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From the Bishop's Desk Bishop Hall strives to be up to date on the day-to-day issues that his congregation and his country face. He periodically speaks to these and other matters in a number of forums. Now you can read through some of these articles and get his take on what we as a nation face daily
By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall
May 4, 2009
Honorable B. J. Nottage Member of Parliament for Bain Town Chairman of the Select Committee House of Assembly Nassau, Bahamas Dear Sir, Christian greetings. You would be aware that I, along with some ten other persons, served on the National Advisory Panel on Crime in the Ministry of National Security. Our work was completed and handed in last November. I am convinced that all right thinking Bahamians are concerned about crime, but too few of us are willing to seriously work for the things imperative to assure those concerns are realized. I am determined to assure that the salient and principle recommendations we submitted are implemented. To date I am not sure that this is happening. You would agree that the Bahamian people are weary of Commissions which are celebrated, but seems to get nothing done, I urge you to be different. In the last year, two National Committees have been named to study the problem of crime in our beloved nation; we owe it to the public to make a dent in this recurring nightmare. There are three things that concern me: 1. What is the status of your committee and what progress are you making? 2. Notwithstanding our work is competed, to date there has been no interaction between the two Committees – I would have hoped that reference would have been made to the work we have already done. 3. I am informed that the progress of the work of the National Advisory Panel is being held in abeyance awaiting your report. These are purely my observations as a member of the Committee and I thought to abreast you of them. I eagerly await your reply. Yours in Ministry, Bishop Simeon B. Hall Senior Pastor By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall
It is most unfortunate (yet understandable) that the government has had reduce funds allocated for its crime fighting agencies.
This does not augur well for the peace and stability of our nation. I am amazed that we can burrow for everything else besides those agencies that keep us from total social disintegration. Perhaps the government might wish to reassign competent employees from heavily overstaffed departments to the Attorney General’s Office to cause a faster movement of cases- which in my opinion, is the core of the problem. In light of these budget cuts many of the recommendations made in the last Crime Report will “die a silent death.” I can only urge all well thinking persons to work with our police so that the criminal element will not overwhelm us any further. By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall
The government of the Only a radical shift in the way the government operates and a fundamental change in the way each Bahamian sees his or herself will save us from further social deterioration. We are sitting on the brink of collapse and a national spirit of optimism, hope and involvement by everyone is imperative. As a citizen my observation is that on the one hand, too many government ministers, remain distant and aloof from the people and on the other, the average Bahamian yet functions under the warped psychology that the country owes him far more than he is willing to give- all this inspite of the obvious impending national implosion. My experience has been that a number of government ministers and their agencies continue to take any criticism as a threat or opposition. We must not return to the days of the 70’s when criticism lead to social ostracization. The P.L.P. and the F.N.M. share common historical roots, thus they share equally in the success as well as the social malaise which our nation have experienced. Finger pointing is futile and what any politician says has to be measured whether he/she is in government or in opposition. Beyond the political rhetoric- this is the reality. I am totally convinced that, at this critical juncture in our history, the most noble thing each Bahamian can do to advance his country, is to responsibly agitate until all facets of our society awake to the latent potential in our countries possibilities. Tragically it is becoming more and more difficult to remain hopeful about our society. We are failing in education. Crime has made us numb and apathetic. Justice is difficult to find; and our health system is failing scores of persons. Elected officials must come to see that the answers we seek and so badly need, are not to be found in any one area of our society. I am convinced that the change we desire will only come when we become fed up with cliché, myopia, and political partisanship. This is the moral imperative of the moment to which each Bahamian must dedicate his or herself.
Reaction to Prime Minister's Statement on CLICO By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall Hearing the Prime Minister’s statement on the Clico matter, has left the thirty thousand (30,000) policy holders very disappointed. Someone in the Ministry of Finance ought to have seen this matter coming, and the policy holders should have been warned and perhaps some of their hard earned money would have been saved. The Prime Minister knows that if this matter goes to liquidation, the thirty thousand (30,000) policy holders will be left holding an empty bag. Back to Top Bishop Hall Comments on CLICO in Grand Bahama By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall Dear brothers and sisters- the common thread that binds us is the trust we reposed in a financial institution that did well for awhile, but as so many things in life today- has now gone “belly up.” You are family to some thirty thousand (30,000) other Bahamians who have faithfully placed their hard earned money in Clico Insurance. This matter has pushed many Bahamians to the edge of quiet desperation and has left thousands of persons in a most precarious position. This was an investment and since it was indeed an investment, the pertinent question facing us today is this- is the Bahamas a safer place for foreign investors than it is for Bahamians? I call on the government of the Bahamas to tell the policy holders of Clico Insurance, when did the Ministry of Finance know that something was “not right at Clico.” As I understand it, one of the primary functions of the government, any government is the protection of its citizenry. Did the Registrar of Insurance protect the Bahamian policy holders of Clico sufficiently? There are more than 30,000 Bahamians who are affected by Clico’s shoddy and shady investments. So what message does the government’s response send to the other almost 100,000 persons who work in institutions which are foreign based and those institutions have the capacity to send monies made in the Bahamas out of the Bahamas? The international crises that has precipitated the financial crises such as Clico, was caused by the willful sin of unchecked greed, structured avarice and raw capitalism. I am just an ordinary Baptist Preacher. I don’t know much about these things, but I am made to understand that when a business goes into liquidation its creditors; its lawyers, are all paid off and then what’s left is paid to the shareholders. Grand Bahama indeed the Bahamas was good to Clico and Clico ought to treat the Grand Bahamians far better. Grand Bahama has five members of Parliament who promised to represent you; I have yet to hear from anyone of them. I call on you to pay your insurance only for another month. I believe we must agitate and call into question those who are handsomely paid to represent us. Someone in government ought to have seen this coming, someone fell asleep. I do not know about you, but I work hard for my money and from where it sit, the watchman who fall asleep on the job is culpable as the robber who runs away with the money. I invite you now, to feel free to vent your frustrations- lets exchange information and make suggestions as to the way forward. Back to Top Press Statement on CLICO By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall Brothers and sisters welcome to New Covenant. I am a policy holder in Clico. That and that alone is what motivates me. When I heard that the company that holds my Retirement Fund had gone “belly up” I responded as any other Bahamian policy holder would do, baffled, concerned and bewildered. One of the great tragedies in modern Bahamas is accessing information and truth. In the absence of information people draw their own conclusions, correctly or incorrectly. It is the inherent right of each and every citizen of the Bahamas to seek and obtained answers from public institutions and public servants. Tonight we are not a protest group, but persons who want- nay are demanding answers as to what happened to our hard earned money. The headline in the Trinidad Guardian is suggesting that the crises at Clico is far worst than first imagined. Tonight I have more questions than I have answers. Could this crisis have been averted? Did the Bahamas government know about this looming crisis before the last election? Can the Bahamian government do as the Government of Trinidad did? And is it true that some 65 million dollars left the country late last year out of this company? Were our local regulatory boards efficient enough? I do not know, I am just an ordinary preacher. I do not know all the intricacies of these things- suffice it to say that when I make an investment; I expect the government of the day to protect me. While we understand the mess the world’s economy is in, I am being made to believe that someone in authority ought to have seen this coming. I am reliably informed that an international insurance assessment group downgraded Clico some months ago. Why were we not told? I am also reliably informed that the Government of Trinidad, acting proactively bailout the Clico Company. Our meeting here this evening is to give you opportunity to vent and to ascertain reliable information. Also I hope our gathering here will send a strong message that we want to recover all of our money. And we expect the government to protect our hard-earned dollars. Finally we also are sympathetic towards the workers of Clico who were unceremoniously left in limbo last week. I do not know how this will all end. I would hope that this effort is not seen as a protest against any one, but if that happens then so be it. Suffice to say that better and more effective regulations must be unforced to protect persons who invest in companies that come to our shores. Back to Top Bishop Hall Calls for Government Intervention in CLICO By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall The fact that more than twenty-five thousand (25,000) Bahamians stand to lose their hard earned savings is a crises of unprecedented proportion and is deserving of immediate attention and intervention by the government of the Bahamas. While we understand the crises Clico now faces, we stand with the policy holders. Our church savings and retirement policy stand to be adversely affected as well as several of our members. The Clico crises warrants better regulations of Banking and Insurance companies to protect Bahamians from being left with an empty bag each time a financial institution goes “belly up.” This is a storm worst than any hurricane Katrina or Ike. To this end I believe the government of the Bahamas should intervene beyond the usual and bail out Clico. We further wish to call for a mass meeting of all policy holders here at new Covenant Baptist church on Sunday, March 1st at 5:30 in the afternoon. At this meeting we will discuss ways and seek advice on how policy holders might recover any lost which might happen. Thousands of persons’ life savings stand to go down the drain and we believe there is strength and power in numbers- we urge all policy holders to attend the meeting. Back to Top Bishop Hall calls for authorities to regulate roadside "huts" By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall Persons who enter this country illegally should not be able to brazenly break the Law by doing business in public places. The increasing number of Cell Phone Shacks sprinkled all over town might be in violation of The Bahamas Business License and Immigration Laws. There are some 27 of these huts erected on East Street alone. While we commend those who try to make an honest living, it is apparent that these “booths” are being operated by Jamaicans and Haitians, some of whom are here illegally. This is a clear and present affront to the Law. When public institutions facilitate and encourage the economic empowerment of illegal aliens, then the effort to establish law and order is further compromised. Back to Top The Importation of Guns is an act of Treason By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall The public is being asked to hold confidence in the Police and report any and all knowledge about crime in the country. The Bahamian Police Force is the last bastion between peace and total chaos in the Bahamas. It is clear that there are yet “pockets of criminal groups”, intent on doing crime and destabilizing the country. The importation of guns into our country should be treated as an act of treason. Rumors about guns and how they get here are “rife” at the ground level. Guns kill and do damage to our country and those who bring them into the country illegally, are obviously intent on evil, mischief and destabilizing our nation. Back to Top Undam the Waters of Justice By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall Too many Bahamian parents do not recognize the costliness of their children’s criminality until it is far too late. Unless parents have money to waste and time to spare, they should stay clear of the courts and judicial systems. While parental discipline is pivotal to the ideal of a crime free society, the legal system is a major source of the high level of anger, frustration and social withdrawal which many Bahamians are experiencing. It is clear that some lawyers are abusing the Court’s system for their own benefits. The word “egregious” is in vogue today. It is most egregious to pay a lawyer – go to Court #3 and the case has to be adjourned, again, because your “busy lawyer” is in Court #13 representing a wealthier client. It is most egregious that money yet determines the quality of legal service received in this fair land. Check the scores of young men on remand at Fox Hill Prison. It is true that parents must do more to keep their “good son” out of trouble in the first place – but when any Bahamian gets in trouble he/she ought to feel confident that he/she will receive justice whether he/she can afford it or not. It is most egregious to pay 2 or 3 lawyers for the same case and five years later the matter has not yet been resolved. It is egregious that a mother has to sell her house or turn over her land papers to a lawyer to help her son who has been on remand for 3 -4 years. Some lawyers are making a killing off crime and the fact that the majority of Parliamentarians are lawyers leaves no hopeful sign that the situation will get better. Two years ago a National Commission was formed to put in place legal aid on a national level – nothing has been heard of that Commission. Let Parliamentarians, Lawyers or Justices use all the cute and stylish words they wish. No society has ever achieved peace without first achieving justice. If we do not undam the waters of justice we will continue to face the national decadence we now know. More than 180 persons charged with murder are now out on bail. This is a clear and present danger to public safety and this has occurred on both P.L.P. and F.N.M. watch. Since Government is borrowing, why not borrow 100 million and fix our courts and our entire judicial system? Scores of Bahamians are being ripped off by greedy unscrupulous lawyers. Have you ever tried to bring a complaint against a lawyer? The Bar Council seems impotent and ineffective when one seeks redress against a lawyer. Undam the waters of justice and let justice run down as waters and righteousness as an ever flowing stream. Back to Top National Resurgence of Discontent Needed By:Bishop Simeon B. Hall The Bahamas will continue to spiral downward unless there is a new national resurgence of discontent common in the 50’s and 60’s. Discontent is the nursery bed of change and change is a result of new thinking. A new mindset towards social progress and development is needed to pull the Bahamas into the 21st Century. Both political parties seem unable or unwilling to complete the social revolution of the 60’s, because they continue to think only as far as the next election rather than the next generation. There are yet some Bahamians who never got the promised “Square Deal” and a growing number for whom things are not getting better, better – but bitter, bitter. Fourty-one years after Majority Rule our Public Service stinks and is corrupt; our judiciary is slow and anti-poor; our educational system is shameful; foreigners are favored by our national policies more than Bahamians and a national spirit of social lethargy prevails – these all make for continued social decadence and national unease. Both political parties have done much good but also, both have failed miserably in empowering Bahamians in ways that will engender true community development and progress. At the core of our national life is unquestioned political allegiance rather than national patriotism. Our great challenge is not laws we cannot enforce, but a nobler view of ourselves and our country that is far different from that of our Colonial Masters. Our two noblest political sons – themselves born out of the womb of discontent – now seem contented to think in ways that will only empower the privileged few to lord over the marginalized many. A new national resurgence of discontent is needed and imperative if we must achieve courts that work; hospitals which give healthcare; educational systems that banish ignorance and illiteracy and a purposeful non-partisan, national philosophy which will take us into new frontiers of modernity. Back to Top Too Much Talk - Too Little Action By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall The case of convicted rapist, Andrew Bridgewater is a clear and glaring reason underscoring the need for revolutionary change in our Constitution and in the Judicial System. A child’s innocence has been ravaged and brutally violated; untold psychological damaged has occurred and the sick perpetrator goes to jail with little or no attention being paid to the life of the victim and her family. In too many instances the laws of the Bahamas seem out of touch with the realities of modernity. One hundred and fifty persons charged with murder are out on bail, meanwhile Parliamentarians talk ad nauseam; their law partners get richer and judges remain “prim and proper.” The current state of affairs in our courts should be a major concern to all Bahamians and those who know better should lead the way re-mediating this national crises. The Bahamian public must make greater demands on their elected officials to muster the political will to fix the multitudinous anomalies and blatant inconsistencies in our legal – justice systems. The present chaos is a clear and present danger to our national security. I wish to warn Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and his F.N.M. Colleagues, if you fail to fix the courts this time then you would have betrayed the trust of the Bahamian people and prove yourselves unworthy of continuous national support. The causes of crime are many; but above all else it is clear that criminals are wreaking havoc on our society because there is no certainty about punishment. Back to Top Restoring the Foundation to Fathers By:Bishop Simeon B. Hall “The fathers are out of place, The mothers are misplaced; The children displaced.” The reordering of our broken society will only take place when we (men and women) make a collective effort to restore men to their rightful place as Priest, Providers and Protectors. While we commend the women in our society, who by choice or neglect, are forced to raise children by themselves, we cannot grow good healthy well-rounded young men without the presence of good healthy fathers. Men blame women for being materialistic; shallow and exploitative while women blame men for only being concerned about sex without responsibility. At the risk of starting another argument I find it amazing that the women who “cuss out” men the worst are the ones who seem to have the most children for them. It is useless of parents to chastise and lay blame on their children for that which was once their physical pleasure. The majority of the challenges parents usually face, as it relates to children is that of parents, not children. Adults decide the circumstances in which children are born. Adults decide how many children they will have. Adults make the life-changing decision as to the person they will sleep with and under what conditions children will be conceived. Come on people – choices have consequences. Men and women must act responsibly in all areas of personal life. As we reflect on fathers, we are reminded that the true definition of the word is – a male who is able to SIRE children, but also to rear and nurture them holistically. In the divine scheme of things, men are God’s original creations in that he is head – responsible and answerable to God. He is Adam – “man” – “Abe” original father. Indeed he is the “first mother” out of his side comes wo-man, who makes him complete. A man is only truly man when he stands in covenant, in communion, and in contract with others and he does this best with a woman. The same is true with a woman. To the wind with any and all other liberal or humanistic postulations about God’s design for covenant family life. Not all men as well as not all women are able to, or will marry, but basically it is God’s design for a man and a woman to live together in covenant relationship. We cannot reorder our society until we restore our men to their rightful place in God’s order of things. Let every man find it in his soul to lift himself above the hurt he might have experienced and treat the women as his God given helpmeet, making “him complete” and strong enough to “cover” any and all children that might come from that relationship. On our present path we will only get worse; we must be responsible adults and when it comes to family, fathers must take the lead. Back to Top Haitians Must Obey the Law By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall Citizenship, Permanent Residence and Work Permits are privileges extended by the State. These are to be embraced and cherished by those receiving them; they are not an automatic right to foreigners, especially those who come here illegally. Some members of the Haitian community seem cursed with a spirit of ingratitude. The fact that some Haitians are engaging in the importation of guns and drugs into the Bahamas, show clearly how ungrateful some of them can be. Drugs and guns are major items to destabilize the country and anyone breaking the law in this area should be severely punished. I call on the leaders of the Haitian community, church and secular – to do much more to cause their people to stay inside the law. There is a persistent rumor that members of the Ton-Ton Macoute (that murderous group of the Papa Doc era) who have come to the Bahamas are behind the growing Haitian youth gangs. This is serious and ominous and if correct it must not be able to grow in our Bahamas. Haitians are an awkward group to work with, in that they seem to think any kindness extended to them is their right. The spirit of disorder and lawlessness must not be accommodated. Persons who come here illegally would not be able to “make it” if there was not some corruption in the areas that are supposed to protect the sovereignty of the Bahamas. The growing disregard for law and order by some Haitians must be met with a strong response from the authorities, less these people come to think they are in that God-forsaken place, known for centuries of disorder, mayhem and national chaos. Back to Top “A covert POLICY – “Keep Black People Drunk” By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall The covert policy of successive governments, over the last 35 years, handing out liquor licenses “Willy Nilly” to their political cronies is destabilizing even new communities throughout the country. Each time a new housing community is dedicated, the next week a liquor house is given license to operate therein. We talk development on one hand, but on the other one we facilitate social disintegration. Inspite of the Ministry of Health’s regular pronouncements, that Ministry has not one national program of educating people about alcohol abuse. Liquor licenses are the reward for political patronage and the people in the community have very little to say as to what may or may not happen in their community; then we stand amazed as to why so many persons are angry. Someone decided sometime ago to “keep the niggers drunk”- and if they are drunk they will not think and successive governments have bought into this negative prophecy. The Bahamian people, especially black people, need a better culture of socialization and until that begins to happen all we do is but spinning wheels. Back to Top Put Fire Under the MP's By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall The kind of service elected officials render is determined by the level of agitation the people in each constituency make. At this critical juncture in our country the most patriotic thing each citizen can do is to stand on the side of truth and agitate, push and urge their elected members of Parliament to deliver on the pre-election promises each one of them made. It is truly up to the Bahamian people, at the ground level, to concretize and make real the statement that “members of Parliament are servants of the people.” Too many people in our society believe that the election of a person to parliament ends the political process. Indeed, that is where it begins. Passivity is not always a virtue. Members of Parliament need to be challenged – sometimes openly, so that they, in their public service, may hit the high note of excellence. It is up to the Bahamian people to agitate fiercely, yet within the law, for change. Some, indeed most MP.’s, make honorable sacrifices, but it is up to the people in each constituency to find creative and legal ways to “Put fire under Parliamentarians” to perform with greater creativity, excellence, fairness and impartiality. I have some doubts that enough of our MP.’s are sufficiently serious about the multitudinous, social, criminal and legal problems which confront us as a people. Our Judiciary could not be in such disarray were it not for the complacency of elected parliamentarians. They make the decisions; they make the laws to bring changes. Progressive and innovative change hardly ever comes from the top but from the bottom upwards. I urge every Bahamian who wish to see us out of this quagmire to: Call your M.P.! Write him/her a letter – then publish it! Attend constituency meetings – whether you voted for him/her or not! Find other persons of like mind as yourself and bring groups together! When your M.P. does something in the community – i.e. fix a road or open a clinic – that is not his money but your tax dollar at work. It is patriotic to agitate for change – just do it! Back to Top Can the Church Discover the Poor in our Present Capitalist System By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall The discovery of the poor; the setting free of those who are bound; the welfare of the widows, orphans, and strangers; the liberation of the economically oppressed – all these, and more, fall under the mandate of the Christian church. To be sure the “spiritual” precedes all else, but does not negate every other aspect of the church’s calling. Can the church fulfill this part of its mandate in a capitalist system? Raw capitalism has been called the best of all eccentric system, but at its core lies greed, avarice and exploitation. As I write, I am in Wemyss’ Bight, Eleuthera Bahamas, an area and Island that is depressed economically. On the local level the Bahamian elected politicians are debating the economy. As with most talks by politicians it is at best a masturbatory exercise. Simultaneously, in the United States, the House of Representatives is debating a 700 billion dollar bail out for banks which have gone “belly up” meanwhile “the poor remains.” I purchased a copy of Newsweek and Time Magazine on my way to Eleuthera. Both carried stories of the crises in the American Economy and the bottom line is corporate greed and corruption which were the end results of predatory lending by commercial banks. One thing for sure, too few men and women “who run things” are sufficiently influenced by and sympathetic to, the Christian message. In the main, the “worldview” of the “rich and the famous” runs contrary to the ethos of the Christian message, especially that espoused by Evangelic Christian groups. It is established that Evangelical Christian faith calls for individual to manifest a personal inner salvation experience in the every-dayness of life. We are not doing a good job with reaching the people of influence, money and power, with the evangelical message. Indeed, the greatest stumbling block and hindrance to the discovery and liberation of the poor is the very system that is supposed to help; and those who come to us on a five-year rotation seeking our support to the citadels of power (Parliament) seem only to elevate themselves to the rich and famous, and the cycles continues. There are too many contradictions in our capitalist system. Obviously, I am not advocating a social economic system or any other; what I am suggesting is that it is clear that we cannot reconcile the continued marginalization of the poor, the least, the lost and the left out in our corrupt capitalist system with the mandate of the church to discover “the least of these in our midst.” The 21st Century church has failed to influence “Caesar and his Courts”. Nowhere is God’s will being done on earth as it is being done in heaven BY THE STATE. Our only hope is that His Kingdom is being established in the hearts of the faithful. Let us pray that each will seek to work to establish His Kingdom. Back to Top Sir Milo: A National Hero By: Bishop Simeon B. Hall I am told that during the period up until 1967 – the colonial period - the people of African ancestry were “oppressed” by their colonial masters along with the U.B.P. (United Bahamian Party). They were the ruling political party of the day. Places of entertainment were off limits to people of color. Blacks could not work in the banks and top posts in the civil service were reserved for foreigners and whites. Sir Milo Boughton Butler, along with others, fought against these systematic practices of racial injustice and segregation. Sir Milo, a man of enormous size, was well loved by the people and he was able to gather people to come together to fight against the many social ills that were being done. The Bahamas is made up of 85% blacks and 15% whites. It should have been only right for everyone to get along. But the colonial masters along with the white Bay Street Boys would not change and on Tuesday, April 27, 1965, a day which became known as Black Tuesday, the whole country erupted. Thousands of persons from “Over the Hill” went to Bay Street and protested all that was wrong. The Black Tuesday event was led by Lynden O. Pindling and Milo Butler. Sir Lynden went on to become Prime Minister and Sir Milo would become the first Governor-General of the Bahamas. Sir Milo died on January 22, 1979. Back to Top |
