The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The comment as to how we can possibly correct our unacceptable level of unemployment is totally mired in politics - the constant is laughable that even if the Ministry of Labour challenges the accuracy of the Department of Statistics.

In Parliament this past week, the PM commented on The Port Authority and tried to create an argument for his anticipated actions which globally will be perceived as a deliberate act of a sitting Government to abrogate a legal long standing Act of Parliament - The Hawksbill Bill Agreement which has some 34-35 years still standing. To compare what economic activity - projects that have occurred in comparative mode if we were honest we can say Albany - The Pointe are creditable but least all forget Royal Oasis had a sale - there was the Bobby Ginn west of Eight Mile Rock project both of which were crushed in 2008 with the Lehmann crisis. If the Ginn project was up Grand Bahama would be fully employed.

If the PM was going to be correct he should look what has been occurring in islands south of Cuba - $800m new hotel projects in Jamaica - $800m in Barbados hotels St Lucia and Antigua similar levels but nothing in comparison to what we can claim here.

The National Development Plan..... they say the 30·year development plan - which country in the most advanced part of the globe has Economic Plans of a duration of no more than three-four years? The People’s Republic of China work on a three-year cycle but to be different we are going to plan 30 years down the road. My sole comment - it seems the chronic Talk Show callers are the new economic planners of the Bahamas– God help us.

A detailed island: island study has merit but everyone with any ounce of understanding of modern economic planning and execution understands that it is hard enough to tie a sitting government to year–to-year fiscal planning.

If it is the plan for every inhabited island studied to be granted Development Funds there is absolutely no possible chance of us being able to borrow at that level let alone execute it (build it). The suggestion that the plan would be institutionalised in legislation is unbelievable – does it mean that a newly elected future government that disagrees with the plan cannot change the plan?

C ARCHER

Nassau,

February 8, 2016.