The Bahamas holds an attraction for millions of people that choose to visit every year. From accountants to taxi drivers, from CEOs to athletes, from housewives to royalty, from Americans to Chinese –- we’re very happy that so many people, and so many different people, want to come to the Bahamas. Our economy, and almost every occupation either directly or indirectly, depends on people wanting to come here.

Celebrities are attracted here as well, of course. Whether they come here to escape from the scrutiny of the crowds they endure at home, or they come to shoot a movie or a TV show, or they come to live out a part of their lives at the property they own, many celebrities enjoy the convenient proximity and the familiar yet exotic nature of the Bahamas. For the most part, their cell phones work, they can plug in their hairdryers, they can watch U.S.-based TV, and they can speak and hear English. And, again for the most part, Bahamians will get a giggle out of seeing a movie superstar at the beach but they usually won’t impose themselves upon a celebrity that obviously wants to enjoy a fleeting few moments of anonymity.

When John Travolta’s and Kelly Preston’s son Jett suddenly and tragically died last weekend while vacationing at Old Bahama Bay Resort & Marina in West End, Grand Bahama, it dramatically shattered their lives. The four-person family (including their daughter Ella) arrived in the Bahamas a few days earlier, likely with excited anticipation about the days ahead. They watched a sparkling beachside fireworks show on New Year’s Eve, enjoyed time fishing, and shared meals with other friends and family at the relatively remote and quiet resort.

Little did they know that just one week later only three of them would board a plane to return to their Florida home, a vacant void left in their lives that would never be filled. Celebrities or not, a family has been irreversibly and catastrophically altered, and the grief and loss can never be fully measured.

But with celebrity status comes a fascination and level of interest that most of us crave but few of us could tolerate. Sure, it is alluring and exciting to have the cameras flash and the TV lights trained on you while you walk a red carpet or receive a reward. But when you desperately need privacy and solitude to face times of personal crises, the cameras will be right there then too, and in greater numbers with even greater determination.

We saw this up close this week as we moved among the media that was trained on the events surrounding the death of Jett Travolta. While the events themselves were the focus of the attention, the media activity and the media people became another story in itself. This cyclical self-feeding buzz was something that our provincial media took a sideways glance at and the international media just accepted as the norm. Camping out in bushes, speeding through traffic in pursuit of a hearse -– a hearse! -– and paying a handsome fee for a few frames of scarce video footage is just another day in the life of a paparazzo or field reporter.

The international entertainment media swooped into Grand Bahama in much the same way as they did with the Anna Nicole saga that unfolded in Nassau, albeit in a much more condensed and shorter-lived period, thankfully.

Out of this came two questions we pondered as we both observed and participated in the process.

First, what provision in our immigration laws allows for foreign nationals to come into the Bahamas and work on our soil without restriction? And what provision of our customs statutes allows cameras, lights, audio equipment, tripods and the like to flow past the border without detailed documentation, customs declarations and entries being filed, reviewed and processed? Not only did we watch foreign workers walk unabashedly about our country clearly working, confronting and challenging our authorities for responses to their demands, but the very nature of their work requires that it be recorded. There is no question that it has taken place.

We know firsthand that we cannot bring anything into the Bahamas without an invoice declaring its value and a record of serial numbers, where applicable. We must pay a qualified customs broker to complete and file documents in accordance with our customs laws. Otherwise our goods are held or returned or a hefty fine is paid.

We know that we cannot bring in a consultant, trainer or technician without executing the necessary documents and forms and paying all the fees associated with a temporary work permit before that person arrives at the airport. Otherwise that person is refused entry or held in custody until the process has been properly followed.

How is it that Bahamians are forced to tear open Christmas gifts sent from out of the country and provide an itemised invoice for the same, but a cameraman and TV producer can slide past a Customs and Immigration officer because he or she has all the appearances of a tourist? Perhaps we are not asking the right questions or taking the time to really inquire about what is going on.

Do we suspend our laws because an event of international interest draws a crowd? Why are Bahamian companies required to file documents, pay fees and toe the line but foreigners can have total freedom to do pretty much as they please? While some places do not restrict journalists from working in their countries, we have found no such provision in our immigration laws. In fact, a journalist position specifically requires a work permit fee of $4,000.

Perhaps we see this as just the way it is if we are to be a cooperative part of the global neighbourhood. If we refused entry or charge fees to journalists that ‘need’ to come into the Bahamas to cover stories here then we would be perceived as being difficult and inflexible. There is some merit to that, but how do we reconcile that with those Bahamian companies that pay salaries, pay rent or mortgage on a building, pay National Insurance fees, pay for utilities, pay customs duties and pay for work permits when needed? Those that abide by the laws of the land can actually be undermined and, in effect, punished for doing so when foreigners are allowed to freely come and go as they please.

The second great question we ponder is, for how much are we willing to sell our souls to gain some notoriety? We have read the reports of concern expressed over the release of confidential and proprietary information regarding the matters surrounding the death of Jett Travolta.

The international media will pay handsomely for any morsel of information, a photograph or video footage that will fill out their story and give them some advantage over their competition. We see absolutely nothing wrong with that, in itself. If information is needed and it has value, it can and should be paid for.

However, when it comes to compromising personal ethics and breaching formal confidentiality vows there most definitely is a problem. For, when the cameras have gone and the headlines move on to the next big story, you are left alone with your choices, which could lead to losing your job, at best, or criminal charges and the associated punishment, at worst.

Sure, there are things that are well within the realm of doing the job of a reporter or cameraman or producer, and there are times when you are called upon to respond to a reporter’s questions. But there are also times when saying ‘no comment’ is the best choice.

It is easy to be dazzled by the lights and get carried away with the fleeting fame of seeing ourselves on international television. But let us not sacrifice our own people, our own integrity and our own good conscience along the way.

Copyright ©2008 Erik J. Russell

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Media
written by Bahamian Citizen, January 08, 2009

Mr. Editor,
The question I would like answered, which you did not ask in your article, is how easy would it be for our media to do the same in the USA on the spur of the moment.
Can ZNS reports get on a plane with all of their equipment and just do what they want in the USA.

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written by Editor, January 08, 2009

An excellent question! Based on a quick check we have found that a non-U.S. media representative requires what is called a 'media (I)' visa. This shows that, as in your example, a ZNS or other foreign national cannot enter and work in the U.S. without proper documentation and approvals. You can read more about this on the U.S. Dept of State web site at:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/t..._1276.html

- Editor

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written by Denise deGregory, January 08, 2009

Thank you so much for writing that article! Personally my feeling is that the local media should be covering such stories and if the foriegn press wishes then they can purchase footage from the local media, because all Countries have a different ethics code they govern themselves by and as a "Christian" nation I would like to think that we would approach a story like this with a degree of compassion instead of like a group of vultures!

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Travolta’s
written by Jimmy, January 08, 2009

.........again, another excellent story! I love the way your writing brings to live the story being reported.

I would like to...in the very near future, be able to view the footage as your stories are being voiced on your website.

All the best,

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written by Concerned GBPA Resident, January 08, 2009

The issue and source of these types of problems is restraint on people's freedom. The Bahamian Government sponsors a culture and ideology based on socialism and paternalistic control over its citizenry. The simple solution to all of these issues, and ones related to them, is to remove government involvement. Allow people to experience freedom. Eliminate the nonsense of 'work permits' - as if someone needs permission to hire or be hired. It is precisely the nanny-state and socialist style control over the population of the Bahamas that chills and destroys investment and growth. Even the USA has foolishly adopted these types of policies for many years now. We see where that has landed them. The time is likely very near when the word 'government' becomes a silly word - as it should.


Too many obstacles are requirements are placed upon everyone in the Bahamas. The only thing lacking right now, culturally speaking, is the courage to believe in the future. A future without total government control over every aspect of Bahamian life. There is a very good reasons why the Bahamas is no longer a leader in either tourism or financial services. The reasons have nothing to do with the average Bahamian or their desire to please and work hard for a better future.

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written by Concerned GBPA Resident, January 08, 2009

You wrote: "First, what provision in our immigration laws allows for foreign nationals to come into the Bahamas and work on our soil without restriction? And what provision of our customs statutes allows cameras, lights, audio equipment, tripods and the like to flow past the border without detailed documentation, customs declarations and entries being filed, reviewed and processed?"

and then you went to say:

"How is it that Bahamians are forced to tear open Christmas gifts sent from out of the country and provide an itemised invoice for the same, but a cameraman and TV producer can slide past a Customs and Immigration officer because he or she has all the appearances of a tourist? Perhaps we are not asking the right questions or taking the time to really inquire about what is going on."

You answered your own question. You AREN'T asking the right questions at all. The entire system is painfully idiotic and places a near unbearable burden on the people who can least afford it. The Bahamas has one of the highest effective tax rates in the world. Everything on the island is at LEAST 40% higher than it should be. Why? Because a goon with a gun forces someone to manufacturer paperwork, get rubber stamped, and pay typically 42% of its 'value'. This is blatant theft. Imagine the compound savings growth EVERY SINGLE Bahamian could enjoy if they were able to save and put away 40% of the productive output every year, year on year. EVERY SINGLE BAHAMIAN would be a millionaire. Every one. Instead, their money is stolen from them, they are patted on the head, told what good little citizens they are, and be sure to vote now! and their money is taken away and given to an overweight dullard sitting under a buzzing fluorescent light all do producing NOTHING. And yet, the same parties every election with everyone screaming how wonderful 'their' candidates are,and all the while not realizing the is zero difference in the parties and even less difference in the outcomes for the average, un-connected, Bahamian.

If the 'people' really do what government, let the government cease all forms of taxation and place collection boxes out like every other charity. This will tell you, precisely, within two decimal places, exactly how much 'the people' truly do want a government. If the government can't meet its payroll, tough. Too bad. Welcome to the real world. Ask for help. Perhaps you will receive it. Keep it voluntary. But put away the guns.

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Freedom
written by Editor, January 08, 2009

@Concerned GBPA Resident:

Your ideas are interesting and may be attractive in some Utopia, but are hardly practical or realistic. While I agree that people should not look to the Government as their solution for all problems, or rely on the Government to bail them out of their own messes, the Government must act to protect its citizenry from coercion, abuse and attack. The coordinated and collective weight of an organised (perhaps *I* am being idealistic now!) unit can be much more effective then the individuals of a country in such situations.

But this is not the point: my article is addressing the present reality, not any sort of possible fantasy. The reality today is that our laws are a certain way regarding immigration and importation of goods. These laws should apply evenly to all and certainly not to disadvantage our own citizens. This does not appear to be the case in the topic at hand.

- Editor

P.S. Interesting to note that you entered your name as "'GBPA' [Grand Bahama Port Authority] resident". Interesting.

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written by Concerned GBPA Resident, January 08, 2009

You wrote: "my article is addressing the present reality, not any sort of possible fantasy. "

You are correct, but in a way that is the reverse of what you assume. Your article reaches to the ideas of fairness and equal treatment. But these concepts are impossible to achieve, and are precluded, by the presence of anything 'government'. People, when left to their own means, solf-organize and are peaceful. Fairness naturally emerges. Ideologically, this is a doctrine of liberty versus a doctrine of centralized control. You can not have both. You must pick.

The execution of the various immigration and customs laws are the actual fantasy. They are artificially constructed and are based on ideological premises. They exist only because people with guns demand they exists. This is not the natural state of things. They serve no purpose and only harm everyone they touch. (Except those who receive a government paycheck) The ACTUAL reality here is the simple fact that they interfere with the day to day reality of how people deal with each other. That is to say, they deal freely, openly, and voluntarily. People are self-organizing and cooperative. Any interference with that through the use of force, which is all government is, is the artificial 'reality'. Not natural. Not needed.

It is our ideological training and indoctrination that forces us to think government is either needed or desired. Most people believe it is. But they base their belief on an artificial and faith-based foundation. They have never been shown proof or even a measurement suggesting it may be true. The reality of how society works is what we all live with every day. That requires no faith. Only acknowledgment that everything we need, we have, and any interruption to that is detrimental to everyone.

So be rpoud and glad that the recent wave of reports and associated staff was allowed to enter freely and have money stolen from them under the misnomer of "Duty". They had that much more money to spend in the local hotels and restaurants. Every Bahamian received benefit they would not have had otherwise.

This is the critical failure point to the logic in the 'fairness doctrine'. To insist that these laws be enforced also demands cost and detriment to everyone. All in the interest of 'equality' or 'fairness'. The costs can not be avoided. Where they can be avoided, it should be encouraged.

Interesting to note how no real growth or investment takes place in GBPA. That is the reality. The reasons are self-evident once someone choose to look carefully.

Instead of musing how the laws should be applied evenly, consider how the FAILURE to apply customs and immigration laws should be applauded by Bahamian citizens. By so doing, they are realizing that the 42% the visitor is not having stolen from him by a Customs 'official', is 42% MORE that visitor will have to spend or invest to the benefit of every Bahamian.

Again, these are essentially ideological faith-based issues and can not be easily argued. But I can assure you as a prior and possibly future investor in GBPA, I have no current confidence in the future of the Bahamas due to exactly these ideological issues and the practical ramifications that result. My group greatly fears a total loss due to government interference. We are not alone in that feeling as evidence by the legion of failed projects over the last several years. that is reality. the massive cost of the unseen and un-built businesses.

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Final Thoughts
written by Editor, January 08, 2009

Sir/Madam,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas. But your rants are on unrelated tangents, are obviously confused and contradictory even unto themselves. You raise points not even suggested by anyone but yourself and argue against some things that you seem to have manufactured on a planet very different than the one on which we live.

I won’t bother addressing all the misguided points and misdirected assertions but will respond to just a few that stand out.

You assert that “a goon with a gun forces someone to manufacturer [sic] paperwork, get rubber stamped, and pay typically 42% of its 'value'”. Based on this description of tasks it would appear that you are referring to Customs officers. First of all, Customs officers in the Bahamas do not carry weapons. Secondly, many, many law abiding citizens and companies do not ‘manufacturer [sic] paperwork’ but actually submit legitimate receipts, invoices and Customs entries for the goods they import. This seems to be a foreign idea to you, but yes, it’s true.

You state that the “entire system is painfully idiotic” and that the “Bahamas has one of the highest effective tax rates in the world” and further that our form of taxation “is blatant theft”. It is clear that you do not have even a cursory understanding of tax systems, do not understand the weight and requirement of operating a tax system and further have little experience with consumption-based tax systems. Countries with income-based tax systems have dramatically higher tax rates than the Bahamas, but aside from that, the Bahamas tax system is consumption-based, not income based. Given the size and geographic realities of the Bahamas, this approach is, at least currently, preferred. We simply do not have the resources to administer a more complex form of taxation. While it is appears that you think any form of government is bad, if a government exists and provides public services to its citizens (and is not just the boogie man you seem to think a government is) then it must pay for the costs to create, administer and deliver those services. Pretty basic stuff there.

The Bahamas is a very small country with a small and geographically divergent population. Because of the nature of our geography, being many small islands with our population and infrastructure segmented by water, the costs of operating public services is much higher than if the population was based around a single population centre on a single landmass. Again, those costs have to be paid for and taxation is the way that is done.

Your suggestion that eliminating our consumption-based tax system would result in “EVERY SINGLE BAHAMIAN” becoming a millionaire is laughable and naïve.

You said, “People are self-organizing and cooperative. Any interference with that through the use of force, which is all government is [an obviously inaccurate statement – Ed.], is the artificial 'reality'. Not natural. Not needed.” We have a phrase for this in the Bahamas: talking fool. There are myriad examples of how ludicrous such an idea is, but I’ll give just one: immediately following Hurricane Frances electricity was off for several weeks, months even in some areas of the island. This meant that traffic lights were not functioning, food stores had little to no food, and people had to adapt to life without electricity. Much of what people needed and wanted had to be figured out on your own.

Sure, these were unusual circumstances, but, if your assertions above are correct then all should have been well – in fact, it should have been even better than ‘normal’. People would share their food with each other, pool their resources, those with generators would invite neighbours to come over to enjoy the amenities they had because of it, and traffic would flow smoothly and safely because courtesy would be so common that we’d hardly notice the missing traffic lights.

Now it would be unfair to say that good things did not happen during this time. I witnessed and participated in very positive experiences as we had volunteers give up their time and money to help those hardest hit rebuild and repair their homes. But these acts of giving and kindness were not what the majority of people chose to do.

In the everyday encounters, when you could see the average person’s response to the difficulties, you would not see such charity at work. People became quite insular and withdrawn. Traffic was snarled as drivers ignored four-way stops and pushed their way through since, no matter which direction they were coming from, they were convinced that they had the right-of-way. Rather than sharing the luxury of a generator with neighbours, I know that many units were stolen in broad daylight from homes and businesses alike. Citizens physically fought over ice in just the first few hours and days after the storm passed. I watched drivers slam on their brakes and jump from their vehicles to grab bottles of water that had spilled out of the back of a truck. Looting from closed stores was reported in the media.

The reality is, whether it fits in your whimsical world or not, all people are not “self-organizing and cooperative”. You deride such a notion as being religiously-based and somehow that negates its truth for you. But facts are facts and fantasies are fantasies.

I am not sure how you were trying to apply your comments regarding the ‘fairness doctrine’ but it appears that you do not understand what this term means. It has to do with broadcasting and nothing to do with the topics we are discussing. Those that are interested can read about it here: http://www.museum.tv/archives/...ssdoct.htm

I'll try to explain this again: you keep using the term "GBPA" where it appears you mean "Grand Bahama", which would be abbreviated "GB". "GBPA" is an abbreviation for "Grand Bahama Port Authority". The two terms are not synonymous or interchangeable.

One thing is blatantly clear from all you have said: you don’t understand the Bahamas and you certainly don’t know our people. Perhaps you can take all the riches you have, start your own country and try out some of your ideas. I’ll check back with you in 50 years and see how it’s working out for you.

Feel free to continue to share your ideas, but these are my final thoughts on your viewpoints.

Erik J. Russell
Editor

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Governance vs Politics
written by LisaBahamas, January 09, 2009

Editor, I am glad you called GBPA Resident out for this 'goon with a gun' comment. How ignorant and insulting. GBPA Resident confuses 'government/governance' with 'politics/politicians'. Do away with government because of incompetence/abuse? By his logic, he would send a car to the scrap heap if its air conditioner stopped working.

As long as governments are run by humans, there will be corruption – that is a possibility inherent to the human condition. In a democracy, the extent to which corruption and incompetence is tolerated is purely in the hands of those who have agreed to be governed – even in the most extreme conditions (just ask the French Resistance.)

Sadly, this is the point at which too many of us abdicate our responsibility. This complacency (and complicity) is all to common here (and don’t get me wrong, we are not unique in this) but history has also shown that even Bahamians have a threshold where they rise up and demand more of their representatives: Burma Road, National Strike of ‘58, Longline Fishing, LNG, Clifton Pier, National Service, Commissions of Inquiry, changes of government, BEC tariffs (just to name a few that come to mind immediately).

Yes, I would like us to have a much lower threshold for tolerating abuse of power, but can I honestly say that I’ve done all I can to further the causes I care about? Can you? How many of us complain about ‘The Immigration Problem’, yet hire undocumented workers because they’re cheaper than having to pay a company who actually pays NIB, work permits, and license fees? Too many of us.

As for the notion that we should make access difficult for foreign journalists, while I empathize with the Editor, I cannot help but feel you are a bit blinded by your desire to protect your livelihood. A true journalist would never ask a government to restrict the flow and access to information to anyone in their profession. The slope to totalitarianism is a slippery one, and we have already shown that propensity.

It takes more effort, but why not lobby as a profession for a policy solution that demands incoming news outlets or freelancers to pay a rate upon arrival for equipment and the requisite work permit? To prevent ‘backdoor repression’, this should be freely available and not contingent upon government approval.

The 24 hour news cycle has had a dubious impact on the journalism profession, but one thing is certain: a premium has been placed on immediate access to breaking news. It would be far more proactive for local media to harness their competitive advantage of proximity and instant access to local breaking news and promote their services as correspondents for international media rather than implore Government to add a layer of bureaucracy.

There are some industries in which a small economy cannot fairly compete if the laissez faire approach is taken, but journalism is not one of them. Even so, to be perfectly clear, I am not advocating a complete laissez faire approach - they should have to pay an equipment/work permit fee, and a proper advisory should be sent out to newsrooms by our government to announce the change in policy.

It would be a sad day indeed to see our country put in the same basket as tainted regimes who shut themselves off from international scrutiny when embroiled in a potentially embarrassing situation. Yes, until now, we are only talking about a few ‘entertainment’ stories, but who’s to say one day it won’t be an issue of human rights concern? Let’s not go there.

Keeping governments accountable is not an easy job, but somebody has to do it.

"It is not only what we do, 
but also what we do not do, 
for which we are accountable." 
Moliere

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