So now joblessness is seasonal — who knew? Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, who once thundered that rising unemployment was a hallmark of “visionless leadership,” is apparently now advised that a closed grouper season and “more people looking for work” explain why nearly 26,000 Bahamians were without jobs in January 2025. The Bahamas National Statistical Institute’s Labour Force Survey put the unemployment rate at 10.8% in Q1 2025 (25,925 unemployed) — a jump from the 8.7% the government celebrated late last year.

Yes, really: the grouper season. That is the Prime Minister’s first-line of defence — fishermen out of work for a few months, so national unemployment pops up and voilà, problem explained. That explanation was reported verbatim by local press and attributed to the administration during a press briefing. If policy-makers can shrug off a national jobs statistic as “seasonal” without showing a plan to re-employ the newly unemployed, they’re treating labour-market pain like a weather pattern — inconvenient, temporary, and beyond governance.

Meanwhile, the Government is basking in a much-vaunted S&P re-rating — S&P upgraded The Bahamas’ long-term sovereign rating to BB- from B+ last week — a useful nugget for bond markets and headline bragging rights.

But here’s the political math they aren’t doing: a better credit rating is not the same thing as a better life for the average worker. Credit agencies judge macro stability, debt trajectories and investor confidence; they do not measure whether the breadwinner down the road can find steady pay, afford rising electricity bills, or weather a tax increase. The government can tout improved sovereign optics and still preside over a labour market that’s getting worse for real people.

That disconnect is exactly what critics warned about.

And let’s be precise about the Moody’s angle, since it keeps getting waved around in press conferences: Moody’s has affirmed The Bahamas at B1 and moved the outlook to positive earlier in 2025, signalling improved medium-term debt dynamics — not a guarantee that unemployment will fall tomorrow. Rating actions and labour market outcomes can move in different directions. Treating one as proof of success on the other is sloppy politics.

So, the prime minister’s argument reduces to: “Trust us, the country’s credit score is better, so the economy must be better.” That’s a comfort to bondholders; it’s thin consolation to a laid-off fisher, a youth struggling to find work, or a family watching electricity bills climb. If the administration truly believes more people “looking for work” is inherently encouraging, they should pair the boast with concrete, immediate steps — training, targeted stimulus for affected sectors (fishing, tourism-linked services), wage support, or meaningful incentives for firms to hire — not rhetorical sleight-of-hand about seasonal fish.

Finally, a piece of modest political housekeeping: when you once used high unemployment as a cudgel to brand your opponents “visionless,” you can’t credibly wave it away as a seasonal quirk when the numbers flip under your watch. Either unemployment is a sign of failed policy, or it is a transient statistical hiccup. Pick a lane — voters remember both positions. While receiving a higher rating from S&P is noteworthy, it does not directly affect salary; only income from employment is reflected in pay checks.  

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

END

One thing is becoming clearer than a Bahamian sky after a rain shower: Fred Mitchell—Foreign Affairs Minister, Fox Hill MP, and self-styled ringmaster of the PLP’s “New Day” circus—has apparently decided the electorate has the memory of a goldfish and the appetite of a mule.

On Monday, Mitchell unveiled his grand case for why the PLP deserves another term in office. Spoiler alert: there was no case. Just vague references to shiny things that might or might not be “in the pipeline”—but to see what’s in the bag, you’ll need to give them another five years. It’s the political equivalent of dangling a carrot in front of a horse: keep trotting, keep believing, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll get a nibble.

Unfortunately for Mitchell, Candia Dames of the Nassau Guardian hit the nerve with one question: “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” Instead of answering, Mitchell and his loyal squad of sycophants reacted as though she had asked him for his internet search history. Why? Probably because the only honest answer involves a resounding “No” and maybe a stiff drink.

Then came the pièce de résistance. Mitchell, in a moment of dramatic flair usually reserved for telenovelas, hinted this could be his last election. He nailed himself to a political cross and proclaimed that the FNM “hates” him. Hate? Fred, nobody hates you that much. Annoyed? Yes. Tired? Absolutely. But hate takes energy, and Bahamians are too busy trying to keep the lights on to spend their days obsessing over you. If you want counselling, though, I hear Sandilands is still open.

Here’s the truth: a good chunk of the electorate is ready to send Fred into early retirement. And if we’re being honest, that might be the first bipartisan national service project since Independence.

But Mitchell isn’t leaving quietly. No, he’s doubling down on his campaign of “hate disguised as love,” lobbing accusations at the FNM about public policy, false stories, and dirty tricks. Projection, thy name is PLP. This is the same crew that rejected the Freedom of Information Act and the Fiscal Responsibility Act—two tools designed to keep governments honest and transparent. Fred delivered the bad news himself when they tossed those ideas aside like yesterday’s conch salad.

Now he’s selling us “new hospitals” like they’re used cars on a lot: shiny brochures, zero delivery. And he conveniently forgets the FNM’s efforts to at least patch up the PMH and Rand, bringing them out of Victorian-era decay. But why give credit when you can repackage old promises and sell them as “New Day” miracles?

And for the love of all things holy, Fred, give the after-school snack crusade a rest. We got the sermon, we didn’t buy the message, and frankly, we’re bored. If it’ll shut you up, we’ll swap out the hot dogs and juice for cotton candy and soda. Would that soothe your soul?

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

END

Tomorrow marks four years since the “New Day” Progressive Liberal Party strutted into office promising empowerment, transformation, and the magical ability to fix everything the Free National Movement (FNM) “broke” with one flick of Brave Davis’s wrist. Four years later? Well, what they’ve lacked in actual governance — and that’s a lot — they’ve more than made up for in comic relief. Others might call it delusion.

Take yesterday’s little anniversary service at Life Changers Ministries, where the Prime Minister reminded us that unless the Lord builds the house, the builder’s labour is in vain. Which, if you translate out of politician political jargon, means: “It’s not us screwing up, it’s God’s will.”.   How delightfully convenient.

And what are the great achievements he points to after four years? A school breakfast program, a youth guard, some airports (coming soon), some docks, some Wi-Fi in the park. Basically, he’s saying: “Look, the kids aren’t hungry, and you can tweet about it from the park bench now. You’re welcome.”

Here’s the problem: nobody is against feeding kids’ breakfast. That’s a good thing. But when the government itself admits it must serve over a million free breakfasts to kids across 17 islands — that’s not a brag, that’s a flashing neon sign saying “we’ve failed to empower parents to provide for their own children.” Remember, this is the same PLP that mocks an FNM candidate for handing out snacks after school. The hypocrisy is almost impressive. Almost.

And then comes the pièce de résistance: energy reform. The PLP says, “Look at our great plan.” Meanwhile, Bahamians open their BPL bill like they’re unsealing a death warrant. Some bills doubled, some tripled. That’s not reform; that’s punishment. It’s like the government is telling you, “Don’t worry, we’ve got a plan. Just ignore the fact that you can’t afford to turn on the lights while we ‘transition’.”

So, four years in, what do we really have? A government bragging about doing the bare minimum while dodging its promises of real economic empowerment. Empowerment that would mean fewer families needing handouts and more families being able to take care of themselves. But that’s harder than ribbon-cuttings and photo ops.

There’s a quote from Pythagoras — the Greek philosopher — that says: “Be silent and let your words be more valuable than silence.” The New Day PLP might want to tattoo that on their foreheads. Because every time they stand up and boast about “achievements,” the average Bahamian is left wondering if they’re living in the same country… or if Brave Davis is just the star of his own comedy special titled: “Delusion: The Four-Year Tour.”

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

END

What is truly astonishing is how Fred Mitchell, Chairman of the so-called New Day Progressive Liberal Party, member of parliament for Fox Hill, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, expects Bahamians to swallow his latest sales pitch—that he is somehow running a “campaign of love.”

Yes, you read that right. Love. According to Mitchell, his toxic mudslinging against the Free National Movement and Dr. Nicholis Fox is apparently wrapped up in rainbows and roses. In fact, Mitchell claims that his nasty exchanges with Dr. Fox have him in a “happy vortex.” Because nothing says happiness like venom, bitterness, and personal insults.

Let’s review his version of “love.” In his own words, Mitchell tells us:

“There’s no policy, just nastiness and filth like the candidate and their candidates across the country. Bitter bile of people who are useless failures.”

Ah yes, the sweet poetry of affection. Mitchell wants us to believe he’s Cupid, when in fact he’s slinging arrows tipped with political poison.

He continues with even more “loving” words:

“…accuse people of stealing, giving out beef hot dogs to unsuspecting, unsupervised children…”

Apparently, feeding children is now part of the great evil plot of the FNM. Who knew that a packet of hot dogs and a Capri Sun could destabilize democracy itself? Only in Mitchell’s campaign of love can the simple act of giving snacks to school kids be dressed up as a crime against the state.

And of course, he can’t resist dragging up every insult and smear in his arsenal:

“…a treacherous reprobate… hopelessly fractured… bitter bile… useless failures…”

But don’t worry, folks. Mitchell insists that all of this bile, all of this venom, all of this petty playground name-calling—it’s all part of his version of “fun.” He says he’s in a “happy place.”

So maybe that’s the real revelation here: Fred Mitchell doesn’t see the contradiction. Maybe his happiness is found in tearing people down and passing it off as virtue. Maybe, for him, hatred wrapped in a pretty bow really does feel like love.

The bottom line is; if this is what Fred Mitchell and the PLP calls a “campaign of love,” then one shudders to imagine what a campaign of hate might look like.

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

END

“PM: We will send ambulances and EMTs to Family Isl.” — The Nassau Guardian

Today the Progressive Liberal Party had had a grand medical revelation: after four years in office, Prime Minister Philip “New Day” Davis has suddenly discovered that Bahamians should not be transported on the back of trucks during a medical emergency. Wonderful, Mr. Prime Minister — a round of applause for arriving at the obvious, now what do you plan to do about it?

Now, let’s review: Eleuthera already has ambulances. Two of them, in fact. One needs outfitting, both need trained EMTs. That’s it. Not rocket science, not stem cell science — just common sense and some staffing. But apparently, outfitting existing ambulances and hiring personnel wasn’t nearly as glamorous as cutting ribbons at “state-of-the-art” labs in Sandyport or funnelling taxpayer dollars into projects that don’t actually save lives when Bahamians are bleeding out in the Family Islands.

So instead of simply fixing the problem that actually  was in the processed of being resolved when they took office; they ignored it and now this  “New Day” government is now promising to buy new ambulances. Because nothing says “we care” like throwing more money at shiny new vehicles while perfectly good ones gather dust outside a clinic. And why? Well, if you know the PLP, you know there are always certain “reasons” — and I have a theory but it is so repulsive that it sickens me, because even this New Day government would not play politics with the lives of Bahamian citizens, right?

The Prime Minister nobly declared: “An ambulance without a trained team is just a vehicle.” Indeed, sir. And a government without priorities is just a PR machine. After four years of silence, suddenly this administration has found its conscience — right after a cancer patient was humiliated in the rain on a truckbed. Spare us the speeches about “equity in healthcare” when the inequity was sitting right there, parked in Eleuthera, ignored for years.

The PLP doesn’t fail because of lack of resources. They fail because it’s in their DNA. It’s their nature.

END

Has the Free National Movement (FNM) truly been running some vile, mudslinging campaign against the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and its ever-sensitive Chairman Fred Mitchell—or is this just yet another episode of Fred’s favourite political drama, “The Victim Chronicles”?

Let’s be honest. The PLP, under Fred Mitchell’s “leadership,” practically set the stage for nastiness from the very first note, voice note, press note, and whispered note. They started the smear campaign; yet are now surprised the FNM may have responded in kind.  It’s the classic case of praying for rain, then crying foul when you’re drenched in mud.

The PLP has been running around the country pretending they have been waging a holy and “clean” campaign, all while their chairman and an army of social media crumbstanchers churn out venom daily. The hypocrisy is so thick you could build a seawall out of it. And here’s Fred, clutching his pearls, telling Bahamians that the FNM has been “nasty.” No, Fred—the only nasty thing here is the PLP’s reflection in the mirror.

Just listen to him:

“The hatred by the official FNM of me is so strong that they have made it a targeted seat… Scared my bloody foot… The FNM candidate is irrelevant…”

Translation? Fred Mitchell, who’s been hurling grenades at opponents like it’s a full-time job, now wants Bahamians to believe he’s the one under siege. It’s the political equivalent of starting a bar fight and then whining that somebody swung back.

The facts are plain. No one—absolutely no one—has run a nastier campaign than Fred Mitchell and the PLP. Not the FNM, not independents, not even the anonymous Facebook trolls. And it has been a bttier and angry Fred Mitchell at the helm, dragging political discourse through the mud, and now crying foul because the FNM may now dare to play his game.

If The Bahamas is ever to see true progress, Fred Mitchell and this “New Day” government—whose only specialty is excuses, finger-pointing, and gaslighting—must be voted out. Not tomorrow. Not next year. But as soon as Bahamians possibly can.

Because in the end, Fred, you can’t set fire to the house and then call yourself the fireman.

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

END