People keep asking for the Free National Movement (FNM) to stop using the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) past performance or lack there off in office as an “excuse” to rationalize what the present government is doing but then the Progressive Liberal Party turns right around makes statements which are not familiar to or even closely acquainted with to the truth and I feel it is totally necessary to remind them of their past malfeasances that they perpetrated upon the people of The Bahamas.

“Darville hits out over proposed NHI tax”- The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Progressive Liberal Party Senator Dr. Michael Darville has said the proposed two percent tax to fund National Health Insurance (NHI) would be an additional burden on the Bahamian people given the country’s economic state.

According to a policy paper released by the National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) this week, employees would pay two percent of their salary to a maximum of $42 per month, with the employer paying the reminder premium.

The revamped NHI would cost taxpayers $100 million a year, according to Minister of Health Dr. Duane Sands.

In an interview with The Guardian, Darville said the Minnis administration should have followed the blueprint left by the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) administration with regard to NHI.”

As I slowly raise my hand to ask the most obvious question – ‘Exactly what plan do you refer to Senator Darville?’ I also ask for him to please not insult the intelligence of the Bahamian people; just stop it and keep this in the halls of the Progressive Liberal Party headquarters where it seems to be acceptable.

Further exception from this article; “The Christie administration introduced the enrollment and primary care phase of NHI in 2017.

It did so with no public insurer and no means of funding the program.

Back in February 2015, the opposition leader Dr. Hubert Minnis said his party will not support taxing Bahamians to fund NHI.

Pointing to these comments, Dr. Darville said ‘It’s very much [hypocritical].  What you are seeing now is pretty much the exact same blueprint the Progressive Liberal Party left behind, excerpt for the modality for payment and the fact that we made it empathically clear that we would not initiate a tax on the Bahamian people until we felt confident the economy could sustain it.”

Exactly what you saying here Senator Darville?

As I need clarification.

Senator Darville you state that “…..the Minnis administration should have followed the blueprint left by the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) administration with regards to NHI” but then go on to say; “what you are seeing now is pretty much the exact same blueprint the Progressive Liberal Party left behind except for the modality of payment….” First is it the same model or not and also Senator Darville no one in the previous Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government has ever said exactly how NHI would be funded, so there was no model of funding to follow although there was the intimation that there would have been a tax to fund the program in the original bill as introduced and passed by a Progressive Liberal Party government and then there is this curious and odd statement “…..until we [the Progressive Liberal Party] felt confident that the economy could sustain it [a tax to fund NHI” and I wonder exactly when that would have been because after four economic downgrades and the country slowly slipping toward a fourth, it did not seem that it would have been anytime soon under a Progressive Liberal Party government.

The Progressive Liberal Party government introduced the National Health Insurance plan in May of 2017 and at that time had no plan to fund it.  The Free National Movement (FNM) party came to power and continued to implement the program by upgrading medical facilities throughout the country and introducing the National Prescription Program.  The PLP then came back to power and from 2012-2017 did little to nothing to further advance NHI much less seek a way to fund the program but now Dr. Darville seeks to misguide with talks about a plan that he and his government had left in place.

In my opinion, the truth is that, the former Progressive Liberal Party administration never had a plan to fund the program beside taxation; they were just unable to given the way they ran the country’s economy but now they seek to demonize others for attempting to bring to fruition something that they were too lazy or too inept to bring about but will undoubtedly then seek to take full credit for when it is actually up and running.

In closing I would just like to say, it would have been advantageous for the previous Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) administration to have left a plan in place to fund this highly touted and anticipated initiative but unfortunately they did not.  Also, although as this tax has not been finalized, as the government is still in a period of consultation, the rumors of a tax so close to the increase of the VAT rate only serves the opposition message of “the war on the poor”

By the way, who contacted Senator Darville for serious and honest commentary on this subject in the first place?

THE END

It would seem that twice in one week the Bahamas Christian Council (BBC) has overstepped its bounds and gotten involved into areas the politics of the country which should not concern them, when or especially they seem to be failing at their very own role in society.

“You told us that you were broke” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “The government’s decision to buy the Grand Lucayan hotel for &65 million has reignited concerns regarding whether the 60 percent value-added tax (VAT) hike was necessary to dig the country out of debt as indicated by the government, Bahamas Christian Council President Delton Fernander said.

‘What I believe has happened in the short term is the message has been challenging,’ Fernander said.

‘You told us that we were broke,’ he continued, referring to the Minnis administration.

‘You told us about austerity measures, but yet we spend a tremendous amount of money, albeit to save our economy as is being purported.  But we are challenged now to stop and think: Was this to settle debt when taxes were raised or to put money in the kitty so that we could have it to spend?”

Bishop Fernander exactly what it that “they” who sent you want you to say?  I mean that you want to say here?

You indicate that you understand the austerity measures put in place and the purchase of the resort to ‘save the economy’ but at the last moment you pull back on that understanding, leaving others to wonder if you understand and believe the message that you have been sent to deliver, I mean which you wish to convey.

Earlier this week to sought to chastise the government for not assisting the nation of Haiti at this time but have yet to outline what the Christian community [Bahamas Christian Council] and the Church is doing to help and now again you seek to chastise the government but at this time the message given to you; I mean your message is unclear.

There seems to be an attempt to question where the money is coming from if the VAT rate was increased to service the national debt which would be a valid question if the BCC had not been caught asking the government to financially contribute to the efforts to aid the nation Haiti and this question that you seem to want to ask totally contradicts the question of was the tax hike necessary to help the country get out of debt. 

Do you need a moment to check with ‘the sender’ so that you may clarify your message?

As I end, I will return to the responsibility of the Church in society as I quote Mark 16:15; “Go ye into the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”, even if there are those among us that reject the Christian faith; wouldn’t it be your responsibility to at the very least show the benefits of living in harmony, while showing love and peace toward one another?

END