I must say I was impressed they came out last week and actually spoke to some of the details. It was revealed that 50% of proceed above $40/barrel would go to the Treasury. Finally we got some potential monetary figures.

However, as many of you know, the money going to "The Treasury" will not help any of us poor Bahamians. Unless the government agrees to a further split of its own 50% and give 50% of that to us directly via our NIB accounts, we will as always get nothing from foreign investment. The only thing we ever get on any foreign investment is a few security guard jobs and a few maid jobs. It was told to me that maids at a hotel in G.B. just a few short years ago were being paid $3 per room (yes, three dollars) and would only some days get 2 or 3 rooms each to do. When they take out bus fare, what were they left with? My calculator gave me an error when I tried to calculate it. I'm sure it gave them a tummy ache (from hunger pains).

Perhaps somehow we need to make foreign investors aware (prior to them signing any HOA) that we have NIB accounts and that they insist on some of their charity going there. Prayers. Some number of shakes for yes and wiggle for no?

I agree totally, however, I must wonder just what specific actions he would have advised the Speaker to take in his quest to secure a toilet at his office? Should he have instead waited until the HOA building was demolished like the Post Office, and simply pray that the new architect would decide (on a whim) to include one in the design?

Does he honestly believe that the first thing the Speaker did upon realizing that he did not have a toilet, was to immediately contact the press? My recollection is that the FNM has been in power since early 2017, and I only heard about this toilet thing in 2019.

The fact that we are discussing toilets in such an arena is testament to what a sorry state this country is in. I'm not sure exactly what the leader of this new Party is referring to when he says "...things he MAY NOT be entitled to..." Could we infer that the "slopping out" would continue at the prison under his reign? I mean, if the Speaker of the HOA is not "entitled" to a toilet, then I don't hold out much luck for prisoners.

Ms Pindling is correct in talking about upgrades to roads, cables, medical facilities etc. But anyone can say that right? Unless you are blind, you know those are needed. Where does she see the CHANGE in how the Party will operate? Will she advocate for rules changes in the Party Constitution to, for example, allow candidates for Party leadership positions to speak at Party Conventions? What does she think about what happened to Alfred Sears during the last PLP Convention, where he was not able to speak before the Party vote? That he was not given the names and contact info for the 300 new delegates appointed by Christie just weeks before Convention?

She should tell us what tenets of the Party Constitution she would like to see changed (which could be done at next year's Convention well prior to election) that would allow persons to present themselves (fairly) for those positions? How about allowing local Party members to veto candidates put forth by the Central Committee?

Will we have the same old same old - a Party centrally controlled where voices cannot be heard? The Bahamian people still left having to choose between a rock and a hard place, or the Devil and the deep blue sea? Candidates popping out of thin air, that local Party members have no say in choosing? The same old cigar club?

How about those people in Andros who are allowed to build homes on Crown Land simply because they possess work permits? Will she allow Bahamians to obtain work permits, so they too can get a piece of their birthright that her father alluded to? Why does the Crown still own our land so many decades after Independence? The idea of having a work permit in order to obtain it, by definition prejudices the ownership/or use of such land to non-Bahamians. Very strange indeed.

I would love to know that she wishes for real change. We need it. I would support her in a heartbeat and work tirelessly on her campaign.

It won't matter how many people vote again the FNM in the next election. The new playbook has been released with the US election just held. Opposition observers will simply be kept 20ft - 50ft away from the counting table. What will they be able to observe? Nothing. What will be the outcome? A landslide FNM victory, of course. Just like in the US now, there will be "no evidence" of election fraud.

Of course there is no evidence when nobody could observe anything - LOL.

Trust me though, they know. All of them involved know. It's only us who don't know. Enjoy your conch slop. If you run out, hit me up, I have an extra bowl.

Dawes - you make an excellent point - however, the rumor on the street (which I what we Bahamians have to work with) - is that there exists and agreement of HOA or something in writing whatever it may be, already between the government and this company. Permission to drill exploratory wells has been give (so we hear).

The government could, if it wished, "man up" and admit that they have absolutely no idea how much money we are supposed to get from a successful drill - or they could give the numbers suggested in any documentation. In the first case, they would be admitting that they allowed someone to come in and explore the possibility of drilling oil with absolutely no idea what they (we?) might get out of it.
This would be like someone investing half a million dollars (a regular citizen) in a proposed company that will grow and process hemp in the near future should it be legalized, without knowing what prices hemp products sell for, how much is involved in growing them, nor how much is involved in processing them. A hemp rope that sells for $20, may cost $60 to grow and produce here in the Bahamas. Does that sound like a wise investment? Of course the numbers may be the other way around - but how would we know? Would you put your signature without knowing?

That's the other point here. These environmental people can't walk and chew gum at the same time. They seem totally incapable of asking the question of how much money we are supposed to get out of the deal. It's like their tongue would catch on fire it they asked. You can't do a cost/benefit analysis if you don't know the potential costs and the potential benefits. In this case, they refuse to even ask what the benefits may be.

That makes me wonder if they are in cahoots with the government and the oil company - to keep the public's eye off the money (as always), and thus they laugh all the way to the bank. Bahamians stay poor as always. The big companies get the conch salad, and the regular people get the slop.

That's the other point here. These environmental people can't walk and chew gum at the same time. They seem totally incapable of asking the question of how much money we are supposed to get out of the deal. It's like their tongue would catch on fire it they asked. You can't do a cost/benefit analysis if you don't know the potential costs and the potential benefits. In this case, they refuse to even ask what the benefits may be.

That makes me wonder if they are in cahoots with the government and the oil company - to keep the public's eye off the money (as always), and thus they laugh all the way to the bank. Bahamians stay poor as always. The big companies get the conch salad, and the regular people get the slop.

This is like if a bomb goes off at a bank, during an armed robbery, and the ambulance shows up and rushes the robbers off to the hospital for medical care. Bank employees and customers, left on the ground.

It's been the same for marijuana smokers for years. Permanent life traumatizing police records. Nobody cares about that. It's just the way things are. If you are born a Bahamian, then this is what you get. Wonder if this is what Ping meant by our birthright? The right to be a lightbulb?