Sometimes you should stop and face up to reality; this often takes a re-evaluation of the way is which you have been doing things and should bring you to a point where you can then go ahead and formulate a new plan and thereby chart a new course; it is painfully obvious that some in the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) party are totally unable or just unwilling to do this.

“Hanna-Martian defends PLP’s record” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Defending the Christie administration against claims of mismanagement, Engerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martian insisted yesterday that the former government was good for the country.

‘We worked hard, but we were saddled with an opposition that sought to undermine our efforts every step along the way,’ said Hanna-Martian as she contributed to the budget debate in the House of Assembly.”

“…….Engerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martian insisted yesterday that the former government was good for the country”, she makes this claim after the former government increased the national debt and deficit which resulted in four economic downgrades in five years, in my humble opinion she should be ashamed to utter such words but clearly she is not.

There is an amusing contradiction in minister Hanna-Martian’s claim against the Free National Movement (FNM) while in opposition, “….but we were saddled with an opposition that sought to undermine our efforts every step along the way.”, I would like to question the minister if this is the very same opposition that she and her party constantly ridiculed and that her party Chairman labeled a ‘scrap gang’?

So, how do you allow a ‘scrap-gang’ derail your government’s plans?

Were they more powerful that you gave them credit for or was your government just that weak, incompetent, inept and lazy?

Ms. Hanna-Martian backs up her claims of the great works which the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government achievements that go back to the establishment of the National Insurance Board (NIB) to the ‘difficult task of tax reform through the imposition of value-added tax (VAT), it is indeed funny that she would bring up the subject of VAT and imply that it was one of the things that was good for the country while many are still attempting to figure out why if VAT was such a success and exceeded all expectations, why did he country experience the four downgrades and the government seemed unable to slow the growth of the deficit?

“Hanna-Martian added that the budget communication delivered by Finance Minister Peter Turnquest was ‘drenched in politically biased rhetoric in a way I do not ever recall.’

“I say that very seriously and in a way that has been calculated to skew the truth,’ she said’

‘She further described the communication as ‘venomous and vitriolic.”

In other words, containing too much truth, as it began to expose the gross mismanagement of the people’s money by the former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government.

Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin should be ashamed of herself but I am sure that she is not.

The Progressive Liberal Party continues to fail for one reason, it is their nature.

END

 

 

I am seeing certain propaganda sites pop up making outrageous and illogical claims. One such claim is that the Minnis administration ‘swing der people’ and lied to them on the campaign trail; of course these sites are pro-Progressive Liberal Party )PLP) sites and seem to have forgotten the 2012 campaign and ‘A Charter for Governance’; […]

via My Morning Paper – June 04, 2017 – Illogical Propaganda — My Morning Paper

I am seeing certain propaganda sites pop up making outrageous and illogical claims.

One such claim is that the Minnis administration ‘swing der people’ and lied to them on the campaign trail; of course these sites are pro-Progressive Liberal Party )PLP) sites and seem to have forgotten the 2012 campaign and ‘A Charter for Governance’; a book of ‘promises that the PLP abandoned before the ink ha dried on it.

They seem to be seeking to convince the people that they have been ‘swung’ by the budget line item of a 45% reduction on the duty on washers on dryers.  This they claim does not help the average man and is a ‘gift’ to D’ Aguilar, Minister of Tourism and owner of the Super Wash chain of laundry mats but I ask the question does this not also help the average person that wishes to import a washer and dryer or some washers and dryers to begin their own business?

My advice to the public moving forward, is that they should question everything which they do not understand and do not follow any party blindly.  This is your constitutional right, one that was discouraged under any Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government.

I really find it amusing that now since becoming the opposition, they [the PLP} would now wish to convince the people that they have been ‘tricked’, while for five years they did little to nothing to better the lives of same said people.

My final point is how can the word of any Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) politician or representative be trusted, while in opposition, if it has been proven to be untrustworthy as the government of the people?

I would call names but these people like to sue

The Progressive Liberal Party will continue to fail for one reason, it is their nature.

END

It was well known and documented that in 2013 the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government a part of one of their many crime initiatives had ordered the members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) to work overtime, in an attempt to curtail the escalating crime rate. 

It was documented that same said PLP administration, for whatever reason, then refused to pay the members of the RBPF for their overtime.  It is well known and documented that the Police Staff Association (PSA) then took the government to court and won the case awarding them their overtime pay and even as the country prepared itself for a general election, it was known and documented that Keith Bell, former junior Minister of National Security had the case under appeal, thereby preventing the police from receiving the monies owned to them by the government and now we have this.

“Davis: Payout to police proves FNM was wrong” – The Nassau Guardian

Except from this article; “Police overtime payments made yesterday prove the statement by the Free National Movement (FNM) on the campaign trail pertaining t the Public Treasury were ‘irresponsible and reckless’ Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Interim Leader Philip Brave Davis said yesterday.

Police officers who worked overtime in 2013 had to take the matter to court as the previous government had refused to pay them.

In a statement yesterday, Davis said, ‘The progressive Liberal Party welcomes the payment of overtime due to police officers which was made today.

‘The PLP left the instruction in place to pay it and the FNM has now carried it out today.’

‘This payment is made today notwithstanding previous statements made by the FNM during the election campaign that the treasury was broke and that there was no money to pay the police.’

‘The PLP said then that the FNM’s statements were false, irresponsible and reckless.”

Actually, Mr. Davis, what was really “irresponsible and reckless” was the fact that your government refused to pay members of the police force, a vital part of our national security service, and eventually ended up appealing the court’s decision to pay them, to prevent them from being paid. In any sector of government or the private sector, to work a person and refuse to pay them is not only “irresponsible and reckless” but also against our country’s constitution and against our labour laws but yet the Interim Leader wishes to fight to prove the FNM lied about there being no money to pay these officers.

My question is if there was money available to pay these officers for services rendered then why did your government refuse to pay them?

It is a shameless act on behalf of the Interim Leader to attempt to prove someone a liar, which he has not yet, by exposing the dirty underside of the previous administration, sometime it is best just to remain silent.

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

END

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence.”

Excerpt from “Desiderata (You are a child of the Universe)

These words of wisdom I would like to pass o to the former attorney general, Allyson Maynard-Gibson, even as I recognize her constitutional right to free speech and expression I would also remind here that nothing is ‘free’, as everything has a ‘price’ and the price being paid right now is the further diminishment of her credibility.

“Former AG: Referenda enhance democracy” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Former Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson said she believes referenda are important and enhance democracy, as she discussed her thoughts on a referendum promised by the Minnis administration.

During Wednesday’s Speech from the Throne, the government said through referenda it would constitute an independent Electoral Commission and Boundaries Commission, introduce term limits for prime ministers and introduce a system of recall for non-performing members of Parliament.

When asked her opinion about the referendum on Thursday, Maynard-Gibson told The Guardian, ‘I support referenda.’

‘I believe that democracy is enhanced when persons have the opportunity to express their will…when the population has the opportunity to express their will in between the five-year general election period.’

‘This is an excellent way to keep our population involved’

‘The responsibility comes with it though, it to make sure that the people are properly informed.”

Sometimes you can only sit back and wonder as to what is going on in these people’s minds when they make such statements, based on their past behavior and also what types of turmoil are their souls in, assuming that they indeed do have souls.  I would first begin by asking the former attorney general where was her voice under the Christie administration, a party wherein it seems that democracy was only relevant when it favored that governments agenda, when they undemocratically went against the results of the Gaming Referendum and the voice of the people?

As the former attorney general now makes such statements such as “I believe democracy is enhanced when persons have the opportunity to express their will….”,I ask what good is expressing your will when the government goes against it and everyone in that government including the attorney general, stands mute?

There are several contradictions that the former attorney general makes in her last statement to the press and maybe I am wrong in berating her for them, as it would seem as the press sought her out but then at the end of the day she must be reminded that “no comment” is still an acceptable response; also as you had nothing to say for five years when the country excepted you to have something to say.

One thing that I have a problem with in this statement, is that the former attorney general says that referenda is a good way to keep the population involved, but do you seek to advice only to ignore it?  This reeks of arrogance.

And another thing is the matter of keeping the people properly informed; the former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) party government held two referenda; one Gaming and the other on Gender Equality and the both were mired in confusion, so for the former attorney general to now say that there is a responsibility to make sure that the people are properly informed is a true statement but something that her and her government failed at.

So for the former attorney general to now advise the current administration on the running of referenda, most of the population is of the opinion that your time has come and gone when it came to giving advice or taking it for that matter and they really do not want to hear from you as you have lost their confidence in you a long time ago.

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

END

 

It is said that the sincerest form of flattery is imitation, so after the speech from The Throne yesterday, which laid out the Free National Movement’s  (FNM) plans for the country, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has taken it up on themselves to feel very flattered, as they have now made the claim that the plans as laid out by the new government is just a continuation of the plan which they left in place, you really cannot get anymore delusional than this.

“PLP: FNM is following in our footsteps” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “THE Progressive Liberal Party tired to brand much of the government’s agenda in the Speech from The Throne as a continuation of the pervious administration’s plans.

‘We listened intently and the reality is that the Speech from The Throne is an acknowledgement of the transformative foundation already constructed by the PLP government,’ Official Opposition Leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis said at a press conference yesterday.

‘We are encouraged to hear that the government has embraced essential job related skills training and specialized programs for youth.

The government must now enter the real world of governance and not trash talking from a platform he added.”

While the press could not hear from the Progressive Liberal Party while they were they government, the press will rue the day when they became the Official Opposition, as I now see many a pointless press conferences ahead.

In May 2012, when the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) won the government, I has advised them that all of the ‘heavy lifting was done’ and all that they had to do was follow the ‘blue-print’ left by the Free National Movement (FNM), of course they did not take my advice and actually the entire country was puzzled for five years as to who they were listening to because we were sure of one thing, it was not the people that elected them.

The Progressive Liberal Party now seems to want to convince the people that it spent five years building a solid foundation on which to then build a Stronger Bahamas but the only thing that the country experienced was a rapidly derogating economy, with four downgrades as proof of the PLP’s failure to bring one essential component about, the improvement of the economy to better the lives of its citizens.

I warn the Free National Movement now, if they are indeed following in the footsteps of the former government  abandon that journey immediately, as we saw where that was taking the country.

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

END

It would have appeared that since the general election of last week, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) seems to have gone about business as usual, being their usual boorish selves, seemingly unable to help themselves until the subject of forensics audits were brought up.

“Ornamental’ Allen And Pratt quit Co-Chair Roles” – The Tribune 18 May 2017

Excerpt from this article; “AS the Minnis administration prepares to have a forensic audit conducted into the Urban Renewal programme, Algernon Allen revealed yesterday that he and Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt resigned as co-chairs of the initiative last Thursday.

Mr. Allen said they have no concerns about what the audit will reveal as their role was largely ‘ornamental’, with neither he nor Mrs. Pratt having a major part in the decision-making processes of the programme.

He told The Tribune; ‘In the audit which had been conducted of Urban Renewal which was laid on the table of the House by the Speaker last year, both co-chairs were described as incidental to the whole Urban Renewal decision making process and as having limited to no authority and as being ornamental as opposed to substantive in terms of decision making.”

First, I would ask, is he referring to the same audit that was done by the Auditor General, Terrence Bastian or is this the private audit that was done by the Urban Renewal Commission, when it is determined by them that the ‘financial discrepancies’ that the Auditor General may have found may have come about because he”…..failed to appreciate the philosophy of Urban Renewal”.  Well the philosophies should not have changed so are the two co-chairs are suggesting that they are not tied to these philosophies and are only ‘figure heads’ for the program?

The problem that I am having with this is that Mr. Allen is suggesting that he and Mrs. Pratt, while they may have been aware of wrong-doing, may have been unable to act in the best interest of the public due to their limited involvement in the program; akin to an athlete endorsing KFC knowing that the eleven ‘secret’ herbs and spices are deadly but not taking any liability for this because they are only the spoke persons for KFC.    I find this type of position quite irresponsible, especially in light of the high moral standards that these two individuals claim to uphold and the way in which they fervently defended the program, which they now claim only to be figure-heads for, when the initial audit was carried out.

So now we are here; “Urban Renewal ‘Grave Concerns” – The Tribune 18 May 2017

Excerpt from this article; “IN his first day on the job, Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson expressed grave concerns regarding Urban Renewal in Grand Bahama and has suspended certain operations pending further review.

In addition to having full control of the day-to-day operations of the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Mr. Thompson also has oversight of Urban Renewal and hurricane restoration and repairs on the island.

‘Last night, I began being briefed on the status of the ministry.  Needless to say, there are some matter of great concern,’ he told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday at the Office of the Prime Minister in Grand Bahamas.”

The current approach is very promising in light of the former co-chairs tune changing from ‘there was no wrong doing’ to ‘if there was any we did not know anything about it due to our very limited involvement in the award-wining initiative’ and now the question must be asked, if Mr. Allen and Mrs. Pratt did not have a major part in the decision-making process of the programme, then who did?

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

END

There has been a recent call by many for the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to move toward a more youthful leadership, as many begin to endorse Chester Cooper, Member of Parliament for Exuma and Ragged Island; one of the four PLP candidates to have secured their seat in the recent general election, to be its ‘face’ moving forward.

These endorsements have been met by many in the public with great encouragement especially in light of some of the recent racially sensitive views expressed by some of the elder members of the party since its defeat a week ago.

“Cooper rebukes racially charged comments” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “In a move that could give insight into the future brand of the progressive Liberal Party PLP) as it rebuilds and attempts to improve its image following a crushing defeat at the polls last week, incoming Exuma and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper yesterday distanced himself from racially charged remarks made at a PLP National General Council meeting on Monday night which Cooper called ‘unfortunate’.

‘During Monday’s ceremony for the farewell address for the former Prime Minister and Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Perry Christie there were unfortunate remarks made by the moderator in the vein of black people enslaving each other while white people watched and white Bahamians were not supporters of the PLP, as an allegory for our party’s recent loss at the polls,’ Cooper said in a statement.

‘While there will be much to discuss and probe in the wake of the PLP’s loss, I want to make clear that I, Chester Cooper, in no way support these sentiments or think them fitting and proper analysis of the PLP’s loss.”

These remakes were made as Mr. Cooper attempted to distance himself from the remarks of the moderator to the effect of “You know, I always speak to my children.  And tell them, ‘Check your history years ago.  Who round us up while we were in Africa?’ Isaacs told the crowd.

‘Our own black people round us up.  The white people stood on the sideline and watched.  Well ain nothing changed, man. Ain’t nothing changed.  When are we as a black people gonna learn to stick and work together?  You don’t see white people supporting the PLP, per se. We’ve got to learn stickablity.”

These remakes come shortly after Fred Mithcell, former member of Parliament for Fox Hill and former minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration made the statement of “Brent Symmonette, Sarkis Izmirlian,  Louis Bacon, Eileen Carron and Fred Smith, all deserve a special place in hell for their contribution to the re enslaving our people.  It is unbelievable.”

Both of these statements seek to conjure up the ‘big, bad white boogey man’, who means the Progressive Liberal Party and the Bahamas at large no good.  This notion has enraged many progressive thinking Bahamian citizens, who have long looked past the whole notion of race as it pertains to politics and life in general.  It is my opinion that if the Progressive Liberal Party seeks to make itself ‘attractive’ for the 2022 general elections, it will have to rid itself of the ‘old guard’ that seeks to keep the ‘white boogey man’ alive and it just may have to do so through a ‘Chester Cooper’

Some may wonder why I would even bother to write in what seems to be in support of the PLP; well in a democracy an opposition force is needed but not one that seeks to use race as a weapon or controlling factor.

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

END

In what can only be described as a fit of blind rage, former Member of Parliament for Fox Hill and former Minister of Immigration and Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell, has revealed the main reason as to why he is in politics and this reason is the reason why he should never be elected to public office ever again, even as he suggests that he plans to contest the Fox Hill seat in 2022, at the age of 69.

“Mitchell: FNM win not the second coming” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell charged yesterday that there was nothing ‘revolutionary’ about the Free National Movement’s general victory and insisted that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) must move quickly in preparation for the 2022 election.

Mitchell lost in Fox Hill to FNM candidate Shonell Ferguson, who took him down by more than 200 votes.

‘I have read a lot of rubbish over the past few days since the election from the FNM leadership and its supporters,’ Mitchell said.

‘My take on it is this, the FNM and its supporters should not believe their own propaganda.’

‘The objective reality is that they simply have a mandate to govern for five years.

There is nothing revolutionary about their victory or far reaching.

They were able to manipulate a population suffering from the ill effects of the economic recession, which was never overcome, and the turn of clever phases plus money of foreign interests to accomplish what they have, and the failure of the PLP to correct the problem.”

Exactly which problems went uncorrected by the Progressive Liberal Party, who assured the country and their supporters that all was well with the country going into the 2017 elections and that to elect another government would put all of their good works at risk?

First of all, some remarkable events took place on the day of election.  This day saw the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP)  suffer its worst defeat in history, and it also saw a sitting prime minister, Perry Christie and leader of the PLP, lose his seat; this is the first time in our history that this has even happened, so for Mr. Mitchell to suggest that nothing big was accomplished, especially with all of the other ‘career politicians’ that were unseated, is disingenuous at best as he attempts to deflect away from the massive defeat which will take the PLP some time to recover but Mr. Mithcell implies it is no big deal.

“Politics is not a crying game.  It is a competition for power.  Power is the only fact.

They need it, we want it and need it to govern and protect the poor in this country.”

It would seem that Mr. Mitchell is in the ‘game’ of politics for power and for him to suggest that the PLP is needed to ‘protect the poor’ is utter nonsense, as his party has taxed far too many middle class citizens into poverty but now seek to suggest that these are the same people that they [the Progressive Liberal Party] are looking out for their best interest; this is why this man should never see the halls of Parliament ever again.

It is clear that Mr. Mitchell has become totally unhinged by the recent lost at the polls and due to this ‘unhinging’ has began to show his true self; which we all had already suspected was a ‘dark soul’ but yet he will accuse others of being ‘especially vicious and vindictive’, and maybe this is what he is expecting because it is what he has become accustomed to dishing out as a member of the Progressive Liberal Party.

What is most unfortunate about the entire situation is that the more that Mister Mitchell goes down this road, the more he damages the image of himself and the Progressive Liberal Party.

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

END

As I sat in Star Bucks this morning, the sentiment being expressed was that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) lost largely in part due to poor leadership and governance and therefore the ‘innocents’ were made to ‘suffer for sins the guilty’, if you can label anyone within the out-going Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government as ‘innocent’.

“A look at the numbers” – The Nassau Guardian”

Excerpt from this article; “KEY members of the Christie administration were slaughtered in Wednesday’s general election that saw Free National Movement FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis elected as the fourth prime minister of The Bahamas.

Former Prime Minister Perry Christie and ministers Dr. Bernard Nottage, Jerome Fitzgerald, Shane Gibson, Melanie Griffin, Hope Strachan, Fred Mitchell, Michael Halkitis and Kenred Dorsett all lost seats.

Also losing their seats were former ministers V Alfred Gray, Dr. Michael Darville, Obie Wilchcombe and Dr. Perry Gomez.

Centerville presented a tough battle.

FNM candidate won the seat by seven votes over Christie.”

I must admit that the results of the recent election held on Wednesday of this week was a total shock to me, because it was my prediction that the Free National Movement would indeed win the election but I suggested by about three to five sets; bringing about a ‘balance of power’, so to speak but this was not to be, as the PLP government was defeated 35 to 4, with the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) again not winning any seats and actually seeming to lose support.

There is wide spread speculation as to why the Free National Movement won so handedly and beside Dr. Hubert Minnis staying the course and putting together an excellent and diverse team; whom I have all confidence will turn the country around for the better, there is the perception that many ‘good’ PLP candidates become ‘victims’ of their party’s abuse of power over the Bahamian people and of the positions of power and abuse thereof over the past five years – the ‘innocent’ were made to suffer for the guilty.

As we move forward , I am expecting the argument to be made that Dr. Hubert Minnis did not win the election but rather the Progressive Liberal Party lost the election; this argument will be presented and rejected because of the fact that Dr. Minnis brought the Free National Movement back together as a political organization, which was clearly seen at the rallies leading up to the day of the election but even with all of the of speculation as to why the FNM won the reality is that they have won and now the work of the party has began as the government of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, bringing about the positive change necessary to move the country forward as was promised by the pervious administration.

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

END