The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

I am a life long student of Bahamian politics. Politics here in our wonderful nation is phenomenal and oftentimes perplexing. Everyone, literally, expected the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to have lost the May, 2017 general elections. Few, however, expected the landslide victory of the Free National Movement (FNM). That party declared that it was “the people’s time” and the rest is history.

The Bahamian people were promised much and expected even more from Dr Minnis and his crew. Sadly to say, the FNM, in my view, has squandered the political goodwill which was given to it on a golden platter. With a huge majority of 35 seats in the bloated House of Assembly, the FNM administration could have/should have immediately brought about fundamental changes in the way we govern our nation and could have/should have by now laid the ground work for the empowerment, socially and economically, of the unwashed masses.

Immediately upon coming to high office, the PM and his government made a series of missteps and terrible policy initiatives. The ongoing saga with Oban comes readily to mind. From the get go, that proposed project for East End Grand Bahama, in my opinion, was pie in the sky 2.0 There is simply no market on the eastern coast of the USA for the products that would have been produced by Oban. To compound the fiasco, the signatory to the original Heads of Agreement was mot authorised, apparently, to do so. The ‘files’ have gone missing and after a year the Police still say that they are ‘unable’ to locate that file and that ‘investigations’ are continuing.

In opposition the FNM and its leader were all over the place cussing out the then governing PLP over the imposition of Value Added Tax....VAT. Immediately upon coming to high office the ‘champions’ of the people drastically increased the VAT to 12.5% This is a regressive tax in that the lower income citizens are obliged, proportionally, to expend more of their mini income, where one exists, compared to the upper economic levels. Who cared? The national economy is in the basket and the bottom may well drop out sooner rather than later.

Several public policy initiatives, like the Freedom of Information Bill; Accountability and Fiscal Responsibility Bill and a host of others have yet to materialise. The size of the cabinet is beyond comprehension. It is obvious that at least five substantive ministers are in over their heads and should be shuffled out of the cabinet altogether.

This administration and its appointed Board of Directors at Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) cannot seem to be able to get it right in terms of generation and distribution of power. In fact, load shedding under the FNM has become the norm. In the process tens of thousands of residents and businesses here in New Providence have suffered massive financial losses and damage to critical equipment and appliances.

BPL advises clients to submit ‘claims’ to its corporate offices but all Bahamians realise that that is just ‘going through the motions’.

The manner in which this administration goes about making, or failing to make, coherent decisions is now, in less than three years, legendary in a negative way. The communications of the PM, despite having a whole press retinue and Bahamas Information Services, and his administration are the worst that I have seen in decades. It is almost as if they are making every effort to fail. The relocation of the Post Office was badly handled and the fall out from the same may well be fatal to the reelection chances of that party.

There has been no ground breaking of any new investment projects since coming to high office save and except those which would have been approved by the defunct PLP. Brother Christie had to go and the PLP now has a stellar opportunity to regroup and re-brand under the leadership of the Hon Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, QC (PLP-Cat Island) but this will not be a cake walk. The PLP will meet in convention within a matter of days. Will we see the unveiling of a New Deal PLP or a resurrection of Christie 2.0?

The FNM is akin to a house of cards. After awhile stacking cards, the whole house will eventually fall. The biggest problem’ which hinders the success of the administration is the Prime Minister himself. His lack of clear leadership abilities is like an Albatross retarding the advancement of its agenda. For too long Bahamians have equated professional skills or success as a litmus test for good political leadership. I submit that had our society not been so “anti female” Dr Minnis would have been handily defeated by the Hon Loretta Butler-Turner (who had/has her own political baggage) and he would have been legitimately referred to as “one who also ran.”

Some in the PLP say that they have re-branded and have regrouped. I beg to differ, with all due respect. For a number of clear reasons, which I will not detail here, the party needs Brave at the helm at this time. The PLP is in no shape or position to have a public spectacle over the question of the top leader. Alfred Sears, et al, will have to await their time, if and whenever it comes. I have no problem with challenges to the other positions, across the board.

The House of Cards that the FNM hastily built will eventually collapse, sadly. If, however, there is a timely leadership coup in the FNM (by next year summer) Dr Minnis would have been the shortest termed Prime Minister, ever, in our wonderful nation. Who would I wish to see as the obvious replacement to Dr Minnis? The Hon Theresa May in the UK in short ordered will demit office and be replaced by “my boy” the Hon Boris Johnson. Who is the Boris Johnson in the FNM cabinet? To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr

Nassau,

July 20, 2019.