Less than a year before the next general election, the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP)—the very same administration that once seemed far more enthusiastic about chasing tax arrears than chasing opportunity—now wants Bahamians to believe it can casually walk away from roughly $150 million in annual revenue for the good of the people.

And what is this grand act of economic compassion?

An $11-a-month grocery savings.

Yes—eleven dollars. Not per week. Not per shopping trip. Per month.

According to the government’s own arithmetic, this works out to about $127 a year for the average household. We are told—without even a hint of irony—that this is enough to help Bahamian families “build wealth.”

Build. Wealth.

One imagines the light bill, rent, mortgage, insurance premiums, school fees, fuel costs, and grocery inflation all pausing respectfully while the average Bahamian carefully sets aside that majestic $11 to begin their journey to generational prosperity.

This revelation comes courtesy of a headline from The Nassau Guardian proclaiming: “$11 monthly VAT savings – Tax cut could put $127 in household pocket annually.” Truly inspiring stuff—if your monthly struggle exists solely in the imagination.

Prime Minister Philip Davis, in a national address, called the VAT removal on uncooked foods a “significant step.” His Minister of Economic Affairs, Michael Halkitis, assured the public that the $15 million annual revenue loss would be “offset by economic growth.”

Offset how, exactly? Details are apparently unnecessary when faith is abundant.

Let us pause here. This is the same government that only months ago triumphantly declared the economy had “turned the corner.” If that were genuinely the case, why wait until election season to suddenly discover compassion? Why not deliver this relief earlier—quietly, responsibly, and without campaign undertones?

The answer, of course, is timing. Political timing.

Instead of lifting the average citizen to a level where survival is not a monthly gamble, the PLP is offering handouts disguised as policy—$11 a month and a pat on the head. Not structural reform. Not meaningful wage growth. Not serious energy cost relief. Just enough to generate headlines, not enough to change lives.

And let us be clear: the average Bahamian is not struggling because VAT on groceries exists. They are struggling because their income cannot keep pace with the cost of living. Eleven dollars does not rebalance a household budget. It does not stop eviction notices. It does not prevent power disconnections. It does not build wealth. It barely builds a lunch special.

Meanwhile, the government asks the public to simply trust that “other revenue measures” will magically fill a $150 million hole—measures that remain conveniently unnamed, unquantified, and unexplained. Any talk of projected budget surpluses now floats firmly in fantasy territory.

So yes, VAT relief is welcome. No one disputes that. But let us not insult the intelligence of the Bahamian people by pretending that $127 a year is an economic lifeline rather than a political talking point.

The real question isn’t whether Bahamians appreciate relief.
It’s whether they are expected to survive on symbolism while the bills remain painfully real.

Because wealth is not built on $11 a month.
But elections, apparently, might be.

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) fails for one reason; it is their nature and the Bahamian people deserve better.