Hey Simon,

Excellent article. You are certainly right on the very real crisis in this country.
Historically, we do a lot of talking here, but rarely accomplish anything.
It seems it is a national past-time to talk but do nothing.
If we all agree with your characterization of this problem, and wanted to effectively and efficiently start working on this problem, let me offer a possible solution.
Hold a referendum on the following;
Beginning in 2026, ALL web shops will be taken over and owned by the Bahamian people.
Those who presently own the web shops, have clearly made enough money to place them in the very rich category, as pertains to The Bahamas. Now, go away and be grateful for what you have already extracted from this country. In other words, Sit small and be quiet.
Beginning in 2026, all liquor stores will be owned by the Bahamian people.
Critics will call this what they want.
But, it should be clear to any thinking decent, educated Bahamian that these enterprises offer nothing but misery for the Vast Majority of Bahamian people. The entire nation suffers due to their activities. Forget these stupid sin taxes.
Clearly, as stated in the article covering the passing of the great Nikki Kelly, where she states that "I often tell people that the politicians of yesteryear, whatever their personal failings, were far more knowledgeable and prepared to challenge the status quo than today's lot."
Now, if we were to put two and two together, some may see a correlation between the quality of politicians and the greasy tentacles of gambling, liquor store, and drug money. Surely, as anyone can see, when someone has too much money, they usually want more. And, more money for more power. And, more power so they can get more money.
Anyone in our Bahamian society fit that bill?
Then, with all that money, they want to buy politicians, political parties and political offices for themselves.
Any problem so far?
Ok, let's continue.
These aren't just tweaks to a well functioning nation's economy.
The levels of inequality are unsustainable, as Simon, and every other decent intellectual well knows.
The social degradation, very fairly outlined above by Simon, suggests we are destroying ourselves from within.
While we can rant and rage against the expats, the Haitians, the Jamaicans, the Dominicans, we, we are the ones who have taken this country to its present sordid state.
If you are too proud and ignorant to accept this, sorry for you.
The levels of inequality are unacceptable and make a mockery of Christianity.
If today's pastors and so-called Christians in this country think that owning a web shop and earning millions off the misery of their fellow believers is a good thing, we are proving ourselves to be sorry losers and total Christian hypocrites. Which would be disgusting, if true. Yes, or no?

"She also encouraged journalists to be more aggressive in their reporting. At a symposium in 2002, she reprimanded others in her field, saying: "They do not keep themselves informed. They do not read and they do not know what is happening in the wider world and I think this is a serious problem."
So true, hey?
She added: "I often tell people that the politicians of yesteryear, whatever their personal failings, were far more knowledgeable and prepared to challenge the status quo that today's lot."
Now, can anyone define "today's lot"?
Yes, she was a true giant of journalistic abilities.
She was far more knowledgeable and prepared to challenge the status quo, than today's lot of supposed journalists.

Wow. The power of ignorance and a lack of serious education, hey?

"The Ministry of Finance’s top official yesterday rejected arguments that new and increased boating fees will “scare away” high-spending tourists, and asserted: “The Bahamas is for Bahamians.”
Mr. Simon, If The Bahamas is for Bahamians, why are you jokers destroying this country with your ignorant, mean-spirited and economically short-sighted legislation?
Are the living conditions getting better for most Bahamians? Yes, or no Simon?
As any educated person watches our country circle the drain, is it the foreigners who are destroying our human resources, our financial resources, our natural resources?
Or, is it our own people?
Mr. Simon, you appear to have never run a business, not to be truly educated. You seem like you are someone who has let a little bit of power go to your head.
Until The Bahamas turns the page on the political class, choosing young, honest and nation-building kids as leaders, instead of the washed up compromised political class we currently have, our country will continue down the same path it is currently on.
Presently, it is difficult for an honest, well-read Bahamian to see a future for their children.
And, by the way Simon, when have your "numbers" ever added up?

Justice delayed is justice denied.
If justice is denied, that means there is not justice, yes?
Just a lot of talk from people who are useless and collect a salary for poor performance.
The legal system in The Bahamas is broken.
The lawyers can't, simply can't, do any better.
Never should a lawyer be in political office.
In some areas of life the truth still matters.
We, here, simply don't care.
We just don't care.

What Bowe is describing, is the current state of financial affairs in The Bahamas.
He must know that beyond the indebtedness of the consumer, comes the wholesale lack of responsible borrowing by our politicians.
They will be gone in 5 years, so why worry. They will have taken their money and gone, yes?
Bowe must know that most banks are behaving the same way, ignoring the existential risks.
This isn't a new phenomenon. This has been going on for years.
Did nobody study what went wrong in 2008-2009?
This is a designed resource transfer from the poor and working class to the rich.
All these loans come from private banks. Who owns them. No, not who is the front man, like Bowe.
Who owns these banks? What truly, do banks produce to justify taking such a large portion of the pie. Banks are "rent seekers". They fulfill no function that couldn't be provided free of charge for the development of a nation.
The value of a modern financial education.
Why should there ever be a rich banker?
What do they really contribute to society?

Mr. Young,

Please apologize to your readers.

Now you know.

https://youtu.be/xcHoM1JQQks?si=zzXjVA-…

https://youtu.be/72aZhsNMOWk?si=60KnTro…

So, we have given up on intelligence and education?
You can't legislate morality or behavior. Is this not clear?
Does nobody read our papers?
Isn't murder illegal?
Why don't we introduce legislation that? Oh yeah, we tried that.
Get real Minnis.
Stop the foolishness.
Until we educate our people, we will continue down the road of destructive behavior.
We have failed to produce thinking adults.
We drink excessively, gamble excessively, eat shitty fried food, do not exercise, and continue to vote for some of the shabbiest people around.
We have some of the most ignorant people in the world.
Are the stats not enough for you, Minnis?
What is the definition of NCD ailments?
Why do you think we keep voting in people such as yourself?
Why do we have so many losers in Parliament?
Because we have such an enlightened population?

Yup, just like we shouldn't judge the whole of The Bahamas based on the character and proclivities of those in Parliament.

There have also been nasty, highly charged and inflammatory accusations that Israel has lured people to aid distribution sites in order to shoot them. But such a grotesquely absurd notion has been dismissed as being anyway inherently implausible because it must be obvious to all that Israel would have absolutely nothing to gain from such terrible action, and a tremendous amount to lose in the propaganda war.

Mr. Young, you are privy to all of the info that everyone else has available. You choose to ignore what is inconvenient. Your unbridled support for the terrorist state of Israel is sickening beyond words.
You Mr. Young are a coward and small little man.
That you would make excuses for bombing, starving, and torturing fellow human beings disqualifies you from civil society.
You are truly a sick person, Mr. Young.

https://youtube.com/shorts/6xi_0nv1kUg?…

https://youtube.com/shorts/EMyCnRnJKJI?…