The Government would help create a “far greater” number of “meaningful” Bahamian jobs if it abandoned its current development approach in favour of the ‘green economy’, a well-known QC believes. Fred Smith QC, the Callenders & Co attorney and partner, said such an economic model would help to attract investors and visitors from the United States and elsewhere, many of whom were attracted to environmentally-friendly destinations. He argued that it would also create many more sustainable, high-paying jobs, than the current development

A prominent Queen’s Counsel (QC) yesterday accused the government of “erecting artificial barriers” that would – if upheld by the courts – prevent litigation of matters of extreme public interest. He made the charge after government counsel demanded $100,000 in security for costs in a legal challenge of the government’s Hawksbill Creek Agreement (HCA) consultations.

The government must remove powers protecting heads of agreements from public disclosure from the 2015 Freedom of Information Bill if it wishes to rid itself of a “recipe for corruption and abuse”, according to a local lawyer. Grand Bahama Human Rights Association (GBHRA) President Fred Smith, QC told Guardian Business that while the draft legislation demonstrates a degree of improvement over the 2012 bill in promoting government transparency, he urged the government to draft another act taking into account recent suggestions

Attorneys Fred Smith, QC, and Carey Leonard made an application on Wednesday to apply for a leave of judicial review and interlocutory relief concerning the amendments to the Hawksbill Creek Agreement (HCA). According to Smith, the proposed judicial review proceedings relate to the actions and decisions made by Prime Minister Perry Christie, along with the Minister for Grand Bahama Dr. Michael Darville and HCA Chairman Dr. Marcus Bethel concerning the HCA. Smith added that their actions and decisions relate to a fundamentally