This past week the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government, led by the “Hon.” Philip ‘Brave Davis, basically told the Bahamas Petroleum Retailers Association to stop bit**ing and to make do with the fifty-four cents (54 cents) per gallon that the government was allowing them to make at the time.

The New Day government went even further putting its foot on the necks of these very same people by suggesting that if they, the New Day government, were to give the petroleum retailers what they were asking for then the New Day government would have to be rise the price of gasoline and in a sign of mercy they, the New day government went on to say that they would not burden the people of The Bahamas with such an increase, who are already struggling with the high cost of living.

This stance would and should look favorable for a government that is looking out for the welfare of its citizens; but is laughable if the Bahamas Petroleum Retailers Association were actually asking for the government to increase the cost of petroleum in the country and in light of all of the other taxes that the New Day government has already burdened the people of The Bahamas with.

“DESPERATE TIMES: Petroleum retailers say lay-offs inevitable due to fuel profit margins”  -Eyewitness News

Excerpt from this article;

“NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Petroleum dealers could be forced to lay off staff early in the new year if the government does not make an adjustment to their margins on gasoline and diesel, according to Bahamas Petroleum Dealers Association vice presidency Vasco Bastian.

In an Eyewitness News interview, Bastian noted that petroleum retailers have all year been pushing for an adjustment to their margins and have had formal and informal discussions with the government. 

“The government has made some adjustments with us on a small scale in the background to address some of our needs but the main issue has always been and continues to be the margin on gas and the margin on diesel,” said Bastian. 

Retailers currently earn a fixed $0.54 per gallon margin on gasoline, and $0.34 for diesel — margins that do not change when fuel prices go up.

“The government decided to raise the minimum wage. How do you absorb that in the petroleum industry where the margin is fixed? From that $0.54 cents on gas we pay our light bill, water bill, and salaries, we buy goods for the store, and order fuel – all from that $0.54 cents. You come and tell us that you are going to go up on certain aspects of our model but you have not dealt with the margin increase,” said Bastian.”

Retailers currently earn a fixed $0.54 per gallon margin on gasoline, and $0.34 for diesel — margins that do not change when fuel prices go up.

“The government decided to raise the minimum wage. How do you absorb that in the petroleum industry where the margin is fixed? From that $0.54 cents on gas we pay our light bill, water bill, and salaries, we buy goods for the store, and order fuel – all from that $0.54 cents. You come and tell us that you are going to go up on certain aspects of our model but you have not dealt with the margin increase,” said Bastian.”

So it would appear that the  Bahamas Petroleum Retailer Association is not asking the government to increase the cost of petroleum but rather adjust the margin to make it more equitable, so that they can actually survive in the current economy, so why would the Minister of Economic Affairs, Mr. Michael Halkitis make it seem otherwise?

“Minister of Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis said yesterday that the government is not prepared to entrain any increase in margins for petroleum retailers if it means the price of gas at the pump will increase and appealed to the Bahamas Petroleum Association to talk with the government”; first this is not what it seems that the retailers are asking for and secondly the retailer have indicated that they have been talking with the government – with is the disconnect?

Why does the Davis administration seem unwilling to adjust the margin to accommodate the retailers so that they can actually remain open?

The language used by Economic Affairs Minister; Michael Halkitis is very troubling when he says; “….the government is not minded to do anything that will increase the cost of fuel at the pump.”, as I have asked, is that is the action being suggested by the retailers suggesting this?

There seems to be an attempt to pit the petroleum retailers against the people by the government .  This within itself would be a vile and cowardly act on the government’s part.

Why this the New Day and “caring” government being so uncaring and deceitful on this matter?

The PLP fails for one reason, it is their nature.

END

Shanty town demolition will begin ‘this year’ – Bell” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “LABOUR and Immigration Minister Keith Bell said he thinks the government will move to demolish shanty towns sometime this year.

The minister was asked during a recent interview about a timeline for when the government will move to raze the illegal structures now that a Supreme Court injunction barring such action has been lifted.

This comes as tensions over the issue continue to mount, with political hopeful Lincoln Bain and several of his supporters being stopped by police a little over a week ago as they tried to demolish homes in a shanty town off Bacardi Road.

Asked about the issue, Mr. Bell responded: “The main thing here is that this is a country, and I’ve repeated this before, this is a country of law and order. Everything has to be done in decency and respect and in those shanty towns, we have three categories of persons.

“While we have the undocumented migrants we also have persons who have legal status here in the country and we have Bahamians living in those shanty towns. So the idea is that when we do go and move to demolish, we identify those Bahamians, and we ensure that they have some place to go, or we provide Social Services to them.

“And that is what I think we are seeking to achieve, that when we do go we have all our ducks lined up and there is no push back. And we ensure that once we go in there and we clear the shanty towns that we ensure that there is no rebuilding of the shanty towns. So that is what I think we want to make sure we get it right — we only have one bite at the apple. “

It would appear that New Day government is “kicking this can down the street”, as it pertains to this matter because when the courts put the injunction in place to prevent the pervious Free National Movement (FNM) from demolishing these homes, they objected basically on the same grounds that they seem to be pushing back today; “The main thing here is that this is a country, and I’ve repeated this before, this is a country of law and order. Everything has to be done in decency and respect and in those shanty towns, we have three categories of persons.”  One thing to date that this New day government has not proven is that the previous administration was not about to carry out the process in a decent and humane manner and also but they have proven that they have wasted a lot of time attempting to prove that the manner in which the previous administration was going to carry out the process was unlawful; they owe the country an apology for setting this movement back by years by not standing with Bahamians as they attempted then, to begin to mitigate the proliferation of these unsafe and illegal communities.

So now, again the New Day government promises action; because according to the prime minister; “PRIME Minister Philip Davis said he will not at this time or ever support a House of Assembly select committee on immigration, calling it unnecessary and questioning the motivation for the committee itself” – The Tribune, basically saying that the time for talk is over and now it is time for action – well Mr. Prime Minister, we await the action but this hollow sound of that empty tin can being kicked along the halls of parliament is extremely deafening.

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

END