Last year ended with a question being suggested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The question suggested, as the IMF warned that the fiscal deficit is likely to be almost three times higher than the government’s forecast, based on the government’s 2023-2024 budget projections; was where is the government’s revenue going?  Exactly how is it being spent?

Then we had the Leader of the Opposition, Free National Movement (FNM) calling on the government to ensure that the Fiscal Responsibility Council be given the necessary tools to carry out its statutory duties of independently assessing the government’s fiscal plans and performance, it would appear that this council has not had these “tools” to produce a report since the New Day government came to office.

Now it would appear that the New Day Government is attempting to shift its priorities and it now says that its “new” priority is going to be to address the high cost of living in The Bahamas and how it effects in the working class and the lower class.  I feel that the New Day Government must first admit to how they contributed to this high cost of living through mishaps like the fuel hedge fund debacle and how the cost of energy is now having a negative effect on some small businesses?

There were those amongst us that warned that the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government was the very same Old PLP Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). This has been proven today as fact as the chairman of the PLP removes another layer of deception from their cloak of lies used to become government.

“’We oppose FOIA idea” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article;

“Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell said yesterday the Davis administration “opposes” the idea of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), claiming it’s nothing more than “a bunch of public relations” because there is no issue with access to information in The Bahamas.

Mitchell’s comment came amid a renewed discussion over the pending full implementation of the act, which was passed in 2017.

“We oppose this Freedom of Information Act idea,” Mitchell said.

“The FNM has this view; they’ve passed something called the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Procurement Act, the Freedom of Information Act; all of these things really have nothing to do with ordinary lives versus just a bunch of public relations, accounting procedures and confusing activity with action.”

One thing that Mr. Mitchell will soon come to understand that as it relates to the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government; no one will confuse “activity with action”, because there has been a lot of activity under this New Day Government – the House being prorogued, a few Cabinet Shuffles and new appointments but yet today this activity has not brought about any action, other than to waste time and taxpayers money.

When the New Day Government first said that the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) was not a priority and that they were more focused on the effects of the cost of living was having of the lesser amongst us; I wondered if they were only now realizing that there was hardships due to the high cost of living and that some of their early initiative were actually contributing to these problem.

Mr. Mitchell further says; “We oppose the Freedom of Information Act.  The FNM has this view, they have passed something called [the] Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Freedom of Information Act and the Procurement Act.  All of these things have nothing to do with people’s ordinary lives”.  While tis statement by itself may be true, taken while applying the rules of responsible governance; they are very important – especially to the people with the ordinary lives.

What I see is a government that is fighting against being accountable to the people that elected them to be accountable.

I see a government that sees itself as above and beyond the law; as several of these acts have been [passed and enacted and the New Day Progressive Liberal Party government seems to have simply ignored them and done as they pleased.

So one were to go by the tone of chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP); the Freedom of Information Act will never become law and the Fiscal Responsibility Act will never see the light of day. 

Leaving the country defenseless against any government in power and there will be no legal way to enquire about a government as to why it it’s spending is outpacing it’s income and where is this money actually being spent?

END