Mr. Butler,
With all due respect, The Bahamas is a place where doing anything, not just opening a bank account, takes way too much time. Anything, Mr. Butler. Why? Too few of us seem to care about other people's time. Few seem to care about the inefficiency, corruption, bad attitudes, pay to play, and other impediments to make things actually work well. We don't seem to care. We don't seem to give a damn about others. This is not just about sovereignty. And, I agree that these banking issues are unfair just so that the US can consolidate the tax haven we wish to maintain.
However, we have a regressive tax system here that is killing our people, the poor and our economy. I wish they required Economics for law students and politicians. It seems very few lawyers understand justice and fairness outside of a courtroom. That's why it we get the results we do when they are in political power.
The sovereignty issue boils down to basic understanding. Were we to be serious about educating and informing our people to make better choices for themselves and this country, as we have given empty words to for so, so long now, perhaps we would not be in this predicament.
However, it seems that the last thing our politicians want is an electorate who is smart enough to see how poorly those they elected behave and the ignorant decisions they make.
Mr. Butler, if The Bahamas wanted justice, why isn't there a robust freedom of information act whereby The People know every single thing the government does, and every single penny the government spends? National security? Intellectual property rights? Just what could be the answer? Certainly, it is not so that a group of corrupt, uneducated and supplicant little politicians can do as they wish with little to no oversight, hey?
We lack honesty. We say the right words for others to hear. Yet, those in power behave like children. Do you not read the daily papers, Mr. Butler?
So, I am with you 100% on the sovereignty issue. However, if you think that our banking woes are the worst of the loss of sovereignty issues, you missed a whole lot in between the lines.
The present pain and suffering of our people are a direct result of poor local and national governance. We allowed a totally unfair taxation system to persist for the benefit of a handful of people at the top of our economic pyramid here in The Bahamas. A Country for Sale may not have been nice, but was it wrong?
Again, I agree with you on the sovereignty issue. But, quite honestly our major problems; social, economic, political and spiritual, here in The Bahamas, are home grown problems which we continue to fail to be honest about, give only lip service to, and seem to forget about every 5 years. We continue to elect incompetent "leaders" to put us on the solid footing to move this country forward, upward, onward together.
Besides this sovereignty issue, Mr. Butler, does everything else in our country seem to be going fine and dandy?
Just asking.

How much time, energy, money and efficiency were wasted in this ill conceived and poorly planned boondoggle.
We have no competent leadership. Certainly none that looks out for the nation's people.
Sad.

Shouldn't be on the front page though, should it Tribune?

Certainly this qualifies him for a higher office.

Sorry Joe,
It's all about the money.
Mostly for the politicians, but that's another story, right?
Today we're worried about birds.
But today, people have fewer rights than ever.

I believe it is to make sure that the real criminals never go there.
They mostly reside in parliament and are called ministers.

Good letter.
Yes, we need a good press.
However, this doesn't refute the idea that our political choices have been, and continue to be, absolute disasters for our country.
We live it everyday.
Why do we not have a robust freedom of information act?
Without it, how good can any journalist be?
This is exactly how politicians want it, and why we get what we deserve.
Obviously, with results such as these, we can only continue failing.
We are failing, aren't we?
Or, is this not the case?

Thanks for being forthright in your assessment editor.
Were lawyers trained to be truthful, or were they trained to win a case for the benefit of who pays them?
I think some lawyers no longer recognize the truth, even when it is in front of them.
I rest my case.
But, I am no lawyer.

Words cannot adequately express utter national failure.

This is our future.
Are we really paying attention?
Or, just paying our taxes?
Obviously, the present political system has failed, as well.
Where are our leaders?
Nowhere to be found.