NATIONAL NOTESx

January 1999 Table of Contents - Current Issue of The Abaco Journal - Abaco Bahamas' Home Page

NATIONAL NOTES

A Frightening Take-Over of The Bahamas: Former teacher and Grand Bahama Human Rights Association member Joseph Darville gave a pungent and disturbing address in Kingston, Jamaica, on the power of international investment companies in a small country such as The Bahamas. He noted that the two largest investors in The Bahamas, Sun International (South Africa) and Hutchison Whampoa (China) came from countries with poor human rights records. "They come more as invaders than investors, taking indiscriminately unto themselves that which is expedient for their well-being." The combined investment capital of Sun International in Nassau and Hutchison Whampoa in Freeport far exceeds the gross national product of The Bahamas. Such companies, said Mr Darville, can pull out at any time and leave economic hardships for former employees. "Economic globalisation... continues to create a level of inequity in our small country..."

Knowles & Nestor Reach Tennis Finals: Bahamian Mark Knowles and his partner Daniel Nestor of Canada reached the finals of the ATP World Doubles Championship before losing to Jacco Eltingh and Paul Haarhuis of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-2 and 7-5.

Sad Statistics: Figures produced by the Ministry of Health at the National AIDS Awareness Week opening on 30th November at Princess Margaret Hospital in Nassau indicated that Abaco was a very careful place to be when it came to HIV and AIDS infections. Nassau and Freeport, of course, had the greater number of cases, but when reduced to percentages, Abaco led the nation. Abaco has 67 cases of AIDS and 94 of HIV/AIDS infection. Nationwide, 1,710 of 2,600 (64%) have proved fatal so far. Of more than 7,000 people testing positive for HIV infection, over 60.5 have not yet developed AIDS. The incidence of HIV infection is approximately 81% Bahamian and 19% non-Bahamian. An average of some 300 new cases of AIDS are reported annually.

Boiling Frogs and Hippopotamus Ears: If you throw a frog into boiling water, it will immediately jump out. If you put a frog into cool water and gradually increase the heat, it will eventually become boiled. That was the crime situation in The Bahamas according to the National Commission on Crime which reported to the Prime Minister and was tabled on 2nd December. By degrees, the country has become more tolerant of aberrant and criminal behaviour. The Commission concluded that a culture of dishonesty, greed and a casual disregard for social norms and formal regulation threatens The Bahamas more than crime itself. As an instance, it was noted that many people readily accept stolen goods with a tacit understanding of their illegality. A particular problem with law enforcement in the Family Island communities was the reluctance of residents to come forward with evidence that might lead to a conviction. The availability of firearms was another concern, as was the improvement of relationships between police and community, especially in the Family Islands. The Commission also disdained use of the 'tip of the iceberg' analogy to say that the crimes which disturb and alarm the public are no more than 'the ears of the hippopotamus'. "We are convinced that Bahamian society is more threatened by a pervasive culture of dishonesty, greed and a casual disregard for social norms and formal regulation, than it is by crimes in the narrow sense..."

New Bridge to Paradise: There's a new bridge linking Nassau to Paradise Island. It was opened on 11th December, 31 years after the first Paradise Island bridge was built. The new bridge is 1,930 feet long and 52 feet wide with three travel lanes. It has a sidewalk for pedestrians and rises to 89 feet above sea level with a 130 feet by 70 feet shipping channel. Mrs Shaun Turnquest, wife of Minister of Works Tommy Turnquest, cut the ribbon to officially open the bridge.

Party in Paradise: Sun International's Atlantis Royal Towers officially opened on 12th December with a Paradise Island party for 2,000 which included such luminaries as Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, Julia Roberts, Donald Trump, Natalie Cole, Alfre Woodard, Leonardo di Caprio, Monica Seles, Denzel Washington, Stevie Wonder, Lee Majors and Sean 'Puff Daddy' Combs. Governor General Sir Orville Turnquest, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and Sir Sidney Poitier were among the many Bahamians present. The party concluded with a vast fireworks display by Grucci that dwarfed all others ever held in The Bahamas. Cost of the party? About $7 million.

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