11.12pm: With the cry of “PLP! PLP! PLP!” Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna Martin brings the night's speeches to an end. Don't miss Thursday's Tribune for full coverage and reaction from night two of the PLP Convention.
11.10pm: She says the PLP is on a committed course on behalf of the Bahamian people.
11.07pm: Mrs Hanna Martin says four doppler radars will help weather coverage in the Bahamas.
11.06pm: She says Bahamians are becoming global players in their own right in global maritime trade.
11.04pm: The minister is now talking about a focus on the maritime industry and training.
11.02pm: She says that a full and comprehensive public transport system is on the way for New Providence.
11.00pm: Mrs Hanna Martin is now speaking on the issue of flight fees.
10.55pm: She is now talking about improvements in transport and aviation - saying the implications for growth are “incredible”.
10.50pm: She says “we have worked hard” and “much has been achieved” by this government despite many challenges.
10.45pm: Mrs Hanna Martin says she wants to encourage all people to be aware of “old tricks”. She says good news often becomes controversial.
10.40pm: She says she was always deeply inspired by the philosophy of the Progressive Liberal Party.
10.38pm: The final speaker of the night, Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna Martin has taken to the stage.
10.22pm: Dr Gomez says NHI Bahamas will promote a stronger economy.
10.20pm: He talks of improvements to come at public clinics and an appointment system to reduce lines.
A number of doctors “are ready and willing to sign up for NHI Bahamas”.
“This is not about politics, but good policy.”
10.15pm: Dr Gomez talks of a strong and efficient health care system “that listens to you”.
He encourages all residents to register and receive their new NIB smart card.
10.10pm: Minister of Health Dr Perry Gomez is at the podium. He says NHI will give health its own budget. He adds that NHI means all people will get the health services they require without the fear of financial ruin.
10.00pm: After a lively speech from Fred Mitchell, Central and South Abaco candidate Eva Bain is speaking.
9.55pm: Mr Mitchell says “I am a Burma Road baby, we are all the children of Burma Road”.
9.55pm: He thanks those working home and abroad for Immigration for making their achievements possible.
9.53pm: The Minister says Fred Smith can take his apology and “shove it” . . . and if he wasn't on “this platform” he would tell him “where to shove it”.
He's now hitting out at Save the Bays.
He says the Immigration Dept will revoke the permits of those abusing Bahamian workers.
The Immigration force “will be tripled” to 900 members.
9.45pm: Mr Mitchell hits out at Fred Smith for his recent comments at a meeting of the Coral Beach Condominium Association - and plays a recording of comments. Mr Mitchell refers to Fred Smith's apology and says The Tribune has asked him to apologise - but “Hell will freeze over” before he does.
9.40pm: The convention will now hear from Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell.
9.20pm: Deputy Speaker in the House of Assembly Dion Smith takes to the stage with an excited group of supporters.
9.15pm: The Minister says local government is the most effective form of governance for Family Island communities.
9.10pm: Mrs Strachan thanks her Sea Breeze constituents for their support.
She says “let's move forward and do it together”.
She adds that her portfolio allows her to experience the wonder and rich beauty of the Bahamas.
She says she is proud of a project to establish the Bahamas as a centre for financial services.
9.05pm: Now the convention hears from Minister of Financial Services and Local Government Hope Strachan.
8.57pm: Cleola Hamilton, MP for South Beach, is at the podium. She talks about development work done in her constituency - including roads and schools.
8.45pm: The Minister now gives a rundown of investments in education. He says the objective of these investments is to “build and empower our people”.
He says “it has been the greatest honour to do this work in education”.
8.40pm: He asks the crowd “do you believe in our children the way I believe in our children?”
He says the country's future growth will be linked and is dependent on the University of the Bahamas.
8.35pm: Mr Fitzgerald is now talking about scholarships for public school students. He says scholarship investment has doubled since 2011.
8.32pm: And now, Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald is on the stage. He says “tonight we reflect on two words from the party's theme: Build and Empower”. He adds that all of the heavy lifting gets done under the PLP. “That's what happens when you have leaders like the Right Honourable Prime Minister Perry Christie.”
8.27pm: He pays tribute to Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald. Now a short film about is being shown about the Summer Bridging Programme.
8.25pm: He says the PLP believes in young people.
8.20pm: The first speaker tonight is the party's candidate for Marco City, Norris Bain.
8.10pm: Night two of the PLP Convention gets underway with the National Anthem.
6.25pm: As we await tonight's events, this photo gallery (left) shows some highlights from last night at the Melia.
1.40pm: Prime Minister Perry Christie and former Attorney General Alfred Sears have both been nominated for the post of Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) leader during a closed-door nomination process at the second day of the governing party’s convention.
Some time after noon on Wednesday, Mr Christie was nominated by Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe, which was seconded by Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald. Mr Sears, the PLP’s candidate for Ft Charlotte, was nominated by a member of the Ft Charlotte branch, which was seconded by Leonard Archer.
Philip “Brave” Davis, Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP, was nominated uncontested for the post of deputy leader while Bradley Roberts was also uncontested for chairman.
Mr Davis was nominated by Minister of Grand Bahama Dr Michael Darville, which was seconded by Laura Williams.
Comments
Honestman 7 years, 2 months ago
I hope Christie wins. It will be the final nail in the PLP coffin.
DDK 7 years, 2 months ago
Could well be......
Alex_Charles 7 years, 2 months ago
the plp will win either way, unless opposition forces stop doing shit
sheeprunner12 7 years, 2 months ago
The PLP will lose the 2017 election .......... don't mind this 2000 delegate party ....... Bahamians are broke, hurting and mad as hell ........ 24-15 in favour of the FNM
Emac 7 years, 2 months ago
You're right!
John 7 years, 2 months ago
Last night Christie try to work Voodoo to 'fix' the unemployment numbers and #jobceation, But Michael Halkitis said the unemployment number was at 21,000 when the PLP came to power. Christie says the PLP created 32,000 jobs. The Department of Statistics says unemployment is still at 11.5% or 24,000 persons unemployed. So even when you add the 24,000 or so students that came out of school and deduct the 15,000 or so persons that retired or otherwise left the work force, the PLP created more jobs than there were unemployed people. So tell us then.why is the unemployment figure still at 24,000. . Then Michael Halkitis come back and tries to give account for the near $1 billon in VAT money. But most of the items he listed, like re-fleeting BahamasAir, new ships for the defence force, NHI funding etc, was suppose to come from the regular revenue of the government, like customs duties, business licence fees, property taxes car licences etc., and so he hd the whole convention chanting "das where zinnia VAT money gone" And it gone alright. Gone like the wind. . . And the biggest clown of the evening had to be Alfred Gray. That man and the truth are so much strangers. One cannot even double pay the truth to keep friends with Gray. He claims that no other political party came up with original plans and projects to benefit the Bahamian people, while in the same breath, laying claim to two of the biggest projects that was started under the previous government. Hopefully Christie dem can tell the Bahamian people why more murders have happened under Perry Christie ad prime minister than any other prime minister, and why more murders have happened under than the PLP than was recorder under the government of all the other political parties in the Bahamas combined.
pileit 7 years, 2 months ago
Bahamasair refleet LOAN was financed through local entity Private Trust, along with whatever other background dark arts went down... How now was it paid for by VAT? So ain no more note on them planes ay?
Publius 7 years, 2 months ago
So we really need to do the gay ranting tonight?
sealice 7 years, 2 months ago
he said something about burying his root in fox hill yesterday and i held my tongue but now he done come out and say it .... i am gay and i like a short white guy.....
Honestman 7 years, 2 months ago
Did Halkitis not appreciate how pathetic he came across playing to the dim witted with his "Dat's where the VAT went" ranting? I had to switch channels as I was starting to feel nauseous.
Emac 7 years, 2 months ago
"gone" not "went". The word 'gone' makes it even more ghetto and appealing to all the dumb PLPs.
banker 7 years, 2 months ago
Listening to the speeches -- everyone says that we are living in a nirvana -- a heaven on earth thanks to the PLP. I am truly amazed. There isn't an IQ that surpasses a shoe size in the entire room. Fweddy especially deserves a slap, but then it would be hard to get the crap stains out.
TalRussell 7 years, 2 months ago
Comrade Banker, in all fairness despite your many disagreements with Minister Freddy, he did deliver a strikingly powerful best of all speeches at the PLP's convention. You need read the full text read slowly to digest its importance to guarantee the protection of our Bahamaland's sovereignty.
I know for a fact that as a little boy growing-up - Freddy was made to wear shoes a size larger than he normal shoe size. Makes sense when scientist say wearing a shoe size bigger, does improve the child's academic performance - and seems have worked for the minister.
banker 7 years, 2 months ago
My dearest Tal, you occasionally stumble over the truth, but you quickly pick yourself up and carry on as if nothing happened. If you read the speech, you will see that Comrade Root-Burial Fweddie was the supercilious, xenophobe, slick prevaricator that characterises a man without a moral compass.
For example, did you notice that he said that the STB was an enemy of the PLP? Not an enemy of the people, but the enemy of the party -- a bunch tiefin' corrupt kleptocrats.
Root-burier Fweddie is quite intelligent. He deliberate plays on the ignorance of the lesser species of Bahamians, and crows about it. He once said that (average) Bahamians are like children and don't deserve the truth because they can't handle or understand it (it was in his weekly website where he lies and says that he is not the author). So what does he do? He knows that Bahamians hate foreigners (as outlined by Frederick Smith), so he announces that he will increase the size of the foreigner Gestapo. Ignorant Bahamians (generally PLPs) cheer! Yay Fweddie the Root Burier!
And as for being a sovereignty guardian, that's a crock. It is also a ploy. Hitler used the sovereignty arguments as did Mussolini and virtually every other despot. The biggest threat against sovereignty came from Crisco Butt and the PLP when they sold us to the Chinese. A Canadian condo owner is not a threat to our sovereignty nor are hordes of illegal Haitians. It is the PLP all the way. If there were not so many work permits granted to Haitians by Bahamians, they would not be inclined to send for their relatives and find work.
A few weeks ago, I came home from work and the Haitian gardener was out. I give him my cast-off clothing, cooking utensils that I never use and tings like that. I asked him how things were going. He said that he was sad because his brother was just captured (as an illegal). I asked him how long his brother was here, and he said a year and a half. I asked him who employed him, and he mumbled something about doing landscaping (Bahamian that I know). I asked if the employer knew that he was illegal and he replied that it was never asked. Cash every Friday, and then off to the money transfer place to send money home. A Bahamian waits outside the money transfer office, who has central bank approval to send money, and he sends the money to Haiti on behalf of the guy, taking a small cut. Enabled to operate by Bahamians every step of the way. But threat to sovereignty -- naw. It's a failure on our part. Fweddie knows this.
jus2cents 7 years, 2 months ago
If Sears wins for PLP leader, The PLP will win the next election.
Honestman 7 years, 2 months ago
And Perry Christie will be consigned to Sandilands!
realfreethinker 7 years, 2 months ago
He aught to be consigned to prison
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