It is true fact he has stated, that plea bargains are quite common all over the world. He has made the argument for them, which is that fewer cases have to come to trial. The argument against it (perhaps endorsed by The_Oracle above (i'm guessing)) is that some people guilty of serious crimes, only get charged with lesser crimes. This allows people to commit serious crimes and if they can afford a good lawyer who has the ability to gum up the system with tons of paperwork, then the judge may allow them to plea to a lesser charge. One must note here too, that in some cases the defendant may even get off with the higher charge and pay no penalty at all (except money to his lawyers). The plea bargain system ensures that they at least pay some penalty in the interest of justice.

However, there is another side to the issue. That is that someone who is completely innocent and cannot afford a good lawyer to defend them, may feel hopeless and thus plea to a lesser charge - since they believe they are going to jail anyway. If they are going to jail, then they may as well go for a shorter time. In this manner, many innocent people are "found guilty" of crimes they did not commit - the recent case of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn is a case in point. The media loves to mention that he "pleased guilty" to a couple of charges. Of course he did, and so would you if faced with the alternative that the prosecutors offered him (ie. putting his son in jail also for no reason). So basically he was offered the choice of going to jail, or that he and his son both go to jail.

Finally, there is the issue that IF there is so much crime that we don't have the resources to process it properly in our system of justice - is the answer that we should change our system of justice? That's what plea bargaining does. It changes the entire system. People can no longer "reasonably" obtain a fair trial. They are given a "suggestion" that doing so might not work out so well for them.

IF there is so much crime, should not the answer to it be that we address the source of this crime? Why are people committing crimes? What options do these people have rather than to commit crimes? Do they have access to food and water? How were they raised? Who were their parents? What kind of schools did they attend? What kind of nutrition did they have a child? I'm not saying that we turn into a bunch of apologists and take the view that anyone who commits a crime must have been abused and neglected and therefore they have a rock solid excuse for their behaviour. However, it is normal to weigh both sides of any issue and not turn a blind eye to one. Will the Christian Council allow us to address these issues openly and completely? Or will they continue their call for abstinence only, and that the father is the head of the household (doesn't work too well in a country where majority of kids don't have fathers - LOL).

My name is Jokey Jack and I approve this message. LOL

As for the article itself, I would add that anyone (including the IMF) who tells you that they know what is going to happen over the next four years, should be advised or assisted in obtaining psychiatric treatment. The world no longer works in a way in which such long term predictions are feasible. Also, with the way that China exercises its influence globally (beneath the radar) - you will often not know what is going to happen until it has either already happened or it is too late to stop it. On January 20th, that influence stands to expand significantly. Notice how the US Government cannot even stop them from having a phone app (TikTok). If they can't stop a phone app, what can they do? Nothing. The war is over. We lost. There are lots of introductory Chinese language/speaking videos on Youtube. I would direct you to those with haste.

"Disney’s EIA “must address the realities of climate change, COVID, and systemic injustice and ..."

LOL - That's funny. So they have to solve all the world's problems before they can invest in the Bahamas? That's a whole new level of black crab syndrome there, where we have sunk to now starving each other to death.

Maybe they should also be forced to answer how is the Tooth Fairy going to operate in the new cashless society? What will parents put under their children's pillows?

""Now more than ever, with the islands facing economic fragility, suffering from both the aftermaths of hurricane damage and the impacts of COVID-19, a successful discovery has the potential to boost government revenues by billions of dollars in royalties and allow for the creation of new contracts and jobs.”"

Bahama7 - What revenues? The government is set to obtain the revenues - that does not help us at all. These foreign investors need to know that we all have NIB accounts where monies can be deposited and we can withdraw funds in the form of "unemployment cheques". The agreement needs to ensure that WE get some money out of it.

I do not believe there is any environmental concern here at all. The wells will be safe and there will be no damage to anything. However, I'm going to join the opposition to this project because I am not getting any money out of it. Bahamians are tired of these tens of millions and hundreds of millions of investments that we get nothing out of. Security jobs is all we get. This is even a revenue producing project (unlike a hotel) and we are still marked down for zero.

I say no to BPC, because it says no to me.

I wonder how many Bahamians are being held at the Detention Center? I mean, if people are just picked up off the street and there is no oversight and no requirement for them to appear before any court, then how do we know that this is not being used to simply "disappear" people? Especially in this time of Covid. So-and-so rumored to have died of Covid, but is actually where?

There should be a list that scrolls at midnight on ZNS television of each inmate at any and all holding facilities (including police stations or anywhere), giving the information that Mr. Smith called for.

We are a country of secret prisons? I suppose the USA is also, because there is no information scrolling on any television channel over there either. So as human beings, we all just have to be aware that at any moment a black van can pull up beside us and grab us and take us away. It probably happens more often than we think. Maybe why we don't have so many homeless people living in tents or sleeping on sidewalks? They've just been "taken away". Taken out like the trash. Human trash. Human waste. Of no concern whatsoever. Just go to church and pay your tithes, and support the silent pastors.

"The British Colonial Hilton, which attracts more corporate customers than rival properties, is owned by China State Construction, the contractor that built the $4.2bn Baha Mar resort and is now completing the $200m Pointe expansion adjacent to the downtown resort."

So the China State Construction company must be quite pleased.

In the same way, for the next six years people who are evicted from their apartments and find themselves living on the street can take comfort in knowing that we are a country of housing. Bear that in mind. Living on the street for 6 years? How bad can it be. Perhaps better than the detention center.

As the economy sinks next year and if you find yourself living on the street or in your car, just remember that we are a country of laws and a country with lots of housing. That will make you feel better, and the mosquito bites hurt less.

As I predicted 2 years ago when this was first discussed. The additional pilings and structure for the ships will be put in first. Fixing up Bay Street? Bahamians gotta wait - as always.

There is more than enough docking space there now. Expansion for more ships is great, but why are we expanding ship capacity for people to come and see a dump? Fix up the dump, then invite people in. You think all of those ships that come are full to capacity with passengers?

Of course there will not be. In the Bahamas, where the term "fishbagging" is known by all, what do you expect? We've also found an "off-label" use for Icy Hot.

I expect Bahamians to keep breeding and bringing more into the world to suffer at the hands of these "authorities", and they must since they are threatened with extinction as an alternative by those who come here and obtain free land based on work permits.

However, a large number of Bahamians are truly in love with the situation and can be found dancing, singing, and celebrating every year on July 10th. Perhaps more beating is in order, not less? I can only ask. It seems a celebratory thing.

"Mr Rolle argued: “If you can remain in the Bahamas on the basis of a rapid antigen test [as a visitor], why can’t you travel throughout The Bahamas on the basis of a rapid antigen test. Why not go to Nassau on a rapid antigen test if someone comes here and stays on the basis of a rapid test."

Sir, this is simply a psychological trick that the new world government is playing on the population. Make a very difficult almost impossible rule, but provide knowledge of an easier rule. After a while, you will have the whole world (most anyway) wanting the easier rule to be enforced. Begging for it. Desiring it.

In reality, there should be no rule. They only want the easy rule, in fact - but knew that people would not easily succumb to it. So in this way, it is presented as "the good, easier choice" and people request it, rather them having to enforce it.

If the slave can apply his own shackles, it saves the master a heap of trouble and effort.