EDITOR, The Tribune.
WHEN we threw the PLP out on May 10, 2017, I was relieved. I had never seen a governing party become so hostile to the people of the Bahamas.
It was all about them. They wanted contracts. They wanted wealth. They wanted to control who could become wealthy. They wanted power.
The people had sense. They threw out the party that was abusing them.
The Minnis government has been in power for 10 months. It has run into problems of late with the Oban oil refinery deal in Grand Bahama. The local media revealed that the man who signed the deal was said to have pleaded guilty to a fraud matter in the United States. Then we saw the close-up of him signing someone else’s name on the agreement. Then we heard there was no environmental report on the proposed refinery.
All this is bad. We expect better from the FNM. Those types of errors are how the PLP does business.
The government should get spanked by the public for this deal. But some have gone too far in their criticism.
I’ve heard the FNM is now just like the PLP. I’ve heard the prime minister should resign. I’ve heard the government has lost the confidence of the people.
That’s all rubbish. Governments are elected for up to five years in our system. They make mistakes from time to time. The good ones notice their mistakes, acknowledge them and move on trying not to repeat them.
This government has made a mistake and I think it knows it. Going forward I think the FNM will be more careful in its deal making and work not to cause this type of controversy again.
Those who are getting hysterical need to calm down. Assess your government over time. Determine how it manages the country as a whole. See what it does to address the pressing issues of our time.
To do this you will have to watch your government over the course of its entire term. You can’t make sensible judgments 10 months into a 60-month term.
One thing I still feel pretty confident about is that the FNM right now is better for us than the PLP. Anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional.
DARWIN R LUTHER
Nassau,
March 19, 2018.
Comments
birdiestrachan 6 years, 1 month ago
It does not get any worse than the OBAN deal. They will be given the power and the wealth. It is all right and good for them to have it. It only becomes a problem when folks from over the hill has power and wealth.
I can see the beautiful beach front homes. no taxes not for them.
DDK 6 years, 1 month ago
Sensible sentiments.
joeblow 6 years, 1 month ago
The choices Bahamians had in the past election were bad, 'wuss and wusser'! They chose the best of the bad choices.
What is sickening is that we are out of good political options. Unless God intervenes we will have to continue to choose between varying levels of bad political offerings next election too!
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 1 month ago
"Going forward I think the FNM will be more careful in its deal making and work not to cause this type of controversy again."
Your argument is baseless.
So far the only thing they've done is given us lip service about "recognizing" mistakes, then continue doing exactly what they did before. Do you honestly believe Dr Minnis is going to come back to you with news that this dirty oil refinery can't be constructed in a nature preserve? Because the environmentalists have already said "No Way".
They can't get a story straight, they took two weeks to concoct an explanation and it still doesn't make sense . Now no joke, we have a REAL ESTATE COMPANYmanaging an "Oil Refinery Project" (wink wink) in a Nature Preserve, ....you can't make this up.
Since Dr Minnis gave his grand apology has he given you any indication that he's learned anything? NO this morning they announced a townhall ....tonight? Is that change? No.
That's more of the PR bungling of the last 10 months. Then they announced the "Office of the Spouse" and Henfield says this is a great idea! I don't know what all the fuss is about, she'll be focused on women's affairs. Is that change? No. It's more of the same. Creating unnecessary duplication and more confusion. There's a whole Social Service Division in this country with a Bureau devoted solely to Women's Affairs. Second, it just looks bad, that's what all the fuss is about. If ?Bernadette Christie had come forward talking about an Office of the Spouse position, Henfield would have been the first person jumping up and down
I am begging SENSIBLE men and women in the Cabinet (sorry, strike out "sensible women", only Lanisha in there) to PLEASE take hold of this runaway train before the entire country ends up in the ditch. Dr Minnis isn't consulting with anyone and he's surrounding himself with cronies like Lanisha and Culmer who praise him no matter what he does
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 1 month ago
After one year it's pretty clear what Trump and his family are up to. We don't need five years to figure these things out
SP 6 years, 1 month ago
How conveniently PLP supporters forgot the deals, Perry Gladstone Christie signed that never materialized and never questioned! As an example, the Eleuthera and other Southern Island developments that land was even transferred to foreigners and was supposed to transform the Islands into multibillion-dollar developments!
Where were the calls for the investors' proof of capability and subsequent demands for the dancing clowns resignation? AND who owns these properties today?
PM Minnis was hoodwinked by individuals in his inner circle that knew from years of hands-on political experience, he would be exactly where he finds himself today!
Obviously, the PM has allowed himself to be sidetracked from the promises he made on the campaign trail. Minnis would do well to refocus on the vision he initially presented to the electorate which made him Prime Minister today and stay on the "peoples" side if he expects to survive until 2022. Otherwise, PM Minnis goose is just as cooked as Perry Christie and Hubert Ingraham.
The electorate did not forget "Bahamians First" "We believe in Bahamians" and WILL NOT forget " It's The Peoples Time"!
A word to the wise is sufficient!
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 1 month ago
where were the calls? If I remember correctly tens of thousands of people marched TWICE to voice their absolute displeasure with the last administration.
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