Last week the Auditor General, Terrance Bastian produced a report that was table in the House of assembly, which suggested; “Taxpayers suffer $7m overruns on CARIFTA, Bahama Games” – The Tribune Business.

Excerpt, from this article; “BAHAMIAN taxpayers incurred an extra $7m bill to cover cost overruns for two much-hyped sporting events that were hosted last summer, the Government’s financial watchdog has revealed.

The Auditor General’s Office, in reports tabled in the House of Assembly, revealed that the Government overshot its upgraded $4.9m spending allocation for the 50th CARIFTA track and field championships and Bahamas Jubilee Games through a near-total $12m outlay on the two events.

This $7m overrun occurred despite the Government, in its 2002-2023 supplementary Budget, more than doubling spending on the Bahamas Jubilee Games from the original $1.5m to $3.5m – an increase of $2m. CAR- IFTA expenditure was also increased, albeit by a more modest $400,000, to take it from an initial $1m to $1.4m in the same 2022-2023 fiscal year.

However, even these increases proved woefully insufficient to cover the Government’s ultimate outlays, which came to $5.559m for the Bahamas Jubilee Games and $6.43m for hosting the regional CARIFTA championships.

When the figures are combined, the total $11.989m total exceeds the $4.9m supplementary Budget allocation by more than $7m or 145 percent – meaning the spend is more than double what was predicted. And the Auditor General’s Office, in its CARIFTA report, reveals that the net loss, or deficit, incurred by The Bahamas from hosting the event was almost 20 times’ what was forecast.”

For some strange reason with this simple piece of accounting, that only laid out the facts; some very simple facts without any accusations, all “hell” broke loose and most of us just watched in amazement.

First there was the Minister involved defending something that most did not feel needed defending;

“Bowleg defends oversight of games” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from his article; “Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg claimed yesterday he specifically requested that the auditor general conduct an audit of the CARIFTA Games 2023 and The Bahamas Jubilee Games, and said he felt disrespected that while Auditor General Terrance Bastian provided a draft report to his ministry for feedback, he did not release to the minister a final report before it was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.

However, there is no requirement in law or in practice for the auditor general to have alerted the minister of a final draft.

Under the constitution, the auditor general is an independent position.

As a matter of practice, his office provides impacted entities opportunities to respond to findings and provide explanations, but Bowleg acknowledged that his ministry never responded to the draft audits which raised concerns about how public monies used for those games were handled.

Under Article 136(5) of the constitution, “In the exercise of his functions…the auditor general shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.”

The minister also insisted that notwithstanding anything the auditor general reported, “There was no overspending of funds” on the games.”

Read that last line again, I underlined it for ease of reference.

Really, Mr. Minister?

The Minister feels disrespected after being provided a draft copy of the audit report that he requested and did not respond to but feeling out of some sort of courtesy  that the Auditor general should have given him first look at the final report when by the constitution he does not have to because he does not report to him; am I getting this right?

I remember one time that a report was given to a Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister; it was only seen again when the media got” wind of it” and found that it was “lost’ on this persons desk in the fear that this person may have lost their job at the time, their words, lose their jobs by whom and why?

Bringing the media into this, the second attack was actually against the media for them simply doing their jobs in this matter; “Mitchell attacks media over audit reporting” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Fred Mitchell yesterday responded to the auditor general’s audits on The Bahamas Jubilee Games and the CARIFTA Games 2023 by accusing newspapers of irresponsible reporting, and questioning whether the auditor general gave impacted entities an opportunity to respond to the findings.

Yesterday, his colleague, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg acknowledged that his ministry was presented with draft audits and given an opportunity to respond, but did not do so because it did not get answers from the individuals responsible for the operations of the games.

The audits were tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.”

The only thing that I can say whenever Fred Mitchell gets into a situation that is clearly none of his business and that he only makes worst by this contributions is “Who authorized pump 10?”’

If I were the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), I would find a way to limit his reach but they fought a “bloody” fight for him in their last convention, so I feel it is clear that they love what he contributes; I feel the older and the more sensible person in the organization know a lot better though; we can hope and pray.

But then as if the contribution by Fred Mitchell was not damaging enough, the CARIFTA committee chairman seem hellbent to out do everyone on this matter;

“CARIFTA committee chair calls audit ‘garbage’”  – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Lynden Maycock, the certified public accountant who was chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the CARIFTA Games 2023 hosted by The Bahamas, said he did not seize the opportunity to respond to adverse findings contained in a draft report of the auditor general on the financial management of that event because he viewed the audit as “garbage”.

“I wouldn’t even dignify that and say that’s an audit report,” Maycock said.

“I call that a garbage report. I wouldn’t even dignify it saying it was an audit report, because it was not.”

In that audit tabled in Parliament last Wednesday, the auditor general, Terrance Bastian, found that policies pertaining to the request for funds, purchasing and procurement, and allocation of funds for the games were not adhered to, and there was a deficit of $829,821.37.

The audit notes that the government initially budgeted an amount of $1 million for the CARIFTA Games.

Maycock said the games were “grossly under budgeted”.

“The government of The Bahamas was only acting in a capacity as a guarantor of the games, and so wherever [there were] any shortfalls of any monies then the government would step in,” he said.

Responding to a question from The Nassau Guardian, Maycock said the findings relating to the financial management of the games were “totally incorrect”.

He said, acceptable procedures were followed “absolutely to the T”.

In a statement, Mitchell said, “It is tiresome to do so but it bears repeating: be careful how newspapers rush to alarmist and tendentious headlines about public expenditure, without hearing the other side. When the facts are revealed, we are satisfied that it will be clear that the deliberate and destructive innuendo of public malfeasance by the newspapers, is misplaced and maliciously conceive

The New Day government’s reaction to the Auditor’s report has been quite suspicious, to say the very least. If we all remember it was this very same Auditor General whose word was “gospel” when it came to trying to demonize the Free National Movement (FNM) over its handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian but today the same man’s words are simply “blasphemous” when merely suggesting that there was a cost overrun at the recent CARIFTA and Bahama Games.

From what I have read there has not been one accusation made by the Auditor General in the matter, he simply reported what the numbers said…….but it would seem that some may not have wanted the public to know what the numbers had to say.

We now wonder what else may have been simply buried, covered up.

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

END

There are just times when you listen to someone and can only ask yourself; “who is this person talking to?”

Is he talking to us or the voices in his head?

“PM dismisses concern GBPA dispute will undermine investor confidence” – The Tribune

“Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis during a walk through Downtown Nassau on April 10, 2024.

Excerpt from this article;

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis dismissed concerns that the government’s dispute with the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) undermines investor confidence and suggested that investors already lacked interest in the island.

His comments came as some GBPA licensees in Grand Bahama lamented the tension between the government and the GBPA.

“Look at what is happening in the country,” Mr. Davis told reporters after a walkabout of East Bay Street. “We have billions of dollars in the pipeline already agreed to and more about to come.”

“If it’s going to destroy investor’s confidence, why are they still coming? The number of projects I still have on my desk to talk about and to deal with are astronomical. The challenge, why is this capital not being attracted to Freeport?

“It’s being attracted in Exuma, being attracted to Cat Island, it’s being attracted to Abaco, to Bimini, to the cays and the Exumas. Why not Grand Bahama, and that’s just the question we have to answer.”

Why is this capital not being attracted to Freeport?

With all due respect but maybe Mr. Prime Minister your answer, of why we have investments in the other islands and not in Freeport, Grand Bahama is because of the “GBPA dispute is undermining investor confidence”, the same dispute that you are attempting to convince the people that would not “undermine investor confidence”; I mean I am just suggesting that this is very STRONG possibility.

And while you ask the question of “why is this capital not being attracted to Freeport?” what about the billions of dollars of investments that Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper brags about;

“DPM says more than $2 billion in investments for GB” – February 22, 2024

Excerpt from this article;

 FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – Major new investments for Grand Bahama will provide jobs, construction, and business opportunities, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper during the opening of the Grand Bahama Business Outlook on Thursday, February 22 at the Grand Lucayan resort.

Grand Bahama, he said, is the fastest growing island in the country when it relates to air arrivals, and the third fastest growing island overall.”

One thing that is very clear is that the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Investment are not on the same page and maybe, and this is only suggestion, these two ministers should sit down and talk before a person sticks a microphone in their face; otherwise someone may begin to believe that neither of you knows what you all are doing or just begin to believe that one or both of you are just plain lying and you may begin to lose even more voter confidence.

END

     In this morning’s Nassau Guardian in an article with the caption “No govt ploy to take over GBPA – Mitchell says PM seeking to avoid acrimony with Port”; Fred Mitchell, Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) attempted to dispel the rumors that the New Day government is trying to take control of the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) but it would seem that the statement only raised more questions than answers.

Mitchell is quoted as saying; “The Davis administration’s fight with the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) is not a part of some “ploy” by the government to take over the entity, but simply an effort to improve the lives of Grand Bahama residents, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell said”

Mitchell said investors have walked away from Grand Bahama due to the difficult red tape laid out by the GBPA, as he appealed to Bahamians across the political divide to get on board with the idea that Freeport needs to become a Bahamainized city.”

He called on right-thinking Bahamians to support the efforts of Prime Minister Philip Davis in his battle against the owners of the GBPA.”

Here the Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Fred Mitchells attempts to invoke the “us again them” mentality amongst the people and like a PLP troll asked me this morning: “Are you with the government or with the Port?”, all because I questioned the approach taken by the New Day government in recouping the moneys owed but since the clarification by the “Hon.” Fred Mitchell this morning; I must say that I have even more questions.

My first question obviously is, when Fred Mitchell says that Freeport needs to be a Bahamainized city, exactly what does he mean?  And what are they now?

Mr. Mitchell tends to suggest that if the GBPA were to come up with the money that is owed; then this period of Bahamainization would begin, so my next logical question is;

If the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) actually comes up with the money that is owed; how will that make Freeport “Bahamainized” and how would that improve the lives of Grand Bahama residents and how would that do away with the “difficult red tape laid out by the GBPA?

It is my opinion that the only way to do either of these things is if the government is planning on taking control of Freeport by taking control of the GBPA and we must remember that at one point is time the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) had “eyed [a] stake in the GB Port Authority, is this their way of finally acquiring it? But they say that this is not about that, right?

It is move like that that makes a person have trust issues in their government, because they are saying that this is not a move to acquire the Grand Bahama Port Authority, but it’s a “textbook” hostile takeover.

Then there are the billions in investments that the New day government has claimed to have lined up; if the GBPA is still in place, because they have settled their debt with the government, will these investors not “walk away”, as the chairman has claimed that others have already have?

The only way that I can see the new day government achieving what their chairman says that their goals really are is by taking control of the GBPA, but like he says, that is not what this is about …..right?

END

“Anti-gang bill tabled” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article;

“A person convicted of involvement in gang activity would be liable to a $100,000 fine and a 25-year prison term, under the Anti-Gang Bill, tabled in the House of Assembly yesterday.

A gang leader or member who commits one or more of the 15 offenses listed in the bill as gang activity would be subject to the specified penalty.

These activities include, among other things, recruiting someone to join a gang; committing an offense for the financial benefit of a gang; instructing a gang member to commit a serious offense; threatening someone with retaliation in response to violence against a gang member/leader; or endangering someone’s life or causing damage to property on behalf of a gang.

Under the bill, someone who performs an act as part of a condition for a gang membership or who professes to be a gang member in order to promote a gang or intimidate someone to join a gang would face up to seven years in prison.

If someone dies as a result of gang activity, the person responsible for the killing would face life in prison.

The bill also carries a prison term for people who harbor gang leaders or members, including parents of children engaged in the activity. This would carry a prison term of up to 20 years.

A person who commits retaliation against someone, their relatives, friends, associates or property would face a prison term of up to 20 years.

This relates to retaliation against someone who refuses to be a part of a gang; who leaves a gang; who gives information to police about a gang or gang activity; who gives evidence in the prosecution of a gang leader/member; or who refuses to comply with a gang leader’s or member’s order, among other scenarios.

The bill also includes stiff penalties for knowingly counseling, giving instructions to, financing or supporting a gang member in furtherance of the gang’s participation or involvement in gang-related activity. A conviction on this offense would bring a prison term of up to 25 years.

In cases where the gang leader or member is a child and the person convicted of sheltering them is a parent/guardian, the court “shall take into consideration mitigating factors such as efforts made by the person convicted to reform or rehabilitate the child”.

The bill also carries a penalty of up to 25 years for people who knowingly conceal the identity of a gang leader or gang member or the occurrence of a gang related activity.

Someone convicted of recruiting a gang member would face up to 20 years in prison. If the person recruited is a child, that sentence would increase to up to 25 years.

The bill would also make it an offense to profess to be a part of a gang in order to gain a benefit, even if this declaration is false. A conviction under this offense would carry a prison term of up to seven years.

Aiding, abetting, or promoting gang-related activity, or being an accessory after the fact would be subject to a prison sentence of no more than 20 years.

Being in possession of a bullet proof vest, firearm, or prohibited weapon for gang-related activity would bring a fine of $100,000 and a prison term of no more than 25 years.

A police officer would be able to arrest someone without a warrant if he or she has reasonable cause to suspect the person is a gang leader, gang member, is involved in gang-related activity, or has committed an offense included in the bill.

The bill would allow the court to order a person convicted of a related offense to forfeit property which was intended for gang-related activity.

A gang is defined as three or more people, whether formally or informally organized, “who act alone or in concert with each other with the aim of participating in gang-related activity, and includes a group declared a gang by the Supreme Court”.

What I find amusing is that by this very vague definition; every member of any political organization and even some churches, can be argued to be members of a gang and carrying out gang activity – and don’t forget dem “evil” masons.

I know I am going to get calls on that.

So, the country asked the New Day government to do “something” to mitigate the crime problem and we get a very vaguely written bill by two or maybe even three King’s Councils; I just know that when King Charles comes to town later this year he will be taking these honors back; embarrassing him in such a manner.

I agree that something must be done to mitigate the crime problems in the country but is this new crime initiative moving us toward that goal?

Like the adage says; “Prevention is better than cure”; which would be to say that would it not be more advantageous to put more money into education on crime prevention at the primary school level and throughout the school program, then dealing with crime after it has become a problem?

To my knowledge some programs that actually this already exists, so wouldn’t it or shouldn’t it be more productive to put more money into these programs?

At this time I am only attempting to offer what I feel is a more feasible solution to the vexing problem of crime and attempt to prevent this slope down which we quickly slip.

END

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is a total and complete contraction of itself but yet they still expect right thinking Bahamians to keep up with their contradictions; see though them and support them.

Just this past week we have had two contradictions; beginning with the contradiction at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) concerning debt owed to the company and the reduction of rates and ending with the contraction at the National Insurance Board (NIB) concerning rate increases.

“Coleby-Davis: $1 billion needed to fix BPL” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article;

“The government needs over $1 billion to address the challenges at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), Minister of Energy and Transport Jobeth Coleby-Davis advised in the House of Assembly on Wednesday.

“BPL has over $500,000 million in debt,” she said as she contributed to the mid-year budget debate.

“Yes, that’s right, over half $1 billion and counting. “It owes banks. It owes the government and the employees’ pension is underfunded by $120 million.

Big change is needed.

“BPL operates 29 power stations on 17 islands,” she continued. “Over the next five years, BPL will need an investment of over $500 million to upgrade its infrastructure.

“That’s $300 million in new generation in New Providence and in the Family Islands; $130 million in transmission and distribution in New Providence in the next two years alone; $35 million in advance metering infrastructure and $70 million in other costs.

“To fix BPL: we need over $500 million to address debts and over $500 million to upgrade and improve aged and deteriorated infrastructure. That’s over $1 billion.

“We must fix BPL. We must rescue this sector.”

Here we have the “good” minister speaking to the dire straits that we have found ourselves in as it concerns BPL but promising lower electricity rates but just stopping just short of explaining to us just how the New Day Government proposes to pull of such a feat – PLP Obeah?

The question is if the cooperation is in dire need of money to survive, as the “good minister” would suggest, just how is the New Day government proposing to lower rates by summer of 2024?

The only thing that the “good” minister has been able to tell us to date concerning the restructuring of Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) is that “BPL is not for sale”, okay, but we still would like to know what are the plans of the person that are now going to be “managing” BPL, surely there must be some idea of what they are coming in to do and how they set about to achieve this.

I can already hear some saying “dese people does complain about erryting, but I really am not…I would just like to know the government’s plan.

AND THEN…

Then we have the contradiction at the National Insurance Board, but this is a repeat of what occurred under the former minister over seeing this board.

April 14, 2022 NOT AT THIS TIME: Davis says NIB contributions hike will be a “last resort”- “Eyewitness News” – April 12 20222

Excerpt from this article;

“NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A day after Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister Myles LaRoda foreshadowed a 1.5-2 percent increase in National Insurance Board (NIB) contributions within the next year, Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said the measure will be a “last resort” so as not to place an additional burden on the backs of Bahamians until the government can provide some relief.”

“Govt. in conflict on NIB increase” The Nassau Guardian – March 8, 2024

Excerpt from this article;

“Hours after Minister of Immigration and National Insurance Alfred Sears announced in Parliament yesterday that the national Insurance rate would increase by 15 percent starting July 1, 2024 and would rise by 1.5 percent every two years for the next 20 years, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said no decision has made beyond the July 2024 increase.”

Two obvious questions; if this is the “last resort”, what other alternative were considered and tried and; what/where is the “relief” that the New Day government promised?

Moving past the fact that the Progressive Liberal Party has already been through this “song and dance” with us before concerning the rise in NIB rates; there seemed to be a logic behind the facts as laid out by the Minister Sears but the Minister of Finance claims to not think so by indicting that no long term decision has been made yet.

I hope that he realizes that this only adds to the frustration of the masses, who have been making the adjustment mentally but now do not know what the Office of The Prime Minister is planning long term.

This is what we have had from our government this past week; in one case they total contradict themselves leaving most to wonder if they really know what they are doing and on the other hand offering clarifications to situations that leave them less transparent than before – is this their intent?

They must know that in the absence of evidence, people are left to speculate and even when evidence is abound they will still speculate; the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) were masters at this in opposition but now since their own tactic is being used against them, they cry foul.

My response to them in my best Fred Mitchell voice “boo hoo”.

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

END

“PLP: The only party that can deliver” – The Bahama Journal
Excerpt from this article; “It’s been a trend since 2002. After every term, Bahamians change governments but the narrative from the current Progressive Liberal Party government is if you want real progress at least two terms will be required to truly meet the people’s needs.
PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell has said that the Davis Administration will need at least two terms to accomplish all that it has promised in its manifesto ‘The Blueprint for Change’.
Now Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis speaking at the Carmicheal Constituency branch meeting on Wednesday night is also making the call for voters to give them a second term.
PLP members and supporters in attendance let the prime minister know that they are ready to go to work on the campaign trail. However, he told them ‘there is still a way to go’ before they need to hit the ground.
Prime Minister Davis spoke on a number of topics including housing again reminding how his administration has built more affordable homes in their two and a half years compared to the Minnis administration.”

Indeed, the Davis administration has a way to go before they can hit the road; they first have to accomplish something worth note worthy and not just simply “riding the wave” by completing the initiatives of the Minnis administration before it and shamelessly taking credit for it, but I guess the argument that governments are continuous will be applied by their best pundits, so leave that there and move on.

Chairman Fred Mitchell speaks to their narrative being that they will need two terms to bring about any meaningful change as they campaign for a second term, something that has been their goal from winning the last election. Their goal has been to have Davis be the first prime minister to have back to back terms since Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham; so what if they have mislead the public to make this happen?

So, they do not and cannot speak to their narrative littered with political propaganda, lies and hatred; all aimed at creating separation within the public and to deflect away from their current course of failure.

Now whenever anyone from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) from its leader down to any one of its supporters makes such a bold pronouncement as; “PLP: The only party that can deliver”, I find it very funny. 

So what does one use to back up such a bold pronouncement?

“The Prime Minister not only boasted about his administration accomplishments in home building but the recent removal from the European Union (EU) blacklist for countries considered tax havens; an increase in salary for nurses, teachers and public servants; and the raising of the national minimum wage.”

To this I asked and have been asking for quite some time now; how has the Davis administration proven that the reduction in value-Added tax (VAT) but the addition of VAT to breadbasket items and medications helped the average working man or woman?

We are still mindful of the mess made at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), that the prime minister and the former minister that oversaw that corporation both denied making, that has resulted in the highest power bills that most of us have seen in our life time,

So the question  to  the bold pronouncement of , “PLP: The only party that can deliver”, is deliver what  and exactly what has been delivered to date?

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

END

The New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Government seems to want to move the more serious and concerning news from the front page and replace them with more upbeat news; more like the travels of the prime minister I can only imagine.

“PM: KEEP MURDERS OFF THE FRONT PAGE – Davis says local press coverage of killings harming tourism” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis criticized local press coverage of the crime rate yesterday, saying prominent reporting of murders has a ricochet effect that is harming the tourism sector.

His comments quickly drew attention to the Progressive Liberal Party’s infamous decision to erect billboards around New Providence highlighting the murder rate under the last Ingraham administration, a move Mr. Davis defended, despite fear that it would deter tourists.

The PLP erected billboards around New Providence highlighting the murder rate under the last Ingraham administration.

The country’s murder rate has repeatedly grabbed headlines this year and sparked travel advisories from the United States and Canada. Mr. Davis said concern is growing about the nature of media coverage of the incidents and the potential tourism fallout.

“Right now, the hotels are seeing some fall off, but more importantly, those who are in the hotels today, they’re not coming out into the community,” he said yesterday during a meeting with religious leaders.

“They’re not going to the restaurants, for example. They’re not going sightseeing as they used to.”

Mr. Davis urged the press to understand their role in maintaining the country’s reputation. He said other countries give less prominence to certain crimes than the local media does.

“I want to call upon the press to be sensitive,” he said.”

“The country’s murder rate has repeatedly grabbed headlines this year” and only to think that we are only in February, if we do not get a serious hold on this matter then we may end up with a very situation.

Now Prime Minister Davis comes out and must admit that the serious crime rate is affecting the ‘Golden Egg”, a fact that most of us knew would be the consequences just through simple logical deduction.

To be totally honest, Prime Minister Philip E. Davis K.C. really concerns some persons with some of the statements that he has made, like asking us to accept as fact that he did not appreciate, at the time, the ramifications or even possible ramifications of the now infamous “Murder Boards” on the tourism product;

“Yesterday, Mr. Davis said: ‘That the past: I am looking forward.’

“What I am saying now is, I now have evidence that this is impacting how it’s accepted in the international community.  I didn’t have evidence then on how it is accepted, and now that I know how it is accepted, I will say to the press, just be responsible in how you report to ensure that you don’t harm your country.”

Is he for one moment intimating that for a moment that he was too ignorant to be able to make the logical link between the rise in crime and the fallout in tourism?

If he had not become prime minister and had not been out in this situation, would he never have had someone make the logical link for him?

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

END

They say that if you elect a clown, then expect a circus; well it would appear that the people elected a squad of clowns and not seem shocked and dismayed that we now a full blown Carnival.

“Munroe hopeful crime ‘spurt’ soon behind us” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe yesterday expressed confidence that the Royal Bahamas Police Force will soon be able to get a grip on the crime wave impacting New Providence, and pointed out that there have been similar periods in the past where such “spurts” have happened.

“What people overlook is every year you have spurts, you know, and if you sit with police, they show you how one thing is inter-related to the other, and it’s like a fire that burns intensely, and then you have lulls, and so last year, I believe March, April was the period, and it happens that it’s the beginning of the year, and it may be as the police adapt then that quells it,” said Munroe, after police reported a series of shootings on the weekend.

Two men were shot dead in separate incidents, and there were four other shootings since Friday that resulted in individuals being taken to hospital.

Since the start of the year, 22 murders have been recorded in The Bahamas – 21 in New Providence and one in Abaco.

After 22 murders were recorded in March 2022, Clayton Fernander (the now commissioner of police) called it “one of the highest months ever in history”.

Munroe said yesterday law enforcement authorities and the government are constantly looking at ways to strengthen the fight against crime.

“Right now, they’ve come to me. We’ve come up with some ideas that we’re going to be moving forward with,” he said, referring to the police.

“Some of it involves getting more technology.”

Most of the killings have been retaliatory or gang involved murders, he said, noting that in one recent case where three men shot dead another man, at least 80 rounds of ammunition were fired.

Munroe pointed to a statement he made in 2013 that there is no silver bullet to stop a “generation of killers’’.

“Unfortunately, if you don’t stem the recruitment for the gangs, then you can continue to have a surge so we can get anxious, but if we concentrate to stop recruitment, that’s the medium, short and long-term solution because as this violence continues people get arrested, people get remanded and all of that,” he said yesterday.

“When you continue to have new recruits and there are people to get involved in it, if you cut off the recruitment there’s a limited pool, and eventually you will get a grip on it because as people glorify it, as the new people come in, it continues to spawn recruits and as you get the recruits, then the recruits, their parents, their families, and then it becomes a culture.”

“Hope for the best but plan for the worst”, remember being on Fort Campbell Army Base in Kentucky, and hearing this but I am sure that I that I heard it before spending time at that U.S. Army Base. 

As we listen to the Minister of national Security address the escalating violent “spurt” that has rocked the country seemingly from the beginning of this year; you get the sense that he is suggesting that if we were to leave things long enough; let them run their course, then they will eventually go away – I guess he is taking the same stance to this that he took to COVID-19, but of course a responsible government should not and could not take such a reckless and dangerous stance.

While he seems to be suggesting this. It appears that the prime minister is now telling the people that crime is social problems and is everyone’s problems to solve; while this is indeed true; a truth that Munroe and the Davis seems to remember as their convenience – dey like play forget ya see. I would just like to remind them that it was the very case when he was erecting the now infamous “Murder Boards”, probably during one of these very same periods of a “surge” as the Hon. Wayne Munroe would have it, but then blaming it on the FNM government at the time and justifying it by suggesting that the government was unable to control the “surge” of violent crime and as the leader of the opposition at the time, he was duty bound to let the truth be known.

Now the show is on the other foot and probably one size to small and the Minister of National Security is now asking us to hold hands and pray that it simply goes away because to date him nor anyone under his charge has presented a viable solution to the mitigation of the surge of violent crime.

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

END

On January 5^th 2024, Fred Mitchell, Chairman of the governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) made the following statement, “We oppose FOIA idea”, the rest of us can only surmise that the “we” to whom he referred was and is the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), as a political organization and as a government.

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) then almost immediately issued a press release on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), it was when two statements met one another that mass confusion begun, like the Abbot and Costello’s famous back and forth of “Who’s on first?”

We oppose FOIA idea” – The Nassau Guardian; 5^th January 2024

Excerpt from this article;

“Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell said yesterday the Davis administration “opposes” the idea of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), claiming it’s nothing more than “a bunch of public relations” because there is no issue with access to information in The Bahamas.

Mitchell’s comment came amid a renewed discussion over the pending full implementation of the act, which was passed in 2017.

“We oppose this Freedom of Information Act idea,” Mitchell said.

“The FNM has this view; they’ve passed something called the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Procurement Act, the Freedom of Information Act; all of these things really have nothing to do with ordinary lives versus just a bunch of public relations, accounting procedures and confusing activity with action.”

My first question was who this “we” that the chairman referred of, but this was answered when he said, “……the Davis administration “opposes” the idea of the Freedom of Information Act” (FOIA) and with that being established, it would be safe to conclude that Mr. Mitchell is also conceding and presenting as fact that the Davis “New Day government” administration is opposed to transparent and accountable governance.

Mr. Mitchell then attempt to justify this concession with the very heavy assumption of “….these things really have nothing to do with ordinary living”; but if Mr. Mitchell truly feels that giving the ordinary citizen the “tools” necessary to hold this government or any other government accountable, then my assessment of him is correct; which is he has long passed his “usefulness” as an elected official and should retire immediately!

Then there is the issue of the statement issued by the Office of The Prime Minister on January 5th 2024; “Statement from the Office of the Prime Minister on the Freedom of Information Act”.

Excerpt from this article; “The Office of the Prime Minister wishes to make clear the Davis administration’s commitment to the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Minister Mitchell, in a recent Nassau Guardian affirmed that the government is actively moving forward with the FOIA’s implementation”,  but this is not what Mr. Mitchell said and if it continues with this disjointed back and forth, the people may soon come to the conclusion that someone is lying, because as soon as people were beginning to believe the prime minister and condemning Mr. Mitchel for putting the Davis New Day administration in such a predicament; the prime minister made it clear he is willing to save Mitchell at all cost, even his own credibility.

“PM says Mitchell didn’t say what he indeed said” – The Nassau Guardian – January 11, 2024.

Except from this article, “Though Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell told reporters last week that the government opposes the idea of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Prime Minister Philip Davis wrongly claimed yesterday that Mitchell did not say this.

Last week, Davis told reporters that the full implementation of FOIA, though a campaign promise of the PLP, was not a pressing issue for the government at this time.

Mitchell, when asked about the matter a day later, said the PLP opposes the idea of FOIA.”

So what the prime minister would wish to have the country believe what Mitchell actually meant was that the full implantation of the Freedom of Information Act; the Procurement Act and the Fiscal Responsibility Acts are not priorities for the New Day Government at this time and not what Mitchell really said and meant of them not being important at all.

It is odd that at the same time that the chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) would tell us that the FOIA is of no consequence because it does not impact the lives of the average Bahamian citizen and the prime minister would try to tell us that they are looking to implement the FLOA “soon”, we actually have a situation which suggests that sooner is better than later and that Fred Mitchell’s view is absolutely absurd.

“GOVT, BROKE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION” – The Tribune

Except from this article; “A TOP civil servant is alleging the government violated the Freedom of Information’s by “intimidating” and “sidelining her after she sought to highlight ‘wrongdoing’.

Antoinette Thompson permanent secretary in the then Ministry of Transport and Housing until she was p[lace on ‘unrecorded leave’ in April 2023, is now2 seeking ‘exemplary’ and ‘aggravated’ damages for alleged breached of that law and the Public Finance Management Act after the government sought to ‘punish’ her for drawing attention to alleged ‘clear acts of public malfeasance.”

It would just appear that this New Day government just cannot help itself as it “set things right” to the advantage of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP)

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

END

Last year ended with a question being suggested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The question suggested, as the IMF warned that the fiscal deficit is likely to be almost three times higher than the government’s forecast, based on the government’s 2023-2024 budget projections; was where is the government’s revenue going?  Exactly how is it being spent?

Then we had the Leader of the Opposition, Free National Movement (FNM) calling on the government to ensure that the Fiscal Responsibility Council be given the necessary tools to carry out its statutory duties of independently assessing the government’s fiscal plans and performance, it would appear that this council has not had these “tools” to produce a report since the New Day government came to office.

Now it would appear that the New Day Government is attempting to shift its priorities and it now says that its “new” priority is going to be to address the high cost of living in The Bahamas and how it effects in the working class and the lower class.  I feel that the New Day Government must first admit to how they contributed to this high cost of living through mishaps like the fuel hedge fund debacle and how the cost of energy is now having a negative effect on some small businesses?

There were those amongst us that warned that the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government was the very same Old PLP Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). This has been proven today as fact as the chairman of the PLP removes another layer of deception from their cloak of lies used to become government.

“’We oppose FOIA idea” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article;

“Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell said yesterday the Davis administration “opposes” the idea of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), claiming it’s nothing more than “a bunch of public relations” because there is no issue with access to information in The Bahamas.

Mitchell’s comment came amid a renewed discussion over the pending full implementation of the act, which was passed in 2017.

“We oppose this Freedom of Information Act idea,” Mitchell said.

“The FNM has this view; they’ve passed something called the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Procurement Act, the Freedom of Information Act; all of these things really have nothing to do with ordinary lives versus just a bunch of public relations, accounting procedures and confusing activity with action.”

One thing that Mr. Mitchell will soon come to understand that as it relates to the New Day Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government; no one will confuse “activity with action”, because there has been a lot of activity under this New Day Government – the House being prorogued, a few Cabinet Shuffles and new appointments but yet today this activity has not brought about any action, other than to waste time and taxpayers money.

When the New Day Government first said that the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) was not a priority and that they were more focused on the effects of the cost of living was having of the lesser amongst us; I wondered if they were only now realizing that there was hardships due to the high cost of living and that some of their early initiative were actually contributing to these problem.

Mr. Mitchell further says; “We oppose the Freedom of Information Act.  The FNM has this view, they have passed something called [the] Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Freedom of Information Act and the Procurement Act.  All of these things have nothing to do with people’s ordinary lives”.  While tis statement by itself may be true, taken while applying the rules of responsible governance; they are very important – especially to the people with the ordinary lives.

What I see is a government that is fighting against being accountable to the people that elected them to be accountable.

I see a government that sees itself as above and beyond the law; as several of these acts have been [passed and enacted and the New Day Progressive Liberal Party government seems to have simply ignored them and done as they pleased.

So one were to go by the tone of chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP); the Freedom of Information Act will never become law and the Fiscal Responsibility Act will never see the light of day. 

Leaving the country defenseless against any government in power and there will be no legal way to enquire about a government as to why it it’s spending is outpacing it’s income and where is this money actually being spent?

END