“Gibson blasts We March – Minister says group is ‘100 percent political’” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Minister of Labor Shane Gibson said yesterday he is 100 percent convinced that the We March group and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), which called for industrial action last week, are driven purely by politics, and he called on We March to show the Bahamian people where it is getting its funding from.

Gibson said the group’s and the union’s call for an occupation of Bay Street last week was designed to steal the momentum from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) convention, but they failed in their efforts to do so.”

I find it amazing that each and every time that someone asks for accountability and transparency from this government, this government then turns around and accuses them of trying to destabilize the Progressive Liberal Party government. Is it that if this government knows that if it were to actually be truthful with the Bahamian people then the façade that they have took soon long to build and have put forth to the people will actually be seen for what it really is; fill of cracks and flaws?  Is Mr. Gibson implying that his Progressive Liberal Party government cannot and dare not afford themselves the luxury of actually being open and transparent?

Now, I ask Minister Gibson, not where his party is getting funding from but it is question worth asking another time but rather exactly where is the money collected from value-added tax (VAT) going or being spent?  Because the explanation given by the Minister of State for Finance seemed to be nothing more than an extensive exercise in ‘alterative facts’ and these ‘facts’ are being revealed each and every day for what they are, nothing but falsehoods.

Minister Shane Gibson goes out of his way to attempt to discredit the We March organization,  and he makes the statement that ‘he is 100 percent convinced that the We March group and he Trade Union Congress (TUC) ……are driven purely by politics’ but we must bear in mind that this very man is one in a group that are convinced that Perry Christie is the ‘right man for the job’ as the leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and as Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, when he [the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie] has proven time and time again that he is void of ideas of moving the country forward as Prime Minister and sadly it shows,

So I leave with this, if the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) as a political organization along with Shane Gibson feel that Perry Christie is the ‘right man for the job’ to lead the PLP and run it into the ground, this is fine but we the Bahamian people have been made painfully aware of his ineptitude and incompetence even if he is not aware of these attributes, through his many failures and wish no longer to be associated with him.

Indeed, we want nothing else to do with the man.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

After the votes had come in at the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) leadership race, with Perry Chritie getting 1,264 votes and challenger Alfred Sears getting 196 votes for a total of 1,433 vote out a possible 4,000 plus votes, some of us wonder what happened to the other 64 per cent of votes while the rest of us listen intently to the ‘language’ of the two person taking part in the leadership race.

“Sears: I have no regrets” The Nassau Guardian 27 January 2017

Excerpt from this article; “After the results came in conforming his blistering defeat to Prime Minister Perry Christie in the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) leadership race yesterday, Attorney Alfred Sears told reporters he had no regrets.

Sears captures only 169 votes compared to Christie’s 1,264.

‘I stand on my conviction,’ said Sears at a press conference at SuperClub Breezes down the street from Melia Nassau Beach Resort where PLP’s were preparing for the final night of the election year convention.

‘I am proud to have done what I believe is right and not simply what was easy.  I believe that because of my candidacy, there is a move – no matter how small – in the right direction for the Bahamas and the Progressive Liberal Party.”

Mr. Sears, exactly what was the conviction that you stood on?  As you have intimated that the party that you would have us believe has been made stronger because of the obviously flawed and unfair leadership process is now somehow magically been made democratic – No, we still look at you with jaded eye because we feel; well actually know that nothing has changed and now wonder if you were ever serious about bringing about change but at the very end of the day this is a conversation for you to have with your god and while you converse with your god and try to figure out just where you may have gone wrong in partaking in what now seems to have only been an exercise in energizing your base, we now look at the rather strange utterances of the Prime Minister  wherein he wins the leadership race by a 9 to 1 advantage but yet pleas to the persons in attendance and those with the stomach strong enough to watch is farce to return him to power later this year.

“Emboldened PM makes pitch for another term”

Excerpt from this article; “A thankful Prime Minister Perry Christie told Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supporters last night that he was humbled by the overwhelming vote of confidence placed in him and thanked delegates for returning him as leader of the PLP.

On the final night of the party’s convention – the first since 2009 – Christie pledged to not let his supporters down, insisting that he will prove himself worthy each day of the support reposed in him ‘so generously today.”  I must point out to the Prime Minister that notwithstanding the outcome of the outcome of the Progressive Liberal Party’s convention he has already let the country down and whereas his supporters that chanted ‘Christie or nuttin’ may feel that he has succeeded due to the fact that he has won a general election as leader of that political organization in the past, we the public have sat back and watched him as he continuously fail as Prime Minister for the past four and a half years.

Indeed, Mr. Christie it is too late to prove yourself of support because you have already proven yourself worthy of being replaced – it is time to move on so that the country can heal and progress and it cannot do this with you as Prime Minister or with the Progressive Liberal Party as the government, as this political institution has only proven one thing over their three day convention and this is that they are resistant to change.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

The results of the Progressive Liberal Party ‘s (PLP) leadership race at its recent national convention has proven one thing; that the organization and many of its supporters are not in the least interested in positive/progressive change for that political organization itself and for the country as a whole.  This, in my opinion, is a very sad indictment on the electorate that decided to be involved in the process who saw fit to return to power as leader, a man that has proven continuously that he is completely void of any progressive ideas to move the country forward and to bring about positive change to the lives of the many people that are suffering due to his ineptitude and incompetence.

“Slaughtered – Christie wins 88% of vote” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) delegates yesterday voted overwhelmingly to keep Prime Minister Perry Christie as their leader, crushing the hopes of his only challenger, Alfred Sears.

Minutes after 8 p.m., PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts took to the stage and confirmed to jubilant PLP supporters that Christie received 1,264 votes, while Sears got 169 votes.

Supporters inside the packed ballroom of the Melia Nassau Beach and those outside clad in Christie paraphernalia rejoiced.

Ecstatic at the announcement they had been waiting on for hours; many supporters waved signs of Christie that read: ‘Still the right man for the job’.

Others shouted, ‘One leader ‘, a refrain throughout the speeches made at the PLP’s final night of convention.

This is the first leadership race – and first convention for the party- in seven years.”

It is interesting and amusing the manner in which some things play out; because as soon as the term ‘alternative facts’ began to trend, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) held its first conventions in seven years but then that is another discussion for another day.  There can be little to no dispute that under the Progressive Liberal Party governance with Perry Christie as its leader and Prime Minister of the country, the country has been headed in the wrong direction and very rapidly. 

The Progressive Liberal Party boost of the creation of 31,000 jobs been created under this administration but yet we have never before seen this level of unemployment.

The Progressive Liberal Party boosts of it ‘war on crime’ but even though it is fact that under this current government the cumulative murder count has surpassed that on any previous administration, we have the Minister of National Security telling us that “the country was made safer for Bahamians.”

This government boost of doubling the investment in education and moving the College of The Bahamas to university status yet educators are still plagued with unsafe environments to educate our ‘little darlins’ and also of the lack of proper resources.

The government boosts of finally getting the finances of the country on ‘good footing’ but yet there have been little to no opportunities under this Progressive Liberal Party government to provide the opportunity for Bahamians to actually be owners of the economy.

I can go on but what it is the sense because the point has been made; the past three days of ‘jubilation’, now known as the Progressive Liberal Party’s convention can only be seen as an exercise in ‘alternative facts’.

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supports say that Prime Minister Perry Christie is “the right man for the job” and I wonder which job is that.  As is he is not fit to run the organization that has re-elected him as leader much less The Commonwealth of The Bahamas; indeed he has been a failure and needs to come to this realization.

It will be interesting to see what Alfred Sears next move will be; in light of the fact that he has already intimated that the Progressive Liberal Party as a government and party are corrupt.

On a side note: the vote was Christie: 1,264 and Sears: 169 for a total of 1,433……the total seems odd…….#justdsayin

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

“Sears file complaint – ‘Maneuvers put Christie at significant advantage” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Stating that the rules governing the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) elections today ‘lack the requisite fairness and transparency’, leadership contender Alfred Sears has filed a formal complaint to the party’s trustees, whom he said have had formal notice of his candidacy since August 7, 2016.

Sears confirmed in the letter that more than 300 stalwart councilors were ratified last week Thursday and suggested this and other developments have called into question the integrity of the elections.”

Okay, my very first question as I decide whether to laugh or cry over this situation is, is Mr. Alfred Sears really asking for and expecting accountability and transparency from the Progressive Liberal Party and its present leader Perry Christie?  Has Mr. Sears been paying attention to the manner in which this PLP government treats those that ask for accountability and transparency from them?

Has Mr. Sears been paying attention to the manner in which this Progressive Liberal Party government has treated members of the organization that put together the We March Bahamas protest asking for transparency and accountability from this government?

Then there is the democratic way is which they deal with certain issues that do not come out in the way that they anticipate.

There was the democratic, transparent and accountable manner in which this very same PLP government dealt with the outcome of the Gaming Referendum but then again it really was just an expensive opinion poll put on the government, right?  Costing taxpayers 350,000 in consulting fees and $1.2-$1.5 million for the actually exercise itself – “That’s where the VAT money gone!”

It has always been my contention that democracy only exists in the Progressive Liberal Party organization and government when it is convenient to them, but if it goes against either or both then democracy can be overlooked.

‘Democracy conveniently’ overlooked by this political organization is how this organization has managed to violate their very own party’s constitution and not hold a national convention in close to a decade but no outcry from its party members, including Mr. Sears himself.

In light of this, how can Mr. Sears now expect ‘fairness’ from this very same set of persons whom he himself has endorsed to run the affairs of the country for the next five years?

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) opened its national convention last night, the first since 2009; not too shabby for a democratic organization that governs the country but just cannot seem to follow its very own constitution which calls for a national convention every year.

What I found most impressive about the night is that the party chose this forum to finally explain to the country, to whom they are accountable, where the money collected from Value-Added Tax (VAT) has been going.

“That’s where the VAT money gone’ – Halkitis claims finances on good footing” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “In an attempt to silence repeated calls for the government to detail exactly how value-added tax (VAT) revenue has been spent since its implimentatin in 2015, Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis provided a breakdown of what he claimed was the government’s use of the money when he addressed the Porgressive Liberal Party (PLP) convention last night.

VAT was introduced in January 2015 at a rate of 7.5 percent nearly $1 billion has been collected to date.

Despite giving consideration to exempting VAT on utilities and certain other services, the government opted to tax ‘across the board’.

‘As a result of our reform program and despite a stubbornly difficult global environment, we have been able to get our finances on good footing, while at the same time doubling the investment in scholarships from $7.73million to $16.3 million” Halkitis told supporters.”

First I must commend the government on the great job that they have done with the economy, especially after introducing Value-Added Tax and only having the credit rating of the Bahamas downgraded four times.  It is amazing how the Free National Movement (FNM) administration before them, without the help of VAT only had the sovereign credit rating of the country downgraded……well never did, even at the worst times of the global recession.

The ‘report’ by Michael Halkitis, Minister of State for Finance is somewhat worrying due to the fact that as he claims of better economics times ahead and having the county’s ‘finances on good footing’, the unemployment rate continues to climb as more and more persons within the middle class area, the sector of the society that really drives the economy, shrinks at an alarming rate.

As the minister of state finance speaks to spending the funds collect from VAT on moving the College of the Bahamas to University status, rolling out the first stage of National Health Insurance, a new fleet of aircrafts for BahamasAir and hurricane rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Joaquin, when will really tell the Bahamian people that some of these initiatives required borrowing by the government; so just how much…..you  know what never mind…..

The Progressive

While Alfred Sears asks for the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to be fair at its upcoming national convention, the leader of the party shows that he is unable to even face reality and/or be honest with the people of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas; so exactly why would/should Alfred Sears expect the Progressive Liberal Party that ‘worships’ Mr. Christie to be fair?

“PM: 32,000 new jobs in this term – Christie says economy on path to recovery.” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “The Christie administration has created 32,000 jobs this term, which demonstrates that the economy is on a path to recovery, Prime Minister Perry Christie declared yesterday.

‘No matter what they say about the Progressive Liberal Party, let the statistics put out by the statistics  department speak for us,’ said Christie while addressing the PLP prayer breakfast at the Melia Nassua Beach hotel, kicking off convention week.

‘We have created, since we came to power, not withstanding a challenging economy, over 31,000 jobs, near 32,000 jobs and counting.”

I must say that I commend the person that can stomach such complete and utter nonsense the very first thing in the morning, as for myself at that time of the morning my stomach is just too weak for it all.  First of all, as the Prime Minister now seeks to use the statistics from the Department of Statistics to prove that his administration has indeed spurred ‘tremendous’ job growth; 32,000 over the past 4 and half years; which is about 7,111 jobs per year, I would like to ask of him, is this the very same Department of Statistics that his administration seems to have had a problem with when they contradict their ‘numbers’ last year?  One day they are right and the next day they are dead wrong.

I must say that I am very interested to see the job statistics from which the Prime Minister pulled this figure of his administration creating 32,000 jobs because it would also be very interesting to compare these new jobs to the growing economy, wherein the middle class is indeed growing, creating job opportunities for other individuals, isn’t this what is happening Mr. Prime Minister?  Now if the Prime Minister wants to be completely honest he would have to admit that he is referring to jobs from Junkanoo-Carnival and those related to the last Hurricane because this government has neither created any new permanent jobs or even created the opportunity or atmosphere for them to be created, which takes us back to the failure of this administration to make Bahamian citizen owners of their own economy.

My main point now being of the number of jobs created by the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government through its various initiatives as is suggested, just how many of them are sustainable jobs?

When I say sustainable, I mean just how many will last long term?  How many opportunities has the government created for willing entrepreneurs to actually start a business of their own, thereby contributing to the economy and also by helping reduce the unemployment rate by hiring people that will also in turn contribute to society?

It is time for a serious conversation and not one dominated by the Prime Minister and his false statistics because we have gone beyond this and the people are asking and wanting and needing more.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

This past week in politics has brought about some very interesting developments, one being the statement by Prime Minister Perry Christie; “Worst day in PLP is better than best day in FNM”, now either he is talking about within his actual organization, as he seeks to make a comparison in which case he is still wrong as he can only assume as to the actual state of the Free National Movement (FNM) from what he has heard i.e. hearsay.

If the Prime Minister is actually speaking to the state of the country, as he should be, and suggesting that persons are better off under the present administration, then all I can only surmise is that the Prime Minister is preaching to a very special, select and specific audience; one that denies truth, fact and logic.

Under the previous Free National Movement (FNM) administration, at the height or depth of a global recession the unemployment rate was never as high as it is now and the country’s credit rating held steady; while under the current Progressive Liberal Party with Perry Christie at the helm, the citizens have been lived with a seven and half percent (7.5%) Value-Added Tax (VAT), which to date by the governments very own assessment has exceeded all expectation bringing in an extra one billion dollars in tax revenue and even in light of this government borrowing has also exceeded all expectations and the country’s credit rating has been downgraded four times, putting it at junk status.

Bahamian ownership of the Bahamian economy has come to a complete halt.  Under the Free National Movement (FNM), when BTC was sold at the very least shares were set aside to be offered to the public to give the average citizen some ownership in their very own economy; under the Progressive Liberal Party these shares were never offered to the public and still belong to the government of The Bahamas.

When the Arawak Cay Development Cay project was under taken, shares were again offered to the public and although the PLP government pushes the agenda of the FNM catering to the ‘rich whites’, there was the beginning of moving economic wealth to the average Bahamian citizen. 

Since the Progressive Liberal Party has come to power a portion of the Bahamas Electrical Cooperation (BEC) now Bahama Power and Light (BPL) has been sold to a private entity with no offering of partial ownership to the average Bahamian citizen.  This same thing as been seen at the city dump; there is NO involvement of the Bahamian public; there is no ownership by the Bahamian citizen in these entities but this would have been a certainty under the previous Free National Movement (FNM) government and will be a surety under a future FNM administration.

The government introduced BAMSI with the goal to bring about self sufficiency in the supply of food or at least with the goal to decreases2 the need for food import greatly, again this government did not seem to see it as prudent to involve the Bahamian in this endeavor that would greatly affect the future of the country and yes there are people being trained but whatever happened to Bahamian ownership? But yet Prime Minister Perry Christie says “I want you [the Bahamian people] to have an attitude that PLP or nuttin’” but why should anyone have this attitude when they only see things getting worst for themselves and their children?

The PLP labeled the FNM the “Foreign National Party” saying that under the FNM Bahamians need not apply, while under the Progressive Liberal Party the average Bahamian citizen does not even seem to exist………until it is time to vote.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

Yesterday in New Providence was like the movie “The Purge”, with reports of all sorts of outlandish, unbelievable and illegal acts taking place; fortunately most of the reports were just rumors.  One of these acts took place at the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) headquarters during a candidate ratification exercise; this I also thought was yet another outlandish rumor upon first hearing it but I have come to find out this morning that is it actually a very sad reality.

“Worst days in PLP is better than best days in FNM” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “As hundreds of Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supporters cheered him last night, Prime Minister Perry Christie declared that the PLP is an infinitely better choice to govern The Bahamas then the Free national Movement (FNM) and urged them to be serious in ensuring that their party does not squander an opportunity to return to office after the general election.

‘We have our own people who express some disappointments, but you are in the bedrock of our support,’ Christie said.

“You have to think of the kind of democracy that we live in….I want you to go straight through with the PLP.’

“I want you to have an attitude that PLP or ‘nuttin’ because you have to believe as PLP supporters that the worst day under the PLP is better than the best day in the FNM.”

Mr. Prime Minister, exactly what type of democracy do we live in because according to the Progressive Liberal Party government it can be safely deduced that democracy is only applicable under this government when it is convenient; so is this to say that we live under a flexible and convenient form of democracy?

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) as the oldest and seemingly most organized political organization in the country has shown that democracy is something to be applied when only absolutely necessary; as can be seen in the fact that this party has deprived it members of the democratic right to choose a new leader or re-elected the present leader by not holding a general convention within the past eight years although constitutionally the party is mandated to have one every two years and then there was the matter of the flip flop on the Gaming Referendum, but these are small things, right?

What I find most outlandish is the statement by the prime minister, suggesting that the present Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) administration has done a better job than the previous Free National Movement (FNM) administration; this is totally and completely asinine even for the Prime Minister to think much less say a loud.  The main reason being that the present PLP administration with the Hon. Perry Christie as Minister of Finance, have been horrible stewards of the country’s economy and even with the tax reform; the introduction of Value-Added Tax (VAT) and global economies improving, the county has still suffered four sovereign credit ratings downgrades, while unemployment still continues to raise; how does one even do this?

But yet the Prime Minister would still make the bold statement of “Worst days in PLP is better than best days in FNM”, he must mean within the actual party itself, because he cannot be referring to the country at large, unless he really had reached a point of being as he was described earlier this week in The Guardian; “A desperate man with a burgeoning god complex”; which I figured was nice because the rest of us just see him a ‘crazy’.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

“Christie: I will go beyond Sir Lynden – PM wants continued rule” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Perry Christie said he plans to serve as an MP beyond even late Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader and Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling.

His comments came as he spoke to the importance of separating politics from the healthcare system yesterday.

‘One of the dangers of The Bahamas is our politics.’

Christie said while speaking at the opening ceremony of the integrated health information management system (IHIMS).

‘I’m in a category of my own, because now, only Sir Roland Symonette and Sir. Lynden have served longer than I am, and by the grace of God, in another short period of time, I will go beyond Sir. Lynden.

‘I’m not talking about elections, you know.

I’m not talking about elections, you know.

‘If you care to know, I’ve won eight consecutive elections, and it’s not a question of whether I will win again.  I’m not raising that.

‘The point I’m making is that we have to be discerning as a country, particularly in the field of healthcare as to how we engage our politics, because the people involved in dispensing services in the field of health are the last people in the world to be in political.”

Mr. Prime Minister, what exactly are you talking about as you attempt to disparage the Leader of the Free National Movement (FNM) Dr. Hubert Minnis and freely and openly allow your Chairman, Mr. Bradley Roberts, to attach pastor Duncombe based solely on their chosen professions.  Maybe your government will put together a list of professions that cannot enter the political arena and share it with the rest of the country because by your very own intimations, the Minister of National Security and member of Parliament for Bain and Grants Town, the Hon. Bernard Nottage needs to step down immediately, it this what you are talking about or are you being even more asinine and shallow than this?

To tell the truth, I was actually afraid for a moment, thinking that Prime Minister Perry Christie was suggesting that he would suppress Sir. Lynden in terms of achievement as Prime Minister and what he had/has contributed to the country but Mr. Christie cannot even to think to commit such a ‘sin’ especially given his dismal record as Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and given the fact that he has lied to his party promising not to serve a full term but now seeking to serve even more.

It now seems that Perry Christie has out himself into to a ‘race’ with Sir Lynden, who served as Prime Minister for twenty five (25) consecutive years; doesn’t he realize that he has already lost that ‘race’.

I am beginning to get the feeling that for Mr. Christie, The Office of Prime Minister (OPM) is not a place in which to effect forward growth for the county but rather a status symbol which he now seeks to use to outdo his predecessor in Sir Lynden Pindling.  This seem to have become like a basketball game to him; like LeBron seeking to outdo Michael Jordon in winning championships and rings – is this the way in which Perry Christie now views his stint as Prime Minister?

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

There is a saying that goes if you have nothing good to say then say nothing at all, then there is the adage; “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt”; I do not know where to place Mr. Bradley Roberts, Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) today, as he needlessly attacks the leader of the Gate Keepers, Pastor Jeremiah Duncombe.

“Roberts tells Duncombe stick to religion” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “After leader of the Gatekeepers Pastor, Pastor Jeremiah Duncombe, confirmed that his group was in talks with Official Opposition Leader Loretta Butler-Turner with a view to forming a coalition, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts suggested Duncombe ‘stick to religion’ rather than venture into politics.

‘Pastor Duncombe needs to stick to what he knows best and that is religion.’ Roberts said when he was contacted for comment yesterday.’

‘This is not his field.  Not at all”

I keep cautioning our politicians that sometime when someone puts a microphone in your face or as in this case calls you for comment; the best comment is ‘no comment’ but it would seem that Mr. Roberts did not get his memo.

I take issue with Mr. Roberts brash remark to Pastor Duncombe not for the fact of who he talking to and the brash manner  in which Mr. Roberts chooses to address someone on a subject that is basically none of his business but the comments amuse me and I do find them absolutely amazing seeing as whom they are coming from and the company that that he keeps.

I would strongly advise Mr. Roberts’ that these very same words that he directs at the leader of the Gatekeepers, he should sit down and have a serious talk with Prime Minister Perry Christie about, because whereas he may have handled the running of the Progressive Liberal Party organization fairly well; leaving must to be asked of and desired of this political organization; as leader of the country, The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, he [Prime Minister] Perry Christie really needs ‘to stick with what he knows best’, whatever that may be.

Like I said it is quite amusing and absolutely amazing

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END