At the start of 2023, the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government declared three key priorities: crime, education, and the economy. Yet, as 2024 comes to an end, we Bahamians are left wondering what progress, if any, has been achieved. Prime Minister Philip Davis, leader of the PLP, now claims that his administration’s focus next year will be on making the cost of living more bearable for the average citizen. This belated realization raises an obvious question: when did he recognize that the cost of living had become unbearable?

Was it after implementing an economic plan two years ago that failed to deliver meaningful results? Or perhaps when his government increased fees and imposed additional taxes on already struggling Bahamians? These measures have only deepened financial hardship, making the Prime Minister’s newfound concern appear disingenuous at best and negligent at worst.

Meanwhile, PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell’s recent comments on crime reflect an alarming lack of accountability. Responding to criticism in a Nassau Guardian editorial, Mitchell expressed indignation at claims that the PLP has failed to protect citizens. His rhetorical question—“What more do you expect the government to do?”—comes across as defeatist, if not dismissive.

So which is it; has the PLP given up or do they simply do not care anymore?

Mitchell’s argument appears to deflect blame for The Bahamas’ crime crisis onto external factors like U.S. drug trafficking and gun manufacturing. While these issues undeniably contribute to the problem, his framing ignores the promises his party made while in opposition, when the PLP heavily criticized the Free National Movement (FNM) government for its inability to address crime. If the PLP believed solutions were possible then, why has it failed to deliver now after three years in office?

Mitchell’s attempt to evoke the legacy of the late Sir Lynden Pindling, referencing his famous remarks on the U.S. drug war during a “Good Morning America” interview, feels like a calculated distraction. Crime in The Bahamas today extends far beyond drug-related violence. The murder rate, armed robberies, and gang violence have all surged under this administration. To pin these issues solely on external forces is both misleading and a disservice to the many Bahamians seeking genuine leadership.

The broader picture is troubling. This administration came to power on a “wave” of promises and lofty rhetoric about being a “New Day” government. However, three years later, there is little evidence of a coherent plan for addressing crime, improving education, or stabilizing the economy. Instead, the PLP appears to be floundering, scrambling to assemble policies while blaming external factors and critics for its own shortcomings, their most favorite “fall-guy” being the Free National Movement (FNM).

As Chairman Mitchell now pleads for another term for the Davis administration so that their crime initiatives can “bear fruit”, he must be reminded that you would have to first “plant the tree”.

Today, the people cannot point to one single piece of legislation implemented by this New Day government that has the intention to progressively mitigate crime.

The Bahamian people deserve better. They deserve leadership that not only acknowledges their struggles but takes decisive and effective action to resolve them. If the PLP seeks a second term, it must show tangible progress—something it has failed to deliver so far. Until then, its repeated promises and rhetorical deflections will ring hollow in the ears of a frustrated nation.

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

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