The 2009 Miss Universe Pageant is set to be held in the Bahamas later this year.
The August 30th pageant is being presented in collaboration with the government of the Bahamas and The Atlantis Resorts. Gaynell Stubbs, National Director for the Miss Bahamas Pageant, says `this is a dream come true for the Bahamas and could not have come in a better time`.
Miss Universe 2008, Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela, will crown her successor at the end of the 58th annual event, which will air live from Atlantis. About 80 countries and territories are expected to compete and the pageant will be broadcast live on NBC and Telemundo. The Bahamas has still no Miss Universe winner.
The announcement comes at a time when tourism to the Bahamas has seen a decline as with many other Caribbean islands and the government has embarked on a `grow your own food` campaign.
I am praying that this Miss Universe Pageant brings in a lot of revenue for our country and a lot of people will be able to find employment again.
This whole Clico liquidation thing has me in a state of shock and shaken up. I did not have any policies or investment with Clico, but I still feel for those policyholders. When I think how close I came to being caught up in this trap, it really bothers me. I have since spoken with the manager at Clico who was trying to sell me some policies and investments, he swear he did not know this crap was going down. The thing is I know things like this has happened in the past, that’s why I always felt that the government had laws in place to protect it citizens today from these type of things. I really hope that those policyholders are given some resolution in short order. I can only imagine how depress some of them are. Only he, who feels it, knows it. Can you imagine how hard it is to be making all kind of sacrifices to pay your premiums and all for what? Only to learned that a company who you trusted to provide for your love ones, in the event you should past on, to be there for you doing your retirement, to provide medical coverage and financial stability at a time that it is most needed have turned around and swing you out of all your money. Then you turn to the government to see what they can do for you, only to hear this have nothing to do with them. I think this is a disgrace!! The government should be able to protect it citizens from these type of crooks. After this experience, do you know how hard it is going to be to get people to invest their monies with this financial institutions? People would prefer investing in a new dress or an expensive tennis and going out for a night on down. Who could blame them, at least they would be able to see where the money gone. Anyway, I hope another company buy out this trouble company pretty soon and continue to provide coverage to these policyholders.
While Omar Archer’s contribution is “food for thought”, it falls short of the mark in areas. When the PM gave his communication, Dr. Knottage asked some clarifying questions and they seemed personally related to me. So what does that mean? He saw a chance to make some good money on an investment? The fact that a 12% return was offered in a country where we are lucky to get 4.5% on a long term investment puts it into the “risk” side of an investment portfolio and only persons who can stand to lose that money should go there. So I cannot muster up much sympathy for their loses. Now… if any of those persons collapsed their portfolio in a 8 month period prior to the liquidation, I would like to see an investigation and an explaination for this. Does that in itself adversely affect our general population? No! Who are affected though are those policy holders who rely on their life and health benefits policy in times of need. They should be able to “have faith” in a company that operates here in the Bahamas. This calls for adequate oversight by the relevant Government Dept. To blame the P.M. is not fair. To imply he allowed this to happen because he held annuities and then sold them because of insider info is libelous! And why Omar do you fault the Party followers? You make no sense here at all. We must all take our share of the blame as we did not demand “oversght” in this and many other areas. One of our major parties was in power for almost 50 years, the other for 12 1/2years. Is the one 1/4% culpabile and the other 3/4%?
Whose feet should be “held to the fire”? Polititians are well placed to benefit from many “deals”. It is one of the “perks” related to the job and one of the reasons almost all stand for election . Those of a more bureaucratic bent claw their way up to top positions for the same reasons. That is the nature of the beast. This will not be the first liquidation or bancruptsy that we will encounter in the next 18 months.
Knowing this, do we call for “heads”? If we do there will not be too many of the polical eliete left standing. And what punishment do you propose? Better that we use our time demanding that an investigation lead to better oversight of all companies making offerings to the general public. Further we must educate our more poorly educated population in life skills that have very practicable implications.”Party politics has this country in a mess.” You are so right, so why then bring to us the phrase ” you blind ignorant party followers” unless you are castigating both sides of the “divide”? History will always repeat itself. That is why those of us who study it and learn from it will always fare better than most. “Sad times”,my boy, but times will get better. Have faith and learn from this. Those who lived through the “Great Depression” did but then as things got better the lessons stopped being taught and here we are once again having to learn them over. EVER WILL IT BE!
The great Hon. Shane Gibson has the names of the persons who took their money out of Clico before the liquidation.I’m waiting patiently for him to call those big shots and the names of the MP’s.
Omar, you struck a vital cord….”These guys should go to jail. They are lying to the general public.”
I have yet to here WHO’s feet in CLICO would be held to the fire for this mess.
I think our former colonial masters are saying to themselves “…HOW IN THE WORLD WE ALLOW those “Islaners” out of slavery.”
What I am saying is this is not the time for structural development. We need to meet the immediate needs of the people. Are banks calling you for over due mortgage payments? Are your homes listed in the papers? Have you lost your property due to your inability to meet agreed payments? Are you having to take your children out of private schools and placing them in government schools because you cannot pay school fees? For decades many have complianed about this economy being a one crop (Tourism) economy, Successive governments have failed to employ proactive methods to ensure that a dependent country like the Bahamas would not be so affected due to global economic failures. The only thing they can find for Bahamians to do is clean the roads. I have no problem with that but it’s just a tempory fix. We are tired of lying self serving politicians who only live to see their financial delcarations increase by 10 fold every 5 years. They are stealing the tax payers money and now they are stealing the country. Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham new about CLICO from mid last year. The only reason I could see him not telling the people was if he himself was due to benefit as a shareholder. So you blind ignorant party followers need to look beyond your smelly noses and think for the children if you fail to think for yourself. Party politics has this country in a mess. While you defend them their mortgages ar paid, their children are enrolling to attend private schools abroad, they are buying properties and living high of the hog. I challenge you all to open your eyes before it’s too late to save this country.
Well my view is,this some thing positive for our country.Let us wish the best.We who call our self BAHAMIANS,Thank GOD at least money would be coming into our country.Again I say thank GOD.
We didn’t read the same thing…..I refuse to belive that we did.
I don’t get this. The PLP’s plan was to do the same thing. The only difference was that the harbour was to be at Clifton. How do do it? How does the PLP negatively politicise a plan initiated by them? How does a plan that was billed by the previous administration as something that would improve the standard of living for all Bahamians (really just New Providence residents), now become “structured corruption” and something to “benefit greedy white knights”?
No – I do not think his contributions are “so PLP”
We want the Government to “do” something but when an inititive (Miss Universe pageant) is undertaken we “bad-mouth” it. We want the unsightly Bay Street made palatable for the tourists but we complain that the money must be borrowed to do it and it will only benefit “the greedy white knights”. The Chinese offer $150,000.00 at 2% interest and we complain because some of it will be used to dredge the harbour so the super giant cruise ships can come in. “This government is engaged in structured corruption”. Anyone can open one’s mouth and say anything. Show us the proof! OMAR: It is incumbent upon those who complain to offer some legitimate solutions and the plans to implement same. Do it or “get off the pot”. Your contribution is so PLP
hmmm. Now one billion people will see a country of unemployed individuals whose children share in a national grade average of ‘D’. What is he trying to prove? How can we share in the potential success of such an event when the people are suffering and losing their homes, properties and other possessions with absolutely no damn end in sight. As for the stimulus package, let me just say, most of the 200 million being borrowed will be spent on Bay Street benefiting those greedy white knights, and as for the 150 million granted by the Chinese government, it’s for the harbour in Arawak Cay. This government is engaged in structured corruption. The average ( majority) Bahamian people will still be left wanting in the end. These guys should go to jail. They are lying to the general public.
Wow! what great publicity for the country.
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