I am a bahamian student currently pursing a degree in medicine at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus. As someone who has been on site for both hurricane Ivan and Dean, I was astonished by the differences in the governments handling of both events. Although it was a controversial move, no one in 2004 could predict what was going to happen in the aftermath of Ivan. And every single student appreciated the governments efforts to assure our safety. What a difference an election makes! Upon hearing of the intensity of Hurricane Dean, several students and panicked parents attempted to contact officials in Nassau for some type of assistance. At least one that I know of spoke directly with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and literally begged for some type of assistance. Most of us were quite skeptical considering current political climate and prepared for the worse. I was on of the unlucky ones unable to find any other type of accommodation therefore I had to rely on the University's kindness. Although it was much better than i visualized, sleeping on a mattress on the leaky assembly hall floor for four days was not my idea of heaven. And a diet of corned beef did not help my hypertension at all. To add injury to insult it has come to my notice that the Honorable Minister claims that the students did not want any help and that he was in close contact with us. The simple fact of the matter is that we were left to fend for ourselves and I would like that to be known publicly. The Trinidad government recognizing the situation put their students up in a hotel for the duration of the crisis to assure their safety and see to their needs. The Bajan government made daily visits and phone calls to theirs students. What did the Bahamian students get....nothing. I guess their governments appreciate the future doctors of our country. On thursday when everyone began to return, a Trinidadian girl asked me about my experience and I told her. Her reply was "Why did your government do you like that man? Why indeed......

Hi, didnt you guys have a return ticket? If not, how did they let you into Jamaica? Just curious .. Good that you are safe now though .. dont go back there its a dangerous place! ;)

...he obviously was high off something when he responded to the media houses. Regardless, it's a shame that he thought what he said wouldn't be corrected. Sad to say its what people wanted and voted for.

Of course we have return tickets but hey we are students. If I had money to spend you think I would be here?!

Of course we have return tickets but hey we are students. If I had money to spend you think I would be here?!

If you had no money (or your parents did not), you would not be at college to begin with - correct me if its free please (?). Also if it was that dangerous to merit the expense of a 737 both ways to pick up (45?) students (who are grown adults?), then it would have been a good idea to use that ticket to return home ;)

http://www.bahamassecurity.com/images/puleeze.gif

Its a wonderful thing called sudent loan buddy.... look it up

And really my point of interest is the fact that Brent Symonette blantantly lied.:tdown: Just say that you dont give a crap when ppl ask you a question

Do they give out these loans without requiring any collateral?

If you had no money (or your parents did not), you would not be at college to begin with - correct me if its free please (?). Also if it was that dangerous to merit the expense of a 737 both ways to pick up (45?) students (who are grown adults?), then it would have been a good idea to use that ticket to return home ;)

http://www.bahamassecurity.com/images/puleeze.gif


I don't get it...the point wasn't about their money, their point was about the acting prime minister lying and refusing to help them. Its the people that put them there, its the people they should help. And pardon I but would you travel? 2 to 1 u wouldnt make it home with all the delays.

I don't get it...the point wasn't about their money, their point was about the acting prime minister lying and refusing to help them. Its the people that put them there, its the people they should help. And pardon I but would you travel? 2 to 1 u wouldnt make it home with all the delays.



Someone gets the point!!!!

Do they give out these loans without requiring any collateral?



Dude it is obvious that you have never had to get 1

I don't get it...the point wasn't about their money, their point was about the acting prime minister lying and refusing to help them. Its the people that put them there, its the people they should help. And pardon I but would you travel? 2 to 1 u wouldnt make it home with all the delays.

That point wasn't anywhere in the OP's original post.

Sure do travel, all my life. Once I slept in my Car in London for 2 months as I was broke, went through a Blizzard in NYC, sold my motorbike when I was in Florida onetime so I could get home to Nassau; never once did the thought cross my mind that the Bahamas Government was responsible for bringing me back from somewhere I chose to go on my own, not to mention I was an adult and it would have looked extremely silly to even whisper the thought if it did indeed exist.

I also dont see the difference between a student and any other person that may be living in any country in the world. We go through hurricanes in the Bahamas, we Bahamians go through alot of things all over the world; best thing to do in all of those cases is to, if anything, depend on the people in that country to assist.

And ofcourse, Politicians always lie, that is part of Politics.

Dude it is obvious that you have never had to get 1

Really? No, as I could never afford to goto College, and noone was about to give me a loan at such a young age. However I did take what couple hundred dollars I had from working in a hot warehouse for a couple years, and took a chance and flew to NY. I got a job in 2 different restaurants working as a busboy and worked 15 hours a day 7 days a week which enabled me to pay for my first semester at college. After that I could not afford it anymore though, both working and the school, so I dropped out. Eventually I came back here.

That point wasn't anywhere in the OP's original post.
Sure do travel, all my life. Once I slept in my Car in London for 2 months as I was broke, went through a Blizzard in NYC, sold my motorbike when I was in Florida onetime so I could get home to Nassau; never once did the thought cross my mind that the Bahamas Government was responsible for bringing me back from somewhere I chose to go on my own, not to mention I was an adult and it would have looked extremely silly to even whisper the thought if it did indeed exist.
I also dont see the difference between a student and any other person that may be living in any country in the world. We go through hurricanes in the Bahamas, we Bahamians go through alot of things all over the world; best thing to do in all of those cases is to, if anything, depend on the people in that country to assist.
And ofcourse, Politicians always lie, that is part of Politics.


"To add injury to insult it has come to my notice that the Honorable Minister claims that the students did not want any help and that he was in close contact with us. The simple fact of the matter is that we were left to fend for ourselves and I would like that to be known publicly."



Yes it was, I just phrased it nicely:angel:

That point wasn't anywhere in the OP's original post.
Sure do travel, all my life. Once I slept in my Car in London for 2 months as I was broke, went through a Blizzard in NYC, sold my motorbike when I was in Florida onetime so I could get home to Nassau; never once did the thought cross my mind that the Bahamas Government was responsible for bringing me back from somewhere I chose to go on my own, not to mention I was an adult and it would have looked extremely silly to even whisper the thought if it did indeed exist.
I also dont see the difference between a student and any other person that may be living in any country in the world. We go through hurricanes in the Bahamas, we Bahamians go through alot of things all over the world; best thing to do in all of those cases is to, if anything, depend on the people in that country to assist.
And ofcourse, Politicians always lie, that is part of Politics.


it doesn't have to be in the post..just by reading Brent's immediate response, it should be of some concern to you why YOUR government didn't see the need to help the people that voted them in.

Point blank no one cares about what you've been through, if you were in a school that has a Bahamian ambassador with many students from the Bahamas, it would be expected that the government do something to make sure you're ok. After all regardless of political affiliation you're still a Bahamian. Politicians do not always lie, you're just too ignorant to separate lies from truth simple.