If we create a Little Haiti on each island Mr. Smith, would you support creating a law and the related documents to be signed by each resident of those towns stating that they agree to reside there (or move to a Little Haiti on another island) for the rest of their lives and that their offspring in perpetuity agree to do the same, and any breach of that agreement amounts to consent to be deported?

Perhaps this would even require an amendment to the Constitution - which you would support also?

DDK you have a point but the thing is that only poor people (who cant afford bail) end up in jail. They often then end up in hospital for (censored).

I've never heard about a magistrate sentencing someone to six months in jail and *****, but we all know that is a part of it. Many in society know about this but ignore it because they consider it to be a deterrent to crime. After 40 years, however, all it has done is breed more criminals out of people who feel like they are not truly a part of society (im talking about Bahamians) and that their lives are irrelevant.

After **** they truly know how little someone's life matters, but when they then kill people without seeming care or concern we wonder "Why don't they know the value of human life?"

Duh.

"...as well as creating a sovereign wealth fund to handle any royalties and other proceeds from its discovery."

So in other words, the normal average law abiding Bahamian citizen will get no money deposited in his/her bank account.

Like VAT continues from inception until this very day ... you won't know where the money gone....but you will be called ignorant for not "knowing" it's in the "Sovereign Wealth Fund" just like the VAT is rumored to be in the "Consolidated Fund."

Hopefully no oil will be found because we citizens take the risk of beach destruction and get ZERO in return.

I must respectfully disagree with the learned gentleman.

It appears from the statements that more and more people are having to spend time in prison - even in many cases where they are actually innocent.

This is a good thing. In fact, i would ask the Minister of Education to put forth legislation that for any student in private school to graduate - they must spend 3 weeks in prison during or immediately following their senior year. They must do this to receive their diploma.

The reason i suggest this is because most people in the Fox Hill prison are ghetto types, poor and black (the rich black seldom reside there) and of course nobody cares about them or the unspeakable conditions they endure in prison and the long after-effects which sometimes truly never go away.

If all the richer people who put their kids in private school to avoid the dregs of society knew that their "good little boys and girls" have to go "up there" and (censored) then they would suddenly and magically begin investigating the sales of rubber boots.

So..no Sir...don't restore the powers. Let the "problem" mushroom until a REAL solution is found - not a solution only for the privileged high society folk.

The article says ... "While we know that we have a significant amount of work to do we are confident that as we roll out our policies and..."

I guess that "work to do" is the work to do that you ought to do. Maybe the message is a hint. "As we roll out ..."??????? You have secret policies you haven't "rolled out" yet?

Also perhaps this warning comes after the State Dept. read all the comments and feedback from the town hall meeting on decriminalizing marijuana and thus understood that our country still wishes to live in the stone age and focus on non-violent crime (like smoking in private) instead of dealing with vicious rapists and murderers and armed robbers.

So if we want to live in backward times then close up our tourist industry and follow the advice of the father of our nation who said who don't want to fish can cut bait.

We are a backward ignorant nation who has a fake government that is only there to carry out the wishes of the old old old Party stalwart councelors who actually run this county in conjunction with the pastors, reverends, deacons, and "prophets". Very much like the Mullahs and Imams in Iran control the Ayatollah and he is "behind the scenes" but in all reality outranks the President. Here in the Bahamas we are in the same boat.

Until the people stop giving money to give power to these damn churches - we will always be backward and ya chirrens what dis graduate from college ain't coming back here - cause education opened their eyes.

It's the people's time to choose their future. If they have an extra 10% of their salary to spare ... then give it to the hunger programs to feed the needy just like Jesus did with the loaves and fishes. He tried to lead by example but the pastors at the time ignored him and eventually crucified him. Trust me, if Jesus came back in mortal form today...he would get crucified all over again right in Rawson Square.

You are both wrong. You can do marketing as much as you want. The more visitors you inform and get to walk over to the shops will be simply more visitors you are going to get upset with false advertising for a store which then turns out to be in reality a church.

The problem with Bahamians is we dont band together. If all insurance companies would come together and publicly announce that they are going to simply colllect the $30M owed to them by Government by adding x amount to each renewal premium proportionally (pro-rated sort of) so that the total little bits added all add up to $30M, then the issue might just magically get the attention it needs.

Raise VAT to 10% and explain to the public using TV and newspapers that the extra funds are needed "To cover missing monies at certain government corporations and that we, the government, are in no way suggesting that any possible missing funds have anything to do with any union or non-union members".

Let the public sort it out. Everybody is everybody's cousin anyhow.

Many Port Lucaya businesses will not prosper no matter how many hotels they put there because all they want to do is have BIG speakers outside both entrance doors playing LOUD gospel music. seven days a week.

People don't come to Freeport on vacation to hear gospel music.

In addition, most places close too early because they dont pay their employees enough money to upkeep a car and so the employees have to leave "before the bus stop runnin" to try get in town to catch da next 8-mile rock bus.

No hope. The bosses dont want to spend enough to hire employees sensible enough to know the difference between a shop and a church.

The general public is never allowed to "get involved" as we saw in another article on Jan 5th which discussed how the initial Aliv offering was not offered to "less sophisticated" investors.

So basically, any upcoming new business - even this one that has been around for over 17 years - cannot be invested in by the common plantation negro.

Hopefully the public will keep this in mind when they celebrate "Independence" this July.

As long as we all come out to the public functions and pretend we are independent, they (our rulers) will just say to themselves - "Look at these fat, dumb, and happy negros. They so stupid. Wonder if we raise VAT up to 10% on them if they will pay it? Of course they will."

Meanwhile they rake in the profits. I always say, "Rich people make money; poor people make babies."

We are basically all doomed to Hell on the fast train.