The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is a total and complete contraction of itself but yet they still expect right thinking Bahamians to keep up with their contradictions; see though them and support them.

Just this past week we have had two contradictions; beginning with the contradiction at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) concerning debt owed to the company and the reduction of rates and ending with the contraction at the National Insurance Board (NIB) concerning rate increases.

“Coleby-Davis: $1 billion needed to fix BPL” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article;

“The government needs over $1 billion to address the challenges at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), Minister of Energy and Transport Jobeth Coleby-Davis advised in the House of Assembly on Wednesday.

“BPL has over $500,000 million in debt,” she said as she contributed to the mid-year budget debate.

“Yes, that’s right, over half $1 billion and counting. “It owes banks. It owes the government and the employees’ pension is underfunded by $120 million.

Big change is needed.

“BPL operates 29 power stations on 17 islands,” she continued. “Over the next five years, BPL will need an investment of over $500 million to upgrade its infrastructure.

“That’s $300 million in new generation in New Providence and in the Family Islands; $130 million in transmission and distribution in New Providence in the next two years alone; $35 million in advance metering infrastructure and $70 million in other costs.

“To fix BPL: we need over $500 million to address debts and over $500 million to upgrade and improve aged and deteriorated infrastructure. That’s over $1 billion.

“We must fix BPL. We must rescue this sector.”

Here we have the “good” minister speaking to the dire straits that we have found ourselves in as it concerns BPL but promising lower electricity rates but just stopping just short of explaining to us just how the New Day Government proposes to pull of such a feat – PLP Obeah?

The question is if the cooperation is in dire need of money to survive, as the “good minister” would suggest, just how is the New Day government proposing to lower rates by summer of 2024?

The only thing that the “good” minister has been able to tell us to date concerning the restructuring of Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) is that “BPL is not for sale”, okay, but we still would like to know what are the plans of the person that are now going to be “managing” BPL, surely there must be some idea of what they are coming in to do and how they set about to achieve this.

I can already hear some saying “dese people does complain about erryting, but I really am not…I would just like to know the government’s plan.

AND THEN…

Then we have the contradiction at the National Insurance Board, but this is a repeat of what occurred under the former minister over seeing this board.

April 14, 2022 NOT AT THIS TIME: Davis says NIB contributions hike will be a “last resort”- “Eyewitness News” – April 12 20222

Excerpt from this article;

“NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A day after Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister Myles LaRoda foreshadowed a 1.5-2 percent increase in National Insurance Board (NIB) contributions within the next year, Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said the measure will be a “last resort” so as not to place an additional burden on the backs of Bahamians until the government can provide some relief.”

“Govt. in conflict on NIB increase” The Nassau Guardian – March 8, 2024

Excerpt from this article;

“Hours after Minister of Immigration and National Insurance Alfred Sears announced in Parliament yesterday that the national Insurance rate would increase by 15 percent starting July 1, 2024 and would rise by 1.5 percent every two years for the next 20 years, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said no decision has made beyond the July 2024 increase.”

Two obvious questions; if this is the “last resort”, what other alternative were considered and tried and; what/where is the “relief” that the New Day government promised?

Moving past the fact that the Progressive Liberal Party has already been through this “song and dance” with us before concerning the rise in NIB rates; there seemed to be a logic behind the facts as laid out by the Minister Sears but the Minister of Finance claims to not think so by indicting that no long term decision has been made yet.

I hope that he realizes that this only adds to the frustration of the masses, who have been making the adjustment mentally but now do not know what the Office of The Prime Minister is planning long term.

This is what we have had from our government this past week; in one case they total contradict themselves leaving most to wonder if they really know what they are doing and on the other hand offering clarifications to situations that leave them less transparent than before – is this their intent?

They must know that in the absence of evidence, people are left to speculate and even when evidence is abound they will still speculate; the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) were masters at this in opposition but now since their own tactic is being used against them, they cry foul.

My response to them in my best Fred Mitchell voice “boo hoo”.

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

END