EDITOR, The Tribune

The vast improvement in media (press and electronic) coverage in our Bahamas is commendable. As an avid reader and listener I am concerned about the absence of information on certain matters, in particular those documented herein.

RESOLVE and the debtors of Bank of The Bahamas. Any progress with payments. The huge amount of unpaid government revenue, estimated at $1b from real property tax, National Insurance dues, Corporate taxes, the school loans and monies owed to Bahamas Customs.

A visit to our Courts would show the number of persons sued by banks, etc, for the non-payment of debts. Our millionaire debtors are not being exposed to the courts. We have been renting space for government offices for decades and continue to so. There appears to be no plan to eradicate this practice.

Many of us have commented about the huge number of government vehicles seen on our streets, at places of entertainment and beaches. In the past recommendations were made to have a Public Service Committee investigate and report on, which persons in the service needs a vehicle to perform their duties and not just travel to and from work and for private use. It was also suggested, that there be a motor-pool system in each Ministry, with vehicles and drivers provided to accommodate public servants having to travel on duty.

The cost involved at present for fuel and maintenance must be immense. Grant loans to public servants to purchase vehicles. During my years in the Police Service I paid to use a Force vehicle and was eventually granted an interest free loan to purchase a vehicle and was paid for mileage on duty. The government in opposition had promised to discontinue the practice of granting public service licence plates to persons, who do not own the vehicles, but rent the plates to vehicle owners.

In February, 2019 a boat left Haiti with 97 persons on board and capsized off Abaco. Reports are, that there were 18 survivors and 21 Haitian residents identified bodies that were recovered. We were told, that there would be an investigation.

With, that many person (39) to be interrogated it was expected the human traffickers would have been exposed. Investigators would have at least received information about the name of the boat, how much was paid for the trip – to whom and where and the principals, including the captain and crew identified. We have not received any information on the investigation from the Haitian government, whose nationals were killed or from our law enforcement agencies to date.

We have not received any information on the Court action taken that stopped the much needed demolishing of the shanty town months go. The public is still awaiting an itemised accounting of the expenditure of $21m for two carnivals and $650.000 on the Musical Festival that did not take place.

The building adjacent to the Paul Adderley and the Baseball Stadium are both mysteries. Media coverage of the above is needed.

PAUL THOMPSON Sr

Nassau

November, 2019