The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said yesterday the government has been doing more “talking” than “execution”.

“In terms of executing we are now at the stage now where people are frustrated with policymakers in general, because they are hearing more talk than they are seeing execution.

“And there are ample proposals on the table right now that the Prime Minister and his team need to execute and clearly, they lack focus right now,” Mr Pintard told The Tribune.

Mr Pintard’s comments were in response to Prime Minister Phillip Davis who said on Monday that the government’s top priorities for this year will include tackling inflation, creating more job opportunities for Bahamians and fostering youth empowerment.

“We’re hoping to be able to create more opportunities for Bahamians, to empower them and to better their lives and definitely doing initiatives to lower the cost of living, that is key on our agenda as well,” Mr Davis when asked about his administration’s plans for 2023.

“(We’re) hoping to launch the youth guard programme, which intends to capture the youth to build our communities and to help reduce the effects of crime,” Mr Davis said.

Mr Pintard said if the government wants to create opportunities for Bahamians it should increase blended funding for entrepreneurs, adding to promote the country to produce its own goods instead of importing.

“So, what we recommend is that the government increase blended funding for entrepreneurs, so that entrepreneurs could fill certain gaps that exist in our economy.

“One of the reasons we are importing so much goods is because we don’t have the capacity in order to produce those particular goods at this time. So, we want to be funding Bahamians who are able to engage in what is called import substitution.”

He stressed that there needs to be a “targeted approach” on how much money is being spent overseas on a variety of things that the country is able to produce on its own.

Mr Pintard also pointed out that the Prime Minister needs to be specific about what prevention methods he will be enforcing to combat crime.

Mr Davis told reporters on Monday there were being measures put in place to address crime, adding it will be a different approach.

“Over the years, I think we have spent too much effort and too much resources on detecting crime, punishing crime without any regard to what I call the preventative measures and rehabilitative measures. Emphasis will be placed on those labours of the crime fighting initiatives,” Mr Davis said.

However, Mr Pintard stressed that prevention of crime starts with positively engaging the youth in the country.

“One of the things that you can do is the empowerment of Bahamian cultural artists. Many of them who are suffering because they don’t have access to sufficient resources and expertise to help them excel in the particular genre of the arts that they are in.”

He continued: “When you talk about preventative methods, the best way to prevent young people from being negatively engaged is to create outlets for them to be positively engaged. And the orange economy in a very specific way has the power to do that.”