PRESS RELEASE                                           17th of Feb. 2003

Harald Fuhrmann:   Does the public hold the leash? Who is telling us what justice is?

Bahamians claim that, as an foreign investor an directing manager of Bahamas Consult, I have flooded the Internet with websites in an effort to discourage others from coming to, or investing, in the Bahamas. I even would have accused Bahamian lawyers and the Bahamas Bar Association of corruption, and in my eyes the entire legal system would appear to be an “Axis of Evil“.  All this would be happening at a time when the Bahamas Government is putting an additonal $15 million dollars into an ad campaign to attract tourists, and when millions of investment dollars, presumably, are waiting to pour into the Bahamian economy. Unfortunately these Bahamians defend the corrupt part of the Government, and lack of pricipals and lack of morals and pretend that I incident am isolated. They are not willing to take in consideration that I was hosed, financially taken for a ride and that I couldn´t get justice in the courts and otherwise.

I understand that I may sound offensive to those who do not understand what I have been through for more than ten years. I feel that, specifically, attorneys-at-law are particularly harmful to the economy of the Bahamas since those suffering from experiences such as mine will no longer promote foreign investment or make positive travel recommendations to acquaintances or friends. Due to an apparent lack of understanding of the facts in my case I declare myself prepared to furnish, upon request, my experience into the matters at hand and to cooperate in responding to any questions. But although the Bahamas legal system demands more accountability, I see not even a little sign that lawyers, the Bahamas Bar or the Attorney General want the investigation that is so necessary.

From not one of them – not even from Mr. Peter Maynard, as the head of the Bar – have I have heard any suggestions as to how we could create a system of justice that would be FAIR to the Bahamian people and foreigners alike.  Nor have I seen any responses to my questions or suggestions that would indicate a willingness on their part to cooperate in resolving this matter amicably.  For example, I have suggested setting up a list of guidelines to ensure fair treatment of all concerned, the establishment of an acceptable fee table or the set-up of an ombudsman position. In my opinion Mr. Peter Maynard is obliged to give the public clear evidence of where his association stands in this society and which codes of ethics are relevant.

The Bar has to take care regarding the encouragement of legal education, the promotion of standards of etiquettes and professional conduct of the members of the Bar.  Furthermore the Bar is obliged to protect the public’s right of access to the courts and – of course – the members of the Bar should represent their clients professionally before the courts. I guess I am not the only one who has evidence that lawyers might not be abiding by their own Code of Ethics.  I criticize especially the attitude and morality of attorneys at law, as well as their capability and preparedness to sincerely assist. Out of my own experiences and my understanding of legal principles, the Bahamas is a whorehouse concerning the rule of law. And still more: From a prostitute one could certainly expect a more correct behaviour than from some of the lawyers I am acquainted with.

I would love to get an answer why the Bar Association could not find my file containing my earlier complaint. Is it corruption or just mismanagement? And why didn’t I get any answer after I re-sent a complete copy months ago? I would love to know how many complaints Mr. Maynard and his committees are sitting on and why?

I am glad that I made the Bahamas B2B website my favourate one because they have the courage to focus on the problems within the legal profession and are determined to resolve the issues before the problem destroys their nation.

Unfortunately, some parts of the media do not do enough towards highlighting that the government of The Bahamas is always represented by a very high percentage of attorney-at-laws. Lawyers have learned much from the hucksters at the flea market. They have woven a web with many branches, where they conspire to manipulate court decisions, free from each other’s constraints and without abiding by ethical principles, therefore strongly influencing ongoing court procedures and decisions. Just one short question to all Bahamians: WHY?

One reads everywhere that The Bahamas needs more foreign investments – especially in these hard times. Prime Minister Perry Christie acknowledged a few days ago that investors were frustrated by excessive red tape, and that something needed to be done. It is specifically corruption, crime and injustice that continue to plague the Bahamas. Dear Mr. Christie - ask foreign investors why so many applications are pending before the Bahamas Investment Authority and the National Economic Council? I guess you, as a lawyer and Prime Minister, should think over why foreigners have to publicly criticize the Bahamas as a place for investments, in order to receive the fair treatment they deserve.

The Prime Minister did send warnings to Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, Government Agencies and Committees.  He outlined a new code of ethics. I remember him making those proclamations. It is astonishing that, not only lawyers ignore their foreign clients but that even the Minister of Justice and the Director of Public Prosecutions do not show any respect to foreigners’ concerns. The people are WAITING for your answer, sir. But all that is forthcoming is ignorance and disregard.  Is this really the right time for that?

In the interest of the economic development of the Bahamas, it would be worthwhile to analyse in the same way the business licensing laws, the financial services area and the investments sector. I have no doubt that the results here would shed some light on the Bahamas’ dwindling tourism industry. Unfortunately, I am, as is BahamasB2B, also informed of many other cases of dissatisfied Bahamians and foreign investors.

In the interest of the nation, there arises the necessity for the calling of a Commission of Inquiry to look into the law firms, the Bahamas Bar Association, the Office of the Attorney General and even the Registry of the Supreme Court because where inefficiency isn’t perverting justice, corruption is.  There is a severe lack of efficiency, honesty, transparency, accountability and responsibility.  Some people have doubts too, that Prime Minister Perry Christie still has enough time to assure the public that he will not tolerate corruption. In an open letter to both Perry Christie and A/G Alfred Sears I urged greater concern for public rights and accused more than one lawyer of ignorance in their dealings with investors.

Don’t we have too much crime against persons and property in the Bahamas? People, especially those living in Nassau and remote Family Island outposts, are all subject to the depredations of any number of thugs and criminals. In consideration of the widespread system of corruption, the matter of crime, including human cargo, drug smuggling, gun running, rape and other horrific acts of violence, have became so routine that the mass public is no longer outraged by the ongoing onslaught to its sensibilities.  Don’t we need more investment dollars and more tourists in the Bahamas? Many Bahamians have to think over the attitudes they have in relation to their foreign brothers and sisters as well.

One word to the churches: I would appreciate to hear that the moral law wins. It’s right to let the politicians know „this is justice“ or „this is not justice“ and „this is right“ or „this is not right“. I would love to see evidence that the country belongs to the people, and that the people have to be consulted. The Bahamians have to be able to give input as to what’s going on, in order to direct the development of their country. On the other hand, some church leaders should re-think about how to deal with problems internally or how strongly they should be involved with family members in politics?

I have heard that the public holds the leash in the Bahamas. I guess people do not believe that they do. TRULY UNFORTUNATE!  We have to find a way how  Bahamian families can protect, educate and better prepare their children for the world than has been done in the past, and how can we stop a few wealthy Bahamian families, individuals and companies (or criminal lawyers, corrupt locals and thugs) from having the REAL power  in the Bahamas.

I do hope that the mass public will understand the serious consequences of my ten-year wrangle with local lawyers in what I call a gross mishandling of a property dispute. Unfortunately, due to the Bahamas legal profession, and maybe even the government, having turned a deaf ear to my plight, they have tarnished the reputation of the Bahamas.

Bahamas Consult would NOT have published www.the-bahamas.de if I would have been fairly treated by lawyers. They would not have published www.bahamas-guardian.de.vu if I wouldn’t have had problems with the A/G.  Bahamas Consult  would not have published www.lawer.bahamas.net.tc if I would not have had troubles with the BAR. They wouldn’t have published www.haraldfuhrmann.eu.tc if Nassau Guardian and ZNS, for instance,  would not ignore foreigners who are having problems with the legal profession.  www.bahamas-travel.de.vu would not have been published if the tourism sector would have talked with me. Bahamas Consult would not have published www.bahamas-consult.us.tc if the Bahamas Investment Authority would have done more than saying: „Go to another lawyer.“ And the website www.focusbahamas.net.tc would not have been published if the Prime Minister had not shown indifference as well.

The question:

Where is this document? The government official or The Guardian could check it.

After two years of „ignorance“ of press releases

Nassau Guardian reported about ONE website only

Feb., 17, 2003

The Nassau Guardian reported, that after a "mad German" set up a website labelling The Bahamas as poverty-stricken, boring, corrupted and with a high crime rate, a government official is investigating the matter and demanding that the site be discontinued.

As one of the Bahamas newspapers they described pictures of the inner streets, garbage piles, construction sites, homeless people, and Guardian newspaper articles only which are published in the website www.bahamas-consult.us.tc . Another article is entitled "Seventy-two murders top last year's 65." The caption following claimed that The Bahamas' murder rate was higher than that of New York. Also this, the website suggested, is why many Bahamians prefer to live in the States and Europe. Bahamas Consult describes The Bahamas as a place where customs duties and living costs are very high, the latter not related only to imported products. Their website also contends that drug trafficking has soured relations between The Bahamas and the United States. Much more criticism is published.

The German Harald Fuhrmann is astonished how the reporter described the investor´s Bahamas dispute. According to an email Bahamas Consult expects that the reporter will go deeper in the story because they contacted the editorial department of The Nassau Guardian many times since December 2000. They took part that time at a press conference at the Marriott as well. Whereas The Guardian received a lot of press releases not even one has been published. „It´s just a government friedly report and hiding that the various appeals to both the government and the Bahamas legal profession had fallen on deaf ears“, Fuhrmann claimed. The article was published just after Bahamas Consult did send a reminder to Prime Minister Perry Christie demanding a respond after waiting month already.

Harald Fuhrmann does not beleave that not even one of the responsable journalists was aware that the Nassau Guardian received evident a lot of press releases about the investment dispute. Bahamas-inside ask in addition: Won´t they have conferences daily  where they discuss what needs to be published considering which backgrounds? The Nassau Guardian reporter should have looked at least in the own archives.

stefanmeister@hotmail.com
"Message bordIdiot ofvthe Year Award goes to:
I think Harald wins this competition hand down"

**********************************************

bigreel@bellsouth.net
"Four tourist were murdered, and we were hoping one of them was you!"

**********************************************

stefanmeister@hotmail.com
"I thought cyanide would do him qiete well"

**********************************************

turnquestme@bahamas.net.bs
"I assume that you are no longer in the Bahamas - and that is a very good thing because we do not need people like you here."

**********************************************

brokensilence02@hotmail.com
"...people like yourself act on the worthless thoughts of your ignorant minds. I am not through with you...you can be sure of that."

**********************************************

wahoo868@yahoo.com
"UR ENTIRE EARNINGS N PROPERTY WILL BE GIVEN TO THE NEEDY U WILL SEE"

**********************************************

Harald Fuhrmann was hosed in the Bahamas, financially taken for a ride and he couldn't get justice in the courts and otherwise.

His livelihood was negatively and severely impacted.

He wanted to invest, and create jobs. We Bahamians, without scruples or morals, took him for a ride

The Bahamas is no paradise any more. That is why I got out. And abroad I can go to a lawyer, and not tremble and quake, and feel at his mercy. I am the customer in this case.

Were Bahamian lawyers gentlemen when they fleeced him, on top of his being initially fleeced? Let's face it. When a poor Bahamian sees a white man with money, the first thought is 'how can I get some of his'? We don't see rich people as inspiration to go out make it ourselves, but we see them as a target to steal theirs. We have no confidence in our own abilities and energies to make it in life like the foreigners have. I used to think that foreigner visitors were the rich ones. Let me assure you. The visitors that we see in the Bahamas, who we think are so rich, are average middle class people. Bahamians have fallen so far behind, that they couldn't even begin to believe in life fulfillment that is the average middle class in North America.

The foundation of Bahamian society is rotten to the core. The politicians and police and lawyers are corrupt.

On behalf of my fellow Bahamians, I am ashamed of you. You defend the corrupt government, and lack of principles and lack of morals and pretend that Mr. Fuhrmanns incident is isolated. The pain, misery of the Bahamas is systemic, and as long as you act as an apologist for a sick country, nothing will change. Your pride is misplaced Sir. Your patriotism is admirable. But it would better serve the country to fix the ills, rather than to defend them.

This man has been seriously ripped off by a group of unscrupulous lawyers which our government seems inclined to protect. They have stolen nearly $500,000 from Mr. Fuhrmann. He tried to amicably solve the problem for over 5 years before resorting to his current tactics, which are designed to publicly pressure the Bahamian government (and the Bahamian people) to act against the outrageous corruption that exists in the legal community here.

Rather than send him nasty letters and threats, giving him fuel for his fire, you may instead consider asking our government why they allow this rip-off to go uncorrected. Who benefits from stealing from Mr. Fuhrmann? Only crooked lawyers and real estate agents, that's who. The rest of the Bahamas do not benefit in any way, rather our international reputation is seriously damaged. We suffer his wrath while the crooks go scot-free, laughing all the way to the bank.

Even our own Prime Minister failed to acknowledge a crime problem until there was a mob "hit" on his own person. Only then did he wake up one morning and declare a "war on crime." The "all for me baby" attitude has been taken too far and has become too much a part of our culture. Despite your denials, Mr. Fuhrmann's campaign *IS* doing VERY SERIOUS damage to our country's reputation. Do not fool yourself into thinking otherwise. The situation will only get worse if he continues to receive additional insults, abuse or threats, from rude offensive Bahamians, giving him the ammunition he needs to prove his allegations. His accusations are also being vindicated by events in our country, such as the murder of Arne Petersen and James Bethel, and the continued judicial abuse of Lisa Wells, the founder of BahamasB2B.

It is Bahamians who should be offering Mr. Fuhrmann a very humble apology, for the way our government (and many of our people) have treated him. Had he been treated fairly, at any time in his 8 year dispute, I truly doubt he would have launched his attention getting campaign. Your abuse, heaped on top of the abuse he has already received, will be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

May I remind you that his story was on European television and that 15 million viewers were exposed to the horrors of our legal system.

Some of us see Mr. Fuhrmann as a victim of gross injustice here in the Bahamas, and an ally in rooting out the crooked lawyers/politicians who are destroying our beautiful nation. Read the papers, if you do not think there is a serious crime/morality problem in The Bahamas, then you are not paying attention.

Links: