33 grams isnt recreational. Th he problem The Bahamas has from the top down everybody believes outsmarting the law is the way to get ahead. When/if marijuana legislation passes they're going to have a 7 headed monster on their hands, because no matter the messaging that comes after, the loose discussions that have been deliberately allowed (I recall the glee of officials at the town hall when they said people overwhelmingly wanted legalization) this will descend into chaos with everybody believing they can do as they like.

Just take a look at turn left on red. People now run red lights in every direction with impunity because the original discussion was extremely loose.

"*I’m not at liberty to disclose the private affairs of my members.”*

But this isnt "private". A clue might be that it's called *public disclosure*.

The issue here might be that persons accept these positions without understanding their responsibilities, not have the requisite knowledge for the roles, executive experience or understanding and even knowledge of the code of conduct. Clearly these MPs have no idea how public disclosure statements factor into good governance and the proper running of the country. If they did Dr Minnis would not have been able to say, "*its looked at as a joke*". CNN and the NY Times need to carry that story along with the next black listing and the Bishops inability to count on his fingers and toes or a handy abacus, how many people out of 39 men and women are left to disclose

Wise men and women always say define the problem so you can know when its resolved.

You can look at this statement and identify a whole range of issues we have at the country level and likely at the senior leadership level of many govt and private organizations. The first is the question "why" with the accompanying "**I**" dont want to. Why should you? Because the people you brought in specifically for their technical expertise, experience and knowledge of the area told you it was critical to do a certain set of things in a prescribed fashion, call out sexual violence within the confines of marriage as "rape" in order to protect mostly women and bring about a new level of consciousness in men.The second issue with the statement, the way forward is formulated by the maximum leader on their "*feelings*" and not information, evidence or research. And the two aren't mutually exclusive to a way forward, but when feelings trump evidence, get ready for the inevitable crisis when the leader has to pretend that they never knew this was an issue, nobody knew, in fact who could have possibly known? and we'll get right to fixing it.

The FBI is on Cornish's case? I thought the victim was Bahamian. In any event, one doesnt trump the other, rape is a horrific crime, because it doesnt only attack the body, it attacks the soul. every instance desrves a spotlight

The most damning reminder of how *unserious* (Minnis' new word) we are about allegations of rape is Cornish sitting in Parliament.

If the Financial Controller of a govt corporation was accused of stealing and there was enough evidence to show that money was missing and the individual had some or should have had some knowledge, the individual would be sent on leave, would have no access to the office building and would not be allowed to return to the office until a conclusion was reached innocent or guilty.

But here we are in 2024 with the police having a charge before them, that a sitting MP raped a woman, physically assaulted her, held a knife to her throat, threatened her with death and the gentleman is allowed to represent US as one of the best among us and cast his vote on laws governing other men.

I wonder if Parliamentarians have enough principles and character to at least attempt to change this farce. They certainly have the power to do so.

Lack of DNA makes it harder but not impossible to prove rape. If not, it would mean that if a rapist used a condom he couldnt be charged with rape. Also if I remember the story correctly, the women complained that they werent offered rape kits even though they requested them. By the police's own accounts they travelled to the ship sometime *after*, who knows how long it took them to determine "*the seriousness of the situation*", to deliver said rape kits. A judge will determine if it's reasonable for the women to have bruised themselves and voluntarily ingested memory reducing mind altering drugs, all in an effort to get a big pay day. Not outside the realm of possibility, but the objective process will come to some conclusion.... under the watchful eyes of the US Embassy and the FBI

"Something" happened. The first line of defense, that the *video tape dont line up*, coming from largely Bahamian males angry at elusive women "*who is lie*" is now gone.

It's for some objective process to determine on which side the evidence lies.

Still completely baffled by the number of billboards allowed on Montagu.. in front of the view of the beach. In my opinion for what that's worth, there should be zero. In one epic irony one billboard advertised a beach getaway, you cant make this up.

The mining of hills **has** to stop/be done responsibly and sustainably... may not be any more room for "sustainable" on Nassau but we can get ahead of the rape and plummaging on the other islands. Just to think Nassau was once rich with hilltops like all the other islands and its been obliterated with lack of vision and poor planning. Nowhere else is this more evident than East St and Independence drive where the hill has been flattened and cut down from 30ft(?) to the edge of residents fences to construct a shopping center. Had
residents not held out, the entire area would be flat and flooded. While or PM travels the world asking them to save us from climate change.

So many things to say. Not being aware of whats happening in the world. Not acknowledging whats happening in the world. Not taking proactive steps for whats happening in the world. Taking credit for phenomenon we had no hand in creating

From story by Blane Blachelor on cnn.com
"*Following several years of pandemic-induced downturn, the travel sector is not only back, it’s positively booming. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, the industry is expected to bring in some $9.5 trillion in 2023 — which accounts for 95% of its pre-pandemic levels.*"

Do you know what the destinations highlighted are doing:
1.Badly behaved tourists. The Netherlands are banning open use of marijuana in the red district and discouraging sex tourists

2.Barcelona is banning cruise stops at overcrowded ports and redirecting to less populated ports of entry. Personal issue with this, argued from the beginning that the cruise port should never have been allowed to construct an all inclusive enclave 2 ft from the ship and that the attractions, junkanoo museum and amphitheatre should have been spread to other corners of the island

3.Athens is creating daily maximums for visits to popular sites

4.A range of cities are introducing taxes for persons not staying overnight

"*Citing overtourism problems plaguing cities such as Amsterdam, Venice and Rome, Florida urged Miami officials to implement similar initiatives as those destinations, including restrictions on alcohol consumption and curbing noise in the city’s entertainment district.*"

What are we doing here? Misusing data. Selling off every pristine island destination possible to cruise mass market overtourism and its accompanying pollution.

My personal belief is every single island should have a development plan that ensures a given percentage of the island is kept in green space per sq mile, and Im not talking about a tree here and there or the parking lots we like to call a "*park*". Im talking about sprawling green space either manicured like Bahamar or moderately trimmed and kept in natural state. We need areas where zero touristic development is allowed, and a given percentage of prime beach is reserved for local access. And we need to stop selling off cays. Nobody should be able to hold any island in the Bahamas as their "*own*". Theres no price thats worth it.

Eco conscious tourists are now said to be booking their trips to less crowded destinations. two things could happen, overtourism has a backlash or the tourist market is reduced to the obnoxious tourist.

Our overtourism has a 3rd and 4th outcome, the Bahamian lives like a barn animal kept out of the "nice places in their own country and everywhere begins to look like a hastily constructed shanty town to quickly grab the tourist dollar, like arawak cay, long wharf and montagu.

And finally, we need a move to something else. I didnt say abandon tourism, just be less all eggs in one basket about it.

"*we know some sexual act occurred.”*

Ok so we've gotten past the point of many Bahamians who ran with the *video footage doesnt line up*,

"*Something*" actually happened. The nurse on site claims it's the worst condition she's ever seen a person in, what that means is yet to be determined .

It's the War of the Worlds. It's always been the War of the Worlds. The goal of every super power since the dawn of man was to conquer more land especially resource rich lands and strategically placed lands. China gets a bad rap understandably, they have some human rights issues behind the curtain, but every super power is in this War. It's the conjoined twin of something called diplomacy