The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

The nation is in a treadmill sort of mode, in my view. This statement is not to generate a sense of anxiety but one designed, deliberately, to bring to the forefront those issues of public policy and initiatives which directly impact the quality of life and well being of tens of thousands of ordinary Bahamians, if there are any of them left.

Health care has been debated in our wonderful nation from the time hammer was yet an infant hatchet. Successive administrations have spent millions of dollars of taxpayers money on elusive studies. The public has been and is being ill served by our national health care system. This administration and the current Minister of Health do not appear to be friendly towards the demands recently made by a representative group of medical doctors. Their morale on the job may well have been and may still be a debilitating effect on the quality and time lined delivery of health care to the bulk of our people.

What is ironic is that the Most Honourable Prime Minister, Dr Hubert A Ingraham (FNM-Killarney) and his hapless Minister of Health, Dr Duane Sands (FNM-Elizabeth) are both medical doctors of long standing. As such, they should have first hand knowledge of the issues and concerns of fellow professionals. What is the problem with bringing resolution to the simmering unrest? Surely, it cannot be about money, not when and where the collective health of our people is concerned. The devil is still a liar.

Adequate and affordable housing is another vexing issue of national public policy. Here in New Providence, where more than 65% of the known population lives, residential land that is affordable to the lower and middle classes is but a pipe dream and an impossibility. The Crown, via the administration of the day, has access to acres and acres of land right here in New Providence that could be laid out in subdivisions, complete with all (underground) utilities, and sold at almost zero to qualified applicants.

Instead of the Ministry of Housing getting involved in the financing and construction of homes, that ministry would simply vet potential contractors and the latter would enter into construction contracts, directly, with the relevant parties. The administration should also consider the feasibility of leasing Crown land here in New Providence to private developers for the construction of project styled single and double bedroom apartments. For too long we have shied away from multi-family housing projects because all of you want your own home. This is now difficult so we will have to innovate.

Crime continues to be an issue. The Minister of National Security seems to be on a mission to dismantle and demoralise the armed forces. Many serving officers are uncertain about their future and tenure. Who are not being sent home on vacation others are being kept at the same rank for decades, or so they say.

If officers are uncertain about these issues do you expect them, ordinarily, to leave home each day or night and get this sort of treatment? I’d think not…the Most Honourable Prime Minister needs to address this and other issues post haste. Crime and rehabilitation seems to have been relegated to the back burners. More will be submitted on these in another missive.

I wish Dr Minnis and them all the best but, man, they have got to cut the Bahamian people some slack. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr

Nassau

November 14, 2019.