by Sidney Sweeting

I can recall a time in the history of our country when letters were written to the office of a Minister of Government, a reply was received in due time signed "Your Obedient Servant."

How far we have come when my good friend Rick Lowe has been trying for months to obtain some information concerning reported trade figures between the Bahamas and China. It has been an exercise in futility to try and obtain them from the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Rick did receive a reply of sorts via a web site! If he had received the information from the Ministry we can be sure that it would not have been signed "Your Obedient Servant’.

Numerous interested parties have been trying to obtain information from Minister Nottage about the Health Plan but they have all been ignored.

Then there was the conversation between a Minister and his permanent secretary, recorded by the Tribune, when the permanent secretary is reported to have said, when speaking of the Tribune reporter who was trying to obtain some information: "Minister, he is too junior to speak with you"

We have to wonder: Are these people chosen for their position in Government because they are so arrogant or do they become deified in their own mind and the rest of us mortals should not write letters to them or even try to talk to them?

Perhaps, when we need information from them we should address it "Dear Exalted One".

It just might work!