Surely an alarm system that alerts operators to a failed freezer would have been the bare minimum precaution in this case. As usual, government failures cost the people!

Fred really doesn't like anyone to challenge HIS authority.

Voltaire, while I agree with you in principle, the fact remains that Mr. Rufa "worked". It does not matter that he did not receive money for his work (and we do agree that he "worked"), what does matter is that he was doing a job that would typically be paid. The fact that he was not paid is irrelevant in this case.

Someone else brought up expats being fearful of cutting their child's hair -- bad example really, but the one in which a yoga teacher accepts "donations" - let's call it what it is "donations" is just a sneaky way of being "paid" We aren't really that stupid, are we? But the point being is that Mr. Rufa was previously cautioned about his activities -- yet he chose to do so again. That is his crime -- arrogance and disregard for the law.

Do I agree with the laws as they stand? Not at all. In my view, the country should have a very liberal foreign worker policy, and the Bahamians would have to compete with the jobs with everyone else. I don't get the sense this would be a very popular point of view, but in my opinion, it would force the Bahamas to have to compete on the world stage. Education would become essential as a means to compete for a job, and this would force a far better standard of education. Just my 5 cents, but I'll step away and let the outrage begin!

Surely this country has more pressing matters to deal with than creating a homegrown honours system. Let's see -- out of control crime, failing economy, rising unemployment, the DOA national health insurance debacle, a slipping tourism product, and rampant corruption -- just for starters.

In fairness, Mr. Rufa did the same thing before and was told he could not work while in the Bahamas. He was allowed to remain in the Bahamas. He chose to ignore that warning and break the law again. He really has no one to blame for his troubles but himself.

I'm sure the the British letter writer will agree that breaking similar laws in Britain would not be tolerated. So why would one expect to come to the Bahamas and break laws here with impunity? This case has absolutely nothing to do with being an expat. It is willful disregard for the law that got Mr. Rufa into hot water -- twice!

Emac, a few more lines to your great poem...

And just when Birdie's spell
Has got the PLP's own web spinning
And everything in this country's gone to hell
Birdie still thinks they're winning.

Does anyone else think this was all planned some time ago? It's only just now being conveniently revealed in the nick of time and just before liquidations? And to keep putting off a court date to keep up the pretense that the deal could be salvaged? What a farce this whole mess has been (and continues to be) Nation for sale once more. Remember all the concessions for Atlantis Part I? Now comes the next phase. What will the Bahamas government to give away this time?

What responsibility did Mr. Wells take? To my knowledge, he has never come clean on the details of the $650M LOI he signed. Until he does, he is damaged goods and a liability to any party he is affiliated with.

Why wait until you aren't nominated, Mr. Wells? Now is as good a time as any to get out of politics. Until you come clean with all the details of the botched signing, I don't want you anywhere near the FNM. I wonder if Mr. Minnis is thinking of the liability you are, or if he is just too blind and power hungry to see straight.

Marcus, those employees being asked to give back salary are those who took other jobs while being paid by BahaMar. They signed a contract saying they would not take another job while in the employ of BahaMar. So, if they broke their contract, they need to suffer the consequences. Harsh? Yes, but no one was forced to sign the contract.