The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

WITH the next general election less than two weeks away, Bahamians have mixed views about which party should be elected to lead the country as it faces the worst economic and health crises of our time.

The Tribune canvassed areas in the Bain’s and Grant’s Town and Centreville communities yesterday to hear the opinions of Bahamians, many of whom were not afraid to share their thoughts on who they think is the best choice to lead the country during these critical times.

One of them was Terrance Rose, of Bain’s and Grant’s Town.

Mr Rose said he believed Free National Movement incumbent Travis Robinson had served the community well given the circumstances and deserves a second term like the rest of his FNM colleagues. “In my opinion, I think the FNM do good and they deserve another chance,” he said.

“Mr Robinson deserves another chance and he’s young. The only thing with Robinson is he would have to come out a little more to see his people, but he was working tirelessly behind the scenes. When it was the value added tax, Mr Robinson voted against it for his constituency. They fired him and rehired him back and I think he deserves a second chance.”

However, these views were not shared by another area resident, Mary Coakley who claimed Mr Robinson has been missing in action since being elected to represent the community.

“I don’t even see him,” she said. “I’ve never seen him. I’ve heard about him but I’ve never seen him. I know the other one, Mr (Bernard) Nottage because that was his office right there and I used to see him all the time but I haven’t seen any Mr Robinson. I’ve never seen his face and I only hear his name so that’s no good reputation.”

The 75-year-old also said the nation is in need of a change, saying the current government has failed to successfully manage the pandemic and serve the Bahamian people among other things.

“To me, they haven’t done good. I think where they went wrong with this pandemic when they allowed people to go home and quarantine. In the first place if you find someone positive, they shouldn’t be sent home to quarantine because the people go home and they ain’t gone quarantine and I feel like they should’ve had a place for people to quarantine and that is why this thing is spreading so much, so I feel like they could’ve responded better.”

Asked if she thinks the FNM should be re-elected, she replied: “I don’t think so, but that’s my view.”

Altonise Knowles, of Centreville, gave similar sentiments.

“I give the government a five for their response to the pandemic and with Dorian, well I have seen no response with Dorian people because as usual, the (FNM) had a lot of talks, what you read and you hear, what they’re saying and to me they say they borrow so much of money for Dorian, but I have yet to see where the money gone,” she said.

Ms Knowles also noted recent reports alleging government corruption does not help the party’s chances in securing a second consecutive win.

“(The Prime Minister) has too much things going on with too much of his MPs what are sitting with him. Too much things are coming out and when you look at that, that’s giving them a bad name so it’s too much of a scandal for them right now,” she added.

However, for Centreville resident Arthur Nairn, no other party could have better handled the country’s affairs in the wake of COVID-19 and Hurricane Dorian’s devastation than the Minnis administration.

“I believe that the government handled it stellarly based on the fact that it’s something unprecedented,” he said. “These are arduous times with the economy being what it is. The government is trying its best to keep the people safe and stimulate the economy as best as they can,” he said.” I believe at the moment that the hands we’re in are the safest hands.”

Mr Nairn also encouraged Bahamians to not be swayed by the Progressive Liberal Party’s rhetoric on its response plans to COVID-19 pandemic if elected, saying it’s simply not realistic and will only lead the country into chaos.

“The PLP telling you ‘oh, we gonna get rid of (emergency orders) and we gonna get rid of lockdowns.’ That sounds like chaos. That sounds like massive outbreaks on an already overloaded healthcare system, etc, and like I said, the hands that we’re in is still the safest hands to be in.”

However, Barry Kemp said he believes neither of the major political parties deserve to be elected to office and added it’s time for Bahamian people to lend their support behind independent parties if they want to see real change.

“I’m fed up with both of the parties and I feel like most Bahamians now are pretty much fed up with both parties because both parties do the same thing and we getting the same crap and foolishness,” he said.

“They use us like a ping-pong ball, back and forth and they keep promising things for us, they keep promising Freedom of Information (Act), and they keep promising they gonna deal with corruption and it’s never dealt with. So it’s just promises, promises and promises and promise is a comfort to a fool and I think the Bahamian people on the whole are tired of the promises and I don’t support any of the two.”

Photos: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff