The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT’S been almost two months since the elevation of the Most Hon Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, QC, MP, as Prime Minister of our wonderful nation. The shock waves of this are still vibrating among those within the opposition and many so-called elites. Brave, in their unadulterated view was not prime ministerial material, whatever that is supposed to mean. Indeed, there were/are many within the PLP who never supported him or believed that he could stand in the political gap on behalf of the people of The Bahamas. Well, he is now doing it with aplomb and focused intensity.

Dr Minnis and his people squandered the trust given to them in May, 2017 within a few short years. The hurricane and the pandemic may have made it a bit difficult for them to overcome the negatives, but I am of the view that it was not so much those two back-to-back events but rather the sheer arrogance and gross incompetency of the Most Competent Authority and his kitchen cabinet. Never before in the history of The Bahamas has a major party been shown the exit door so swiftly.

Brave has gone on the world stage. When Minnis was so-called in charge he went up to the United Nations once I believe and even then his speech/address was given by the Hon, Member for St Barnabas, the Hon Shannendon Cartwright. Within two months the new Prime Minister has rubbed shoulders with over sixty world leaders. It was once said, maliciously, that Brave could not speak or talk well. Now, world leaders listen to him with rapt attention? Nobody paid any attention to Minnis.

The Bahamas and her people are faced with daunting challenges, but we will soldier on. The decimation of the middle class and the sweeping away of the poor is an indictment that will follow Minnis and the kitchen cabinet for life. The social fabric has been torn apart and the very economic survival and mental health well being of our people are at the brink. Many have gone to the poor house or bread lines because of the jacked up and cock- eyed policies of that failed Prime Minister and the rest of them.

The Minister of Social Services & Urban Renewal, the Hon Obediah H Wilchcombe (PLP-West End & Bimini) and his ministry have their work cut out for them. Tens of thousands of ordinary Bahamians are still without jobs or gainful employment almost two years since the draconian and abrupt shut down of the economy by Minnis and them. Thousands more have probably “gone crazy” and are stressed out mentally. Obie and his capable people at his ministry will have to contend with thousands of other Bahamians who are homeless; no sustainable source of food; an increase in alleged prostitution (sell what you have syndrome) among females and males; a sense of inertia and more.

I am persuaded that brother Wilchcombe is up to the task else Brave would not have selected him for this vital and over-reaching ministry. These are the times that try the very souls of men and women. As a united people, however, there is nothing that we cannot achieve with focused and solid leadership. Urban Renewal was a concept under brother Christie and that is his light weight legacy. This unit is a no brainer for the revitalization of the inner city areas of New Providence and Grand Bahama.

It would be nice and assuring to see Minister Wilchcombe and a select team from his ministry doing regular walk-abouts in Bain & Grants Town; Englerston; Coconut Grove; Jones Town; Eight Mile Rock, etc. Entrepreneurs and investors could be encouraged to spruce up neighbourhoods and secure green spaces with connectivity.

Buildings such as the former Corner Motel on Carmichael Road and Faith Avenue; the Cast-a-Ways Motel up in Nassau Village and the seemingly abandoned building up on Wulff Road which used to be The Bahamas Academy could and should be utilized to provide safe and affordable shelters for the homeless and even for battered women or single parents with multiple children and no support from the putative dead beat fathers.

There is much work to be done by this God-sent Davis administration and there is no time for distractions, least of all by Flight 732 which crashed and burned on the 16th September.

A few passengers escaped, but they were badly politically injured to the point of irrelevance. At least the flight got off the runway, even if Chief Pilot Minnis and Navigator Desmond Bannister paid no apparent heed to the sputtering of the engines and the head winds. Now, brother Michael Pintard (FNM-Marco City) has launched his not so coy bid for “leader” of the rumpest of political entities – the Free National Movement. Is this a case of empty political paper bags?

It has been suggested that when Pintard was Chairman of the FNM that he had several meetings with characters known as Togie and Bogo or something similar and that there were discussions to generate alleged documents. Pintard was obliged to step down as Chairman.

This man is delusional if he believes, even for a nano second, that he is able or capable to best Brave at the next national polls. Is this the same Pintard who once ran up against the brick wall of the Most Hon Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, MP, QC, over in Cat Island; Rum Cay & San Salvador a few years ago? He could not beat Brave then what makes him think that he’d be able to do so in this life time? Empty paper bags.........part two.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr

Nassau,

November 7, 2021.