Let me state for the record...Bahamian Vets ought not to be compensated for doing a service to the country. They cannot expect to be paid - this is a TRUE VOLUNTEER INITIATIVE...SERVICE ABOVE SELF MAN...and they want to compensated as noted in the Tribune..."Foreign vets do benefit as a result of their involvement and Bahamian professionals are seeking minimum and reasonable compensation." - WTF is this statement all about!

It is true, foreign Vets and volunteers do benefit from our work in the Bahamas, we benefit from knowing we helped animals in need with no expectation of thanks, money or recognition, we did it because it is and always will be the right thing to do. So yes, we did benefit from our work there, by becoming a better human being. That is worth more than gold.

What "misunderstanding"? The VMAB letter was pretty clear in its position, and the comments still coming from them today still speak loudly enough to know they are looking to ban foreign vets AND they want to get paid for performing what is a charitable event by non-paid volunteers. So what part am I misunderstanding?

If some of the Bahamian vets do not wish to participate in Operation Potcake, then let them get out of the way so that the people who can and will get the job done can do so without interference.

In the meantime, it's the animals who suffer.

Here is the link to the letter from the VMAB
http://www.operationpotcake.com/wp-cont…
Check it and see where the misunderstanding is!

# Foreign vets do benefit as a result of their involvement # - the ONLY way foreign vets benefit is knowing they have put their skills and dedication towards the best outcome possible for the suffering animals .They are at a loss financially (after paying for their own travel and lodging) and use holiday from their own jobs and practices . It is a disgrace Bahamian vets want to gain financially from the program , donate your time and skills to help animals in your OWN country and graciously accept all help that is offered to you

Shantelle, I agree with you wholeheartedly. But you do not need to shout to get your point across.

Lol EMac ! Don't know how that happened :-)

Lol. It is the passion you have for these poor animals

and it's blue! Awesome!!

Misunderstanding my foot! This was simply an ill conceived plan to make money. All vets who voted in favour of this scheme ought to be ashamed of themselves.

Comrades far too much dog sex going on in we Bahamaland. The pregnantant as much up on Eastern Road any where else. PM while you're in the taxing mood why not place a special Pot cake Value Neutering Tax on all local vets. While we're on the topic of Pot cakes when will the local vets gong offer low income doggie owning Bahamalander's, subsidized neutering? Over the life--time your doggie you can look forward to spending upwards of $4500 at your local vet.

SMH - You cannot back peddle out of what you have intentionally peddled head long in to. To think that any of us involved in advocacy would roll over to the VMAB's ill-calculated attempt to hijack Operation Potcake and hold it hostage to their "demands" then attempt to represent that it has been simply a misunderstanding....is also ill-calculated.

Exactly! But do you think their egos will allow them to back down and do the right thing? They all sat back and looked at all the money the volunteers spent to come help and thought "We need to get some of that, we'll just not let them come and then they will send the money to us!"...........To bad that is not the way it works. We will give until we have nothing left.......UNTIL you try to scam us and not do what's right for the animals, then we will open up a can of whoop as#* on you like you have never seen. ..........but I guess they are realizing that now. What part of NO ONE IS BACKING YOU, do they not understand?

It was a misunderstanding just like the way they ended the spay and neuter project with Pet Pals in Eleuthera for December 2013??????

It is obvious mistakes were made, maybe on both sides, but suffering earned or unearned should be redemptive. Let's now encourage both sides to fight the real problem and not each other. Instead of criticising them we should respect them for being big enough to go back to the table because showing humility, especially from our politicians and intelligentsia, has almost become an extinct trait in the Bahamas.

Shame on our local vets, who have conveniently highlighted the problem with Bahamian protectionism generally, in that it benefits no one, least of all Bahamians and in this case, our Potcakes.

Wait til European, Canadian, Caribbean Vets can come in at will, via the EU-EPA and Carib-Can trade agreements, exempt from Work permit fees, and with their home country financing structures and capital access.
The landscape is changing fast, VAT is only one hot button topic for now, along with myopic Bahamian Veterinarians.

.

For God's sake!
Whose testicles are we talking about here- animals or local vets?
If the VMBA wants to "hijack" Op Potcake fine, go ahead- just get it done; for free,
w/ the volume agreed upon and and leave your ruddy egos at the surgery door.