This is a good topic i just came from a retreat about racism this weekend. Let me first say that we are not the USA nor U.K so lets stop comparing ourselves with them. What colour is bahamians last time i checked we have all shades of colour so i dont think colour should be a thing. Their was someone who said we will never have a white Prime Minister who is white name me the white PM that we had i might be young but i can remeber that Ping was the first PM. Alos there is this thing called Ignorance that have us that way to think about colour who told us about colour the old people so why didnt the old people tell the young about what the PLP did back in the days if they did the PLP wouldn't have been a Power today. Mr Symonette to me is a great man a great Business man and as i said in a article before he is the best man to bring our ecomony to the next level and he will make a Great Leader and Prime Minister but he can only do that with the help of me and you. Lets forget the past because our first Prime Minister Father was a Jamaican but did we think about that and oh how bahamians dont like jamaicans but yet they voted in a half bahamian and jamaican as PM so lets think about our country and not the colour. Let me Leave you with this Quote that someone said this weekend at the retreat " we dont look at the lines that sperate the rainbow we just see the colours mixing together so why cant we stop looking at that line that says i am black you are white i am bahamian your not and look at use working together to make things beautiful".
Blessings from the Almighty

Why do people have such short memories? A generation ago there was a bit of whispering of how Brent Symonette's father, a poor brown man from the Family Islands came to Nassau and became a white man. Mix in his mother, a white nurse from a small northern town in Canada, and presto, all of a sudden they are the pure-white hated colonialists. That is so far from the truth. Why does race even enter the picture?

But to the real topic of hand, Brent Symonette would make a good Prime Minister. He has a fine business sense which one needs to run the largest corporation in the government (the country). To top it all off, the entire Symonette family has shown that they have 'the royal jelly' to take risks and come out on top financially, personally and success-wise. Sir Roland got his start selling booze and intelligently diversified. Brent borrowed some family money and bet it on a real estate development that made him a multi-millionaire. His major inheritances of late are just icing on the cake. Craig Symonette is betting a huge chunk of change, investing in the Fast Ferry. At every chance, the Symonettes have eveloped a vision, taken the risks and reaped the rewards. Isn't that how a good leader should behave?

Why do people have such short memories? A generation ago there was a bit of whispering of how Brent Symonette's father, a poor brown man from the Family Islands came to Nassau and became a white man. Mix in his mother, a white nurse from a small northern town in Canada, and presto, all of a sudden they are the pure-white hated colonialists. That is so far from the truth. Why does race even enter the picture?

But to the real topic of hand, Brent Symonette would make a good Prime Minister. He has a fine business sense which one needs to run the largest corporation in the government (the country). To top it all off, the entire Symonette family has shown that they have 'the royal jelly' to take risks and come out on top financially, personally and success-wise. Sir Roland got his start selling booze and intelligently diversified. Brent borrowed some family money and bet it on a real estate development that made him a multi-millionaire. His major inheritances of late are just icing on the cake. Craig Symonette is betting a huge chunk of change, investing in the Fast Ferry. At every chance, the Symonettes have eveloped a vision, taken the risks and reaped the rewards. Isn't that how a good leader should behave?

I have read all of the post in this forum and I have one question. What has Brent Symonette ever done for this nation for us to be considering him for Prime Minister? We as Bahamians need to wake up and require more from our leaders or we will always get the short end of the stick.

I have read all of the post in this forum and I have one question. What has Brent Symonette ever done for this nation for us to be considering him for Prime Minister? We as Bahamians need to wake up and require more from our leaders or we will always get the short end of the stick.
What does a person have to do to be considered a candidate for Prime Minister?

What does a person have to do to be considered a candidate for Prime Minister?

My statement was not only about a canidate for Prime Minister,but about all politicans in general.A choice of a canidate is a personal decision.For me that person has to have shown some previous interest in NATION BUILDING prior to running for office.

I originally posted this on bahamasuncensored.com but I think it is appropriate - -

On Brent Symonette: How preposterous! It may be of interest to my fellow Bahamians of lighter hue that it was Black-centered policies that allowed for the first true democratic and just government of The Bahamas. Bahamians -- black, brown and white alike, are afforded the opportunity to vie for public office. It can be assumed that Mr. Symonette believes that he won his seat based on the content of his character and not the color of his skin. Why then, would his loss of the bid for party leader be any less a decision predicated on merit and ability rather than his hue? Or is it the Honorable Member’s assertion that his election was because he is of European descent? Enough said.
On the matter of Bahamian nationalism, The Bahamas is young but fledgling nation with a panorama of native customs. It seems absurd to this writer that our nation would not be grappling with the very same issues which nation-states have labored with since the beginning of humankind. No person will ever be totally void of the prejudices of his or her past be it of party affiliation, race, creed, gender, religion and/or sexual orientation (lest we forget that still sensitive subject). Still, it is imperative that each person to seek the greatest objectivity possible -- even if that be to elect a person of European descent to lead a country which is primarily made-up of persons of African descent.


After all, it is not every minority group’s greatest aspiration to contribute to their nation in such a fashion as to warrant election to the country’s highest public office (i.e. African-Americans in the United States)? And is it not the responsibility of every majority group, which benefits from the contributions of their fellow citizens to engender a just society where all of its citizens may serve in public office if he or she is so qualified?

I originally posted this on bahamasuncensored.com but I think it is appropriate - -

On Brent Symonette: How preposterous! It may be of interest to my fellow Bahamians of lighter hue that it was Black-centered policies that allowed for the first true democratic and just government of The Bahamas. Bahamians -- black, brown and white alike, are afforded the opportunity to vie for public office.
Sounds interesting!

Please elaborate some more on your quote.

Delroy, let me answer your original questions.


- Should 'Race' play a role in leadership? No, but it does. The "old" PLP has seen to that! (The "new" PLP will continue the tradition should the need arise.)


- Would you elect Brent Symonette as Prime Minister? In a heart beat!


- Do you think that the PLP Government fear the possibility of Brent Symonette becoming leader of the FNM party? No. Because they have kept the fires of race hatred alive and well - it is really the only "ace" they have. They know that all they have to do is hold up the race card and their followers will fall into line.

Sad! But there it is!

I have no objections to a Black people having a Black PM! That is their right! What I object to is the malarkey (foolishness) of them saying that "we are one" when they know they are doing the best they can to keep white people out of politics.
I object to the PLP and some Revs who say that God is behind their rise to power. He is not. The tools the politicians used are far from Godly. Those tools are hatred and division. As far as I know they are not in Gods arsenal.

It is time we, the people, take a good look at ourselves, without political party help and see, are we one? Are we living as God would have us live? Or are we just a darker version of the UBP?

Thanks CG.

Look how the world is beginning to form now, "Whites are gonna communicate with Whites" not being prejudice, but "Whites" are in total control of the world today.

.


Really, are you shure of this. Im not. There are a lot of highly respected black people out there.

Ostrom

Thanks CG.

Wow !

How quickly we forget? Wasn’t this the same Brent Symonnette who was forced to resign from the FNM cabinet because it was proven that he was using his political office for his own personal gain. Yes as filthy rich as he was he was still using his political office for his own personal gain. This is no allegation but a documented fact.

Imagine what he would do if he is given ultimate authority! Many older Bahamians alleged the that that same man on the $50 dollar note also used his political office to acquire crown land not for national interest but for personal gain. That is why they are so rich today. They sure had a whole lot of land.

Black or White who cares? A CROOK IS A CROOK IS A CROOK!!! Will I support him to be prime-minister?

Hell No!!!!

Good business sense my foot. I care more about morality and ethics. After all it is the peoples money He will be dealing with?

Well said Sprirt.

I love it when people speak their minds with common sense other than trying to sound politicly correct. If someone is a proven crook why are wasting our votes with him. I read something that was posted by NassauRock and although there were a couple of racist remarks to disagree with, I have to agree with alot of things said. It seems like alot of people want this guy to win because he is a white man. If he was indeed a black man I seriously doubt that his name would be mentioned. We are a nation with a population of over 90% black, why is it so important to some people that we have a white leader? I admit that the best qualified man should get the job but a crook is alway the least qualified person for a leadership role, next to incompetance and heartlessness. One man I would love to hear people talk about is Anthony Miller. A member of the FNM party. He is the only FNM I care to see in power. But the way our electoral process works he would never be P.M. without a house majority of those nuckleheaded sellouts, FNM's. He should swith party and join ranks with the historicle liberators of the now free Bahamas. PLP. The party that elimenated that nasty colonialism from the heart and soles of our Bahamian children.

Well said Sprirt.

I love it when people speak their minds with common sense other than trying to sound politicly correct. If someone is a proven crook why are wasting our votes with him. I read something that was posted by NassauRock and although there were a couple of racist remarks to disagree with, I have to agree with alot of things said. It seems like alot of people want this guy to win because he is a white man. If he was indeed a black man I seriously doubt that his name would be mentioned. We are a nation with a population of over 90% black, why is it so important to some people that we have a white leader? I admit that the best qualified man should get the job but a crook is alway the least qualified person for a leadership role, next to incompetance and heartlessness. One man I would love to hear people talk about is Anthony Miller. A member of the FNM party. He is the only FNM I care to see in power. But the way our electoral process works he would never be P.M. without a house majority of those nuckleheaded sellouts, FNM's. He should swith party and join ranks with the historicle liberators of the now free Bahamas. PLP. The party that elimenated that nasty colonialism from the heart and soles of our Bahamian children.

I disagree with you. I think there are more people who DON'T want him to win BECAUSE he is white.

Mr. Symonnette's controversy with the air port contract was not as big as one might imagine. No where near as big as the controversies of the "old" PLP. (Some of which are now in the "New" PLP.) Mr. Symonnette awarded the contract to a company in which he had minimal shares. He said on a radio interview that he did not remember owning shares in the said company. I can believe that. I think one would be hard pressed to find a company in which Mr. Symonnette did not own some shares but he should have checked. His so-called benefits, if any, from this contract was "peanuts." However, it was wrong to do what he did and he resigned - he was not forced to resign.

We have seen, that some elected folks, when caught red handed, try to lie their way out. At least Mr. Symonnette admitted his error and did the right thing - he resigned. He is not a crook - he is I am sure, a sadder but wiser man because of that passed error - an error that will not be repeated.

Anyhow, all this is interesting to talk about but I doubt we will see him, or any white person, as PM in the near, or even distant future. Black Bahamians are not ready, in sufficient numbers, to accept a white Bahamian leader. In to many minds 100% Bahamian means 100% black. Maybe there is some justification for this in view of the past history of these islands. Yet, let us hope that time will heal all wounds, and it will if we stop picking at the wounds as the "old" PLP liked to do.

It is so obvious that some people just hate for the name PLP to be mentioned. Why can't you guys realize this is a different government from the one lead by Sir Lynden O. Pindling? I too would like to get into politics later on in the future. And I will also like to be a member of the PLP. Not because of who else is a member of the party but because of the rich and important history they provided to this country. Yes they did alot of wrong things but what they accomplished in the begining will never be surpassed by any party yet to come in the future of our nation. It takes the right people to change an organization. Things never stay the same. Just like a basketball team, let me use the chicago bulls for example. Before Michael Jordan = loosers. During Michael Jordan = most feared and respected Dynasty. After Michael Jordan = shamefull loosers. The name Bulls doesn't strick fear or demands respect from anyone in the NBA now. But back then with M.J. in his prime, nobody wanted to play them in the playoffs. The same with the PLP. The mistakes make people hate the party but that old party is gone now. Don't just vote against them because of the past. Embrace change and lend a little attention to new faces wanting to make a difference. If the FNM party underwent a face lift with lots of new members I will give them a chance to show what they are all about. I wouln't toss them aside because of the name of the party. That is whats wrong with a lot of other countries in the world. They aren't voting in a change for the better. They are playing the role of the old faithful. "My father voted for you." "My grandfather voted for you." "So I'm voting for you." Don't be stupid. I don't vote for a name and I don't vote against a name. I vote for the people who promises to make things better and demonstrates actions and shows proof of how it will be better. Those FNM's didn't do that and now they are gone.