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.

END

After rolling out a budget so lackluster it made a sloth on a Sunday look energetic, the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government of The Bahamas found themselves in desperate need of a distraction. Their budget, an exercise in mediocrity, offered concessions on sea moss, fire extinguishers, digital camera parts, and laundry detergent in sheet form. Truly inspiring, if you’re in the market for yawns.

But lo and behold, the PLP found their lifeline—a distraction that could rival a reality TV twist. Enter the headline: “FNM SOLD NIB SHARES.” In a melodramatic reveal worthy of daytime soap operas, Minister of Social Services and Urban Renewal Keith Bell disclosed in Parliament that the Free National Movement (FNM), under Dr. Hubert Minnis, had sold the National Insurance Board’s (NIB) entire portfolio of American stocks. Bell, never one to shy away from drama, described this like he was unveiling the location of the Holy Grail.

Bell revealed that in 2020, NIB offloaded shares in giants like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Cisco. His shock was palpable, pausing repeatedly during his speech—perhaps to catch his breath from all that theatrical gasping.

But here’s where the story takes a nosedive. Bell’s big revelation, meant to scandalize, fell flat because he conveniently left out the context. He provided just enough to intrigue but not enough to inform. Some might call it lying; we will politely label it as selective storytelling.

Enter Governor Rolle’s remarks from May 2020, which provided much-needed context. The Central Bank was grappling with maintaining foreign reserves and the fixed exchange rate. Tough decisions had to be made, including selling assets to stabilize the economy. The goal was clear—position The Bahamas for a swift recovery once tourism, the economic backbone, bounced back.

The PLP, however, seems more interested in Monday morning quarterbacking than acknowledging the tough decisions made for the greater good. Their narrative, fixated on what the shares might be worth today, misses the crucial point of why they were sold in the first place. It sends a loud and clear message: they would rather harp on hypothetical losses than appreciate the real, tangible gains in economic stability and recovery.

By focusing on the past, the PLP overlooks the essential truth—they’re signaling to the Bahamian people that taking necessary, albeit painful, steps to secure economic relief was a mistake. Their approach? Spectacularly misguided. And so, the PLP fails, as is their nature, to see the forest for the trees. Their nature, it seems, is to miss the point entirely.

END

Alright, folks, buckle up because we’re diving into the latest from the House of Assembly, where the “Honorable” Keith Bell spent nearly an hour on his feet, delivering a scathing critique of the Official Opposition, the Free National Movement (FNM). Now, if you’re thinking this is just another run-of-the-mill parliamentary tirade, think again. Bell took it upon himself to berate the FNM for what he claims was the reckless selling off of all “American foreign assets in National Insurance” back in 2020. Yes, you heard it right, during the height of the pandemic.

Bell was so “behooved”—I love that word, don’t you?—that he stopped just short of explaining why it was necessary to sell these “American foreign” assets and, importantly, who exactly was advising the government at that time. But then again, sound reasoning might just get in the way of a good old-fashioned misrepresentation of the truth. You see, calling members of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) liars is a surefire way to rile them up, even when the facts aren’t on their side.

Let’s take a trip back to May 2020, shall we? According to The Nassau Guardian, the National Insurance Board (NIB) began identifying which of its foreign assets to liquidate as part of stringent austerity measures. This was to safeguard the foreign reserves, as requested by the Central Bank of The Bahamas, to navigate the perilous economic crisis brought on by COVID-19. NIB Director Dr. Nicola Virgill-Rolle mentioned that the board was figuring out how to meet this mandate without straining the fund’s resources. The plan was to target the lowest-yielding assets to maintain liquidity, crucial for paying unemployment benefits at a time when the country’s economy was in dire straits.

So, the foreign investments by the National Insurance Board were essentially a support mechanism for the country’s reserves. By the end of 2019, these external reserve balances had jumped by an impressive 46.7% to $1.7 billion.

But if you followed Minister Bell’s narrative, you’d think the FNM was selling off these assets willy-nilly, just for kicks, with no good reason or advisement. In reality, this was a strategic move under the guidance of The Central Bank of The Bahamas, aiming to raise funds for critical social services during an unprecedented economic shutdown.

Now, I have to wonder if Minister Bell realizes that his version of events is, in fact, misleading Parliament and the people.

Is it any surprise that a minister from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), who has already weathered controversy, was chosen to deliver this dirty task?

 Survived one scandal, why not test if he’s “bulletproof” with another, right?

And there you have it, folks. A perfect example of political theater at its finest. Don’t you just love it?

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

END

Ah, the Deputy Prime Minister, Chester Cooper aka “Morocco Mole” , graces us with another dazzling display of either gross misunderstanding or deliberate political gymnastics. Let’s break this down, folks.

Opposition Leader Michael Pintard dared to point out that, despite a surge in tourism, the country’s economic growth remains lackluster. What does “Morocco Mole” do? He dismisses it as “utter nonsense,” but in doing so, he unwittingly confirms the very point Pintard is making.

“Morocco Mole” boasts about a 17% increase in stopover arrivals last year, a 3.5% growth in the first quarter of this year, and air traffic to Grand Bahama surpassing pre-Hurricane Dorian levels. Impressive stats, but let’s not miss the forest for the trees. Pintard’s argument hinges on the distinction between visitor numbers and actual economic impact. And here’s where the spin gets dizzying.

“Morocco Mole” flaunts high hotel occupancy rates, the reopening of the British Colonial Hotel, and booming Airbnb business. All well and good, but Pintard’s critique is razor-sharp: the government’s own projections show economic growth sliding from 5.5% in May 2023 to a mere 1.1% by December 2023. So, despite the fanfare of record visitor arrivals, we’re missing revenue targets by a staggering $200-$300 million.

Visitor numbers up, economic benefits down. How does”Morocco Mole” respond? By accusing Pintard of making things up, of course. “He completely made that up,” “Morocco Mole” declares, yet provides no substantial evidence to counter the crux of Pintard’s argument. Instead, he doubles down on the cruise passenger growth narrative, ignoring Pintard’s pointed observation that cruise visitors spend a paltry $75 each onshore.

And the pièce de résistance: “Morocco Mole” claims the need for more hotel rooms to meet demand, suggesting that perhaps Pintard was “too shell-shocked at our successes” to understand. Ah yes, the old “you’re just jealous of our achievements” line. Classic.

“Morocco Mole’s” defense boils down to this: “We’re seeing more tourists, so everything must be great!” But without addressing the tangible economic benefits—or lack thereof—his rebuttal is as thin as a paper-thin hotel brochure.

In the end, we’re left with “Morocco Mole’s” bluster and Pintard’s inconvenient truths. The numbers don’t lie, but they can be very, very misleading when wielded by a seasoned politician. So,”Morocco Mole” we see your visitor stats and raise you a hard look at the economy. Who’s really spinning the “utter nonsense” here?

It’s simply amazing that the New Day government would attempt to use the numbers to prove a lie when the numbers do not lie.

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

END

Today we will look into a story that’s raising more than a few eyebrows and leaving us with a lot more questions than answers. The New Day government promises us a grand total of thirty-eight dollars and thirty-three cents in annual savings. Yes, you heard that right, folks—thirty-eight dollars and thirty-three cents. While we appreciate every penny, we can’t help but scrutinize the details behind this so-called fantastic deal. And, let me tell you, those details are murkier than water in an outhouse on a sweltering summer day.

Let’s turn to a recent article from The Nassau Guardian. The headline reads, “BPL in the midst of privatization.” Opposition Leader Michael Pintard has some strong words on the matter. During the 2024/2025 budget debate, Pintard declared, “It is clear from the information provided by the government that Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) is in the midst of being privatized. BPL, by whatever name you wish to call it, is in the midst of a privatization exercise.”

Pintard goes on to reveal that the government has, rather slyly, introduced a privatization process under the guise of something else during the budget debate. Back in March, the prime minister assured us that BPL would not be privatized as part of their reform plan. Yet, just three months later, reports emerged, and the Minister of Energy confirmed, that $100 million worth of sovereign assets are being transferred from state control and ownership to private control and majority ownership for a quarter-century or longer.

So, let’s ask the obvious question: if $100 million of sovereign assets are being transferred for 25 years or more to private control, doesn’t that constitute privatization?

And here’s another pressing question: if the government is in the process of transferring BPL’s transmission and distribution network, retaining only 40% ownership of the new entity, what happens to the BPL employees who currently maintain these networks? Will they be seamlessly transferred to the new company, or are their jobs at risk?

And also, who will truly control BPL for the next 25 years?

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has historically criticized the Free National Movement (FNM) for what they consider the disastrous sale of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC). But now, it appears the PLP might be on the brink of making an even more colossal mistake, all while trying to convince us otherwise.

So, yes, we are grateful for the promised savings of thirty-eight dollars and thirty-three cents. But we must question what we stand to lose in this bargain. Is it really worth it?

Stay with us as we continue to unravel this complex and concerning issue.

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

END

END

Alright folks, let me hit you with a question that’s been bugging me for the past two and a half years: how have the economic initiatives by the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) helped the average working man? Spoiler alert: it’s not looking good.

Now, they thought it was a brilliant move to reduce Value-Added Tax (VAT) across the board. Sounds good, right? Until they sneakily added VAT to items that were once untouchable—like breadbasket items and medication. Yep, they’re taxing your bread and your meds, folks. Real progressive.

For two and a half years, I’ve been trying to get an answer. Nothing. Radio silence. But then, this past Thursday, we got a gem of a headline: ‘PM: We had little success on inflation.’ You don’t say.

In this article, Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis admitted that the government’s policies since 2021 have had ‘little success’ in driving down the high cost of living. But hey, they’re still ‘attacking’ the problem from several angles. It’s like watching someone try to fix a leaky boat with a roll of duct tape and a prayer.

Davis said, and I quote, ‘Since our first budget in 2021, we have introduced a number of measures designed to reduce the cost of living, but they have had little success in producing reductions in prices to the consumer.’ Gee, thanks for the update, Captain Obvious.

He also added, ‘It is clear that something more structural is at play.’ Translation: ‘We’re out of ideas and we’re just hoping something sticks.’

Look, I’m no economist, but even I knew these initiatives weren’t going to bring down the cost of living during high inflation. You need real measures to offset rising costs. Any economist with a pulse could’ve told you that. Now, we’re right where everyone predicted: nowhere good. And the most vulnerable among us? They’ve been catching hell learning this unnecessary lesson from the New Day government.

But wait, there’s more! This is the same Minister of Finance who then tried to criticize the leader of the opposition, the Hon. Michael Pintard, for ‘errors in analyzing his new budget.’ You just can’t make this stuff up.

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) fails for one reason: it’s in their nature.”

While the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) New Day government was supposed to be improving on the
works being carried out by the previous Free National Movement (FNM) administration at Bahamas
Power and Light (BPL); it would appear that the minister charged with the responsibilities was busying
himself with misleading the public as to how and why he made their live much worst and difficult.
“Sears admits misleading House on BPL fuel hedge” – The Nassau Guardian
Excerpt from this article;
“• Confirms briefed on critical trades on October 9, 2021

• Says Ministry of Finance advised against execution
• Pintard: ‘No amount of grease’ will get Gov’t off hook
  A Cabinet minister yesterday admitted misleading Parliament by initially denying he was briefed on
  the Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) fuel hedging controversy that will allegedly cost households and
  businesses over $100m.
  Alfred Sears KC, minister of works and utilities, confirmed that on October 9, 2021, he received a
  briefing on the rationale for executing transactions, known as “call option” trades, that would enable
  BPL to acquire additional cheaper fuel at below-market prices and thus keep its fuel charge – and
  overall electricity bills – relatively low with stable rates.
  The minister, who had previously told the House of Assembly on several occasions that he never
  received any such advice or recommendations, added that he forwarded the e-mail briefing and
  attachments to the Ministry of Finance and its financial secretary, Simon Wilson, for their assessment.
  Describing this as “normal” procedure for any major financial or spending decision facing the
  Government, Mr. Sears said Mr. Wilson recommended that the trades – which would have supported
  the initial BPL fuel hedge implemented in summer 2020 by increasing the utility’s stock of cheaper fuel
• not be executed.
  The minister added that despite BPL’s then-Board and management trying their “hardest to persuade”
  the Government to proceed with the oil purchases, the financial secretary’s advice won the day and
  the trades were never executed. Mr. Sears did not explain why the Davis administration took the
  Ministry of Finance’s position over that of the former BPL Board and management, which had been
  responsible for implementing the fuel hedge in summer 2020.
  Mr. Wilson, too, declined to comment when contacted by Tribune Business to explain the justification
  for not proceeding with the trades (see other article Page 1B). However, under the Westminster
  system of government employed by The Bahamas, it would be virtually impossible – and highly
  irregular – for a civil servant such as the financial secretary to make the key decision on a matter
  involving sums reaching into the tens of millions of dollars.

https://www.facebook.com/AdrianRamseySays
While Mr. Wilson and the Ministry of Finance would have submitted advice and recommendations,
the decision on whether or not to proceed with the fuel hedging trades would almost certainly have
been taken at the policymaker or ministerial level by either the full Cabinet or a Cabinet committee
based on the briefings received.
Thus it should have been the Prime Minister, Mr. Sears and their Cabinet colleagues ultimately
making the judgment call, which their political opponents claim will cost Bahamian businesses and
households a combined $100m over the course of 2023 via soaring electricity bills that need not have
been incurred if the fuel hedging trades were executed.
The fuel charge component of BPL bills is set to increase by up to 163 percent compared to the stable
10.5 cents per kilowatt (KwH) enjoyed by the utility’s customers for the just over two-year period to
October 2022. Without the cut-priced fuel produced by those trades, BPL had increasingly been
purchasing its oil at spot market prices from late 2021 onwards but not passing the full cost on to
customers – in contravention of the Electricity Act regulations – for some months.”
Now we have a new minister in charge of this ministry but as with the “New Day, Same Old Ways”
trend that the Progressive Liberal Party seems to be sailing along as a government, there seems to be
a further downward trend in at the quasi-government corporation.

“BPL fails to meet demand” – The Nassau Guardian
Excerpt from this article; “Residents on New Providence were plunged into darkness over the
weekend after Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) was unable to meet electricity demand.
On Saturday, BPL started load shedding after an “unprecedented” demand for power, soaring
temperatures, the loss of a 25 megawatt generator and the unavailability of about 25 MW of rental
generation due to planned maintenance and other issues, officials said.
“BPL was able to return its unit to service shortly after 6 p.m. on Sunday, but with load demands
exceeding projections by 20 MW, there remains a shortfall resulting in load shedding during peak
hours in New Providence,” the company said yesterday.
“BPL is presently working with its rental generation partners to return at least 10 MW of power to the
grid within the next 24 hours and another 10 MW should be available by the end of next week (May
25, 2024).
“Additionally, BPL is working to return three units that are offline due to scheduled maintenance by
the end of the month. These units will add 59 MW to the current capacity.”
BPL said load shedding remains a possibility if unforeseen incidents impact available capacity at its
plants and if temperatures continue to hover over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, increasing demand.
BPL’s Senior Manager for Corporate Communications Arnette Ingraham said yesterday the load
demand for May is “unprecedented”.

https://www.facebook.com/AdrianRamseySays
Upon taking charge of the responsibilities for Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), the new minister
promised lower electricity rates by the summer. Now some would argue that it is not officially
summer yet; while others would argue that the minister actually meant that she would lower your
rates though load shedding; yes, it seems that we have begun load shedding but this NOT what we
expected from this New Day government and the question now becomes; exactly what are they doing
and do they even know?
In April of this year the New Day government introduced the Electricity Bill that and I quote “Energy
bill opens door to BPL move”, move to where exactly?
Let us apply some logic here as there a few things that this New Day government should have known.
Some things that this government should have known coming into office; is that BPL was operating at
a lost, this is why the previous administration had upgraded the generators and were seeking to move
to LNG as a less expensive source of fuel.
This administration should have known that though climate change our summer were getting hotter,
our traveling Climate Czar Prime Minister Philip Davis should have been quite aware of this fact, so
why were we not prepared for the recent heat wave and seem to have to resort to load shedding?
So here we are, back to load shedding.
From my understanding the plan at BPL with the new generators was that only one should be off-line
at any given time for scheduled maintenance because there was sufficient power from the other
generators to “pick up the slack” but it would appear that three were or are offline at one time for
“scheduled maintenance” and we still do not know if these are the new generators or not but my
“sources” deep within BPL has informed me that once the maintenance contract was terminated by
the New Day government, one of the new generators was taken offline for “scheduled maintenance”
and has not been able to be put back online; maybe someone at BPL can verify the veracity of this
information.
It now appears that we have returned to the early days of the Minnis administration, when the
country wanted the Hon. Desmond Bannisters head on a platter for how unreliable the power supply
was.
It would appear that some point during his tenure as the minister with responsibility of Bahamas
Power and Light, the electricity supply was brought to some sort of normalcy, and then the New Day
(PLP) government happened.
First there was the admission by Minister Sears of misleading Parliament regarding the fuel hedging
controversy raises concerns about transparency and accountability within the government. The
decision-making process surrounding such significant financial matters should be clear and well-
informed, particularly given the potential impact on households and businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/AdrianRamseySays
Then, the failure of BPL to meet electricity demands, resulting in load shedding which only highlights
operational issues within the utility company and he inability to cope with increased demand,
especially during periods of high temperatures, underscoring the need for robust infrastructure and
planning to ensure reliable power supply.
Furthermore, the introduction of the Electricity Bill by the government raises questions about their
plans for the energy sector, particularly regarding BPL’s future direction. The lack of clarity
surrounding this bill, coupled with the ongoing challenges faced by BPL, creates uncertainty about the
government’s strategy for addressing energy needs and reducing electricity rates.
The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason; it is their nature.
END

In 2022, a number of questions were put forth to Prime Minister Davis by Candia Dame’s, at that time he refused to answer them, today we have a new set of questions being asked of the prime minister and his government and again he and others simply refuse to be accountable and transparent but only this time we have Pump #10 chiming in, in what I can only describe as an attempt to be “cute”.

“10 things we did not get answers to in 2022” – The Nassau Guardian – Dec 14, 2022

Excerpt from this article; “When it comes to transparency and accountability in office, administrations often talk a good talk, buy into their own hype and obfuscate while failing to be truly accountable or transparent.

“Accountability and transparency” are often convenient declarations, but many times we are met with obscurity and spin in our demands for information.

While the Davis administration has kept its promise to hold regular press briefings, and while many Cabinet ministers are accessible to media, there are often questions we never get answers to, and, it appears, never will.

Meanwhile, the establishment of infrastructure to give effect to the long-delayed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) hampers the ability of media and the general public to access information they have a legitimate right to.

It appears that it will be some time before we can actually begin requesting information under this critical piece of legislation, which was passed during the last Christie administration.

In addition to unanswered questions, there are numerous pledges that Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Philip Davis, while in opposition, indicated would be fulfilled early, but have yet to receive attention.”

Now two years later we have Prime Minister Davis yet again avoiding to be transparent and unaccountable to the people by again refusing to answer questions put to him by the Opposition.

 “PM dodges questions” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article;

“Except for two questions answered by Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell regarding diplomats appointed by the Davis administration since September 2021, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) members of Parliament yesterday refused to answer a series of questions put to them by Opposition Leader Michael Pintard during Question Time in the House of Assembly, with Prime Minister Philip Davis accusing him of “grandstanding” given that his party’s leadership race is in a few weeks.

Many of the questions Pintard asked have been on the agenda of the House of Assembly for months – some dating as far back as last October.

Minister of Energy and Transport JoBeth Coleby Davis went as far as to say she will not answer questions Pintard asked her about Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) – which falls within her portfolio – until after the Free National Movement’s (FNM) convention on June 1.

The connection between her obligation to answer questions and the opposition party’s convention was unclear.”

“I am not prepared to answer those questions today, but I will assure the member for Marco City (Pintard) that after the convention, I will be in a better position to answer those questions,” she said.”

Indeed, the connection between her obligation to answer questions that pertain to the nation and the opposition party’s convention are quite unclear and I would say non-existent but it would appear that the “good” minister in her attempt to be seen and heard and cute can only be seen as merely arrogance and ignorant while providing an answer that would have any right thinking people asking; what is wrong with this woman?

The lack of responsiveness to questions from both the media and the opposition is worrying, especially considering the promises made regarding transparency and accessibility to information.  The delay in implementing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the recent negative reaction to it by the chairman of the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), further exacerbates the issue of hindering the public to access critical information.

Additionally, the refusal of the “good” minister to answer questions not until after the Free National Movement’s (FNM’s) convention raises questions about the motivations and priorities of the New Day government.

This behavior not only reflects poorly on the individuals involved but also undermines public trust in the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

It’s essential for a functioning democracy that elected officials are held accountable for their actions and decisions. Hopefully, continued scrutiny from the media and the public will lead to greater transparency and responsiveness from the government in the future but from the direction of the current government this is very doubtful.

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

END

While admitting that there are “no firm plans yet on way forward for BPL”, Minister of

Energy and Transportation, Jobeth Coleby-Davis also stated that “Opposition has no legitimacy to complain about BPL”, this is what you get when ignorance befriends arrogance.

As we all remember this begun with the Minister of Energy and Trasport having to ‘walk back” the statement with government attempting to take full control of Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) for three years without any input from the regulatory body Utilities Regulations and Competition Authority (URCA) and then having to bring ‘clarification” to the situation by way of a last minute amendment to the Electricity Bill  – “good” Minister, if the bill was in the best interest of the country and the people then that particular amendment would have never been necessary, unless of coursed the New day Government is that inept and that incompetent.

“Minister notes no firm plans yet on way forward for BPL” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article;

 “Minister of Energy and Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis said yesterday all options are on the table to help rightsize Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), which she reiterated is in a state of financial crisis.

“All of the exercises that we’re doing now are a part of rightsizing BPL,” said Coleby-Davis at an Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) press briefing.

“Any partnership or any relationship that we engage in would also take into consideration the option to be able to facilitate payments to the legacy debt on a timely basis, and that is why we have to do these exercises so we can give BPL more room in their finances to be able to fund and pay down their debt.

“The government is not in the business of putting the Bahamian people and any assets related to them in a worse position, and so, as we are leading these discussions to find possible solutions, everything is on the table.”

If we all can remember, the “good” Minister promised lower electricity bills by the middle of this year, even though at that time oil prices globally were trending upward, so we put all of our faith in the “good” Minister only today to have her tell us that  her government  has “…no firm plans yet on way forward for BPL”.

What a time in the kingdom but it gets better.

The Minister then goes on to attempt to chastise the former government, while she seems to have no clue of the way forward.

“Coleby-Davis: Opposition has no legitimacy to complain about BPL” The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Minister of Energy and Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis said yesterday the Official Opposition does not have any legitimacy to complain about the handling of Bahamas Power and Light (BPL).

Coleby-Davis was responding specifically to concerns raised by the opposition in the House of Assembly during debate on the Electricity Bill, 2024, and the Natural Gas Bill, 2024, that the bills were too lengthy and complex to debate together and in only one sitting.

“As much as I can be able to converse and communicate with you, the media, and with the public to give them the assurances, to make sure that I put in a better terminology that they can understand, I will do that,” she said.

“But I do not think the opposition is in any position to criticize the government, because the opposition had four and a half years. We are amending a 2015 bill, which means they did nothing to the legislation when they sat as the government.”

The first thing that the “good” Minister should educate herself on is the difference between a complaint and helpful criticism, the very same criticism that had her make the amendment that had her and the New Day government attempting to run “buck wild” with BPL – AGAIN.

If she remembers, it was her government that brought about the high electricity bills being experienced by consumers right now, but I digress.

What she really needs to knowledge is the fact that if the former administration had not done the groundwork to bring in the present turbines/engines at BPL, her government could not and would not be talking about the possibility of lower electricity bills using LNG.

So, her statement that the “Opposition has no legitimacy to complain about BPL” is complete and utter nonsense by a person deeply steeped in arrogant Ignorance. 

As I have said before there are no complaints but rather nothing more than constructive criticism but her arrogant Ignorance would not allow her to see that this way, so here we are with a ‘good” Minister the constantly trips over her own tongue and like Greek philosopher Zeno once said, “Its better to trip with the feet than with the tongue”

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

END

Just months after explicitly stating that the Davis [New day] administration does not support the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and then going on to further explain in detail as to why and on the very same day that it is announced in the press that a jury has been impanelled for the Kirk Cornish trial; Fred Mitchell, Chairman of the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government is now saying that his government supports the FOIA and goes on to attack the media for taking his comments out of context, as he claims that he was being facetious when he once claimed that the New Day government did not have the time for the FOIA.

I now see an attempt to try and put the reckless political rhetoric toothpaste back into the tube.

It is now appears that each and every time that someone in the New Day government says something totally stupid and reckless they then attempt to “walk it back”, by either claiming to have “misspoken” or having been “misinterpreted”; it is just simply amazing to watch.

“Govt ‘supports’ FOIA, minister insists” – The Guardian

Excerpt from this article;

“Months after he declared the Davis administration “opposes” the idea of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell said yesterday the media took his comments too literally.

Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Michael Pintard raised the matter in the House of Assembly as he accused the government of failing to be transparent.

But Mitchell said, “You keep talking about a Freedom of Information Act. The problem I have is that the journalists in the country, present company excepted, are too literal, and so when I’m engaged in irony and sarcasm they go running off the deep end about what I said and what I don’t believe and what I say. You know, don’t be mistaking me for that.

“Clearly, the government’s position is it supports the Freedom of Information Act.”

The discussion surrounding FOIA has been ongoing since the first FOI bill was passed in 2012 under the last Ingraham administration.

The revamped FOI Bill was passed in 2017 under the Christie administration.

Since then, administrations have made repeated promises to fully implement the act.

While the Minnis administration got as far as setting up an office and appointing Information Commissioner Keith Thompson, it did not fulfill its campaign promise of full implementation of the act.

Ahead of the 2021 general election, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) listed the full implementation of FOIA in its pre-election document, “Our Blueprint for Change”.

In January, amid renewed discussions over the lack of progress on the matter, Mitchell, in an interview with ZNS Grand Bahama, said, “We oppose this Freedom of Information Act idea.”

His comment came one week after Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis told reporters that the full implementation of FOIA, though a campaign promise, was not a pressing issue for the government at this time.

Yesterday, Mitchell said it is simply a matter of priorities.

“The prime minister before I spoke, said that the question was expense and priority, right?” he said.”

It seems like there has been some backtracking and contradictory statements from Fred Mitchell regarding the government’s stance on the Freedom of Information Act. Mitchell initially stated that the government does not support FOIA, only to later claim he was being facetious and that the government does indeed support it. This has led to criticism and accusations of lack of transparency from the public.

It is important for government officials to be clear and consistent in their statements, especially on important matters such as transparency and accountability. The media play a crucial role in holding public figures accountable, so it’s understandable that they would take statements seriously.

It appears that there may be a disconnect between what was initially said and what is now being claimed, leading to confusion and skepticism among the public. It is vital for transparency and trust in government that statements and positions are clearly communicated and followed through on.

Is it now out of a sense of “priority” that Mr. Mitchell has done a complete 180 and was that “priority” to the people or to “fall in line” with the prime minister, whose priorities concerning this piece of legislation were totally different from that of the Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP)?

Who was the Chairman speaking for at that time if his “priorities” were not those of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and given this blatant conflict of “priorities”, can Fred Mitchell as Minister for Foreign Affairs be trusted to speak on behalf of the Bahamian people if it goes against his “priorities”?

END