With all due respect, the reefs are dying globally.
This is one of the first major, major environmental collapses.
I have been studying tropical coral reefs for 50 years now.
The present day marine scientists, the majority of them, have never seen a healthy reef. It is one of the saddest things I have experienced in my life. Few seem to know, fewer seem to care.
The cascading effects of this reef die-off will significantly affect The Bahamas and humanity as a whole.
I appreciate the optimism of some of our reef advocates, but I believe the writing is on the wall.

Still waiting for the task force that will reveal the name of the corrupt high-level politician who is claimed to be still serving in government.
Task force, for what?
Jokey leaders.

What this highlights to me, is that all positions of power need to be filled by outsiders who have no family nor political loyalties.
Find the best, pay them accordingly, and let them do their job.
If there is one thing that is certain, we continue to put family and friends ahead of impartiality, justice, competence, and fairness, stagnating the growth of this nation.
It has been said many times that it is not what you know, but who you know.
This is the greatest barrier to this country moving forward, onward and upward.
We have engineered the corruption, incompetence and injustice into our entire country.
This will not end well.
It almost seems like we are bound and determined to vote into office the most incompetent, immoral and corrupt people we can find.

I am all for accountability.
And, the fines seem too small.
However, the majority of "environmental damage" in our country lies directly at our own feet.
If anyone pays attention, or, better yet, cares how our own fisherman, boaters, businesses and population treats our environment, we would not be failing on all accounts.
Rubis oil contamination, frequent oil spills at Clitfton pier, unknown AUTEC poisoning in the Tongue of the Ocean, illegal mining, the continued use of chemicals to force crawfish out from coral heads on the reef, the throwing of trash into the water and on land, killing every snake we see, are far more damaging than a one-off grounding by a barge.
We have no environmental ethic in The Bahamas that The People believe in.
We don't care. Period.

I think you're already there, birdie.

Thank you Mr. Strachan,
Exactly right.
We are not a Christian nation if we are judged on our actions, not empty words.
Both examples you use are quite right, Mr. Strachan.
What should be apparent to any sentient and honest person is that the vast majority of this present PLP administration, the vast majority of our national security forces, the vast majority of our so-called Christian pastors are uneducated, morally compromised and far less than honest.
That Mr. Bastian is considering running for office is a national disgrace.
That this administration has not spoken out against it, is quite telling of the moral character of our PM and MPs. Their moral character is basically nonexistent. Perhaps so, for keeping so much company with miscreants and other slime bags.
This is a national problem now, as we see that the fish has been rotting at the head for so long that this rot has permeated through our entire society.
Clearly, there are very few now in positions of power that anyone can trust.
Personally, I trust very few in our society at large because we have gone along with this
nonsense for so long we are unable to see right from wrong. We continue to make excuses for family and friends who break the law, lie, cheat and steal.
The Bahamas has lost its moral compass and is as far from a Christian nation as exists on this earth.
God help us.

It is Linder Cay. Not that it matters, in a place where little matters.

And, didn't China just pledge $80,000 to The Bahamas for Hurricane Melissa relief?
Something fishy about all of this crap.

Mr. Munroe should resign.
Does he not see that this is a black eye to the entire nation?
Does he forget that some of his top employees are locked up in the US for drugs, guns and money crimes.
He is part and parcel of the country's law enforcement culture, or lack thereof.
Mr. Munroe is morally adrift, for having to spend so much time defending the indefensible.
And, to read the comments from our administrators, pastors and police. any black eye we receive is due to our own slackness and turn toward evil.
This country is finished unless we oust every person in a position of power and replace ALL of them with new blood.
We must replace the entire political, national security, police and so-called Christian pastors for this country to survive another generation.
This entire PLP administration is rotten to the core.
This fish rots from the head down.
This country is adrift. And,I hope the world sees this and acts accordingly.
And, we still do not know who the senior politician is who was involved with the recent scandal in the US, do we?
Go Mr. Munroe. You do this country no good whatsoever.

Following your discussion. I agree with you.