I agree he is showing more restraint than most could have mustered including those who are defrauding and attacking his character. I hope he takes his lawsuits and any recourse available as far as it would go...what's happening is just plain wrong.

He can be pretty transparent sometimes. Only someone with no concern for the future of the Bahamas would suggest such nonsense.

It is farfetched, but the government as the culprit even more so.
You and I both know they were bulldozed by the government...and they were well within their rights. What you and both know as well, is that the government had no need to set fire to a place they were/are in process of demolishing.

Anything's possible, he and his organization would probably go to this extreme to promote Haitians as victims. I could see them using this at their next ICHR (or whatever) meeting.

If we are going to make wild unfounded accusations here, then here's mine: it was the GBHRA or one of the "victims" to continue the theme of victimization.

We cannot blame the government for everything. The article clearly stated that the process was delayed in part to concerns by social services, so on some level they were involved. So why would common sense not tell these people to use social services as a resource beforehand? Why does the government have to explicitly direct them on what to do? Should they keep delaying indefinitely until people decided to act? What if they never did?

No time would have ever been the "right" time and it had to be done. There is nothing humane about allowing human beings to live under shanty town conditions. I will never understand why some are so easily exempt from personal responsibility. The Government did what they needed to do.

This time the "victims" are also the offenders. They were on notice since last year of this possibility. In fact, they should have felt notified on day one of residing in these dwellings. The only reason they have not made alternate arrangements is because of their disregard for law. Those who are illegal I'm sure will be accommodated at the CRDC and later in their home country. Those who are legal could seek help from charitable organizations, churches, families and friends...just as others who find themselves homeless are forced to do.

This is an opinion piece, and so I understand that there is a thin line between opinion and the above. But this is not the first time he used his column to unfairly and inappropriately further his own personal, or professional, vendettas. But this may be the first time that tribune readers seem to get it. I wonder why...hypocrites, maybe?

Exactly. The government should be offering incentives for people to relocate to the far flung islands, establish or relocate businesses and encourage real local governance instead of abandoning them. Building codes and standards can easily be implemented and enforced to avoid future disasters of this magnitude.

We can only hope that the PM realizes that it's the country and not just his huge ego at stake. Izmirlian has valid arguments regarding the Chinese construction...so I am not ready to simply label it "ego". Nonetheless, I hope that they can work it out...I want Baha Mar to succeed because of all the people relying on it for employment and for the huge (possibly misplaced) investment that Izmirlian put in the country.