May 19, 2008

Carl Bethel Must Resign

On February 14, 2008, People for Ethics in Government commented on the alleged sexual relationship between a student and teacher of C.V. Bethel High School here in New Providence . We said then that it served as a case study for our nation’s youth in the moral and ethical standards of the Bahamian society.

Our concern was that the incident be treated with the seriousness it deserved. We continued that “failure to do so would risk further erosion of the boundaries separating teachers and students” in our nation’s schools, as it would send the wrong message and of course have negative implications for the future of our country.

We had every reason to fear that the Ministry of Education would fail the Bahamian people, as a conflict of interest existed between the Minister of Education and the boy at the centre of the alleged improper relationship. The young man happened to be the nephew of Minister Bethel’s wife. We urged that Minister Bethel recuse himself from the matter, to remove the appearance of “further foul play”. The resolution of the matter went without any report to the public about what measures were taken, if any, while reports indicate that the student remains enrolled at the school, and the teacher still employed with the Ministry of Education. Students of C.V. Bethel High School believe that the student’s relationship to the Minister of Education afforded him the benefit of preferential treatment.

More recently, another sex scandal became the focus of public attention, this time involving two students, a seventeen year old male and thirteen year old female, of Queen’s College. This time, Minister Bethel is even more directly involved, as he is the father of the seventeen year old male. Reports suggest that the wives of Ministers Tommy Turnquest and Zhivargo Laing were part of a four person group responsible for deciding the school’s response in the matter. As no police report was filed, and the female student is of the age where she cannot give sexual consent, there was a clear duty to report this case to the police. Instead, the identity of the male student appears to have yet again been grounds for preferential treatment.

This most recent incident sends a clear message that laws are made to be broken, especially if you know the right people. Why should the economically disenfranchised be hopeful that this country will ever give them a fair shake, when government and law enforcement continue to send the message that it’s who you know and not what you know that really matters.

PEG asserts that Carl Bethel is now a lame duck Minister of Education, who has lost whatever moral authority he possessed. The efforts to keep these incidents out of the public domain, show poor judgment and a circumvention of the law, by those who engaged in its cover-up. PEG calls on Mr. Bethel to do the right thing and place his resignation on the desk of the Prime Minister with immediate effect. It is hypocritical to call for One Bahamas if we practice two different sets of laws.

PEG.

May 19, 2008
Carl Bethel Must Resign
On February 14, 2008, People for Ethics in Government commented on the alleged sexual relationship between a student and teacher of C.V. Bethel High School here in New Providence . We said then that it served as a case study for our nation’s youth in the moral and ethical standards of the Bahamian society.
Our concern was that the incident be treated with the seriousness it deserved. We continued that “failure to do so would risk further erosion of the boundaries separating teachers and students” in our nation’s schools, as it would send the wrong message and of course have negative implications for the future of our country.
We had every reason to fear that the Ministry of Education would fail the Bahamian people, as a conflict of interest existed between the Minister of Education and the boy at the centre of the alleged improper relationship. The young man happened to be the nephew of Minister Bethel’s wife. We urged that Minister Bethel recuse himself from the matter, to remove the appearance of “further foul play”. The resolution of the matter went without any report to the public about what measures were taken, if any, while reports indicate that the student remains enrolled at the school, and the teacher still employed with the Ministry of Education. Students of C.V. Bethel High School believe that the student’s relationship to the Minister of Education afforded him the benefit of preferential treatment.
More recently, another sex scandal became the focus of public attention, this time involving two students, a seventeen year old male and thirteen year old female, of Queen’s College. This time, Minister Bethel is even more directly involved, as he is the father of the seventeen year old male. Reports suggest that the wives of Ministers Tommy Turnquest and Zhivargo Laing were part of a four person group responsible for deciding the school’s response in the matter. As no police report was filed, and the female student is of the age where she cannot give sexual consent, there was a clear duty to report this case to the police. Instead, the identity of the male student appears to have yet again been grounds for preferential treatment.
This most recent incident sends a clear message that laws are made to be broken, especially if you know the right people. Why should the economically disenfranchised be hopeful that this country will ever give them a fair shake, when government and law enforcement continue to send the message that it’s who you know and not what you know that really matters.
PEG asserts that Carl Bethel is now a lame duck Minister of Education, who has lost whatever moral authority he possessed. The efforts to keep these incidents out of the public domain, show poor judgment and a circumvention of the law, by those who engaged in its cover-up. PEG calls on Mr. Bethel to do the right thing and place his resignation on the desk of the Prime Minister with immediate effect. It is hypocritical to call for One Bahamas if we practice two different sets of laws.
PEG.
Stop dis foolishness, why should he be forced to resign due to the actions of his family. These incidents are not new to the Bahamas and for the most part have not been prosecuted in the past. In the past school children sex each other up, take pictures of themselves, videotape themselves and these go unreported.

Stop dis foolishness, why should he be forced to resign due to the actions of his family. These incidents are not new to the Bahamas and for the most part have not been prosecuted in the past. In the past school children sex each other up, take pictures of themselves, videotape themselves and these go unreported.

Don't feed the buzzard(s)!

S.M.T

No matter how much ya beat that dead horse, ya still ain't getting no fur coat from dat rough hide!!!!

Don't feed the buzzard(s)!
Geez, 2nd time 2day i shulda kept my mout quiet. However i find it disgusting when peoples families,friends,acquaintances are dragged into the mud to try and discredit a person.

Geez, 2nd time 2day i shulda kept my mout quiet. However i find it disgusting when peoples families,friends,acquaintances are dragged into the mud to try and discredit a person.
Not only that the story don't go the way they think.

Not only that the story don't go the way they think.
i just hope our press doesn't get like those in the states who go after stars every step of the day.

May 19, 2008
Carl Bethel Must Resign
On February 14, 2008, People for Ethics in Government commented on the alleged sexual relationship between a student and teacher of C.V. Bethel High School here in New Providence . We said then that it served as a case study for our nation’s youth in the moral and ethical standards of the Bahamian society.
Our concern was that the incident be treated with the seriousness it deserved. We continued that “failure to do so would risk further erosion of the boundaries separating teachers and students” in our nation’s schools, as it would send the wrong message and of course have negative implications for the future of our country.
We had every reason to fear that the Ministry of Education would fail the Bahamian people, as a conflict of interest existed between the Minister of Education and the boy at the centre of the alleged improper relationship. The young man happened to be the nephew of Minister Bethel’s wife. We urged that Minister Bethel recuse himself from the matter, to remove the appearance of “further foul play”. The resolution of the matter went without any report to the public about what measures were taken, if any, while reports indicate that the student remains enrolled at the school, and the teacher still employed with the Ministry of Education. Students of C.V. Bethel High School believe that the student’s relationship to the Minister of Education afforded him the benefit of preferential treatment.
More recently, another sex scandal became the focus of public attention, this time involving two students, a seventeen year old male and thirteen year old female, of Queen’s College. This time, Minister Bethel is even more directly involved, as he is the father of the seventeen year old male. Reports suggest that the wives of Ministers Tommy Turnquest and Zhivargo Laing were part of a four person group responsible for deciding the school’s response in the matter. As no police report was filed, and the female student is of the age where she cannot give sexual consent, there was a clear duty to report this case to the police. Instead, the identity of the male student appears to have yet again been grounds for preferential treatment.
This most recent incident sends a clear message that laws are made to be broken, especially if you know the right people. Why should the economically disenfranchised be hopeful that this country will ever give them a fair shake, when government and law enforcement continue to send the message that it’s who you know and not what you know that really matters.
PEG asserts that Carl Bethel is now a lame duck Minister of Education, who has lost whatever moral authority he possessed. The efforts to keep these incidents out of the public domain, show poor judgment and a circumvention of the law, by those who engaged in its cover-up. PEG calls on Mr. Bethel to do the right thing and place his resignation on the desk of the Prime Minister with immediate effect. It is hypocritical to call for One Bahamas if we practice two different sets of laws.
PEG.
I c said the blind man.

suk teet

I have a question about all this:
If the boy was 17 and the girl was 13, did the boy commit a crime by having sexual relations with a minor?
If it is a crime, why haven't the police intervened?

I have a question about all this:
If the boy was 17 and the girl was 13, did the boy commit a crime by having sexual relations with a minor?
If it is a crime, why haven't the police intervened?


The girl is 13 so yes it is a crime.

THIS IS utter bull yshi.. The Honourable Minister has done absolutely nothing wrong... he is a servant of the people who works hard to get results....

... There is and I have said this on BI before.. there is absolutely NO video, NONE, absolutely NONE....

.... This is a trump up fabricated story that is without merit....

YOU GUYS, need to understand.. you are totally disrespecting two young Bahamians who have also done nothing wrong.. the school has taken sufficient action ... in my view (after looking at the facts) that was an over reaction.... but such is life...

NOW Please stop the politics... and I promise to stop feeding these animals....

I have a question about all this:
If the boy was 17 and the girl was 13, did the boy commit a crime by having sexual relations with a minor?
If it is a crime, why haven't the police intervened?YOU ALL MISSING THE POINT, no such incident happened, NONE.. espically in the way it is been reported... NONE, absolutely none....

Not only that the story don't go the way they think.

Exactly... If it is such as issue why didn't the girls mother report it.. According to the police nothing has been reported..

Now if it was my 12 year old they would not have been able to shut me up...:bouncy:


Obviously there is more here than meets the eye...:hammer:

Exactly... If it is such as issue why didn't the girls mother report it..

Thats the thing EO

If anything the focus should be on THE MOTHER if such a thing did happened.......!!!!!!!

Then I would say why didnt she report it ........!!!!

I refuse to believe a mother would not report this......!!!!!