First published September 3, 2012. The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones. - From William Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar". On Friday past, Hubert Ingraham's resignation from Parliament took effect, ending Ingraham's 35 consecutive years of service there.

read more »

Nassau, Bahamas - The Holiday season is fast approaching. It will usher in a revitalized sense of vigor and vitality as we move about to shop and attend various social and church events. Many persons in our Bahamas have experienced hardship and financial despair due to the current economic climate.

read more »

The word Christmas itself and the erroneous religious teachings thereof has painted such an indelible picture in the minds and hearts of many that claims to know and worship God (Yahweh). The danger with today's Christmas teaching is that despite the fact; the bible / the word of God doesn't support such teachings;

read more »

Truth be told, the 24/7 media coverage of the Newtown shooting massacre had me feeling wistful even for coverage of the farcical Washington debate on the fiscal cliff.

read more »

The government's financial circumstances are dire but it should not look to the funds of the National Insurance Board (NIB) for relief. Cash flow, we understand, is severely strained as the minister of finance tries to pay its bills. Some vendors claim that they are noticing either no or late payments in ways not seen before now.

read more »

Nassau, Bahamas - The Holiday Season is here. People are shopping, the streets are busy, folks are partying, and persons are planning that special Christmas meal. It's the most wonderful time of the year. And yes, we do live in the most wonderful place on earth, the Bahamas.

read more »

The vice president of the Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) yesterday said the organization will not react to the group of prominent pastors who intend to promote the regularization of gambling. Pastor Victor Cooper, of New Bethany Baptist Cathedral, said the organization remains focused on educating Bahamians on why they should vote 'no'.

read more »

The Christmas season is here once again and most citizens in the Caribbean Diaspora would, creatively, squeeze out extra cash to send, or buy gift items, for loved ones in their respective countries of birth. Admittedly, the recipients of such generosity will smile from ear to ear, in appreciation of the gratitude shown by their loved ones living abroad.

read more »

It is finally the end of the year and I can say without any doubt that "2012" has truly been a learning experience for me. I have shared quite a few things, explained their purposes and suggested some interesting fruit trees
you should add to your garden for various purposes.

read more »

National policies makers have focused on top down economic strategies to improve Tourism, Financial Services and Construction Industries for almost 40 years. However, after all is said and done, The Bahamas as of December 2012 is in economic distress because of the following:

read more »

On the ominous day of 12/12/12 that may never arrive again until the next millennium and there again the number 12 is gone forever (there are only 12 months in the year), the Royal Oasis hotel was inaugurated in Petionville, Haiti, as a five-star hospitality facility. Five-star hotels abound all over the Caribbean, from A for Antigua with the St. James Club and Villas to T like tiny Turks and Caicos with 19 five-star hotels on its roster. Haiti is way behind in offering to the businessman and to the tourists the facility that the travel connoisseurs are accustomed to.
I arrived late to the inauguration, I had a dinner engagement with the congregation of the Fraternity Notre Dame, which was receiving some benefactors to meet and greet the Prior, Mother Marie Marthe, who was visiting Haiti from Chicago. I have been the facilitator in introducing that organization to Haiti. Led by Bishop Jean Marie Kozick, the priests and the nuns of Fraternity Notre Dame, still in their old fashion religious garments, are as modern as the next door teenager. They are not afraid to attend the latest U.S. Open while ready to go and care for the lowly where most other religious institutions will hesitate to venture in.
The Royal Oasis from the outside has a deceiving outlook, its back gives way to the Pan American Boulevard that links Port-au-Prince to the bucolic mountain village of Petionville. Cross the gate and enter into a magic, exotic and tropical scene that seems like a fairy tale.
Indeed it is a fairy tale. It all started in the 1930s, when two brothers Marcel and Antoine Audain bought a large piece of land in the then almost wooded area above the capital city of Port-au-Prince. They build themselves a weekend villa that was sold later in the 1940s to Frederick Madsen a Danish immigrant to Haiti. The Madsen family leased the land and the home to the Balthazars who opened the Picardie restaurant that became the trendy place for the celebrities of the world to have dinner while visiting Haiti from their yachts.
The structure of the Picardie restaurant constitutes the main dining room for the Oasis hotel. It has five surrounding restaurants and all around the main building wraps you around as a loving hand that makes you feel like home.
The Royal Oasis has three conference centers, a bank, several big name stores, 127 bedrooms ranging in price from $190 for a standard room per night to $308 for a junior suite and $342 for a full suite. One must add an additional 10 percent tax.
Haiti, which is already open for business, is now open for tourists. It has been a long time since a covert embargo was imposed upon Haiti. It was under the Reagan administration, when mistakenly or maliciously the name of Haiti and Haitians was linked to the HIV stigma.
Speaking recently with a host of wholesale travel agents, the embargo imposed upon Haiti has not been lifted yet. President Bill Clinton, who was instrumental in helping the Haitian entrepreneurs behind the financing of the Oasis hotel, will have to go back to the drawing board in urging President Barack Obama to lift the embargo against Haiti so the insurance companies can give the go ahead to the travel agents for pouring in tourists by the thousands into Haiti.
The magnificent Oasis hotel is a true Haitian experience that started in 2006 with Jerry Tardieu, who pulled in a host of Haitian businessmen in Haiti and in the Diaspora to combine their resources to build the first, first class hotel in the nation. At a cost of $38 million, it is 95 percent locally owned but it is run by Occidental Hotel and Resorts.
It is true there was the Montana, a boutique hotel with its particular charm that made it a regular for the frequent visitor to Haiti. The Royal Oasis is on a grand scale, a fully modern facility that makes the visitor confident there will be no inconvenience or surprise during his stay at the hotel and in Haiti.
Then came the earthquake of January 12, 2010, that flattened the Montana completely and almost destroyed the dream of the Oasis. The Bush and Clinton Fund for Haiti came to the rescue to help the entrepreneurs to regain confidence and finish the hotel that was earthquake-proof at the outset. As such, the earthquake did not put a dent in the structure.
On the very day of the inauguration, the hotel was spic and span, ready to serve the hundreds of businessmen and tourist friends of the particular taste of Haiti. It is Caribbean but it has an arriere gout of French Provence, a bit of African as well as Tainos underpinning.
Visit one of the rooms of the hotel you will be transported into a magical land, where Haitian art combined with the efficiency of modern touch makes you feel you should live there forever. I took time to sit on a small chair made of bamboo in the bathroom. (Make sure you visit the Iron Market to bring one home.) I admired the closet, which is also made with bamboo, and the myriad of small details that provide you with a residence away from home, a moment to cherish, dream about and wanting to come back again and again.
President Michel Martelly, along with his Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, accompanied by the ebullient Minister of Tourism Stephanie Villedrouin, were as proud godparents on hand to bid the newborn Godspeed. The Papal Nuncio, in full dress regalia, brought God's benediction to the new venture. To witness the ceremony, the beautiful people of Port-au-Prince and Petionville in their best attire mingled and danced in all the different gardens of the hotel to celebrate this renaissance of Haiti, which is now open for tourists.
I asked the young assistant manager whether they were confident for the future, and he told me they were booked way through the year with businessmen seeking opportunities in the new Haiti, where new construction abounds after the earthquake. In his address at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, President Martelly, always witty and funny, told his prime minister he wants to see a dozen more five-star hotels in the nation before he gets fired!
The investors of the world need to hurry up, Haiti has so much to offer in terms of sight, smell and taste that 10 more five star hotels will not suffice to satisfy repeat visitors as soon as they get used to the legendary hospitality of Haiti and its people.
My glass is raised for the Royal Oasis hotel! May it lead the way to the renaissance of the Haiti tourist industry!

o Jean Hervé Charles LLB, MSW, JD, former vice dean of students at City College of the City University of New York, is now responsible for policy and public relations for the political platform in power in Haiti, Répons Peyisan. He can be reached at: jeanhcharles@aol.com. Published with the permission of caribbeannewsnow.com.

read more »

The Bahamas Handbook for 2013 is fresh off the press and now available in stores throughout The Bahamas. This year's edition is a collector's item, featuring a special 55-page section commemorating the 40th anniversary of Bahamian Independence.

read more »

The infancy narrative in the Gospel of John is distinctly different than those found in the Synoptic Gospels. His account of the birth of Jesus is not in the narrative style of Mark, Matthew and the Lucan account. In his rendering of the incarnation John writes: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

read more »

In Connecticut at the end of last week, 26 people were dead. Of this number 20 were children. A lone gunman ended their lives. He had no reasonable grievance with them. He just decided to extend his derangement to a generation just beginning to enter the world. They are now gone forever.

read more »

As I begin let me immediately put the lie to the statement issued by the government and the progressive liberal party about the downgrade of the Bahamas’’ sovereign credit rating by moody’s. The “it’s all Ingraham’s fault” nonsense is not going to cut it this time. If the handling of the economy between 2007-2012 was so poor, our sovereign credit would have been downgraded at any time during those 5 years – it was not. Now it has been – and here is why:

read more »

"Cheers to a new year and
another chance for us to get it right."
- Oprah Winfrey

In a young nation like ours, each year makes its own matchless mark on history, shaping and molding our country as we progress closer to the fulfillment of our founders' fondest dreams for the nation. Therefore, this week we want to Consider This... what does 2013 hold for The Bahamas, its people and its future?

A watershed year lies ahead
As 2012 was a year of elections when the people got to choose their government, 2013 will be a year of consultations and plebiscites. The year 2013 promises to be only the second time in Bahamian history that the voice of the people will be solicited in a series of at least two and possibly three referenda that will change many things for future Bahamians.
In January, the government will go to the people for their views on web shop operations and a national lottery. This marks the first time a non-constitutional issue of national importance will be made the subject of a referendum. A critical matter, both for civil rights and for the national purse, this referendum will undoubtedly create even more controversy and debate than it already has, preparing Bahamians to vote in an informed and educated way.
Moreover, this trip to the polls will truly begin to unleash the voice of the people, freeing it to have more of an influence in governance than an every-five-year vote can ever do. This referendum will also reveal the answer to the real question, a question that will define the Christie administration for years to come: What will the political directorate do once it has ascertained the will of the people?
The next referendum in our year of freeing the peoples' voices will probably take place in June, following the March report of the Constitutional Review Commission, which will be another landmark event of 2013. Finally, after many promises, our 40-year-old constitution, finished with some degree of haste in a cold and dreary pre-Christmas London 40 years ago almost to the day, will be examined and amendments will be proposed to bring it in line with our 21st century world. At long last, women will be afforded the same rights as men and, hopefully, the right to use casinos will be extended to Bahamians, not just foreigners. The people will be asked to go to the polls to ratify these and other amendments and, once again in 2013, cast historic votes that will bring great change to the lives of everyone in The Bahamas.
And, finally, as the nation continues in 2013 to assiduously seek to establish other revenue streams, the very real possibility of oil drilling will once again arise. This very alluring thought of being an oil-rich nation has been around for decades but today's technologies, an ever-increasing per-barrel price and the rising demand for new supplies of black gold make this idea even more pressing. However, those decades have also seen the development of a very vigilant environmental movement, as well as some very serious accidents that have affected wildlife, ecosystems and economies in some instances beyond mitigation.
Therefore, the PLP, in what was a campaign promise, told the voters that they would not approve oil drilling until hearing from the people in a referendum. So it is reasonable to anticipate that this question will come before the people in 2013 as well. Once again, the peoples' voices will be heard and will guide the government's direction as regards the proper use of our natural resources for our benefit and that of our children and grandchildren.

The economy
The economy will once again be the central theme of 2013 as it was in 2012. Its strength or lack thereof will determine much about what the nation can do and not do in the New Year. As our borrowing capability is not as robust as it once was thanks to years of exercising it and also to the recent Standard & Poors' and Moody's downgrades, what happens in the United States and Europe, along with the possibility of a second recession, will be even more important to our economic growth than ever.

Infrastructure
The year 2013 will also see some interesting changes in our infrastructure as the road improvements will finally be completed and, as foreshadowed by Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis, decisions can be made regarding whether or not to accede to the demands of the disgruntled business owners and restore Market Street and Baillou Hill Road as two-way thoroughfares. This decision will definitively demonstrate the depth of the PLP's dedication to 2012's Believe in Bahamians credo.
The other infrastructure that will see completion in 2013 is the new Princess Margaret Hospital addition, a state-of-the-art upgrade to the nation's main healthcare facility, something that will not only benefit the many Bahamians seeking treatment there, but will also enhance the lives of the hardworking and professional staff of PMH. The next dilemma that needs to be tackled to make PMH the healthcare center it deserves to be is the question of parking, but that is probably a puzzle for another year.

Grand Bahama
In 2013, what will become of the economic malaise that has plagued that Grand Bahama? Will the realization of the longstanding promise of its own minister finally bear fruit for the sleeping giant to the north? As the Hawksbill Creek Agreement nears its end, will the government finally exercise its sovereignty over the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the stranglehold that it has on that island, freeing it to become part of The Bahamas once again and begin to realize its potential?
A safe prediction
One of the safest predictions for 2013 is that it will be a year of celebration as we observe the 40th anniversary of independence. What form or fashion those celebrations will take is another, less safe prediction.
With the nation's financial distress, it is clear that the scope of the celebrations may not be as lavish as many would wish, but given the extravagant and exciting event that began the anniversary celebrations, perhaps the upcoming festivities will surpass those that marked the renaming of the bridge to paradise. Whatever glittering and gratifying events that are planned, it will be another reason that 2013 will be unique and memorable.
The year 2013 will also be, as Oprah Winfrey says, "another chance for us to get it right". It will be a year when the peoples' voices will have the opportunity to be heard on very important national matters, when our constitution at long last is revived and reinvigorated, when our fragile economy could make a comeback, when our infrastructure creates an even more dynamic and modern society and when Grand Bahama could begin to finally come into its own.
Most importantly as we celebrate our 40th year of independence, we should seek to "get it right" by becoming a kinder, gentler nation with our feet more firmly on the path toward a secure and bright future. From here, on the brink of the new year, the prospects seem favorably poised in that Mr. Christie's leadership style lends itself to such a change in our political and civil culture as he continues to guide the ship of state into the even safer and more promising harbor of 2013.

o Philip C. Galanis is the managing partner of HLB Galanis & Co., Chartered Accountants, Forensic & Litigation Support Services. He served 15 years in Parliament. Please send your comments to pgalanis@gmail.com.

read more »

I seem to have a more difficult time each year getting into the spirit of Christmas. I am not sure if that is because the youngest of my four children is now sixteen, or the ever present commercialism that puts me off in such a way, that I attempt to have no part in it. My eldest and I joke that it should be called 'Giftmas'.

read more »

Cuba has long been an economic, trade and investment opportunity that has been neglected by the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries. This neglect could become a matter of grave regret as Cuba continues to open up its economy to other countries and groups of countries, for by the time businesses in the CARICOM countries wake up to the opportunities Cuba offers, companies from Europe, Canada and Latin America might already have filled the space.
European and Canadian companies are already in Cuba and more are entering the market. Whenever the U.S. embargo is lifted on Cuba, the space for investment and trade will become even smaller and more highly competitive as U.S. companies (especially those owned by Cuban-Americans) enter the fray.
To the government of Cuba's credit, it has continuously sought to encourage CARICOM governments to establish machinery that would promote trade and other economic relations between them. In 2000, Cuba and CARICOM signed a Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement, but in the 12 years that have elapsed there has been little investment of any significance by any Caribbean companies, except one hotelier from Jamaica. What is more, despite a request from Cuba to expand the coverage of the agreement, it has lain dormant.
Under the same 2000 agreement, CARICOM countries had committed to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Cuba to be brought into effect in 2001, but nothing was done. Since then CARICOM countries have each signed an Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union that would make the terms of any FTA they might now conclude with Cuba less advantageous than it could have been.
This situation has not stopped Cuba from contributing meaningfully to CARICOM countries. Scholarships given by Cuba have increased the number of persons trained in a range of areas including health, engineering, agriculture, sports and culture. Additionally, the establishment of clinics and the provision of medical personnel by Cuba have allowed for the delivery of health services many of these countries would not have been able to afford.
As CARICOM's current chairman, St. Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Anthony has observed, "What is most striking about the solidarity displayed by Cuba with CARICOM is the quantum and diversity of the assistance that Cuba provides despite the constraints placed on its own economic development by the United States economic, commercial and financial embargo."
Cuba has continued its assistance to CARICOM countries because the Cuban government recognizes the courage it took 40 years ago - on 8 December 1972 - for the newly independent Caribbean countries - Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago - to defy the wishes of the United States government by establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba. When they did so, Cuba was isolated in the Western Hemisphere except for Canada. By risking the wrath of the U.S., that single act by four small CARICOM countries opened the way for other countries to similarly recognize Cuba.
The Cuban government has continuously pushed for the implementation of trade and investment as set out in 2000 Economic and Trade Agreement. Part of its proposals is that the six independent countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States would not have to grant preferential duty access to Cuban goods, and Cuba would seek preferential access to the markets of Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago for an additional 167 products (over those named in the 2000 agreement) while, in return, it would give these four countries preferential access to the Cuban market for 227 additional products.
There are of course difficulties in transacting commercial arrangements with Cuba. An important consideration would be the means of being paid and of repatriating profits. But, Canadian and European companies are doing it. Further, at least two Trinidad and Tobago banks are operating in Cuba to facilitate trade between the two countries. So, the means of overcoming these hurdles exist, particularly as Caribbean banks have correspondent relationships with banks in Canada and Europe through which transactions can be handled.
Cuba and CARICOM have had a Joint Commission since 1993 - even before the 2000 Economic and Trade Agreements was signed. It is supposed to meet every year, but it has met infrequently. Nonetheless, if it were to meet, it could iron out any practical difficulties so as to make the terms of the 2000 agreement work.
One of the clauses of the 2000 agreement provides for the establishment of a CARICOM-Cuba Business Council to review business opportunities, furnish information and promote trade. So, if it is that the CARICOM business community needs to interact with Cuban companies to explore areas of investment and trade, why not initiate the Business Council to provide that opportunity?
Often when Cuba is discussed in the context of the U.S. government lifting its embargo, it is said that an "opened-up" Cuba will pose a real threat to those CARICOM countries that are dependent on tourism. There is no doubt that Cuba - without the U.S. embargo - will provide even greater competition than it does now, and in more than just tourism. But, apart from speculating on that competition, very little is being done to counter it even though another article of the 2000 agreement specifically encourages cooperation in tourism covering multi-destination travel, training, language exchange and passenger transport.
CARICOM's business community should insist now on the launching of the CARICOM-Cuba Business Council and they should take advantage of a recent memorandum of understanding between the agency, Caribbean Export, and the Cuba Chamber of Commerce to do business. If this does not happen soon and meaningfully, the Cuban economy will be occupied by others who are taking advantage of it to the exclusion of CARICOM.
CARICOM businesses could be a real part of a bustling Cuban market of 11 million people in the future, if they and CARICOM governments take advantage of what is on offer by the Cuban government today.
Cuba has laid out a welcome mat for CARICOM trade and investment - why ignore it?

o Sir Ronald Sanders is a business executive and former Caribbean diplomat who publishes widely on small states in the global community. Send responses to: www.sirronaldsanders.com. Published with the permission of www.caribbeannewsnow.com.

read more »

Not allowing gays to marry is an even greater violation of the fundamental civil rights all citizens should enjoy than not allowing blacks to vote.
- "Same-sex Marriages Now Legal in New York" June 27, 2011x.

read more »

Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
-- Isaiah 60:1. Who can dispute that this is indeed good news for not only this time, but for times to come. Who is it so steeped in darkness would and could not appreciate the light coming their way.

read more »