thank you, Mr.Delano Clarke for your excellent work in stepping forward to help fellow citizen in distress.

First, the Bahamas govt policy from around April 2016 to current time of some 9 to 10 years has been to instruct new employees to open their bank account at the Govt. majority owned bank and any issues on compliances and Defence Force employees would easily be undertaken. -----

Secondly, the very recent changes in the world and with the utmost tightening of the borders of the most powerful friend and neighbouring country the US, there is more determination to stop illegal human trafficking, criminals, drugs smuggling and to the extent of taking very proactive efforts to stop the illegal drug cartels or terrorists. -----

To anyone it would appear that the illegal activities and illegal lucrative activities would try to be taking alternative routes possibly through the Bahamas. The Bahamian Commodore looking at all measures he can muster to counter illegal matters and protect the Bahamian sovereign nation, its people and assist our friends and neighbours with this side of the borders.

Kudos to the Commodore as a leading security chief who has a very hard job in protecting our national waters and sovereign nation along with the assistance of the US Coast Guard from drug smugglers, human traffickers, illegal commercial fishing boaters raping our fishing resources destroying ecosystems, illegal activities and helping those needing assistance.

All efforts to assist our Commodore guarding the Bahamian sovereign nation should try all options to improve the duties to better the protection of Bahamian sovereign nation.

The Commodore as a leader in the security of the nation's security of its sovereign borders apprehending drug traffickers, apprehending human traffickers, apprehending illegally vessels poaching fish and dealing with increasing vessels etcetc and with the assistance of the helpful US Coast Guard and services, has a good point and kudos to him for expressing his views.-----

Some assurance should be taken by the Commodore is that there are laws and regulations have existed for years dealing with 'suspicious transactions' including money laundering etc. by all the commercial Banks and financial institutions including the local banks, Panama Banks, Trinidadian, Middle east bank, the majority Bah govt bank etcetc and all banks registered to do business present or in the past.-----

Further assurances should be as in recent Tribune article last week Thursday February 20, 2025 where it was revealed that the govt 'policy' of directing all new employees since April, 2016 to open up accounts at the govt majority owned Bank and under conditions should be easy to have been already examined of any govt employee going back some 9-10 years employment when the govt 'policy' started. All infractions would have already been 'red flagged' and Compliance officials regulators resolved. -----

Kudos to the Commodore and rest assured there are Bahamian existing laws, rules and regulations governing 'suspicious transactions.'

In a country where the second largest sector is based on banking and host of other associated financial business, the required disclosing of financial dealings is unlikely to reveal any wrong doings as persons unlikely to leave a track record including the asue draw in bank account which already examines by law suspicious transactions -----

The population should at the first things required is investigations of the alleged financial irregularities on the excessive massive overruns on contracts and/or agencies of govt.-----. Some of investigations start on financial institutions, --- on works of the Baseball Sports still not opened?--- Whatever happened to the Gladstone water treatment plant with the costs at around double when started?--- Whatever happened to the first post office plan on Gladstone rd. bought building that must at first be examined to be post office? .--- whatever happened to the audit of tens of millions in the Road Traffic area years ago? --- , Massive failure and bancruptcy of Hotel involving Bahamians birthrights in lands and concessions involving billion plus dollars and somehow manage to get correction in billions of dollars in courts of another country, --- how can population be aware of NIB buildings in Goodmans Bay not turning over money but yet is asked of population to fund NIB more money. -----

Unfair to have any govt employed person to have finances investigated when their big boss the various govts still need to also investigate itself an host of financial matters of hundreds of millions of dollars.

If it is time to criminal marital rape, it should also be a time to open up legal Brothels to facilitate the husbands and others. Country seems to be plagued with all sorts of horrible rapes, high level of sexually transferred diseases like HIV, Enormous Court facilities and the locking up process with ankle bracelets etc. Country also have to deal with continuing who is to blame and families forever feuding. Enormous hospital and related facilities tied up etcetcetc.

On having a legalized Brothel there will the Govt. taxes to be made, qualified health certified employees, less criminal raping costing enormous sums of money to health care on diseases, courts, police etcetc.. If you are going to stop the continuous raping , there ought to be legal alternatives to direct these men with legal Brothels, protections to many and Govt. to earn taxes probably to put a dent in the national dept.

It does not seem to be getting any better for the population in a multi islands population when for the past some 25 years as the voters run to opposite sides of the ship.

The 2 main political parties have been back and forth trying but in alternating governments in following 5 year terms say

2002 one side has 29 seats while the opposition has 7
2007 one side has 23 seats while the opposition has 18
2012 one side has 29 seats while the opposition has 9
2017 one side has 35 seats while the opposition has 4
2021 0ne side has 32 seats while the opposition has 7

It would appear that the population have the same repetitive process over some 25 years changing poliitical exceedingly every election and be expecting changes

In the best interest of the Bahamas population of some 400,000 population it would seen best in employing/hiring persons based on the best qualifications and experience regardless of age and legitimate income stream, rather than the view of a leader of 7 Opposition members of employment/hiring to be based on age discrimination and disapproval of existing certified legitimate earned existing income. earned in past service of the very same nation.

Even greater possibilities should be that all the government controlled financial agencies should first be thorough examinations and have a department of government efficiency done. Full examinations needed. of any problems in all the departments which in the past public news had resulted in enormous challenges and nobody going to jail.

After examinations then have all combined govt lending institutions under one umbrella with the commercial Bank, the Mortgage Corporation, the Development Bank, the Post Office Bank and to have a combined Branch on every major island. with the combined and greater services towards more development and opportunities for the island population. Amazing for years these govt financial lending agencies with own Head Offices exist blocks away with similar Human resources dept, Computer Dept, Credit Risk Dept and other similar departments

Benefits of combining or merging of combined services all similar departments in all different govt banking entities, commercial, businesses, housing, development and Post Office bank would give economies of scale and with savings could extend services to more islands to be enjoyed by greater Bahamian population. One good benefit would also appear could be reversing the depopulating of the family islands and have Nassau population which finds it hard to obtain homes in Nassau going/returning to outer islands where land is less expensive

Many of the persons as new employees can be at older ages and have all types of loans including mortgages loans and in cases salary assignments to respective bank and host of other financial dealings and long established relations

Whether they are 'foreign bank' they are registered by the same Bahamian govt.to do business and have shares on BISX and to be regulated to operate in fair competition with the very same govt majority owned bank on BISX. Unfair to Bahamians to be investing life savings in buying shares etc on BISX of other banks earning good dividends and to have the govt regulators not intervene in unfair competition going on for some time, when employees are directed to have their salary deposited to one bank trading among many listed on BISX.

How could this unfair competition have been happening all these years in the second largest sector and in a well known mature Bahamian industry, a US dollar for dollar Bahamian and on BISX with other members on BISX with foreign connections? My friend was asking if the investment shares n another bank traded on BISX could have produced higher dividends if the bank had more deposits to invest and turn over in more benefits to Bahamian shareholders?