EDITOR, The Tribune.
We have so-called “collective” cabinet responsibility in our wonderful nation but that is, I submit, not in fact the case. The Prime Minister of the day is supposed to be “first amongst equals” but in reality that is not the case depending on the personality, vision and character of the office holder. Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, God rest his soul, had it. The Dragon from North Abaco has it but, alas, it is now abundantly clear that the interregnum PM, Perry Gladstone Christie is out of his league, big time.
Some silly and bias individuals have accused me of having a “beef” against Christie. I submit that that is so far from the truth that it does not deserve a response. El Jafe (Christie) is, I am sure, an honourable and decent man. What he is not, in my opinion, however, is a clear headed, focused and visionary leader like a Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, QC, MP, Minister of Works and Urban Renewal. The national convention of the Progressive Liberal Party has been postponed, as it was right to do, to the first quarter of 2016 due to the passage of Joaquin.
The postponement has given Christie additional time to ramp up his efforts with the Baha Mar project, now in receivership, and to do his utmost to ensure that that white elephant is up and running in the shortest possible time. The collapse and implosion of that property began, publicly, when the smart talking PM alluded to the possibility of the mental unbalance on the part of Sarkis. It may well be that the project was badly financed from the get go or that the Chinese State Construction Company was inept from the very beginning of construction. We might never know what the real reasons are.
What we do know, however, is that Christie, whether by invitation or otherwise, injected himself into detailed negotiations a few months ago. It was very clear that Christie et al are not skilled and discrete negotiators. He, along with several of his ministers, started to publicly insult and berate Sarkis. Shane Gibson launched into a gratuitous tirade on his own. Frederick Audley Mitchell then launched his own soft blow. Shortly thereafter other cabinet light weights sought to garner free media coverage by making all sorts of bogus and asinine statements.
Whatever they intended to do to Sarkis they have succeeded and the project is now dead in the water. This administration will rue the very day that it, along with former PM Ingraham, ever got into bed with the Chinese. The size of the Chinese coconuts will amaze them into a state of shock and awe.
The PLP is a wonderful political party that has stood the test of time. Even our worst detractors would readily admit that the PLP is the party that has done the most, at this juncture, to create and develop a sustainable middle class amongst all of our people. We are, I submit, about pulling individuals up even as we ourselves climb up the totem pole or at least that is what we are supposed to be all about.
Sir Lynden was consumed with bettering the lives of all Bahamians even if he showed favoritism to selected individuals on occasions. Ingraham was less consumed about elevating anyone except for his cronies or public supporters. He was too calculating and too full of political manoeuvrings. It was all about him or nothing. Christie, unfortunately, simply does not know what the hell he is doing and absolutely no clue as to how he should do it.
Some are leaders from birth, others rise to leadership by the support of followers and the rest seize power at the barrel of a gun or by military means. Pindling was a born leader. Ingraham seized power by strength of his personality and forcefulness. What is one able to say about Christie? He is being and has long been propped up by “the walking dead” within the PLP. He has long talked about leaving behind a legacy but I have sad news for him.
Christie is simply too laid back to ever craft a legacy. In fact, it is my submission that he does not know what a legacy is or is supposed to be if it were to directly stare in his face. The man is lost in the fifth dimension or is it the eight? He was never ‘called’ to lead but it was thrust upon him so unexpectedly that he is still not sure if he is, in fact, leader of the PLP or, God forbid, Prime Minister of The Bahamas.
Value Add Tax (VAT) was supposed to be the panacea that would bring relief to the already hard pressed Bahamian people. They told us what the collections were for the first few months but we have not been told anything since. What has been collected and where is the money?
The web industry has now been regulated and is being taxed. Where did the monies go for the licensing and regulations? Did they go into the Consolidated Fund or did they go down the proverbial black hole? He has proven by anyone’s investigation to be the worst of the worst Minister of Finance ever. Even back in the days of the late indomitable Paul Lawrence Adderley, we did not see this level of voodoo economics. The economy is in shambles and all of the antics of Christie; Halkitis and Rolle will not fix it.
If we had real collective responsibility in its purest sense, at least a half of the cabinet ministers would have been fired; shuffled or forced to resign. Under the rudderless and semi-despotic ‘leadership’ of Christie a majority of cabinet run their ministries as political fiefdoms. Christie is incapable of co-ordinating the work of the various ministries and it shows badly.
The PLP has a date with destiny. We can continue the song and dance of characters like Christie and Frederick ‘Bob Marley’ Mitchell or we, in 2016, can replace Christie with a real bridge to the future. It is unfortunate that this is an individual who does not know or refuses to acknowledge that his shelf life has expired. He was not, I submit, called to lead.
We have a wonderful country but it has been hijacked by a visionless and clueless character and his handlers. His time in office can now be measured, in my view, by months. This nation can ill afford more of the shaving cream which Christie, almost single handily, has thrown into our faces while laughing and gyrating.
The time has come for right thinking Bahamians to show him the front door. My choice to succeed him and to put this country back on track is the Hon. Philip “Brave” Davis, QC, MP. Some say that no sitting cabinet minister should ever challenge the PM of the day. The Devil is a long time liar and we shall see if we are ruled by men or mice in a few short months.
ORTLAND BODIE Jr
Nassau,
November 1, 2015.
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