Christopher D. Lowe
It is interesting, with the election of Barak Obama as the President of the United States, the collective voice of public opposition that has arisen namely in opposition to his person and policy. Of course there is also considerable support for him and his policies, although this seems to be waning.
What it has illustrated for me however is that in our country, The Bahamas, we have no “body public” saying much of anything. A few individuals here and there, and for sure, both political parties make the expected noise, but this is not public dissent or even involvement.
We do not know for ourselves where we sit on any issue, nor are we willing to speak up save the occasional indignant and short lived outcry.
There is very little public discourse or consistent counter balance to any policy, Government action or lack of action, no matter how urgent or ill advised it may be. By and large, we as citizens do not know where to sit, as we live largely ignorant of our Constitution and the Laws of the Land.
We have accepted a “rule by personality” and have apparently accepted the assumed power of some personalities and that they know better than we, the people, what is best for us.
“A politician or civil servant can do only that which is prescribed by law, but a citizen can do anything except that which is prohibited by law” is what a Constitution provides for, but we seem to have accepted the opposite, namely:
A politician or Civil Servant can do anything including that which is prohibited by law, a citizen can do only that which they allow.
More and more, the body politic has drifted away from our self proclaimed Constitutional edict:
“This Constitution is the supreme law of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, if any other law is inconsistent with this Constitution, this Constitution shall prevail and the other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.”
And the General Orders, and acts that clearly state procedure, desired function and Authority.
Note I said Authority, not power.
I for one do not wish to be subject to any individual assumed power, and am promised certain safeties and stated freedoms outlined by our Constitution as a Citizen.
Therein lays the source of our national dysfunctions, our increasing crime, our decline as a law abiding society, and the often suspect motives of our political leadership.
awesome post sir 🙂
Contributing to the decline, is an unworkable, dysfunctional economic model that underpins the nation, and incidentally marginalizes 90% of the people.
Thanks for stopping by Seymour.
What economic model would you suggest?
My Fellow Brothers and Sisters of the Bahamas it time to come together united as one Bahamas.A Bahamas where there would be no injustice, but fairness.A Bahamas where there would be no hatred,but love.A Bahamas where there would be no degrading of one another ,but respect for each other.A Bahamas where we would not be divided because of our religious or polictical beliefs,but united together as Bahaians in our Bahamas.May God bless the Bahamas and the Bahamian people under one God and one nation.
What wonderful thoughts you share with us Pedro.. If only your theory would become our practice.. But unfortunately the corruption of human nature and values has made mankind what it has become today.. Nevertheless we must never lose hope for “heaven on earth” to become the foundation of human existence..
No injustice, but only fairness……
Justice as defined by whom?
By the laws of the land, aplicable to all.
Fair, according to whom?
Who is to decide what is fair or not?
Again, the law.
I would rather be free to think, strive and produce, with myself family and property protected by rule of law.
Love?
I’d love it if we got our national House in order.
I’m with you Chris.
We must remember that the first laws was the ten commandment given to Moses by God.Every law that have been written have started from the history of the ten commanment.However my Dream for One Bahamas is about moral values that was preach by Jesus Christ 2000 years ago.The Bahamas is facing a social and moral problem that is causing a real crisis for the Bahamas and it image International in regards to crime.Let us move together in peace and harmony for a better Bahamas and lead by example to help change the Bahamas by our actions and deeds.We all have a part to make a better Bahamas to move forward,upward and onward together.
The laws given by God to Moses only proved that sinful mankind could not keep them. While Moses was a great man he failed also. There is only one God/Man who was and is perfect, The Father’s only begotten Son and we know what sinful man did to him.
Our Bahamaland’s greatest problem is that those who lead do not lead by example, “It is do what I say not what I do.”