After eight years the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) will finally or conveniently enact the democratic process of a national convention in that political organization; despite the fact that the organization’s very own constitution mandates a national convention every two years.  It would also seem that the present leader of the organization, The Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie, is suggesting that he has not come to ask anyone to vote for him just because he is the present leader but rather asking everyone to come together, be unified and vote for him based on this record as leader of the Progressive Liberal Party and as Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas because of what he has done for the country and for the people of the country; as he suggests that is the only person within that organization that is capable of leading it to an election victory and the only person that can continue to improve the lives of the citizens of this country.

It would appear that the ‘bridge to the future’ is no more as Mr. Christie, now 73 years old, has found it necessary within his mind to not endorse a younger and capable person within Alfred Sears but rather compete against him.

“PM eager for another term – Christie calls for unified approach at PLP convention” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “As he gears up for a leadership challenge at the Progressive Liberal Party’s first convention since 2009, Prime Minister Perry Christie spoke of his energy and eagerness to serve another term, as he urged party supporters not to ‘squander’ the opportunity to win the general election.

Speaking before a crowd of jubilant supporters at the PLP’s Women’s Branch meeting yesterday, Mr. Christie brushed off his critics as he spoke of plans his administration looks to finalize before the votes hit the polls this year.

High lightening many of his achievements, Mr. Christie contended that the PLP has done and continues to do ‘everything possible to move The Bahamas forward.’  He also urged party supporters to show the country how strong and unified the PLP is at its upcoming election.

He suggested that despite efforts by a section of his party to unseat him as leader, he will not relent in the forward progress of the country, nor his political work.”  This last statement is a very good reason for Mr. Christie to be made to realize that the time has come for him to retire from front line politics, “he will not relent in the forward progress of the country, nor his political work”?  The questions now moves from ‘Is the Prime Minister delusional’ to ‘How delusional is the Prime Minister?’

As the Prime Minister speaks to his achievements and not those of the Progressive Liberal Party, I find it fitting then to bring my queries of these achievements to his ‘doorstep’.  It is my opinion and I am sure that I am not alone in this assertion, that the country has not improved under this Progressive Liberal Party’s administration and a lot would say that we have actually declined and the quality of life for the average citizen has declined.

Prime Minister Perry Christie would speak to the economic boom that has happened under his watch, and this must be a loud noise in his head as we have watched more persons join the unemployment line, taxes increase, the cost of living increase and our credit rating being downgraded four times since he has taken control on May 7^th, 2012.  The crime rate is out of control as more and more persons find it prudent to get home before dark and lock their doors; still feeling unsafe to even be in a secured  yard with all of their doors locked.  The Progressive Liberal Party, under the leadership of Perry Christie has failed the people of the Bahamas over and over again, as they seem to only cater to special interest groups and those that ‘they know’, leaving the rest of the people that elected them to office to fend for themselves but yet this is the record that Prime Minister Perry Christie would now choose to stand on and offer to not only be re-elected as the leader of the Progressive Liberal Party but also as leader of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas; while many of us wonder, whatever happened to the promise of stepping down after two years?

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

END

“Bradley Roberts: Airspace agreement will bring millions” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts yesterday congratulated the party for having a successful negotiation of a landmark and historic airspace agreement which Prime Minister Perry Christie claims will pump millions into the Bahamian economy.

In a statement issued on Thursday night, Roberts said, ‘It is fitting that such an agreement would be concluded so near to Majority Rule celebrations as the implications of this agreement with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strike at the very foundational principle of self-determination, sovereignty and the identity of the Bahamian people.

These are principles that the PLP holds near and dear and have fought tirelessly for as we continue to build a more perfect Commonwealth.”

Two things I have to give the PLP and the Chairman of the PLP credit for here are the one the bringing about of this agreement and the wonderful things that this will now afford the Bahamas, I must make special mention of “Perry Christies claims [that the new agreement] will pump millions into the Bahamian economy’, I am thinking much how tax reform through the introduction of Value-Added Tax (VAT) has pumped  millions into the Bahamas economy, improving the Bahamas credit rating and improving the economic outlook of the Bahamas on the whole, creating a “more perfect Bahamas”.  I also find it fitting that this comes on the heel of our Majority Rule celebrations when another group would have the audacity to demand transparency and accountability from the Progressive Liberal Party government that has committed itself to the principles of “self-determination, sovereignty and the identity of the national identity of the Bahamian people.”

Indeed, the agreement, in principle, has the potential of providing huge benefits for the aviation industry and also to add money to the governments ‘coffers’ but we have seen far too often that this government can put the most wonderful plans into motion and the country as a whole just fails to benefit from them; a lot of us will wait and see where this road leads us.

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

END

“No progress in investigation of Toggie and Bobo claims” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “The Royal Bahamas Police Force’s investigation into allegations that Lyford Cay resident Peter Nygard orchestrated a murderous plot against his billionaire neighbor Louis Bacon and lawyer Fred Smith QC, ‘is not going anywhere,’ Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade said yesterday.

Although the allegations were contained in the hundreds of pages of affidavits filed by directors of Save the Bays last March, those making the claims never made an official complaint with the RBDF, the police chief said.

Well Toggie and Bobo are back in the news and the case is right where I excepted it to be for whatever reason or the other, that is not what has made the reappearance of this case interesting, well at least not to me.

As Majority Rule Day has recently passed, along with the highly anticipated ‘We March Bahamas’ protest; the issue has again arisen of the ‘evil’, anti-Progressive Liberal Party; anti Bahamian; and unpatriotic forces that are against the current Progressive Liberal Party government but why is it that each and every time someone questions this government they are labeled as such or just plain ‘agents of the Free National Movement’?

It has become quite disturbing to see that one is unable to disagree with the policies or decisions of this PLP government and not be labeled as ‘anti-Progressive Liberal Party; anti Bahamian and unpatriotic’.  When the developers of Baha Mar first began having problems with the government, one of the things that the government first attacked was the theme that Baha Mar had developed for its employees, many of whom were Bahamian and this was the theme of inclusion of “Baha Mar Nation”.  This was attacked by the Progressive Liberal Party government who went on to say that the only nation that exists here is the Bahamas.  The odd thing about this attack was that as they attacked “Baha Mar nation” and a lot of their very own citizens, this PLP government began to involve itself in a dispute between the developer, Sarkis Izmirlian and his Chinese partners, with the government seemingly siding with the Chinese to the determent of their very own citizens.

In the Louis Bacon/Peter Nygard issue, the Progressive Liberal Party government again took issue with their very own Bahamian citizens as these citizens spoke out against the development at Nygard’s Cay.  It is indeed odd that in this dispute the Bahamas government would tend to intercede on behalf of Mr. Nygard; who has been known to be a major financial contributor to their last campaign, and branded anyone that was against Mr. Nygard and his development ‘anti-Progressive Liberal Party; anti Bahamian and unpatriotic’.

Now, we have an case wherein a group has taken a stand against the government; asking for transparency and accountability and instead of sitting back and addressing the issues of many concerned citizens, the government has taken an adversarial stance to them and labeled them as ‘anti-Progressive Liberal Party; anti Bahamian and unpatriotic.  The amusing thing about it all is that the group would have marched on any government be it PLP, FNM, DNA or other that was it saw as lacking in proper governance in the way that the present Progressive Liberal Party is thereby contributing  to the social and economic decline of the county.

Transparency and accountability; are these too much to ask for and by asking for these from any government how does it make anyone or group ‘anti Bahamian and unpatriotic”? 

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

END

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), as a party founded in 1953 by William Cartwright, Cyril Stevenson and Henry Milton, now finds itself in a very interesting position, some sixty four later.  It seems that now they are being forced to confront a situation that should have been resolved already in a party with its history, unless no one ever saw the possibility of it ever happening or saw it and thought that they could sue it to their advantage.

“Sears calls for friar PLP election” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this story; “The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has no guidelines, rules and regulation governing elections within the party, according to a communication sent to PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts by leadership candidate Alfred Sears, who is proposing a set of guidelines that would ensure a fair and transparent leadership election later this month.

Sears, the PLP candidate for Forth Charlotte, is the only person who has so far declared an intention to challenge Prime Minister Christie for the party’s leadership.

In his letter to Roberts, dated January 6, Sears said Valentine Grimes, the party’s trustee responsible for elections, confirmed that there are no rules governing elections.

As a result, Sears is asking for the appointment of an agreed independent observer to observe the party’s elections.

He is also proposing that no further appointment of stalwarts be made until after the election in order to ensure a stable list of eligible voters.”

Either Sears is mistaken or this is how it is intended to be so as to protect the leader of the time; probably part of the reason as to why Dr. B. J. Nottage was not even to come close to defeating Sir Lynden.  Maybe it is just me, but I am thinking that if there was a ‘problem’ in 2009, because some may not see this as a problem and more of a convenience, then why hasn’t the situation been addressed yet? 

I get the feeling that this would be a resolution that would have to be presented at a Progressive Liberal Party’s National Convention and we are all aware that the Progressive Liberal Party has not had convection since 2009.

This is the very same party that has spent the better part of four and a half years playing democracy when it is convenient with the Bahamian people nationally and now we see that what one practices at home is what one practices in public.

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

END

“VAT waived as trade-off – Fitzgerald explains why govt. gave CCA tax exemption” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “What was initially presented to the Bahamian people as a ‘gift/ex gratia’ payment to the thousands of former Baha Mar employees and unsecured creditors, was in fact a trade off for value added-added tax (VAT) concessions for the development’s general contractor, China Construction America, Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald revealed yesterday amid heightened public scrutiny surrounding details of the sealed arrangement.

‘What I want to make clear first off all is that with regard to concessions for Baha Mar project, those concessions were negotiated by the prior administration,’ Fitzgerald told ZNS at the Office of the Prime Minister.’

‘We honored all of those for the new owner and for China Construction [America].”

As for the concessions that were negotiated by the prior administration, what off them, Mr. Fitzgerald and how do they affect the ‘secret’ arrangement that this government has made with the Chinese?  Where in any concession negotiated under the prior administration was there a ‘gift’ that came at the price of $100 million in value-added tax concessions?  I ask because we the people are having grave difficulty with this part of the deal that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government has struck with the Chinese, or rather with what they [this government] told us the people whom they represent the deal was at the time, “James Smith, the former state minister for finance who heads the Claims Committee, said these statements are made to empathize that payouts are being made on an ex-grata basis, meaning outside any formal court-supervised liquidation process because the money is a gift from the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM).” – The Tribune 12 September, 2016

So now the Minister has a lot of explaining to do about the VAT exemptions, because these clearly could not be terms negotiated under the former administration, as the country had not been introduced to VAT at the time.

“With regard to Value-Added Tax, I think the issue arose because the completion part of the project, which was a really small amount just to complete the project, the request was made to whether or not value-added tax would be charged or collected with regard to that.

‘At the end of the day when we calculated the amount for that, because you don’t pay VAT on labour, you’re not paying VAT on the imports, the only part with regard to services, as it’s really minuscule as far as we were concerned.”

So $100 million is considered “minuscule” to this government, now you get an idea of why we have been down-graded four times since they have been the government.  Beside the fact that over a billion dollars in VAT has been collected from the hard working people of the country and is basically unaccounted for, the minister and his government feels that it is ‘okay’ to give away an extra $100 million in VAT concessions because it is so ‘minuscule’ in the whole scheme of things that we can just forgo it from the public purse, I can only ask just how many other times have they taken this position when making decisions concerning the finances of the country? 

There are some that will agree with the government’s action in granting $100 million in value-added tax concessions to the Chinese to have Baha Mar completed and opened, stating the benefits far out weight any draw backs; this while a working family is considering which bill to pay tonight; medical, mortgage, food, utilities because the stress of VAT have them at the point where they cannot afford all and have already had to pull their children out of private schools.  The funny thing about it all is that if the government had been up front with the public and not misled them then we may not even be having this conversation right now, because a lot of this has come about because the people feel betrayed yet again but this Progressive Liberal Party government.

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

END

While the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government aligns itself against the organizers of the We March Bahamas protest, who have only asked for accountability and transparency from them, we are beginning to get an idea as to why they [the PLP government] has been fighting so hard; resisting these two principles, the foundation of an honest government.

“CCA VAT exempt

• AG : Benefits far outweigh concessions
• Turnquest: Baha Mar deal questionable” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “An email leaked to the press yesterday reveals that the Christie administration has exempted China Construction America (CCA) Bahamas Limited, the lead construction firm on the Baha Mar project, from paying value-added tax (VAT).

Last night Attorney General Allyson Maynard Gibson, who was contacted by The Nassau Guardian, said the benefits that will flow as a result of a completed and operational Baha Mar project far outweigh the concessions the government has agreed to.

‘There are tremendous benefits to the Bahamian people’, Maynard-Gibson said.

‘What is the benefit to the people? A resort that not only will be completed by a developer that is world class, but an operator that is world class, who has the capacity to complete it, as well as operate it successfully.”

One must admire the manner in which the Attorney General gets ‘low’ and ‘throws shade’ at the original developer, Sarkis Izmirlian, suggesting that he was not world class, suggesting that he did not have the capacity to complete the resort and also did not have the capacity to operate it at a ‘world class’ level, but then I digress.  While the average person has the burden of value-added tax on the essentials such as food, education, electricity and medication, it would seem that the Progressive Liberal Party government would allow CCA to forgo tens of millions to the public purse and I must ask at whose benefit and/or for whose benefit because even for the government to suggest that the benefit would be “a resort that will not only be completed by a developer that is world class, but an operator that is world class” is insane and just not enough to make up for the mess that has been made of this project up to this point and all the unnecessary money already lost by this inept government on this project.

“The deal is of questionable value for the Bahamian people.” He [the Hon. Peter Turnquest, Deputy Leader of The Free National Movement] said.

‘When you add up all the concessions, over a billion dollars, who do we have to show for it at the end of the day?  We have a couple of jobs to show for it.”

‘It would really be interesting to see what else is included in the agreement.  The government remains intent on hiding whatever negotiations they have made.’

Turnquest said the country has already given away $400 million in stamp tax on the Baha Mar deal, money that the country ‘desperately’ needs.”  

Indeed, it will be interesting to see what else the government has given away and how it would match up to the contract that was signed at Atlantis by the Free Notational Movement, which they are now attempting to draw a comparison to, but as Peter Turnquest pointed out, “If the VAT concessions has in fact been granted to Baha mar, the government of The Bahamas will have to offer the same concessions or more to Atlantis, which has the country locked into a ‘most favorite nation’ contract, where it can be treated no less than any other investor”  This ‘most favorite nation’ contract was never challenged, to my knowledge, by the Progressive Liberal Party, and if these VAT concessions have been granted knowing of this arrangements, then his just highlights the utter and sheer incompetence of the Attorney General and the Christie administration but then the attorney general always has a response, even if it lack commonsense and logic.

“But the attorney general found the FNM’s Deputy Leader’s comments unfortunate.

‘I think it is most unfortunate that someone who aspires to be a future leader in our country and who is in Parliament is making such statements that are clearly unfounded and totally political about an investment that we have seen could result, and did result in the downgrading of our economy, I wonder where Peter Turnquest was when his administration negotiated concessions in relation to Baha Mar.” 

This is an amusing attempt at the use of misdirection/deflection from the horrible blunder that the attorney general and her government have made that has lead to our credit rating now being at junk status.  It is fact that Standard and Poor’s once held a ‘wait and see’ approach before downgrading the country’s credit rating.  It is fact that one of the main factors that caused them to take this approach was the progress of Baha Mar and the opening of the resort.  It is fact that the government said at the time that they knew what to do to avoid the downgrade but yet here we are with the attorney general attempting to suggest that Peter Turnquest assessment of the situation is wrong.  Then attempting to try to talk down to anyone after her failures, questioning their whereabouts when the FNM administration negotiated concessions in relation to Baha Mar; I would like to ask her where was she when the Free National Movement government took back some of the concessions given under the Christie administration and gave it back to the Bahamian people in relation to this same Baha Mar deal?

Then there was the fact that at the time the concessions were actually open to public scrutiny by Progressive Liberal Party; nothing like the current secret ‘deal’ in place.  I have found it absolutely amazing that a sovereign country such as The Commonwealth of The Bahamas would allow another nation dictate to ht would happen in our country’s courts.

SHAME.

So now we have the situation wherein certain concessions have been given to CCA which seem to be above and beyond that would or should be allowed by any investor and two questions stand;

1. What are the real benefits for the Bahamas? And
2. What else what will revealed from this ‘secret deal’ which has been sealed by the courts

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

END

 

In the latest rounds of attacks on the organizer of “We March Bahamas”, we have one of the last persons in the entire Commonwealth of The Bahamas that should attesting to anyone’s mental state, doing just that.

“Henfield ‘needs head examined’ – PLP chairman blasts march organizer for gang leader’s claim.” The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts yesterday suggested that We March Bahamas lead organizer Ranard Henfield ‘get his head examined’ for insinuating that the PLP allegedly recruited gang leaders to ‘convince the streets’ to march with the governing party on Majority Rule Day instead of the activist group.

In an interview with The Tribune, Mr. Roberts also implied that the PLP will not accept lead organizer Ranard Henfield’s invitation for the two groups to march together for a ‘common loftier goal.”

While Mr. Bradley Roberts, Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) goes on to berate Mr. Henfield for several issues one thing is certain; he is not interested in marching along with a fellow Bahamian ‘for a common loftier goal’; that has been thrown out of the window, probably with The Mace, the baby and the bathwater.

One of the things that Mr. Roberts thrashes Henfield for is the allegation of the Progressive Liberal Party’s affiliation with gangs or it members wherein he [Henfield] states, “he was approached by two gang leaders the day before who allegedly told him they were asked to get persons to march with the PLP instead of We March Bahamas.”   Here Mr. Roberts probably is thinking that Henfield needs to get his head examined, probably because this storyline is beginning to follow the “Toggie and Bobo” script and it indeed very odd, curious and interesting that these persons seem to ‘pop out of the woodwork’ when the PLP is involved.

Then Mr. Roberts goes on to intimate that Mr. Henfield just may not be totally truthful about the request to join forces; “However when contacted for, Mr. Roberts said he never received a letter from Mr. Henfield and explained that there were ‘no changes’ in the PLP’s original plan to march.”  Far be it from me to imply that Mr. Roberts is being untruthful…..I cannot even say that with a straight face, as I have once told Mr. Bradley Roberts before that if he were to tell me that it was raining and he and I were standing in the front of a shop front, I would still go outside and check for myself just because it was he that was telling me that it was raining.  Really Mr. Roberts, given the track record of your party over the past four plus years, you now stand before the country and suggest that someone else may not be telling the truth and that they need to get their ‘head examined’?

As the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government attempts to convince the people that it’s goal is to build a ‘Stronger Bahamas’, it is clear that the chairman of the party has not received this memo, probably the same place that Henfield letter is or where Minister Fitzgerald got the emails or ‘misplaced’ the Rubis report for over a year, Mr. Henfield writes “his group is certain Mr. Roberts would put ‘country over party politics’; my brother, you have challenged them to be transparent and accountable; you have started a ‘war’.

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

END

It would seem that holidays and weekends are not the best time to ask the Prime Minister or anyone from his Cabinet a serious question because it appears that they are simply unable to formulate a sensible response.

“Nottage: PLP best for polices to fight crime” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “When Bahamians ask themselves which political party has the best policies to fight crime and improve people’s lives, they will say the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) does, National Security Minister Bernard Nottage claimed yesterday.

Stressing that last year’s decrease in murders compared to the previous year – a record 146 in 2015 to 113 – was due to strong police work and Urban Renewal, Dr. Bernard Nottage said officials cannot be satisfied because there is still more work to do to combat violent crime.

His comments came on the sidelines of the New Year’s Day Junkanoo Parade.”

Indeed, any reduction in violent crime especially murder should be credited to the members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), who I believe are still in court fighting an appeal filed by the Junior Minister of National Security, the Hon. Keith Bell, for over time that they are owned for this effort that they have put to bring about this reduction that Bernard Nottage now brags about.  It is interesting that when the Police Staff Association (PSA) won this case for monies owed to them and Keith Bell appealed it, yes they have not been paid, there was no override by Bernard Nottage but yet….

So now they celebrate a 23 percent reduction in the murder rate from a record setting year, a record set under the very same government with the same initiatives, as an accomplishment of the Progressive Liberal Party.

I guess it would be good to say that any reduction in the murder rate should be celebrated but has the country reached this point as it pertains to violent crime and murder?

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

END