WHEN Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis flew to the Summit of the Americas held in Los Angeles earlier this month, he pointed out a notable absentee. Cuba.

For long-standing political reasons, Cuba was one of the nations left without an invite to the gathering – with the consequence that issues pertaining to that nation went without an important voice in the discussion, and without the chance to negotiate solutions to some of those issues.

Mr Davis said at the time: “We have to appreciate that Cuba is at our doorstep. We have to appreciate that as long as these embargoes and blockades and sanctions exist against Cuba what it does is it hurts the population and it increases the misery of those people. Hence, the desperation to leave and so we then are faced with the irregular migrants coming from Cuba into The Bahamas, which is an existential threat to our national security.

“Why, because there is a very huge power lobby in South Florida in respect to the regime in Cuba and as we move to live up to our international obligations of repatriation those in South Florida do not accept that we have that obligation and as you recall our consulate was stormed several years ago and so it’s a threat to our Bahamians who have travelled to South Florida and do that in droves every year.”

The effects of that are ably demonstrated on our front page today – with Attorney General Ryan Pinder warning that we are seeing an influx of Cuban migrants that is higher than ever before.

We are used to significant numbers of migrants from Haiti – although this year officials report more migrants from Haiti heading towards the US than previously.

Instead, we have a spike in numbers coming from Cuba.

When it comes to Haiti, at least we have an opportunity for dialogue with officials there – although the turbulence the government there is in helps no one, in Haiti or overseas.

But the chance to speak to Cuba was spurned at the Summit of the Americas – and building that dialogue raises concerns from that South Florida bloc.

It’s hard to negotiate a solution when you don’t have all the voices involved. The government is increasing funding, but we also need to talk about the roots of the problem and how to avoid the boats coming in the first place, as well as what to do with the migrants once they’re here.

The first thing we should be doing isn’t waiting for an interception by Cay Sal Bank. It should be talking.

Failing system

The news that technical problems mean that students will face a delay before they get their report cards is just one more nail in the coffin of the Learning Management System.

It seems the system has been plagued by problems – admittedly in the most trying of circumstances with so many students having switched to virtual learning because of the pandemic.

Still, the system ought to be able to handle essentials such as giving students their reports. Instead, there will be a delay of two weeks.

It is hard not to sympathise with the Bahamas Union of Teachers when they say the system has failed teachers and students.

If the platform is not fit for the job, then it should be replaced. For now, however, it is getting an F on its own report card.