I submit that this is the purpose for which he was installed as leader of the FNM from the inception. In his entire twelve and one half years, thus far, as a prime minister, there is not one single, meaningful program initiated by the FNM, for which we can say, assuredly, that it promotes and or benefits the long-term interest of the majority population. Please don’t make the silly argument that the unemployment benefit scheme of a 13-week handout, qualifies as a meaningful program because it doesn’t. Ingraham’s more than 12 year record, as prime minister, is littered with promoting Bay Street’s agenda and when it comes to programs which would benefit the Bahamian masses, he has had no real interest. I can cite any number of initiatives which the PLP has champion and which Ingraham and his FNM government have frustrated. Even in this simple exercise of bestowing a little, deserved, honor on a few of our people who have done well and did it on their own I might add, Hubert has shown his true colors and has failed to do the right thing by them. I can think of at least three eminent lawyers who should have been on that list, instead of some of those who were, but of course they are not of the Bay Street grouping. I note with interest, as well, the law firms from which these individuals have been chosen and Bay Street is written all over them. To put it all very bluntly, quite frankly, Ingraham appears to possess an acute disdain and dislike for persons whose ancestry has its roots on the African Continent, this in stark contrast to his very obvious reverence for those of European extraction. I stand corrected, Hubert did in fact oversee the implementation of one useful program (cable television) but he couldn’t even do that to our benefit.
I am not qualified in the art of psychiatry either, but I am able to tell when a person is suffering from some kind of disorder-a complex, if you will-whether of inferiority or superiority. I perceive that this prime minister has a complex; one which appears to have been programmed into his DNA from birth which has him convinced, that he and our people, are less than adequate, and that we don’t deserve what those other people deserve and that the good life was designed, not for us but for people whose heritage is of European descendants. This seems to be Hubert’s mindset: imbedded deep into his DNA. Can he ever change? Can a leopard change his spots? It has never happened before, but I guess we can hope for change.
This complex seems to be heightened and fully in charge when he (Ingraham) has to make decisions involving the welfare of poor, helpless, dark chocolate skin, Bahamians; he crushes them without mercy. Look what he did, or allowed to be done to all the civil servants in recent months-Customs; The Police; Bahamas Immigration; The National Insurance Board; ZNS; The Hotel Corp-and take special note of the methodology employed in firing them. Remember what he did to Steve McKinney and Philippa Russell, hours after winning the General Elections? Couldn’t wait to let the Bahamas know that he was firing them and he did it, disgracefully, from his victory rally platform on the park. Urban Renewal staff members were dismissed, en mass unceremoniously, all over the country; and look-just look-what he did to Grand Bahama’s “Moon McPhee,” that sports Icon extraordinaire. Moon was given, essentially, over the weekend to clean out his desk. Do we know of any of Bay Street’s kind who has been affected, by Ingraham’s many hang-ups? I know of none.
I am convinced that if Hubert thought he could close down the National Insurance Board and the Bahamas Mortgage Corp. and the Bahamas Development Bank and the Defense Force, as he did the Hotel Corp; and if he could undo Independence and eliminate the College of the Bahamas, as he did in shutting down the National Health Insurance Program, without repercussions, he would do so; no questions asked. After all, these are institutions, which were brought into being in the first place, by successive PLP governments for the benefit of, for the most part, the 85% majority population. We have been fooled, big time, by Ingraham and his co-conspirators, who I regard as the remnant of the old Bay Street/UBP guard. The man’s agenda is crystal clear.
Thank you
Forrester J Carroll J.P
Freeport, Grand Bahama
4th November 2009.
@Green Tea
There may not be any cases peonding, but there definitely should be. Oh boy if you knew what I know…bunch of crooks and thieves…
Very interesting to see how the deck is being stacked very high from supporters of the governing party in the judicial system.
I wonder if a big case is out there pending against The Government?
you are quite a fool…
so what stopped PC from making his own list while PM?
@Kim Sands
Kim, I was at a party with people from both sides and the all agreed that the appointments were part of a payback.
If things were any different then I would be surprised but I don’t expect anything better from HI!!!
@naomi
You all stop saying that, because it just doesn’t make any sense to me and I refuse to believe it. Say what you want about Hubert, but I can’t see him appointing anybody to any position base on the colour of their skin this day and age. That’s just racist. My God, even the USA has a black president.
Rusell you are so right. In fact Brave was on the list and was receiving congratulatory remarks up to Monday and then he was taken off!! I guess he too dark hey!! Lots of Attorneys are appalled at this.
BRAVE DAVIS HAS THE CREDENTIALS FOR BEING APPOINTED A QC.READ WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT HIM IN A BIOGRAPHY,
“”A leading litigation lawyer, Brave Davis has an impressive appellate record with perhaps more appearances before the Privy Council than any other Bahamian lawyer. A former Member of the Council of Legal Education (CARICOM) he has also an unprecedented contribution to legal education in the Caribbean region”. Brave is most deserving of the title QC and should have been included in the list to show balance.Of course I expect no more from HAI who obviously grew up in Abaco with an inferiority complex.
nO TURNING BACK WAS THE CRY OF cHRISTIE DURING THE 2007 GEN ELECT CAMPAIGN NOW WE KNOW WHAT HE MEANT.QCS ARE PAID MORE THAN THE AVERAGE ATTOENEY FOR CASES.SO THIS IS ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO ENRICH THE UBP, BAHAMASYOUTH.GO TO THE ARCHIVES AND READ UP ON THE BAHAMAS IN THE 50S AND 60S.WE ARE TRULT IN TROUBLE THE UBP IS BACK,GOD HELP US ALL EVEN THE UNCLE TOMS.
@Wisdom
LOL!!!! I don’t keep too many friends you know, but I cool with some of them. They are my customers so you know I am trying to make everybody feel like their business is always appreciated. The last thing I want to do is get in anybody’s business or offend anyone, because I realize plenty people in the market and they could always carry their business elsewhere. I see vendors on the side of the road selling them in all.
Kim, is it some of your “LITTLE YELLOW FRIENDS” 🙂
Yes Caliee the World is watching.
This is interesting man, Big brother is watching.
what nationality are these people guyanes and hatian what are the others?i have nothin agianst foreigners but we dont support our own we dont build great men we tear then down
Now you know you wrong; there are men, and then there are manee..do not mix the two up.
@Wisdom
Sorry to burst your bubbles, but aint only women buying them.
LOL!!!!! Yes Kim, “…Hubert has a thing for complexion…” and bleaching creams are selling more than anything.
This confirms my statement that women will compete for power at ANY cost, to their own detriment.
@Wisdom
Wisdom you have plenty sense. As a young Bahamian one of the most MEMORABLE EVENT I will NEVER FORGET is when Hubert Ingraham presented the budget debate earlier this year. It wont take no brain surgeon to know that The Bahamas depend on the tourism industry and since US is going through a recession so we are going through one as well too. ITS NOT INGRAHAM’s fault that we depend on a FRAGILE INDUSTRY which is TOURISM. Like they saying goes “when America coughs, The Bahamas cough and sneezes”.
At the budget debate Ingraham said point blank we enn have no money since the US is in a bad state. Therefore he had TWO OPTIONS. Either to FIRE some GOVERNMENT WORKERS or BORROW MORE MONEY so that he can pay for the government workers. He said to his ADMINISTRATORS that if you SEE SOME HANDS IN DA COOKIE JAR if dey steal a PEN, If dey steal a paper…… LET EM’ GO and call the authorities. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN that was one of the most memorable things I will never forget and thats the TYPE OF LEADERSHIP I LOVE!
Whoever takes office in 2012 or even 2017 they must take in some SERIOUS SERIOUS DECISIONS. As a college of The Bahamas student we have had special lectures who agree that we need TAXATION REFORM to keep the country afloat. We needs TECHNOLOGY REFORM. Sadly we need GOVERNMENT WORKERS REFORM. Some might dont understand when i said Government reform but seriously there are too much incompetent government workers who dont know how find new initiatives to better off our SYSTEMS and surely they dont know how to do their works in swiftly manner.Here it is in order to get your drivers licenses renewed you must TOAT long line when they just have to PRINT and ISSUE. IF we had YOUNGER QUALIFIED PEOPLE we can work together as ONE to solve our problems. As simple as getting your LISCENCES on time why we can NOT just have a GOVERNMENT operated system so that we can register and pay online THEN get it send to our PO BOXES. Also PO BOXES needs to be fixed properly.
@Thomas Finley
Which women are you referring to? We aint talking about no foreign women you know? I can’t see no Bahamian women voting against equal rights, from what I know about most of us we have the tendency to want to be in charge. Please enlighten me Finley.
@Wisdom
Oh they acting aye? Well they are some damn good actors, because these people is buy into their crap for every trip.
Please let us not blame Hubert Ingraham he was a good man, that is now operating under the spirit of an organization. Let us be real the PLP has its philosophy and the FNM has its own.
However, reading the newspaper today and reading a headline that read: “70 EXPECTED TO BE CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING NIB JOBLESS BENEFITS” I am certain the spirit of Sir. Cecil Wallace Whitefield is at work.
One should remember the famous quote from Sir. Cecil Wallace Whitefield in the early 1970’s “…prosecute their backsides in jail…( this was one of the most blurred statements towards PLPs across the nation, however the prophecy seems to be manifesting 30+ years later)
It appears that the FNM is carrying out what I call “THE SPIRIT OF Sir. Cecil’s statement.
PLPs should remember that; Sir. Cecil’s movement that would culminate in the formation of the Free National Movement came to a head on 18 November 1970 when it became clear to eight courageous parliamentary members of the Progressive Liberal Party that their effort to entrench democratic principles in the PLP would fail.
In my opinion, those 8 courageous parliamentary members of the Progressive Liberal Party sold their loyalty to foreign powers.
For the last 6 years I’ve observe the FNM and it’s backing of former “Colonial” and “Foreign” powers are try to land ALL PLP MPs in JAIL!
@bakesboy
Are you serious? Do you really feel that Hubert has a thing for complexion and he would promote you base on your skin color? If that’s the case, no wonder why those bleaching creams are selling more than anything else in my store.
Sorry Kim Sands, maybe you are different but i’ve had some first hand experience wit woman and their drive for power. The emotionals shown by Perry and Ingraham?
Kim they are ACTING its not real emotions. 🙂
@Kim Sands
Women voted against equal rights back in 2002, so you gets none! Get to the back of the line!
@Wisdom
Just want you to know your comment was very insulting to us women, because who more emotional than Perry and pettier than Ingraham?
Bahamian women are too emotional and competes for POWER too much. Last week that “giddy” judge is a perfect example.
In my opinion the new QCs are ok, we need people to keep Wayne Munroe in check, because he seems to control the intire system.
@bakesboy
I agree with you. Yet some people don’t see anything wrong with that. It is this realization that has this country so divided. If you aren’t catering to the FNM, then they won’t doing anything for you. It is simply unjust.
This again shows that in this country, under this leader, in order to be recognized as a good professional, you must be white, light or bright (skinned). The PM is again showing his feelings of inferiority when it comes to those of a lighter hue. What the procedure is as I understand it, was that the recommendation would come from the Bar Counsel, to the Attorney General, then would be ratified by the PM (or some variation of this). But our current PM will not accept anybody’s recommendation, so he disregarded the recommended lawyers and rewarded his UBP buddies.
Note that in England, when the appointment of QC’s resumed in 2004, it was announced that future appointees would not be chosen by the government but by a nine-member panel, chaired by a lay person, which would include two barristers, two solicitors, one retired judge and three non-lawyers. Formally, the appointment remains a royal one made on the recommendation of the Secretary of State for Justice, but he no longer comments on the individual applications put forward by the independent panel, and merely supervises the process and reviews the recommendations in general terms (satisfying himself that the process as operated was fair and efficient).
In The Bahamas, too much power is in the hands of the Prime Minister, so men like Brave Davis, Wayne Munroe, Alfred Sears, etc, will never see a light of day.
HUBERT INGRAHAM WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY, WHETHER OR NOT HE REMEMBERS. WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO TELL HIM HOW TO DO HIS JOB BECAUSE CLEARLY HE DOESN’T KNOW HOW! My goodness if you people only knew how you are getting swing big-time. Someone needs to begin to audit this government. Bahamians are far too gullible, and the government exploits us because of it.
I will do just that. Thanks for your advice. If your are not white, then you are also a House Nigga.
It would not matter so much if these jobs were equal opportunity. The PM refuses to give promotions on both sides. CALL A SPADE A SPADE!!! These are clearly his supporters and this is how he keeps the FNM propaganda fueled. This government refuses to be fair and just.
Brave Davis, Maurice Glinton, Wayne Munroe would all have been good choices for this. Also John Wilson got high praise from the Privy Counsel the other day – he lead his case as the first Bahamian to do so & won. He is highly regarded by his peers. Guess he’s a little too black for silk. Sad…
no women attorneys are good enough to be a QC I see. As a matter of fact are their any Bahamian women QC’s?
What crime(s) has the PM committed? why people believe they have the right to tell Ingraham how to do his job? If you feel you can do better, run for Office yourself! He worked very hard, continues to do so, and he is attacked constantly. Politics is the interaction of interests, so if you want a seat at the table, get involved and become a player.
@Examiner
Maybe Glinton, like Paul Adderley, does not want the QC label…I am certain that the PM consulted with Mr. Christie, which is why Mr. McWeeny is on that list…
Hubert paying Manny Alexiou back by appointing Knowles QC. Hubert needs to be charged with High Crimes and Misdemeanors along with Treason.
It is payback.I am hearing that Hubert’s daughter may now become a Partner at Higgs and Johnson. Lynn Holowesko to be GG. Bay Street want all of their things now. Well they bought a ” House Nigga” and he sure is delivering.
Maurice Glinton has been left out again and he is perhaps the mst brilliant legal mind in the country…but then again he does not kiss up!
Knights don’t need affirmative action, they control the scenes from the background….at least they used to. Now they will start edging forward to take up what they believe is their rightful place at the round table.
Pay back time!! Election must be around the corner.
The majority of persons who are appointed ‘QC’are usually lawyers who took on EXTREMELY DIFFICULT CRIMINAL AND CIVIL RIGHTS CASES AND WON.I ask the readers of this post to see if they could remember ANY OF THESE LAWYERS in this article tackling or winning any major CRIMINAL OR CIVIL RIGHTS CASES.Indeed can any one state that if any of these lawyers have perform a DECENT NUMBER OF PRO BONO CASES.ALL I CAN SAY IS OUR PRIME MINISTER IS NOW DELUSIONAL.
Well, how many white lawyers, or Lawyers from white firms, have been given QC titles since 1967? It is just a little Affirmative Action…..
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