Bahama Pundit

Gerrymandering Districts and Questionable Citizenships

by Larry Smith

Another email popped into my inbox last week from retired politico Pierre Dupuch. In most cases, I scan these messages quickly and move on - they are poisonous political rants with no constructive proposals or substance, and it is obvious that Dupuch has a "thing" about his former leader in the FNM, Hubert Ingraham.

But this one caught my eye because it purports to deal with concrete 'facts' that have been percolating for months in the form of a monstrous conspiracy theory.

One of the most important functions of responsible journalism is to clarify such controversies so that the public is not deluded by ignorant or conniving individuals who set themselves up as authorities or champions, often in the pursuit of hidden agendas.

And frankly, I wanted to see for myself if anything Dupuch had to say on this matter was worth listening to. So I decided to take a closer look at the various allegations.

The main thrust of Dupuch's November 17 letter was a sinister FNM plot to give citizenship to thousands of Haitians so they can swing newly gerrymandered constituencies in the upcoming general election.

As near as I can tell, this mythology was first raised back in March by an anonymous propaganda website called Bahamas Press, which masquerades as a news site.

Branville McCartney and the Question of Experience

by Simon

DNA Leader Branville McCartney has ensnared himself in a classic conundrum that severely limits the viability of certain politicians: The more he speaks, the more the general public learns about his poorly conceived ideas, the quicker the loss of potential support.  Sarah Palin is a typical example of this phenomenon.

Mrs. Palin still excites her base.  But among other voters including independents there is a ceiling she has proven incapable of breaking mostly because the majority of voters find her persona, politics and policy prescriptions unappealing.  They cannot envision her as President of the United States.

The razzmatazz and hoopla surrounding various DNA launches, publicity exercises and media curiosity is diminishing with an increasing number of potential voters jolted by many of Mr. McCartney’s statements and calling into question his credibility, substance and critical thinking abilities.  It is highly unlikely that most Bahamians view him as a potential Prime Minister.

As long as she is not formally running for president, Mrs. Palin can continue to just tweet her way into the hearts of her more ardent supporters and carefully select her media appearances.  Mr. McCartney does not have this luxury.  While some in the media have given a number of his bizarre statements a pass, this is beginning to change.  He is now coming under greater reportorial and editorial scrutiny.

The Broadcasting Code and Political Advertising

by Larry Smith

The Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority has published a proposed code of practice for broadcasters and advertisers (viewable here). It is intended to regulate the types of content that can be broadcast in the Bahamas on television and radio stations, teletext services, and cable networks.

The code seeks to prohibit or restrict certain types of programming, and to set rules that promote accuracy and fairness in news, current affairs and political broadcasting

I attended several industry working group meetings over the past several months at URCA to discuss the code. The working group reviewed similar regulations from other countries, including the Commonwealth Caribbean, to determine what issues should be addressed in the Bahamian code. Public consultation on the draft code is open until December 30.

What follows is an edited version of an article originally published in February 2010, which looked at some of the ramifications of the regulation of political broadcasting. The discussion was sparked by complaints about the restriction of party advertising during the Elizabeth bye-election campaign.

Whenever an election is in the air, Bahamians seem to take leave of their senses. And the current controversy over political broadcasting rules set by the new utilities regulator (URCA) is a telling example.

This is not to deny that we should pay a lot of attention to any attempt to regulate the media. in fact, this should be the subject of a full-scale public debate going forward - rather than just a closed-door conversation among media moguls. But before we get to the broader issues of how we regulate speech during an election, a word or two on the local tempest in a teacup is in order.

The Audacity of Determination

by Simon

Barack Obama and Hubert Ingraham share more than a birthday.  Both were raised by their maternal grandmothers, rising to prominence despite a lack of social and economic privilege.  While Mr. Ingraham experienced greater economic poverty, both leaders had hard mountains to climb personally and politically. 

Their personal stories and political journeys have made them respectively extraordinary examples of the Bahamian and the American dream.  Both chose the law as their profession and politics as their vocation. Both first came to office propelled by that perennial theme in politics, the mantra of change.  

Through dint of will and with keen intelligence they have crafted audacious life stories.  The title of Mr. Obama’s autobiographical “The Audacity of Hope” is a variation on the theme of Mr. Ingraham’s biography which might be entitled, “The Audacity of Determination”. 

New Regional Report on Economic Impacts of Climate Change

by Larry Smith

A new regional report says the economic impacts of climate change could cost Caribbean countries up to 5 per cent of annual Gross Domestic Product over the next four decades, if if no mitigating action is taken.

The report was published last month by the UN's Economic Commission on Latin America and the Caribbean. Funded by Britain, assessments were conducted in different economic sectors across 14 countries, including tourism in the Bahamas.

Here a brief look at the top 10 highlights:

McCartney’s Vanity Fair

by Simon

Halloween arrived early at the House of Assembly last week.  It made a sneak preview during the debate on establishing a Straw Market Authority.  In his debate wrap-up Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham spooked Branville McCartney by lobbing a few political trick-or-treats at the DNA Leader. 

They were offered in a trademark Ingraham jest, often crafted to rattle opponents by delivering a serious message guised as humour.  So effective were the barbs that Mr. McCartney’s tough-guy mask slipped, sending him into a dizzying array of costume changes.

The MP for Bamboo Town reacted as a cry-baby and as a victim and martyr, before trying to steady himself and regain his tough-guy persona.  He even donned his maximum leader costume by imperially declaring: “The good thing about being leader of this party is that I can determine where I can run.”

Agriculture is no Economic Panacea for the Bahamas

by Larry Smith

Year after year there are ringing calls for the Bahamas to invest more and do more to develop agriculture.

In 2001, former Central Bank researcher Gabriella Fraser observed that Bahamian agriculture had "hardly evolved" over time, and asked whether enough effort was being made to achieve food security.

Environmental advocate Sam Duncombe argued in a recent online exchange that If we don't invest in agriculture and manufacturing, Bahamians will be condemned to "a life of servitude and dependence."

Dr Marikis Alvarez of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation recently said agriculture could make a "huge contribution" to the Bahamian economy - if only we would inject enough funds into the sector to make it work.

Farmer's association president Keith Campbell says we need to focus on food security and "fully protect" Bahamian farmers from imports.

Lawyer, physician and sometime politician Dr Dexter Johnson insists we can feed ourselves - and produce a surplus for export.

Visioneer John Bostwick says that with better management we could easily achieve food self-sufficiency, and even replace oil imports with our own bio-energy crops.

BAIC chief Edison Key says agriculture could be "the catalyst for economic diversification" by substituting local products for $500 million of imported foodstuffs.

Meanwhile, the government's sector development plan argues that agriculture can be "repositioned as a strong pillar of the Bahamian economy".

And for anyone who remembers the "good old days" when granny and pa harvested fresh fruit and vegetables from their backyard, it is easy to believe that these projections can be fulfilled.

The Nature of Political Leadership

by Simon

Much of the press delight in pronouncing that the silly-season has begun as a general election approaches.  What they fail to advise is the role they play in hyping this alleged silliness through uncritical thinking and superficial coverage.  In news stories and editorials some in the press endlessly regurgitate intellectual fallacies rather than provide context and in-depth analysis.

Excusing or cheering on Bamboo Town MP Branville McCartney’s jeer of “Old man, sit down” directed at South Abaco MP Edison Key betrays a juvenile and ahistoric mindset.  It smacks of ageism and various unfounded prejudices about the nature of leadership, political and otherwise.

The requirement of leadership, whether national or in fields as diverse as journalism or business, is to find the best possible person who is available at the time.  It is not about giving someone “a chance” to fulfil their personal ambition or satisfy their narcissism and overweening ego.

The Economic Impact of Bahamian Protected Areas

by Larry Smith

In January 2009, the container ship Westerhaven ran aground and destroyed about an acre of Belize’s 180-mile barrier reef – the world's second largest. Fifteen months later the Belizean Supreme Court ruled that the ship’s owners had to pay the government $6 million in damages.

Their ruling was based on scientific studies showing that coral reef- and mangrove-associated tourism contribute 15 per cent of Belize’s gross domestic product. And when shoreline protection is considered, these ecosystems provide an extra $347 million in avoided damage every year.

With a similar population to the Bahamas, Belize has protected more than a third of its total land area of just under 9,000 square miles in one way or another, as well as about 13 per cent of its marine area.

In fact, this little, out-of-the-way nation (formerly known as British Honduras) is recognised today as a world leader in conservation and ecotourism, and there has been a lot of research on the value of Belize's protected areas.

One of the scientists involved in this research is 32-year-old Venetia Hargreaves-Allen, who has a doctoral degree from Imperial College, London. She was the principal investigator for the Marine Managed Area Economic Valuation in Belize that was recently produced by Conservation International as part of a global initiative involving hundreds of researchers.

Last year, Hargreaves-Allen produced a similar valuation for the Bahamas, using the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park and the Retreat Gardens in Nassau as case studies. Tough Call was able to review her 100-page report in advance.

The Formation of Public Opinion

by Simon

A recent Nassau Guardian editorial noted the role played by the media and public intellectuals in shaping public discourse and public policy.  That role is sometimes filled by Bahamian journalists, academics and commentators who contribute to the knowledge and understanding of issues in the public square.

Wearingly, many of these contemporary crafters of public opinion labour under a common unfounded premise upon which they construct and construe all manner of faulty conclusions and arguments.

Facility with the English language does not make for informed or good commentary; nor does staying tuned to the 24-hour news cycle of American cable news stations.  What helps make for superior commentators are the travels – literal and imaginative – they make beyond the borders of geography, academic discipline, clichés and other constraints on critical thinking.