Last week, Keith “Tippy Toe” Bell waltzed into Parliament and unleashed his magnum opus on the Budget Debate floor. For ninety long minutes, he waxed poetic about the “horrific acts” of the former Free National Movement (FNM) government, accusing them of selling the National Insurance Board’s (NIB) shares in American companies. High on emotion but perilously low on facts, Bell’s speech was the kind of grandstanding we’ve come to expect.

Enter Arinthia Komolafe, the former leader of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA). Unlike Bell’s melodrama, Komolafe’s response was a master class in clarity and substance. Her piece filled in the gaping holes left by Bell’s tirade, shedding light on what the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) conveniently glossed over in their haste to scream “scandal.”

And that’s where it all began and we all know what they say about dogs and parked cars.

 The PLP unleashed a relentless barrage against Komolafe, clearly rattled by her inconvenient truths. From the moment she exposed the NIB fiasco, she’s been under attack, an attempt to discredit her that is as transparent as it is desperate.

First, let’s set the record straight: nowhere in Komolafe’s statement did she claim to be representing the FNM. But in the twisted logic of the PLP, if she criticizes the New Day government, she must be doing it on behalf of the FNM. Apparently, in their world, independent thought is a foreign concept and seems to be highly discouraged within that political organization.

The attacks on Komolafe have been vicious and personal, aimed more at her character than her message. She’s been called everything but a child of God, with “political prostitute” being a particularly nasty favorite. It’s a classic deflection tactic, a smokescreen to divert attention from the real issue at hand.

This issue being that was done was recommended and sanctioned by the Governor of The Central Bank of The Bahamas, they have yet to attack him for what they now term a stupid decision.  Just imagine that a decision to help the Bahamian people and the country’s economy is now being labelled a “stupid decision”, just think about that and let that sink it

The PLP’s hypocrisy is staggering. They’re more than willing to smear a woman based on lies to protect “Tippy Toe” Bell. This isn’t surprising, though. It’s reminiscent of their attacks on the young and dynamic Deputy Chairman, Robyn Lynes, for daring to challenge Fred Mitchell for the PLP chairmanship. Yes, the same Fred Mitchell who once burned the Bahamian Constitution in protest and cut his political teeth as an FNM Senator.

The PLP has a long history of nasty, vile political attacks, and the New Day PLP seems to have inherited this trait from the Old Day PLP. The party’s witlessness knows no bounds, and it’s clear they’ll go to any lengths to protect their own, even if it means throwing truth and decency out the window.

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

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