Posted by Briland Modem News Team on April 02, 2001 at 15:03:40:
THE FNM ON THE VERGE
The telephone calls were coming fast and furious in the evening. This Senator was on his way to represent the PLP at a dinner for General Pace, Head of the U.S. Southern Command at a dinner at the Deputy Chief of Mission’s home. The call said that the Bahamas Ambassador to the United Nations Anthony Rolle was in town and he was coming to the FNM’s Council meeting Thursday 29 March to move a resolution to expel Pierre Dupuch the FNM MP for Shirlea and to censure the leader of the FNM dissidents Tennyson Wells. Mr. Wells for his part was confident that it couldn’t happen, but others weren’t so sure. The prediction was that if such a thing happened, Mr. Wells would lead a breakaway group from the Free National Movement and form a Parliamentary group in the House of Assembly that would be bigger than the PLP under Perry Christie, making Mr. Wells the Leader of the Opposition. That would have been an unreal situation because Mr. Wells does not control the votes that the PLP controls and so it would have been a Parliamentary aberration. In any event, the FNM stepped back from the breach. Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson is said to have come to the meeting, spirited Mr. Rolle into a back room and nothing more was heard about the resolution. But what we do know is that they will try it again. The Prime Minister can’t help himself. He has simply got the personality of a hatchet man. He is like Henry II of Anjou who reportedly said, “who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?” and that led to the murder of Thomas Becket. The other point is it would be interesting to see exactly who would leave with Mr. Wells. We could only count two for sure, and we’re not saying who those two would be. There are known to be five dissidents: Lester Turnquest MP Malcolm Creek; Pierre Dupuch, Mr. Wells, Floyd Watkins, MP for Delaporte and Anthony Miller, the MP for South Eleuthera.
NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR
George W. Bush, the President of the United States of America, has announced who his nominee will be for the Ambassadorship for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. The U.S. Embassy in Nassau made the announcement on Tuesday 27 March. His name is Richard
Blankenship. He is the Hospital Administrator of the Hospital Director of the Madarin Veterinary Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Mr. Bush said in making the announcement: “Rick Blankenship has spent much of his professional life working with The Bahamas and other Caribbean nations. His economic expertise in the Caribbean region will make him an excellent Ambassador”. Mr. Blankenship is thought to have been a financial contributor to the Bush campaign. From our point of view, it is important for the U.S. man in The Bahamas to be able to get Mr. Bush directly on the phone. Arthur Schecter, the last man in the post, had that ability with former U. S. President Bill Clinton. It is believed that the process of confirmation and appointment will take until June of this year before he is actually living in Saffron Hill, home of U.S. Ambassadors in The Bahamas. Mr. Blankenship from 1982 to 1985 served as President and CFO at St. John’s Capital and was with Raymond Jones and Associates in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1981 to 1982. He is a graduate of Florida State University.
FIERCE STORM IN FREEPORT
No one knows where it came from. But on Thursday night/ Friday morning 30 March and 29 March, there was a sudden storm in Grand Bahama and in New Providence. There were also reports of twelve-foot swells in Bimini. But despite a lot of wind and rain, nowhere was hit like Freeport in Grand Bahama. Winds were clocked there are 105 miles per hour. Some houses were damaged, and roofs torn off. Because wind exceeded hurricane speed, the provisions of hurricane coverage kicks in, so homeowners will not get complete insurance coverage. The airport was closed for most of the morning because it lost power.
SEMINAR ON JOURNALISM
It is sometimes amusing to hear those who represent the media in The Bahamas talk about integrity in journalism and the need for integrity. The School of Communications at the College of The Bahamas sponsored Journalism and Communications Week in The Bahamas. They sponsored a trip by Dwight Lauderdale, the Channel 10 Miami newsman to The Bahamas. He joined panelists Wendall Jones, CEO of Love 97, Arthur Foulkes, Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas, Ed Field, the PR man for Sol Kerzner, Debbie Bartlett, former journalist and now a businesswoman. The discussion took place on Tuesday 28 March. They all talked about investigative reporting and being against censorship. But they speak too literally. First, no one mentioned the censorship of this writer from the Nassau Guardian. The writers there continue to work there, knowing that it occurs and do nothing. No other media person objects to it. Secondly, there is censorship of politicians if they are PLP or Opposition. The Cable Bahamas community channel cannot broadcast any statements by politicians. Then no one spoke about how the owners of all media in The Bahamas refuse to offend their advertisers and pull stories or fail to cover stories if it will offend advertisers or potential advertisers. So as far as this writer was concerned, it was interesting for the students to hear but too much of what was said was self-serving poppycock. Of note, however was Dwight Lauderdale who said in the presence of Mr. Foulkes, the Chair of the ZNS, that a Government owned station cannot be fair and independent. Amen!
RAY MINUS BACK IN THE RING?
The Tribune of Wednesday 28 March (see their photo) reported that former Bahamian boxing champion Ray Minus was to return to
international boxing in Atlantic City on Saturday 31 March. Up to press time we did not have the results of the match and will inform you next week of the result. The fight was said to be the first international fight by Mr. Minus in ten years. Mr. Minus is 36 years old.
BARCLAYS AND ITS CUSTOMERS
In the strange and arcane world of banking, Barclays Bank now has joined the list of foolish practices. This week they sent out forms to all its customers who are International Business Companies. The form asks the beneficial owners to prove that they as beneficial owners are not subject to U.S. tax authority. What next?
BAHAMIAN AT VASSAR
Congratulations to Tiffany Lightbourne, a Bahamian Lyford Cay Foundation Scholar. Ms. Lightbourne has been appointed Assistant
Professor of Psychology and Urban Studies at Vassar College, the sister school to Yale University. Ms. Lightbourne entered Beloit College in Wisconsin at 15, worked on her Masters at 19 and at 26 she had her PhD. Now the job at Vassar. The photograph is from the Bahama Journal of Friday 30 March.
Back To The Top
TIGER WINS IN THE COURTS
Garret Tiger’ Finlayson, the owner of Burns House Ltd. and Butler and Sands Ltd, the largest liquor merchants in the country, has won an
important legal victory. Last year there was a decision by the Licencing Authority to refuse to renew 23 licences of Butler and Sands because
the Licencing Authority had not been consulted on the transfer of shares of Mr. Finlayson’s company. The Supreme Court overturned that
decision in a ruling by a new foreign judge in The Bahamas, Hugh Small of Jamaica. The case was argued by Michael Barnett. The case appears
to be authority for three propositions: first that the Licensing Authority cannot fetter its discretion. It must act on its own and not be informed
by policies of the Government against monopolies. The judge said that it is a matter for the legislature. The Authority must act within its
powers and the law and not concern itself with matters outside its purview. There is no requirement in law to get permission of the Authority to
sell the shares in your company so long as the licence does not change from one company to another. Thirdly, the franchising arrangements are
acceptable provided the stock continues to belong to the licensee, in this case Butler and Sands. Mr. Finlayson said he was elated at the
decision and would adjust his business practices to ensure that the stock ownership complies with the ruling. We'll try and get the full ruling
for the law students amongst you to read. The ruling was made Friday 30 March.
GB FNMs In The Dark - Grand Bahama members of the Free National Movement Council were reportedly taken by surprise at the aborted move against Shirlea MP Pierre Dupuch. (See FNM on The Verge above) Late word into our political correspondent who reports on all matters FNM is that Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson was told that “Long Island man don’t go against Long Island Man… after it’s all done, you still have to go home.” FNM dissident Tennyson Wells and Mr. Watson are both from Long Island. As we report above, Mr. Watson apparently aborted a planned move by U.N. Ambassador ‘Boozie’ Rolle to expel Mr. Dupuch. Curiously, Grand Bahama MPs, Ministers Ken Russell and C.A. Smith along with fellow Ministers Zhivargo Laing, Tommy Turnquest and Dion Foulkes were all out of Nassau at the time. Plausible deniability, one supposes.
Bye-Election Soon? - Political sources in Grand Bahama report there may be a bye-election soon, somewhere in The Bahamas. The move they say would be aimed at jump-starting the voter registration process now stuck in low gear. The source contends, “There aren’t enough new voters yet registered for any good gerrymandering opportunities” Boundaries are changed ostensibly on the changing voter patterns. Things that make you go hmmm!
New Challenge To Blacklisting Laws - Freeport attorney Maurice Glinton has taken out writs against the Governor of the Central Bank and the Receiver of a bank recently closed by the Central Bank. The writs represent a constitutional challenge to the officials’ authority under the country’s new ‘blacklisting’ laws passed in a hurry in December to appease foreign powers. The laws have made The Bahamas the laughing stock of the Caribbean and have turned out for the good fortune of this country’s regional competitors in offshore finance.
PM Praises Citibank? - As Citibank prepares to close its offices in Freeport at scale back operations in Nassau, the company came in for praise from the Prime Minister this week. Correspondents to this site have been inundated with complaints about the PM’s move and a request to remind the policy makers that when jobs are lost, people hurt. Duh?