Birdie, no one is upset by the fact that a school in Rum Cay is being repaired. People are upset, however, by the fact that there is no way in hell that the job costs $500,000. Even if they are planning on knocking the entire thing down, and building a new one, I sincerely doubt that it would cost so much. Furthermore, and for arguments sake, let's assume that the entire $500,000 is spent in good faith towards repairing the school (highly unlikely), do you really believe it to be fiscally sensible to spend $500,000 dollars on a school that houses only 9 pupils? Seriously? I don't mean to offend the people of Cat Island, but there are schools all over this country with 50x the amount of pupils that are in desperate need of just one quarter the amount of money being spent on Rum Cay All Age School. Whatever way you look at it, it makes no sense. You would see this if you didn't have your PLP blinders on.

Not the dock chat again.

I agree with Wideawake. Much of these conflict of interest and corruption controversies, while very important, are being used to deflect attention away from the government's horrible handling of the Bahamar saga. We have to deal with Bahamar first. The government should be devoting all of their attention to getting this project up and running rather than throwing political punches around the place.

The PLP are playing games here. On one hand, they wish to defame Dr Minnis so as to deflect attention away from their own wrong-doings and show that the FNM is also involved in conflict of interest matters; on the other hand, they don't want Dr. Minnis to lose his position as leader of the FNM because they don't want Ms. Loretta Butler-Turner to emerge as the party leader. I've said it before and I will say it again, Ms. Loretta Butler-Turner poses a threat to the PLP. She is of true leadership quality, and the PLP know it. This is why the PLP, particularly Fred Mitchell, are going out of their way to combine any attack against Dr. Minnis with an attack against Ms. Loretta Butler-Turner. The PLP's ultimate goal is to have Dr. Minnis' integrity destroyed, but not to the point where he is no longer the party leader come election time. It's so damn obvious what the PLP are trying to do. Sly dogs.

Haitian? I don't think so. You do realise that 'Deveaux' is a common Bahamian last name, right? Ever heard of Andrew Deveaux? The loyalist who spearheaded the recapturing of the Bahamas from the Spanish in the 18th century? Many Bahamians now carry his surname as a result of the plantation that he owned on Cat Island. Ring any bells?

I'm not sure it was wise for Mr. Pintard to accuse Mitchell of male chauvinism. It's symptomatic of the unnecessary punch and judy politics of this country. What is clear, however, is that Mitchell is not a fan of Ms. Butler-Turner, and as arrogant as Mitchell is, I suspect the real reason behind his attack on Ms. Butler-Turner is not because she is female, rather it is because she is a THREAT to him and his party. She's tough, determined and not afraid to speak out (or slap out). All jokes aside, Ms. Butler-Turner seems to posses certain leadership qualities that are lacking from other members of the FNM. Mitchell will continue to try and suppress her forward momentum.

George Smith is an idiot. Just last week he was saying how Ms Maynard-Gibson's husband/children's involvement with Bahamar was in no way a conflict of interest. Now he is saying that Dr. Minnis is in a conflict of interest. Mr. Smith is a walking contradiction. He will say anything to defend the PLP and anything to lambast the FNM. Smith needs to go home and be quiet.

Yes Russell, Bahamar was a bad idea from the get go. The reality now is that there is no other option except to try and open the project in good faith and in a timely fashion. I think most people can agree with that. However, the deplorable manner in which the PLP has dealt with this whole controversy, including the revelations that certain members of the party have conflicting interests with the resort, has cast a dark shadow on the whole thing. Of course Perry Christie doesn't want the PLP to talk about Bahamar anymore. The more the PLP talk about Bahamar, the more Bahamians find out just how much him and his party are screwing up. They are all over the place. When you've got members of the same party speaking with different voices, the best thing the PLP can do, in Perry's opinion, is to say nothing at all. You call that good governance?

Does Roberts really think that completing the project is as simple as he is making it out to be ? Or is he just talking pure nonsense to calm the spirits of concerned Bahamians? I truly believe Roberts leaves his brain at home when he goes to work in the morning.

Nygard should not be allowed in this country.