The Tribune

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

ELECTION’S comin’, get ready for the ride.

The past week has shown, if nothing else, that the political circus is well and truly on the way to town.

The PLP held a meeting last week, and it’s no surprise that the FNM were in his sights.

He could have talked more about what his party is doing, he could have talked more about what the government’s plans for the economy will mean for your pocket and mine, sure, but where’s the fun in that?

Not when you can call the opposition a party of elites.

The Tribune reported that he accused the opposition of being silent on the issue of monopolies and of failing to prioritise the economic well-being of ordinary Bahamians.

The Tribune further reported that he suggested – without bothering to supply any evidence – that the FNM’s failure to comment or address these issues is tied to their financial backers.

He said the PLP would benefit all Bahamians, not just a select few, saying: “If one person or one set of people own everything. All the time, then they can charge what they like.”

Such an accusation, like the alleged financial backers he chose to complain about, is a bit rich.

After all, this is the same party that notably gathered after a previous election victory with Peter Nygard – not that there’s any urgency to deal with Mr Nygard’s alleged crimes here in The Bahamas, even while he’s all packed up in a cell in Canada and awaiting further charges in New York.

There are serious allegations about Mr Nygard here – including suggested involvement from senior figures to protect and cover his crimes – and yet the last we heard about any investigation here was that the police commissioner couldn’t lay hold of the files. That was Commissioner Fernander – maybe Commissioner Knowles will have better luck navigating the filing system.

Did Nygard, a multimillionaire who used his own resort-style home to host lavish parties and garner favour with political leaders, count as an elite?

Over the years, the government has also appeared quite close to some figures from CCA Bahamas as well – so much so that a senior China Construction America executive who played a key role in the Baha Mar dispute appeared to have been appointed a “special envoy to China” by the Bahamian government. Daniel Liu was described as such in a brochure for SilverStar Management Group Company, for which he is named as the president and managing director.

Fred Mitchell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said Mr Liu was a special envoy – but not to China. He said: “He may have a designation from time to time as a ‘special envoy’ but not special envoy to China.”

At the time, back in November, former Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar, asked whether Mr Liu is now a Bahamian citizen or has attained permanent residency. He also noted that Mr Liu provides “construction management services for the University of The Bahamas”. He said: “This gentleman is getting a lot of contracts from the Government of The Bahamas and a lot of appointments from the Government of The Bahamas. One has to wonder.”

Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis went on to ask in the House of Assembly: “Why are the details of his hiring being kept secret? … Why is he a special envoy for The Bahamas? Who requested that he be made a special envoy?”

He too asked if Mr Liu is a Bahamian citizen – or a citizen of other countries, and when and under what circumstances he was granted citizenship if so. Answers were not forthcoming.

Does a former senior executive of a foreign business count as an elite?

That is without even talking about some of the familiar faces with substantial wallets that are often seen around events hosted by this administration – and around contracts awarded by the same.

This is not to say that the FNM is necessarily without criticism in this regard – just that one should be wary of throwing stones from within a glasshouse.

Mr Davis also weighed in on FNM political infighting, pointing up the apparent rift between Dr Minnis and current party leader Michael Pintard.

Anyone with eyes and ears can see that rift, so it makes for good political haymaking for the prime minister to play it up.

And he is right in some ways – pointing up the foolishness of suggesting that a former prime minister needs to take training sessions before he can run to become an MP again.

It does look like the FNM has created a process to make sure that they have an excuse to exclude anyone who doesn’t follow the process – but I’m sure the PLP structure has its own issues.

Indeed, given the over-the-top reaction to an advertisement in this newspaper last week that suggested JoBeth Coleby-Davis for deputy leader of the PLP instead of Chester Cooper, it seems quite easy to tread on a nerve.

There was such a round of people denying responsibility for the advertisement last week that you’d think Shaggy was in town. “It wasn’t me” was a common refrain.

I was more amused to note the number of people in political positions demanding to know who had placed the advert. At long last, an interest in transparency. While they’re at it, could they perhaps get round to the declarations required by the public disclosures law? Or is it transparency for you and not for me?

Meanwhile, bubbling away in the background at the weekend were the election results from the local government elections.

My Whatsapp was filled with claims from both sides of success for each party’s representatives. Usually, midway through a term, support tends to go the way of the party in charge. Otherwise, you might find yourself cutting off your nose to spite your face. No funds coming the way for the party in opposition, that’s the worry.

So we will see what the outcome of the vote is – and gaze at the tea leaves afterwards to see what it means for the future.

But one thing we can certainly predict for the future – there will be a lot more political mudslinging between now and the next general election.