I am appalled that we have come to a place in our history where greed has consumed us. Our sense of reasoning has flown out of the window. Our love for country and fellowman has less sign significance. We are doomed if a leader of a union is so irresponsible, that he is willing to upset the whole apple cart if he does not have his way. And to think, he has followers who do not have a mind of their own and who will carry out instructions of destruction. Look what we have come to!
There has been no shortage of varying opinions of the inevitable sale of BTC. The people who had, or still have the inside track as it relates to Blue Water have an axe to grind. The BCPOU, who could see its membership dwindling and probably a cut in salary for the top brass of the union, have an axe to grind, and the PLP who were hoping to “piggy back” off the union’s gripe, seem to be hollering the loudest, especially since they cannot find one sensible thing to genuinely criticise the government about.
The union with its approximately two thousand members expressed their concerns. But what is extremely interesting is that many BTC workers have said, off the record, that they can’t wait for the process to be completed. Some feel like pawns after suspecting that the union’s president may be taking instructions from a politician – one who is familiar with the BCPOU and who still has tremendous influence.
But the BCPOU was in a similar position many years ago when they decided to march on parliament. We cannot forget the incident where peanuts and beer were thrown on the nation’s leader, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham. This blatant act of disrepect came from a union leader, who since then has really exposed himself in a very negative light, both locally and internationally. There were threats of destruction to the infrastructure and some sabotage even happened, but the demonstration was designed to destabilise the country then. Is there a pattern developing or is there method to the madness?
Now after the realisation that the deal between Cable and Wireless may have been struck, the union is now resorting to what they do best – threaten the consumer and their customers, the very people who pay their members’ salary so they could collect their dues. The union leadership is not too smart, because if they were, they would have calculated that if any member loses their jobs, then fewer dues would be collected and later on, decrease in salary for the administration.
The despicable attempt to bluff the government about turning this peaceful country into another Egypt, is nothing more than a threat of treason. Because if the BCPOU President is planning to follow Egypt that has been heading toward destabilisation, then he must be held accountable for any harm done to this country. This, not so surprising announcement, is par for the course. It reminds me when people who are not intelligent reach an impasse, the only thing they resort to next is to physically hit someone.
In a civilised 21st century Bahamas, we cannot take this threat lightly. The police force and its entire agency should spare no resources to make sure that this threat is not ignored. Mr Evan’s cannot be that beholden to his backers’, that he would destroy himself just to satisfy his political leaders.
SIB branch of the police force must now move into high gear and do their job and let the chips fall where they may. This is no time to play.
Destabilisation is in the plans. As it relates to, for or against the sale, I would like to ask: Is it worth destroying this Bahamas where we cannot live anymore, where tourists, are afraid to come anymore? Is this worth it to cause our children to not want to stay here anymore, just because approximately 2000 Bahamians, who really have no reason to complain, have decided that since they cannot satisfy their political masters anymore, they will destroy the country?
Mr Evans seems to be out of character. He always presented himself as a gentleman, ushering in church and appearing to be civilised, but these latest utterances have now placed a dark cloud over this country, that I hope will never happen, especially for selfish reasons. The government has no outstanding labour issues with the BCPOU. There is no reason to call a strike. So what are they demonstrating for? I guess the PLP has infiltrated the union so deeply that they do not recognise themselves anymore.
I implore the sensible members of the union; do not let anyone take you for fools. If you do not have outstanding industrial issues with government, stay on your job, or do not start hollering afterward. A word to the wise is sufficient.
Sick Of The Foolishness
Nassau, Bahamas
February, 2011
