Your point is well taken however as you said substance abuse is commonplace. So should the idea of legalizing marijuana just be completely vetoed because of such abuse. I don't see Kalik or Bacardi being pulled off the shelves and hidden because people are coming in to buy it. How is it you can buy cases of alcohol for a party but if you buy two or more bottles of Robitussin it's a problem (and I am playing devil's advocate here).

They tried making alcohol illegal a while back and see how that panned out...as with marijuana the only persons benefited from the sales were those who were part of bootlegging. It wasn't until it was regulated and taxed properly that the government made any money on it. Now as it stands today tobacco and alcohol are HUGE revenue makers for many countries.

The Bahamas needs to look at other revenue options aside from taxation of poor people. Or do we need to look at a Revolutionary War...

And we continue to burrow ourselves deeper and deeper into Chinese debt. No worries we soon be a Trinidad...over a zillion people and more than half with Chinese ancestry. The average Bahamian will no longer be just black....

This is exactly why I don't follow persons like Patterson, Munroe, Ellis and such...using God to gain worldly riches and fame. As Ronnie Butler said in his song "Christ rode a donkey not a Bently" furthermore when he wasn't on a donkey he was walking. Fact is...I am tired of these purported men of the cloth and Christian faith who never have any biblical fact to back what is obviously their opinion.

If Mr. Patterson has an issue with marijuana based on Bible references then I am all about hearing what he has to say, but if you want to base it on the fact that it takes away a person's ability to reason then to me you are irrelevant as a person who is supposed to have theological training. Seems to me he is speaking based on his own personal views....

Mr. Patterson (notice I am not saying Rev.) I suggest you rally up several Bible passsages before you start commenting on the things that you think the Christian Council needs to disagree with. And while you are at is look for a few as it related to your fellow business partner Mr. Fraser.

I was responding to comments about where were her parents. I was out at 4am at college parties and such when I was her age but I also was raised to use good judgment. Never leave drinks unattended, if you go out with someone at no point do you separate and leave, have at least twenty dollars and ID in the event you need to get a cab or something happens, let someone know where you are going and if you leave let someone know that as well...so if you aren't back at a reasonable time someone with authority can be alerted, and most of all be aware of your surroundings

...the point I was making is that if she went willing to this man's room at this hour her judgment was off. Whether she was intoxicated I cannot say...also where was the friend she was supposedly with. There are clearly missing pieces to this story so all we have are assumptions.

My assumption based on this story is she went willing and the friend knew, things got out of hand and went to far.

At no point is rape justifiable but at the same token this possibly could have been avoided. It isn't victimizing the victim it's calling to light a situation that possibly went further than it should have.

As I stated in my comments...I am neither FNM or PLP I am Bahamian- and that means I vote for what benefits Bahamians no matter who is responsible for it.

Seems to be you are of the mind to just hand a man a fish rather than teach him to fish. If you enjoy working hard and busting your a** daily to hand your money off to someone who sits and home and collects your paycheque then by all means go right ahead.

I work hard and I don't part with one red, yellow, or green cent without making sure it's well worth my giving it up. I don't work for free and likewise I don't accept handouts...I was raised to work hard for what I have. Whether it be an education or the money that I get paid bi-weekly. I go to bed at night knowing that I did my best that day and I pray to God he continues to give me the strength and presence of mind to continue doing such. If by some means I lose my ability to work daily then I will do what I can to ensure I don't ever be the recipient of just a handout.

When I am home and I go to the grocery store and I need a broom or a mop do you know which ones I purchase. The ones made by the blind....c

If the blind can make brooms and mops then the person who can see to walk up to my car and ask me for a dollar can do more.

Well if that is the case this should stand as a lesson to young females not to place themselves in situations such as these. And for young men just because a woman might seem willing at the beginning no still means no.

In the wild wild west it certainly is... haven't you gotten the memo yet. The Bahamas is back to wild wild west days...anything goes.

SMH!!! This cannot be a country in debt. We buying lime trees...clearly we got money to burn.

Another flash and glitter moment to blind Bahamian to real issue that plague the Bahamas brought to you courtesy of the Christian Council and it's lead donkey.

I guess anger needs to be regulated because I can almost guarantee that's why the murder count is so high. Hot tempered fools with a need to prove they are bigger and badder than the next person. It isn't the people smoking marijuana...

And what about alcohol...people lose the ability to reason when drunk. This man needs to take several seats and muzzle himself.

I don't smoke but I feel it's like alcohol, if that's your preference then go ahead. As long as measures are taken to prevent underage use and in some ways abuse then legalize it for whatever use- recreational or medicinal.

totally agree...rape is never right in no way or circumstances. However, this probably could have been avoided with a better judgement call on the young female's part.