Bahamas News

Bowlers, batters and legions of boisterous fans will only see The Bahamas from the sky as they fly over the archipelago on their way to the West Indies Cricket World Cup.

Countries across the Caribbean – with economies that are overwhelmingly tourism-based – are completing preparations for the flood of visitors and money set to touch down next week. The benefits should be huge: Barbados, the one country of eight that managed to secure the final match, is expecting $230 million in ticket sales and visitor expenditure in the first 20 days alone.

Their Local Organization Committee expects to generate about $300 million over the life of the new $110 million stadium, not to mention multi-million-dollar television contracts.

Bahamians will be watching the new stadiums fill up from their television sets, and sources in the local sporting community say the International Cricket Council actually expressed disappointment with the government of The Bahamas for withdrawing its bid.

The cost of constructing a stadium would have been a drop in the bucket when compared to the added investment of airport and hotel renovations that the ICC required of many participating countries.

A member of The Bahamas Cricket Board, Greg Taylor, said he has difficulty understanding why the government withdrew its bid.

“The Bahamas is missing out on one of the greatest opportunities to ever hit the Caribbean,” Taylor said.

“It’s like the World Cup of football, and the countries stand to make millions of dollars just from tourism,” he said. “You don’t have to depend on the Bahamians going to see it, the stadium would be filled to capacity by fans coming from abroad.”

Part of the motivation for constructing the stadium, beside the obvious short-term gain, is the benefit of repeat cricket customers. The ICC is currently shopping for venues for another international tournament in 2010.

Even though The Bahamas would only have been permitted to host first-round matches in the World Cup, owing to the country’s affiliate-member status with the ICC, there still would have been plenty of money to be made.

Two years ago when originally considering a bid, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell claimed even the preliminary matches between countries with large fan bases, like England and Australia, would attract up to 50,000 high-spending tourists for each game.

This is certainly the case in Barbados, where hotels are booked full and cruise boats are mooring at the dock to provide supplemental lodging.

Even as those two resources reach capacity, more puddle-jumping cricket fans are planning to come: The Barbadian Ministry of Tourism has begun linking ticket holders with homeowners willing to open their doors to their foreign cricket-loving brothers.

As it stands now, the Haynes Oval on West Bay St. still needs renovation even to meet the minimum standard for international play.

Next month’s West Indies Cricket World Cup is the first in the region and likely the last for at least 30 years.

By Sam Smith
The Nassau Guardian

Just off the North Abaco mainland sits historic Green Turtle Cay where loyalists settled in the 17th and 18th centuries. This quaint Bahamian settlement comes alive this weekend when its most famous son, artist Alton Lowe, opens his 36th annual art exhibition on Saturday.

The show, which has been staged at Nassau Beach Hotel for 32 years, is being held at Green Turtle Cay for the first time. Lowe made the decision to hold this year’s exhibition at his private gallery for the first time due to the redevelopment at the Cable Beach complex. “But I will be back in Nassau in 2008,” he assured. The exhibition will consist of 28 art pieces, all with a Bahamian floral and historic motif. There are paintings of marine life; historic scenes of Harbour Island, Cherokee Sound, San Salvador and 17th century Nassau. The biggest collection is of the Bahamian flowers. “I have great interest in the environment, protecting and preserving the old houses in Nassau and the Family Islands. One way to do some of this is to bring it to the public attention,” said Lowe. “I started going into the forest of Abaco and started painting the wild flowers…trying to show people how beautiful they are. We have these beautiful flowers, not just the orchards, but many other wonderful flowers. ”

Some of his floral paintings have been reproduced on postage stamps. “I have included some of the very old Bahamian flowers such as the rubber vine and some of the newer introductions to The Bahamas …to show the world that our country is truly a gardening paradise,” said Lowe, who is also an avid gardener.

People from other parts of The Bahamas and all over the world are expected to converge on Green Turtle Cay for the exhibition which runs through March.

Alton’s career in art began at a very early age. Said he, “My father drew beautifully and he made wonderful Bahamian ship models. Many evenings he would sit at the dining table and draw these ships on the high seas and I would try to copy them. It wasn’t until I went to high school that I learned how talented my father (Albert Lowe) was. His drawings were so beautiful.”

The Albert Lowe Museum on the cay was established in memory of his father.

At nine he started studying art with an American couple who lived on the island at the time. “They invited me along with 14 others to come and study art after school every day and on weekends. Eventually I was the only one left; they slowly dropped out,” Alton recalls.

He sold his first painting in the 1960s for $12 to the late Edward St George of the Grand Bahama Port Authority. “I thought I was rich, he recalled, “I spent every penny on more art supplies.”

After he finished school in Green Turtle Cay at 16, Alton moved to Miami Beach with his American benefactors. He worked and studied at their art gallery for two years.

“I arrived there June 10, 1961. My entire world changed. I met a lot of famous people who came to the gallery - Charlton Heston and a lot of the actors. Every day I went to my lessons and then I went to art school ( Frank Reilly School of Art) in New York. It was the greatest experience of my life.”

Alton spends an average of three weeks on a painting. “I paint in the traditional style (more detailed), which takes a lot longer than if it were impressionist. Sometimes I combine the two styles in the same painting.”

In conjunction with the exhibition the Abaco Cultural Society presents ‘A Magical Evening of Musical Memories’ featuring Jim Mastin, Joy Martone, T.L. Brown, Luisa Black and Mel Arnold Saturday evening at 7:30.

By Norman Rolle
The Nassau Guardian

Declaring that he was “vex” and wanted to expose the “hypocrisy” practiced by the Opposition Free National Movement (FNM), Prime Minister Perry Christie pulled out the big guns last night, as he did not mince words in launching a scathing verbal attack against FNM leader Hubert Ingraham and the “hidden forces” that he claimed were pulling the financial strings of the party and serving as dictator to Mr Ingraham.

And just three days following the resignation of former Immigration and Labour Minister Shane Gibson, Mr Christie railed against the FNM for criticizing Mr Gibson when he admitted to fast-tracking the permanent residency application for the late Anna Nicole Smith, because Ms. Smith, he said, was a saint in comparison to the alleged “crooks, gangsters and pedophiles” who were reportedly granted permits when the FNM held office.

“Hubert Ingraham fast-tracked and approved the investment applications of a man who had a well known history of grave sexual assaults against little boys,” alleged Mr. Christie while speaking at a packed PLP rally on the Pinewood Gardens Park, which attracted an estimated 5,000 plus supporters according to an official police report.

Last night’s rally, which could easily be dubbed as a mini concert featured entertainment from Elon Moxey, KB, Terez Hepburn, Gino D, Ancient Man, the Singing Prophet and Barrabas and the Tribe junkanoo group.

Mr. Christie, who took his stance at the podium at approximately 10:30 pm flanked by PLP Parliamentarians including former Cabinet Minister Shane Gibson and his wife Jackie, told hyped supporters that the FNM was “scared” and therefore decided to call a rally at the last minute to avoid the chance of FNM’s being attracted to the PLP’s rally in Pinewood Gardens.

Stating that he wanted to “set the record straight” for the public when it came to which government was actually “fast-tracking” visas, Mr. Christie alleged that the FNM can be blamed for issuing visas to individuals who were reportedly known to have a tainted past, while having Bahamians believe that they applied a high standard when it came to granting such permits.

“What a complete hypocrite this man is,” Mr. Christie said. “Who does he think he is fooling?”

” Say what you like about the late Anna Nicole Smith as someone who could be allowed as a resident of The Bahamas, but I tell you one thing, nothing she ever did in life could possibly have been worse than a man who for years was sexually assaulting little boys and was welcomed into the country by the Ingraham government,” the Prime Minister alleged.

Mr. Christie also told rally-goers that the FNM approved permanent residency for individuals such as Derek Turner who was sentenced to a US prison for fraud, Martin Tremblay who is now imprisoned for allegedly laundering money, and Viktor Kozeny, the Czech financier who is now facing extradition at her Majesty’s Prison. “I will not go any further tonight,” but there are plenty more,” Mr. Christie said. “Talk about double standards!

The Prime Minister also highlighted that Mr. Ingraham, after serving as Prime Minister for the past 10 years should know that governments sometimes find themselves in difficult situations and consideration must always be given to exercising sensitivity before a Prime Minister proceeds to make “damning” criticisms, especially if they are aware that such criticisms will be picked up by the international press.

“There is a grave responsibility on men and women in this country to exercise good judgment and to avoid being hypocrites,” he said.

Declaring that it was “winning time” for the PLP, Mr. Christie wrapped up his address last night by pointing out that Hubert Ingraham “strongly” defended earlier this week, the impropriety allegations levied against Tommy Turnquest and Dion Foulkes when the FNM held office, but he failed to say one word about Brent Symonette, his deputy leader.

“I only want to ask the question as I walk away from here this evening….does Hubert Ingraham’s silence in defense of Brent Symonette is because he believes that Brent Symonette cannot be defended, and his case is so bad, that it is indefensible? That is the question,” Mr. Christie said.

By Tamara McKenzie
The Nassau Guardian

Just before midnight last night, the Cabinet Office announced changes to the Cabinet of Prime Minister Perry Christie, which came a day after Immigration and Labour Minister Shane Gibson announced his resignation.

The changes became effective immediately.

Ministerial responsibility for immigration has been transferred to Bradley Roberts, who is now the Minister of Works and Immigration.

Vincent Peet is now responsible for labour and training, and is now known as the Minister of Labour and Financial Services. Minister Peet was previously responsible for the labour portfolio.

Ministerial responsibility for Bahamasair has been transferred from Prime Minister Perry Christie to Obie Wilchcombe, who is also the minister of tourism.

It was also announced that ministerial responsibility for the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas, Radio & Television Broadcasting and the Bahamas Information Services has been transferred from Minister Wilchcombe to Senator Dr. Bernard Nottage, who is now the Minister of Health, National Insurance & Public Information.

The changes come nearly a year to the date that the prime minister announced his cabinet reshuffle last year on February 21.

Prime Minister Christie had announced during a nationally-televised address Sunday night that he would reveal ministerial adjustments in light of Mr. Gibson’s resignation. As indicated, that announcement came very late in the night.

Mr. Gibson’s resignation came in the midst of intense controversy in the wake of photographs published by the Tribune newspaper last week Monday showing the minister and the late American celebrity Anna Nicole Smith on a bed – fully clothed – in warm embraces.

Mr. Gibson had for months fought allegations that he had fast-tracked Ms. Smith’s permanent residency permit because she was a close friend.

He insisted during his address on Sunday that he did nothing wrong, but said he was resigning because the situation had caused his family enough anguish.

The cabinet changes come as the election campaign heats up with both the governing Progressive Liberal Party and the Free National Movement preparing for mass rallies in New Providence tonight.

The PLP’s rally is set for Pinewood Park and the FNM has a rally planned for the R. M. Bailey Park.

Prime Minister Christie has said that the general election will be on or before May 2.

He has accused FNM Leader Hubert Ingraham as being a man who would “take your guts out and then come to your funeral and cry.” Mr. Christie said recently that he will be acting now in self defense.

In his national address on Sunday, the prime minister made it clear that the work of the government would continue.

“There is still much work to be done,” he said. “We were elected to serve. We intend therefore to press on with our agenda for action, an agenda that has already brought about the biggest economic expansion and the highest level of prosperity and empowerment this country has ever known.”

By Candia Dames
The Bahama Journal