The past week has been an interesting one with the arrest of former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Member of Parliament and former minister for the environment and housing, Kenred Dorsett on charges of bribery and extortion.  During the very same week we found that there were no charges being filed against former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Member of Parliament and former Chairman of the Bahamas Industrial and Agricultural Corporation, Dion Smith, for suspicion of thief from the corporation and with this revelation Progressive Liberal Party ‘mouth-piece’, Wayne Munroe QC went into action labeling the subsequent arrest a ‘witch-hunt’; a  phrase being re-hashed by the Progressive Liberal Party, still short on ideas, as it attempts to re-energize its base, which all about abandoned them during the 2012 general election.

“Munroe: Smith should be compensated for arrest” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, said yesterday, that the government should compensate former Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) Chairman Dion Smith and the eight BAIC employees after it was revealed that no evidence of wrong doing was found in the thief probe at BAIC.

Police have said they were investigating a report of thief of electronic items on the night of the May 10^th general election, Smith was arrested, held overnight and released the next day.

Eight BIAC employees were also questioned and released.

Munroe represented Smith and those eight employees.

‘The government should stop doing foolishness,’ Munroe charged yesterday in an interview with The Nassau Guardian.”

My Morning Paper’s first question is if the police has released a statement informing the public that they “were investigating a report of a thief of electronic items…..” how does Wayne Munroe QC make the leap to ,”The government should stop doing foolishness”? Unless he [Mr. Munroe] wishes to imply that on the night of the general election, the Free National Movement (FNM), already assured that it had won the government had already taken full control of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) and instructed them [the RBPF] to target and arrest BAIC Chairman Smith along with others – if this is the case I would say, wow; what a crystal ball!

But of course Mr. Munroe QC does not offer any legal reason as to why the government should compensate Mr. Smith and the eight others, beside to say; “They [the government] should give him [Dion Smith] some money and not just him, the other eight people who they embarrassed.”  Mr. Munroe is reaching a new low as he attempts to defend the questionable actions of Mr. Smith in this case and I would put it to him; Mr. Munroe, if you are really serious at all then why not present a legal argument to the courts and sue the government; whom you blame for the embarrassment of Smith and the eight others,  for the compensation of Mr. Dion Smith, along with others” , because without action and only talk it is all for naught and only goes to advance the political and professional career of Mr. Munroe QC and his original argument within itself makes no sense, as it does not seem to be based on any logical argument.

My Morning Paper asks why would compensation even be necessary if the police ‘acting on intelligence’ arrested Mr. Dion Smith along with others? They followed the evidence and it eventually exonerated Mr. Smith along with others, an apology was extended, in my opinion this is all that is required.  So while Mr. Munroe QC attempts to attack the government for ‘doing foolishness’, he is actually calling the police force incompetent and also implying that they [the police] were acing at the direction of the Free National Movement party, when they were not the government and unable to issue such a ‘secret police/Nazi Germany police’ directive.

Mr. Munroe QC has yet to make the viable link between the government and this arrest, we await his legal argument and subsequent connection.

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Undoubtedly the arrest of former member of parliament, Kenred Dorsett, will be termed as part of a political ‘witch hunt’ by the Opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) nut is it not really more a painful change of course that the country must take to once again be seen as a viable country to do business and to just be seen as an ‘honest’ and ‘safe’ place again?

Charged: Dorsett faces nine charges

• Four counts extortion and bribery
• Misconduct in public office
• Offences ‘netted him $120,00’ – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “FORMER Environment and Housing Minister Kenred Dorsett appeared in Magistrates court yesterday accused of using his former ministerial position to extort and solicit $120,000 in bribes from Johnathan Ash.”

Former minister Kenred Dorsett is a friend of mine and although we stand on the opposite side of the political divide, I was taken aback by news of his arrest and somewhat troubled by it but the way that it has been handled to date by the leader of the opposition only seems to be making matter worst.

While Opposition Leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis attempts convince the public and attempts to rally the PLP base with talks of there being no corruption within that political organization; most look at the party as a political organization plagued with controversy and corruption and with controversies of corruption from they took office after their May 7^th 2012 election victory – a main reason as to why they were soundly defeated in May 2017, being only able to win four of the 39 seats being contested. 

There should be no reasonable way for the leader of the opposition to now truthfully claim that the party has not seen its fair share of corruption and then go on to deny the fact that the country, as a whole, has not suffered because of it.

“Davis: No corruption, this is pure vengeances” – The Tribune

Except from this article; “INTERIM Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis defended his party yesterday, saying it is not a ‘corrupt party’ and does not support corrupt practices.’

In a statement released Thursday, Mr. Davis called on party supporter to remain strong in face of what he sees as attacks on the PLP.”

It is clear that either Mr. Davis is attempting to deceive or is just plain delusional but if he claims that the political organization in not corrupt then he must surely admit to there being a perception of corruption; this perception causing the party to be scrutinized and subsequently having several of its members investigated and arrested, with one being made to answer charges of bribery and extortion.

As National Security Minister Marvin Dames ‘dismisses assertions from the PLP of a government-led witch hunt against members of the former Christie administration, members of the Progressive Liberal Party, from its interim leader straight down to it supporters must realize that there is a change of course taking place and for some it will be a ‘painful’ process but it is the only way to get the country back on track and I expect the same to be asked of members of the Free National Movement (FNM) members of parliament who would think that the laws of the land do not apply to them, as members of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) once thought and still seem to  think.

The law will take its course with Kenred Dorsett as it did with former PLP member of parliament Dion Smith  but we must never again stand aside idly, able or plain unwilling to punish corrupt elected official and as Prime Minister Hubert Minnis has been known to say; “Let the chips fall where they may.”

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As the Bahamas faces another possible economic downgrade, it would seem that the only problem that the previous administrations would have with it is that the governing party told the Bahamian people and thereby the world at large about the possible dire economic straits that The Bahamas faces.  Apparently, it would have been more prudent for them to ‘bluff’ their ways through it all, as did those before them – and we all saw how well that worked for the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government, under whom the country suffered four economic downgrades, despite assuring the country that ‘everything was good’ and ‘about to get better’.

“Downgrade threatened – Moody’s put Bahamas credit rating under review” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “International ratings agency Moody’s has placed The Bahamas’ Baa3 credit rating on review for downgrade.

Moody’s said the review was prompted by statements from the Minnis administration, that The Bahamas’ fiscal position was weaker than previously estimated and that the government’s debt ratios will continue to worsen over the coming years’.

‘This diverged from Moody’s expectation that the government’s debt ratios would stabilize in fiscal 2017, thus supporting The Bahamas’ Baa3 rating and stable outlook,’ the ratings agency said in a statement.

‘Moody’s review will focus on evaluating the credit risks posed by ongoing economic and fiscal challenges, taking into consideration the recent revelations of fiscal deterioration as well as the new government’s proposal to arrest this deterioration.”

It seems that the only way for the present government to avoid a downgrade would be to present a viable proposal (plan), that shows that it indeed has a plan to slow and reverse the deterioration brought on by the previous Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government but what does the former administration have to say about a possible economic downgrade?

“Davis blame FNM for downgrade threat” – The Nassau Guardian, July 11 2017

Excerpt from this article; “Opposition leader Philip Brave Davis said yesterday it is ‘troubling’ that international credit rating agency Moody’s has placed the Bahamas’ Baa3 credit rating on review for downgrade.

‘It is troubling because it confirms what my shadow minister for finance was saying, Chester Cooper, that he budget communication was the wrong speech at the wrong time,’ Davis said.

Moody’s said the review was promoted by statements from the Minnis administration, ‘that The Bahamas’ fiscal position was weaker than previously estimated and that the government’ debt ratios will continue to worsen over the coming years.’

‘It is rather troubling, because I look at the reason proffered by them when they downgraded us last year,’ Davis said.

‘The reasons seem to be grounded on two issues: One was the opening of Baha Mar, which they had little confidence would happen, and then secondly they recognized that Hurricane Matthew interrupted the economy in such a way that our recovery efforts plus the loss of revenue inspired them to downgrade us.

‘It is troubling that all of the issues raised form the downgrade last year have been, in my view, resolved and they are still foreshadowing a future downgrade.”

So wait, how did the Minnis administration cause this threat of a downgrade again?

By stating the facts as to how the previous administration left the economy of the country and why didn’t the debt ratio begin to stabilize under the Christie administration?

What is troubling is that the Leader of the Opposition, Philip Brave Davis, in all of his zeal to bash the current government that seeks to get out in front of this situation, seems to want to divert us from the road that his government took  to get us to this point in the first place.  While he points to the reasons for the last series of downgrades by Moody’s, he fails to mention the three previous downgrades by Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s (S&P) and what brought those about.

Then, Chester Cooper, whom Davis praises for being right about Prime Minister Minnis’ speech, this morning advises the Minnis administration to ‘hold off on borrowing an anticipated $320 million-plus for deficit and spending this fiscal year and formulate a strategy to get the economy growing again, rather than engage in risky ‘optics’ and blame casting’’, goes on to criticize the prime minister for the ‘reckless statement’ concerning the economy, I ask this ‘new’ economic czar where was he as the country was downgraded four times under the Progressive Liberal Party government and why did he do nothing as reckless actions were being taken by the former Progressive Liberal Party that undoubtedly brought us to the fiscal cliff that he are balancing at present?

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

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I wonder if the thief probe at the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) is still being considered a case of victimization as it is turned over to the new Anti-Corruption Unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force for investigation.

“Reasons for Smiths arrest questioned’ – The Nassau Guardian – May 20, 2017

Excerpt from this article; “Inappropriateness doe not amount to criminality, said Leader of the Opposition Philip ‘Brave’ Davis in reference to the arrest of former Nassau Village MP and Chairman of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) Dion Smith.

Smith was taken into police custody on Thursday [18^th May 2017] for questioning over an alleged thief at the corporation.

Eight employees were taken into questioning this week over several electronic items, including televisions and computers, were allegedly stolen on the night of the general election.

These employees have since been released pending further investigation.”

First, allow me to say that I agree with leader of the opposition Philip ‘Brave’ Davis when he says; “Inappropriateness does not amount to criminality..” but at the same time it does not amount to the lack thereof either and as of such investigations are necessary.

“BAIC case now corruption probe – Ingraham: Optics of Smith’s arrest unfortunate.” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt form this article; “The Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) thief probe that led to the arrest and release of former BAIC Chairman Dion Smith shortly after the general election in May has been forwarded to the new Anti-Corruption Unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force for wider investigation, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander.

Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade revealed recently that the unit was investigating 11 cases from various government departments and public corporations, but did not say which specific cases were being looked at.

When they arrested Smith, police said the probe involved the theft of electronic items on the night of the election.

No charges were brought against anyone.”

It would appear that a lot have already concluded that the explanation as to why he [Dion Smith] and others were seen removing electronics items from his office at BAIC is plausible and that is, “According to Smith’s attorney, Wayne Munroe, the former MP decided to watch the results of the election at the BAIC last Wednesday [10^th May 2017] and brought speakers and [a] personal television to the corporation.

Smith said several employees packed these and other personal belongings after Smith learned he had lost his bid for office, according to Munroe.” 

But according to attorney Wayne Munroe, stricken with arrogance and with the assurance that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) would retain governance of the country, former member of parliament and chairman of the BAIC, Dion Smith, decided to create a ‘Super bowl’ atmosphere at this BAIC; to the point of bringing in a large screen television and speakers but are now claiming foul after being stopped by the authorities that have been known to watch government buildings on election nights for suspicions activity, such as vandalism or items being ‘carted away’.

Whatever became of watching the election results at your headquarters with your campaign workers and supporters and constituents?

As former Prime Minnis Hubert A. Ingraham says “…the optics surrounding Smith’s arrest was ‘unfortunate’ and ‘not supportive of good governance’, who knows what the former prime minister meant by this.  He could be chastising the Minnis administration for not allowing the matter to ‘go away’ or he could have been attempting to say that Dion Smith should have known better and therefore should be willing to deal with the outcome but in any event we will have to await the outcome of the investigation of the Anti Corruption Unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

The Progressive Liberal continues to fail for one reason, it is their nature.

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Basically a lack of connection to the people to whom they claim to stand for but just do not seem to listen to but mostly they, as a political organization and government, seemed to have become inundated with a sense of self-righteousness that is nothing less than nauseous.

“Forbes; No need for PLP apology – MP labels Chester Cooper’s PLP repentance suggestion nonsense” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “South Andros MP Picewell Forbes charged yesterday that the Progressive Liberal Party PLP) has nothing to repent for and won’t stoop down in the face of an election defeat.

‘I know there is a time and place to say certain things.  This whole thing about repent and redeem yourself is nonsense,’ said Forbes.

‘The PLP is a party of legacy and history, man.  We have made some mistakes.’

‘We have not gotten everything right, but to tell the oldest established party in this country amidst all its fallibility, ‘You have to now stoop down, repent, reengineer, rebrand’.  No man, the people make a decision.”

Following in the same vain as Senator Fred Mitchell, South Andros MP Picewell Forbes yesterday suggested that although the Progressive Liberal Party has done some things wrong during its last administration, it has nothing to feel ‘repentant’ for because, as would he suggest, their governance was based on the legacy of the organization.  What Member of Parliament Picewell Forbes needs to address is what did the Progressive Liberal Party do right in it last five years, amidst all the controversies and scandals and also address how these controversies and scandals negatively impacted the lives of the Bahamian people whom he and his former colleagues swore to protect.

The entire concept of ‘stooping down’ is a connection that Mr. Forbes has made in his mind and it probably came about while speaking with his other parliamentary colleagues but if to sit back and reevaluate your position in light of the current circumstances i.e. reengineer, means to ‘stoop down’, then is clear that those in the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) organization are unwilling to do so and thereby move ahead.  I wonder what the foreign consultant will come up with.

The Progressive Liberal Party continues to fail for one reason, it is their nature.

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“Mitchell: PLP should maintain message discipline” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) shouldn’t share its internal ‘cut and thrust’ with the public, suggested PLP Senator Fred Mitchell yesterday.

Though he did not point specifically to recent comments made by Exuma and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper on the party’s May 10 defeat, Mitchell said ‘It is important for all of the contending voices, so to speak, to lend to the enterprise of trying to get the PLP re-elected to office and I am committed to that more than anything else.

‘I think the message discipline is very important.

‘I think that while you do not keep the public in the dark about what you are doing as a party, I think the internal cut and thrust of what we should and shouldn’t do, ay and should and shouldn’t say, is important to share amongst ourselves.

‘And that dynamic, I think, will produce a very powerful organization and one which is equipped to run the country again.”

While it may be true that the internal ‘cut and thrust’ of any political organization does not necessarily have to be shared with the public; it is also fact that if the ‘internal cut and thrust’ is only a fight to keep things the same, then there is something fundamentally wrong and also if your only reason now is to have your party re-elected, showing no willingness at the attempt to work along with the governing party to move the country forward for the betterment of the people, then it has become obvious that your political sunset has set and it is time for you to move on, as you are missing the original ‘message disciple’ of our own political organization.

Then there is the question of has the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) maintained it’s ‘message disciple’ and if not has the message improved or simply become outdated, while there may be a question of an outdated message being forward by the ‘old guard’ of the Progressive Liberal Party, there is also the issue of Senator Mitchell suggesting that he does not think that ‘the public should not be kept in the dark about what it is that you are doing as a party’, this is also very true but doe she not realize that while as government his party not only kept their supporters in the dark but also the persons that they were elected to govern and therefore were accountable to?

Although Senator Mitchell did not single out Chester Cooper, Exuma and Ragged Island MP, it has become painfully obvious over the years that the Progressive Liberal Party does not take to kindly to young voice that goes against the party’s message, no matter how dated it has become but it may be wise for Senator Mitchell to listen to Chester Cooper MP because at the very least he won his seat, which seems the only interest of Senator Mitchell.

The Progressive Liberal Party continues to fail for one reason, it is their nature.

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It would now appear that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is accusing the Free National Movement (FNM) government of doing the same thing that it took them five years to do in office, although the FNM has only been in for forty days and of course the claims by their national chairman, makes no sense as usual and therefore cannot be quantified.

“Roberts blast FNM’s last 40 days” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts accused Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis of backtracking on many of his campaign promises, raising unemployment and offering now new legislation since coming to office May 10^th.

‘It has been 40 days since the FNM assumed office, and for a group who was critical of the PLP’s governance, it is inexcusable that the Minnis crew could not table one single bill in Parliament in 40 days and took a 10-week vacation break,’ Roberts said, referring to the House of Assembly’s adjournment until September 13.

‘No new crime-fighting strategies; no new immigration policies; no energy reform policies; no strategy for growing the economy and creating jobs.’

‘While many jobs must be created in this economy, the Minnis government is busy raising the unemployment rate; engaging in witch hunts to satisfy their rabid political base; and backtracking, walking back and back peddling.”

When the Progressive Liberal Party came to office in 2012 they came with a 100-day plan, in other words; as they may put it they got to work and ‘hit the ground running’ putting into effect all sorts of initiatives in such an unorganized fashion that eventfully they all failed or just were not beneficial to the people that they were intended for; they did this in 100 plus days and failed the people and there is no mention of the money that was lost but yet they, through their illustrious chairman would now charge that the Free National Movement has not forth a single initiative in the past forty days; and they say this with no shame about them but then I have said before that they do not know what shame is.

Now the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) party after admonishing the FNM for not putting forth a single initiative in the past forty days, have  gone back into their little corner and brought in foreign consultants to tell them where they went wrong in the last general election and I wonder if they are attempting to analyze the entire five years or just what they did wrong during the campaign season because they went wrong during both periods but the most important would be the entire five years, as this only makes sense and they really do not need foreigners to tell them where they went wrong.

Listening to the Senator Fred Mitchell tonight is a good place to begin as to where the Progressive Liberal Party went wrong and that is that they allowed persons like Mitchell to influence the campaign with his backward polices and backward thinking, as he has recently displayed since their lost.  To listen to Senator Mitchell and some others within the Progressive Liberal Party, the black Bahamian has voted against themselves and have allowed themselves to be ‘enslaved’ by ‘the white man’ again and only the PLP can save them. 

Yes, Senator Mitchell, this sort of thinking is why your party lost, and this is beside the fact that you refused to listen to the people when they spoke to you and your colleagues, only seeming to extend arrogance when asked to address certain issues, especially when they were not addressed properly and the public needed clarification.

This advice I give for free and you can tell the foreign consultants that they are not needed.

Throwing good money after bad.

The Progressive Liberal Party continues to fail for one reason, it is their nature.

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