The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Those of us who are reading this submission are blessed and highly favoured. We made it into a brand New Year. Had it not been for The Lord, many of us would not be here right now. Many of our fellow Bahamians have; by natural death; debilitating illness; suicide or a violent demise gone across the Jordan. Those of us who yet remain, have much to be thankful for and I daresay that we have great anticipations.

As I have submitted before, 2023 was a year of resurrection. 2024 will be the year of anticipation. Over the course of the last two years, Philip “Brave” Davis, KC, MP and his parliamentary team were placed in the unenviable position where the devastated economy and bare national treasury had to be rationalised; stabilised and reengineered. These were not easily achieved.

No, the PM and the PLP do not walk on water and, unlike Joshua of old, they are incapable of ordering the Sun to stand still in Gideon. What they have done, however, is to ‘right’ many of the absolutely ‘bad’ decisions and policy positions of the now defunct and badly fractured FNM and then Prime Minister, the Most Competent Hubert A Minnis (FNM-Killarney). The latter, unfortunately, was struck with body blows, economically and politically, just after coming in to high office.

The nation went through a living nightmare and was literally seeing and hearing things for almost the entire shortened term in office of the Minnis’ interregnum. It took assorted Acts of God (the dissipation of the worst of the effects of COVID-19) and lifting of the mandatory restrictions and curtailment of movement imposed by Minnis and Company, along with the timely election of the Davis administration for us to start to catch ourselves again.

What will 2024 unfold and what will be revealed to the New Day administration? Do we collectively have a bucket list for this year or will we make hard choices and continue on with the job of reconstruction? Bahamians by and large have huge anticipations, as we should going forward. The PM and his team should know and understand precisely what has to be done or corrected. In my last editorial submission for 2023 I plainly laid out what I think that are most pressing at this critical junction.

Business as usual has to change if the justified and expected anticipations of the masses are to be realised. Crime remains much too high and senseless killings and the infliction of serious bodily harm continues to be vexing. As long as our final court of Appeal is the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, I daresay that there will not be another state sanctioned execution for the crime of murder. So what do we do in these debilitating situations?

As a disbarred lawyer who once commanded 90% of the then homicide cases, I am more than aware that the construction of more courts and even a bigger jail will not, of themselves, ‘solve’ crime and the fear of crime. The Church and the traditional family structure have fallen, generally, by the wayside and the system, especially with the younger generations, has become one of ‘every man for himself and God for us all’. Those two aforementioned units have been replaced by the state itself and Bahamians expect the government to step in and do their jobs.

We have become too callous and slack in many cases so long as events do not cross our doors. I have been advocating for decades the absolute necessity of a form of National Youth Service. Over the past few years I have advised the now PM to do just that posthaste. It is to be noted that the Hon Wayne Munroe (PLP-Free Town) our erstwhile Minister of National Security recently publicly declared that this was a priority of the Davis administration. I fully agree with him, but differ, economically and fundamentally of the proposed construction of a 50-odd million dollars new jail.

Bahamians here in New Providence need affordable housing desperately and like from yesterday. We have become a people who are assigned to be chronic renters or ‘slackers’ on relatives. Any progressive government should prioritise affordable housing here in New Providence and liberalise the genuine grant of Crown Land to qualified individuals in the Family Islands. In fact, I suggest that many Bahamians who are currently living in New Providence would have little problems financing and constructing a modest residence on selected Family Islands and commuting back and forth as necessary.

Our trade and vocational institutions must be expanded and modernised as rapidly as possible. Everyone cannot be a rocket scientist, but many of them do have inclinations and are semi-skilled in assorted trades and vocations. Let us maximise this and create self employed entrepreneurs or highly in demand trained employees. This is a win/win situation and one which will cut back on crime and wayward useless societal behaviour.

It is also anticipated that Members of Parliament will become more receptive to those same constituents who propelled them into power. Too many of our home grown politicians, once elected and elevated become almost like a Dr Jekel and Mr Hyde (or is it hide?). The average Bahamian is right to expect and anticipate accountable and reasonable accountability. If the Davis administration were to adhere to just a few of the above anticipations and expectations, I prophecy that it would be in power for at least the remainder of this term and another term, the Lord willing. Oh, by the way, hook up with a Bible based sanctuary (Like Life Changers Ministries International/Bishop Valentine Williams) in 2024.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr

Nassau,

January 1, 2024.