IN THE face of awesome challenges, the Free National Movement spent the last five years striving to create a freer, fairer and more prosperous society, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said last night.
In a televised national address, Mr Ingraham noted that today, as Bahamians participate in a democratic and fair election to decide their path into the future, they must also look back and "thank God for the gifts he has given us".
He said: "It is true that the last five years have not been easy; it is true that our country has had to weather some stiff winds; through it all we have persevered and progressed.
"We have done this because despite our challenges, the Bahamas is a land of opportunity. It is a country we love; a country in which we will secure a better tomorrow for our children and grandchildren.
"It is our shared future especially that of our children and the nation's youth that has been the driving motivation behind my party's efforts for the last five years.
"During our terms in office, we sought to create a greater
'Opportunity and Shareholding Society' for all Bahamians -regardless of one's station in life or the circumstances of one's birth.
"And we steered the Bahamas in a new direction. We ushered in an era of clean, accountable and transparent government; a government in the sunshine, productive, forward-looking and progressive. And, we revived the promise of the Bahamas and gave the nation renewed hope."
Mr Ingraham noted that as the FNM worked "nonstop" to retain the public's trust, the party has had to fight on two fronts.
"We confronted the Great Recession, the worst global economic crisis in 80 years.
"And we are relentlessly and aggressively tackling the long simmering problems of crime and violence.
"We are doing so by fighting the immediate effects of crime while addressing the conditions which have given rise to crime and a culture of criminality by some."
Mr Ingraham said the country is making progress in terms of both economic recovery and national security, but there is still much work to be done.
"Just as we delivered the greatest overhaul of our criminal justice system and our national infrastructure and social security systems in decades, we will deliver more during our next term.
"Should you re-elect us as the governing party, we will build on what has been achieved. We will launch Jubilee Bahamas, a 10-year national plan leading to the 50th anniversary of independence.
"A key component of Jubilee Bahamas will be the enhancement of Bahamian ownership of the economy through a Recovery and Growth Agenda focusing on jobs and wealth creation, small businesses, and support to entrepreneurs through innovative grants and incentives.
The FNM is also planning a "Back to the Island" campaign, which Mr Ingraham said he hopes will become the largest return of Bahamians back to the Family Islands "in our history".
The Prime Minister also promised to undertake the redevelopment of traditional Over-the-Hill communities through economic development, social development and intervention, and "genuine urban renewal".
He said: "Toward this end we have located new government buildings in over-the-hill communities beginning with the Ministry of Health Complex on Meeting and Delancy Streets, the refurbished magistrates courts on Nassau Street, and most recently the new Magistrate's Court Complex on South Street.
"We are nearing completion of the comprehensive renewal of vital infrastructure: roads, drainage, water and other public utility services so necessary to stimulate and sustain economic activity and development in long neglected neighbourhoods."
Mr Ingraham said the FNM's National Security Strategic Plan will guide the fight against crime, drug and gun-trafficking, illegal immigration and poaching over the next five years.
"Our aggressive and relentless anti-crime strategy fight will include the full-range of tools required in the arsenal of crime prevention and crime-fighting. We mean to fight both crime and its causes through law enforcement, social intervention and every available means possible.
"Accordingly, we will introduce the most comprehensive social intervention and youth development initiatives ever in the modern Bahamas."
Mr Ingraham went on to note that the Bahamas is a country of great beauty, which must protect its resources at all costs while sharing the rewards more equitably.
"This is why my successive governments have ensured a greater shareholding society. This includes ending the monopoly by a few families of the ownership of the Port of Nassau.
"Today, as a result of my government's policies 11,065 Bahamians, as compared with less than 19 families, own shares in the Port of Nassau," he said.
Mr Ingraham also discussed the possibility of finding oil in the Bahamas, saying it demands the greatest care and due diligence.
He said: "This will certainly be the case with any government that I lead. In this spirit I make the following pledge: The approval of drilling for oil in the pristine waters of The Bahamas is among the most momentous decisions that any government of The Bahamas will ever have to make.
"This decision by your government should never be influenced by any financial relationship that exists between the company seeking the permit and its paid consultants and attorneys.
"It is a decision with wide ramifications that will affect the very nature and essence of who we are as a country.
"A government led by me will not agree to any drilling for oil in the Bahamas until all necessary and appropriate regulations are in place and until we are fully and competently in a position to regulate such activity.
"This is essential to protect our environment and the world's ocean beyond us from harmful and risky activity in our waters."
On this basis, the Prime Minister criticised opposition leader Perry Christie and his deputy Philip Davis over their involvement with the Bahamas Petroleum Company, which hopes to begin drilling for oil before the end of the year.
In a play on the opposition's "Bahamians First" campaign message, Mr Ingraham said: "For me, putting Bahamians first is a solemn duty. It is not a slogan I throw around in order to win votes.
"Putting Bahamians First is a duty I have sworn to uphold each time I placed my hand on the Bible and promised to abide by the constitution andprotect the interests of Commonwealth of The Bahamas."
Comments
TalRussell 11 years, 11 months ago
The eight regrets headache that will last for five long years if you played an important role today in being responsible for handing this arrogant FNM regime another mandate:
I wish I had Marched against the crime epidemic that has resulted in almost 500 natives murdered under the watch of Tommy and his regime. I wish I had stood up for my tiny and beloved Bahamaland and said something while it was being turned over to foreigners and the families of the old UBP Bay Street Boys.
Philosopher_King 11 years, 11 months ago
The Dear Maximum Leader is a joke. "Fairer" for the foreign investors and local wealthy merchant class he means, because the middle and professional classes have been given the dirty end of the stick and scraps to fight over, "Fairer" to his financial benefactors who now set the agenda of our development and benefit disproportionately in the sharing of the country's wealth or "Fairer" to all the undereducated youth who have no discernable skill set or “Fairer” for those unjustly murdered souls whose killers will never be brought to justice. Then he has made it "Fairer" unfortunately I'm pretty dark skinned so I couldn't take part in any of his brand of “Fairness”
TalRussell 11 years, 11 months ago
Comrades have you notice that this PM and his wretched FNM regime has spent millions paying for their attacks against the one man in our Bahamas most feared by this PM, his former, trusted law partner Prime Minister Christie. Millions of dollars collected from their elite list of financial donors, of which they dare not share with the natives, telling you the most outlandish lies that defy all common sense, about his former law partner while pretending that they have only been in power for the past five years. Why no mention of those other ten long years they were in power which eventually led to their resounding defeat at the hands of his former law partner? Millions spent telling you all kinds on nonsense about PM Christie that this PM knows is not true. If he wins he will have pulled off the biggest scam in our Bahamaland’s General Elections history, making the natives think the campaign is all about PM Christie. He doesn’t want you to remember that it is he that is in power and it is he with the record of 60,0000 out of paychecks natives and the just shy of 500 murdered under the watchful eyes of his FNM’s regime’s Tommy. He spent millions of dollars hoping the natives would forget that he has failed to protect the sovereignty of our Bahamaland. He thinks none of this has anything to do with the future of our tiny and beloved Bahamaland. He doesn’t want you to even think that the natives hold the power to restore our Bahamland back to its rightful owners, the natives.
abcd1234 11 years, 11 months ago
Let's talk PLP them, tell me all the good things Christie has done. Enlighten me. NO one voted into parliamant is going to be prefect.
C_MonMan 11 years, 11 months ago
Well I am pretty darked skin as well and me and my family have taken advantage of a "Fairer Society". However, I have found that a precursor to maximizing yourself is to stop blaming society and to stop blaming others, including ourselves for our perceived lot in life and take personal responsibility for our own progression.
Philosopher_King 11 years, 11 months ago
I too have accomplish much as an entrepreneur to this point, but like many of my fellow small to medium size business owners and educated professionals found that The Dear Maximum Leaders policies and positions favoured the “Old Bahamian” families of the established merchant class and foreign entities mostly. So when I complain of not seeing a “fairer” society it is born out repeatedly being slap in the face by his actions when he was in a position of power to help level the playing field. What’s fair about taking large public works projects from competent young black professionals and giving to his usual suspect financial benefactors?
notsogullible 11 years, 11 months ago
Just look at the Charles Saunders highway done by competent young black professionals (aka PLP croonies) and compare it to the new road works being done. I'll bet that shabby piece of crap road cost the same $$ per linear foot as the now properly done roads but of course the 40% kickbacks to the politicians had to come off the top. PLP governance doesn't want first world standard because the illiterates who vote for them don't demand it. Their voters are comfortable in the slop and muck of the ghetto pig sty environment and that's exactly where PGC & Co are going to keep you all.
paul_vincent_zecchino 11 years, 11 months ago
It would be far finer, not to mention accurate, to blame five hundred deaths directly upon those persons who choose to traffic in drugs and settle business disputes by killing.
Their deviant actions have nothing to do with the FNM. But it's and old and sadly, effective trick on part of leftists to blame their disasters on innocent parties.
Many of us well recall the period prior to the late sixtes in the Bahamas, when crime was nil. Then came the mobsters, dope lords, and smooth talking communists who adroitly whine like victims when in manner of cobras, they prepare to strike.
But there's always the regressed among us who wish to return to sordid, corrupt, violent era which seems dangerously enticing when viewed thru the pink lenses of age and nostalgia.
The FNM no more causes the killings of those in the drug trade than an open window in Brazil causes a pneumonia outbreak in Zanzibar. Those persons who choose to live outside the law and become criminals in the drug trade bear responsibility for their actions, not the FNM or any other innocent parties, contrary to the phony claims of sly leftist propagandists.
Sixty thousand people out of work? Not good, but miight America's economic troubles, engineered by elite billionaire cynics like 'Boxcar' george soros and the hard-left regime he's using to destroy our nation have played a role? It's no secret that economically, if America wobbles other nations may stumble and some even fall and never get up.
Cynical elite American socialist billionaires engineered our present troubles, which sadly have been exacerbated by many people my age, adults nearing retirement who refuse to grow up. Instead, these former 60s leftists, perhaps because youthful drug abuse has accelerated their senility, now wish to relive the squalid drug-sodden 60s by electing the socialists who hold them in contempt.
We never learn, do we? Perhaps this is why our Creator said, 'it does not belong to earthling Man even to direct his own steps'?
How many of us have in our respective homelands, seen good leaders who work dilligently to improve citizens' lives nonetheless rejected by ingrates who prefer misery over prosperity, bondage over liberty, and who reject good leaders in order that they may cry beneath the heavy yoke of those who rule for self-aggrandizement?
At this point, many in America are saying it's no longer about right/left or repub/demo, but about good vs. evil.
Paul VIncent Zecchino Manasota Key, Florida 07 May, 2012
Philosopher_King 11 years, 11 months ago
This is why he was humbled at the polls yesterday in a final count which may reveal that both with the combined PLP and DNA vote totals is a poorer showing for the FNM than in '02 in terms of the popular vote. Those who followed him blindly will now struggle to find another all encompassing know it all leader to bow down to. Others who believed in the FNM ideals he gradually corrupted since ’92 will be left to rebuild from the ashes and wonder why they let it go so wrong again.
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