The Tribune

By MALCOLM J. STRACHAN

ON day 102 of the Minnis Administration’s tenure in governance, there is a growing feeling of voter dissonance throughout the country. No longer are they seen as the rockstars some crowned them to be on May 10, after the dust settled on their easily won battle – even though their win was secured because the Bahamian people desperately wanted the PLP gone.

As the first 100 days came and went this past Saturday, it did so with no real causes for celebration and no real policies of note. Some Bahamians are now feeling the anxiety equivalent to what a consumer who is reconsidering a purchase feels.

Unfortunately, our electoral system doesn’t give warranties or allow us to make returns for full refunds of our votes. Typically, once a government is elected, that is for the long haul. The previous five years under the PLP regime have been some of the longest, toughest years in our country. What made them so laborious may have been the disintegration of human hope – that moment when we realized that the previous government was not who they said they were.

Ironically, it came within the first 100 days as campaign promises by the Progressive Liberal Party fell flat.

Though, we are at a similar timestamp, the current government may have not arrived at that particular juncture as yet. Nevertheless, they are certainly treading on familiar footing.

Bear in mind, setting aside the public disdain for the PLP, Prime Minister Minnis and his party members took to the campaign stage and promised everything under the sun. For a people so desperate for a symbol of hope, after feeling bamboozled five years earlier, we truly wanted to believe it is the people’s time.

We still want to believe it.

However, recent decisions by the government leave us wondering if we are dealing with a “same script, different cast” scenario.

VAT repeal on breadbasket items was touted as a key relief measure for the long-suffering citizens living in the inner-cities. It has been 102 days, and this relief has yet to have been felt in their pockets. The familiar feelings of disappointment as a result of broken promises come with such a gravitational pull the second time around that disengagement with government will surely be a much swifter process.

However, the government still affirms that it is in its plans to do so. The issue is, we aren’t even sure if such a plan exists at this point. Further, without a plan, how will the government propose to execute such a task with so many moving parts?

Prior to the FNM winning the election, and as day 1 became 100 in the prime minister’s term in office, we are hard-pressed to believe that any real plans exist.

This thought echoed in the back of our minds and even worse when it was confirmed by FNM Chairman, Sidney Collie, that there aren’t any policies or initiatives on the table.

This is tough to accept. It is also startling to imagine that the Minnis Administration took on this mammoth task of “modernising The Bahamas” without a real plan.

This practice of parading former Parliamentarians before the courts will give this administration a much needed, but short-term boost of support.

But how is our sovereignty being secured? How will Bahamian lives be protected? How will our economy bounce back? What will be done to create jobs for our brothers, sisters and our children?

As this chorus resounds the congregation is now singing loudly, “What have you done for me lately?”

In response, the government is asking us to be patient. However, patience is scarce for citizens that have endured what we have endured for the last five years under the PLP. The FNM was elected to fix all that was broken.

Politicking is not going to get the country back on track. We hope that justice will be served in the matters that are before the courts, but we need the government to roll up its sleeves and seriously get to the people’s business.

Instead of implementing policies like solarization and initiatives that would increase the ease of doing business in the country, we are seeing Bahamians lose hope in the wake of cost-cutting austerity measures.

While Minister of Tourism, Dionisio D’Aguilar was closing different shops in the US and in Freeport, he has also reengaged a previously contracted foreign firm to support the ministry’s public relations efforts. How can a Government fixed on providing jobs for Bahamians continue to engage foreign labour where Bahamians have shown that they can, and should do the work?

It is manoeuvres like this that make many people who were supportive on day one take a more discerning look at the government it elected now.

This scepticism, we should add is spreading quickly.

Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) President, Mrs Belinda Wilson, expressed a shared optimism in working with Minister of Education, Jeffrey Lloyd, but also pointed out that the BUT expects to see results and to be treated as partners by the Ministry. With various school repairs taking place, millions of dollars in unpaid back pay and the continued influx of foreign teachers, it will be interesting to see how long the openness that exists between both sides lasts.

It is quite evident that the goodwill the FNM government received is just about gone.

The government is now beginning to see chinks in its armour. People that were of the view that they would be the anti-PLP are beginning to see them as the same since the party colours are off.

The government, like its predecessor, is desperately depending on Baha Mar to bring more inventory on stream.

Remember, it was Prime Minister Dr Minnis that lacerated his predecessor, Perry Christie, for how soft he was on the Chinese, going so far as to infer that he was a puppet for his “Chinese allies”. Now in office, it is not clear yet how the prime minister will move forward in our relations with the Chinese.

The concerns associated with the influence of the Chinese over the last administration are certainly palpable. That being said, it will be most interesting to see if Prime Minister Minnis continues down the same path as his former – especially when he was so critical of Perry Christie on the campaign trail.

The first 100 days in office have been met with a few missteps and no real triumphs. The government took its bride on May 10th amidst all the fanfare and excitement that a new day was on the horizon.

It was certainly a memorable day.

Now, however, the honeymoon has officially ended, and the real work of this marriage begins.