The Tribune

GOVERNMENT has ordered spending cuts in its ministries in an effort to relieve the financial strain on the Public Treasury.

We would suggest that to show leadership the cuts should start at the top — at Cabinet level. Criticised for appointing the largest Cabinet in Bahamian history, Mr Christie justified his decision, explaining that although he would have preferred a smaller cabinet, the “extraordinary” challenges facing the country demanded a larger cabinet to “simultaneously tackle these challenges on the broadest possible front”.

However, one of his political critics saw it as the prime minister trying to give all of his party candidates a job.

“It appears,” said Ivoine Ingraham, “as though the prime minister designed this cabinet specifically to get everybody in his party a salary more than that of what they would be getting just for their seat.

“I don’t see how they were preaching at the campaign about the funds, or lack thereof in the treasury and here it is now, you are giving away money — is it just to find jobs for everyone in your party?” Whatever it was, Mr Ingraham found it “hypocritical”.

Urban Renewal — ostensibly the answer to all the nation’s social problems— was to be the battering ram to drive crime from our streets.

Keith Bell, former police officer, who quit the force and later entered politics, came on the scene with great gusto as Minister of State for National Security in the Christie cabinet. His idea was to saturate the streets with Defence Force officers who would join the police to stop crime before it happened and catch criminals in the act. To read the daily headlines – and not police statistics — murders and armed robberies are still on the increase.

Under Urban Renewal, large tracts of land were being cleared of bush and dilapidated structures to remove possible hiding places for criminals.

This programme — for lack of proper planning cost the country far more than it was worth. Thousands was spent on clearing land of bush, which within a few weeks was growing back again.

Instead of entering into proper contracts, anyone with a machete in hand went out to cut the bush and then submit a bill that far exceeded the work that had been done.

As we have already recorded in this column, a person now serving time in HM Prison, having already been paid thousands of dollars for work that he claimed he had done while out on remand, was complaining that he was still owed for the remainder of his work — many more thousands of dollars.

Sometimes the trucks and “urban” workers trespassed on private property. When questioned, they invariably claimed their actions were authorised by Mr Bell.

We understand that this phase of Urban Renewal, which was really duplicating the work of the Ministry of Works and Environmental Health, has been stopped. And strangely enough, the voice of Keith Bell has not been heard from since.

This is one programme that the Opposition should investigate to find out how much it has actually cost Bahamian taxpayers. Remember that under the Constitution, the Opposition is the watchdog of the public purse. We hope that it starts to function, because taxpayers want many questions answered — especially how their money is being wasted.

Stopped in the foodstore by a friend last week after Dr Andre Rollins assured Bahamians that $50 million could be found to build a new parliament building, we were asked if Rollins had a hotel in mind.

Not having heard the debate, we asked him to elaborate. He said that it sounded as though a private room was to be provided for each House member so that they could have a meeting place for their constituents.

One of them — he believed it was Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell — suggested that a gym should also be provided. If they are going that far to satisfy their creature comforts, why not include a sauna while they are about it?

Meanwhile, because of the country’s financial woes, many Bahamians are desperate for jobs.

Mr Christie says that he needs this large cabinet to help him meet the country’s many challenges.

As far as we can judge, rather than helping, they are causing confusion — all separate little fiefdoms, making their own decisions and going their own way. The cabinet is like a launching pad for many little sputniks, firing off in all directions.

Rather than helping, it appears that they are causing unnecessary confusion.

We are certain that Mr Christie has heard the saying that “too many cooks spoil the broth”.

Today, we maintain that he has too many cooks — more than this country can afford.

If this government is sincere in its determination to cut the public debt, it should lead from the top — prune the cabinet.