With the high rate of unemployment; a failing economy, the country now facing another possible credit ratings downgrade that would put the country’s credit rating at junk status, the increasing high instances of crime and a major resort issue still unresolved as the taxpayers pay the incurring bills at the resort, minister of Tourism Mr. Obie Wilchombe’s opinion is that the Progressive Liberal Party is in the best position to win the next general election.

“PLP ‘best ever’ position to win – Wilchcombe rejects Baha Mar effects” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe yesterday said he expects the Progressive Liberal Party to win the next election, asserting that the party is in ‘the best position we’re been in.’

His comments to the Tribune came as he down played fears from Tall Pines M.P. Leslie Miller that a failure to jump start Baha Mar could hurt the Christie administration’s chances at the polls next year.

However, the West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP conceded that the Christie administration must ‘continue to work’ and do more to ‘connect with our base’ and the wider voting public.

On the issue of Baha Mar, Mr. Wilchcombe shot down the line of thinking that failure to open the beleaguered Cable Beach resort would automatically translate to ‘condemnation’ of the Christie administration as he submitted that there are ‘many issues that will determine whether you win or you’ll lose”.

Indeed, there are many issues that will determine whether this Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government will lose or win the next election but Baha Mar sits as a reminder of the failure by this government to live up to and/or deliver on all the hopes, dreams and promises that they sold to the people of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

One of the major issues that will determine if this PLP government will win or lose the next election will be the actions of the official Opposition Free National Movement, as people look to them and question why can’t these people just get it together.

Indeed the people are looking for new governance as they have lost all confidence in the present government which they showed clearly through the results of the referendum on Gender Equality, even if most feel it was to their own detriment.  The people have had enough of a ‘talk a lot, do little government’, long on talk and very short on ideas and action as has become evident with the possible credit rating downgrade. 

The governing Progressive Liberal Party has been nothing but an embarrassing failure to the people to whom they promised the world and then some but yet would still seek to come to these people with the excuse, I mean explanation for their failures to date as they now try to convince them that they need a little bit more time so that their plans can come to fruition; seriously?

So, indeed the member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini is correct when he says that the PLP is in the best ever position to win but it would not be because of any of his governments accomplishments or achievements but only due to the failure of the Free national Movement’s inability to unite and deliver the country from a failed government.

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

END

 

As the international ratings agency, Moody’s, prepares to place the country under review for a potential downgrade,  the prime minister and his government prepares themselves to do what they do best when faced with a complete mess, most of the time of their own making, and this is to talk about it.

“Bid to hold talks over downgrade – Govt. confident over prospects for country.” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “Michael Halkitis, State Minister for Finance, said yesterday the government will meet with representatives from ratings agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s starting next week in order to ‘convince’ the firms not to downgrade the country’s credit rating.

In an interview with the Tribune, Mr. Halkitis said while Moody’s seems to be ‘leaning on one direction’ the government will ‘plead its case’ in hope the Walls Street ratings agency will see the governments future prospects for the economy.”

“The government will ‘plead its case’ in hope the Walls Street ratings agency will see the government’s future prospects for the economy.”?

Really?

I was under the impression that this is what the government had done earlier this year and/or late last year with the rating agencies and that things were looking better? 

What happened?

“Downgraded – Standard and Poor’s lowers Bahamas credit rating” – The Nassau Guardian, August 26, 2015.

Excerpt from this article; “International credit rating agency Standards and Poor’s (S&P) yesterday downgraded the Bahamas’ credit rating and placed the country’s economy on a negative outlook.

The action was taken due to the short-term ‘economic shock’ brought on by Baha Mars’s bankruptcy filing and in increasing ‘remote’ chance of a quick settlement in the resort’s legal battles.”

“Gov’T Plans S&P meeting to ward off downgrade” – The Tribune, February 01. 2016

Excerpt from this article; “The Government will meet with Standards and Poor’s (S&P) immediately after next month’s mid-year Budget in a bid to stave off a further credit downgrade to ‘junk’ status.”

It would seem that the government has had this conversation before.  If I can recall after the downgrade by S&P, Moody’s actually held its credit rating at the time pending the outcome of the Baha Mar matter and due to the introduction of Value-Added Tax (VAT) which they saw as a step in the right direction, now over a year after VAT has been introduced and with claims of it exceeding its initial expectations by the government, we have Moody’s contemplating a downgrade of our credit rating to a level right above ‘junk status’ while S&P contemplates placing the country’s credit rating at ‘junk status’ but yet the Prime Minister is set to be on his way again to ‘plead our case’ and I ask should not our actions have proven that further downgrades were not necessary or has the Prime Minister and his government’s incompetence reared its ugly head yet again as they have failed at the task of protecting our credit rating as they seek to engage in more ’talks’ to ‘save us’? 

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

END

“I have done what I thought was my purview and what I could have done under the circumstances.” the Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald as he attempts to justify his actions in the Rubis gasoline leak matter.

“No regrets over Rubis” – ‘Fitzgerald insists govt. acted properly over delayed report” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Marathon MP Jerome Fitzgerald said yesterday he has no regrets over the government’s handling of the matter involving the delayed released of a report into a Rubis fuel leak, which warned people of the potential health risks to Marathon residents and people who worked in the area.

Asked if he has any regrets about the way in which the situation was dealt with, or wished to apologize, Fitzgerald said ‘No.  Not from the governments stand point.’

He added, ‘From the government’s standpoint, I think it was handled properly.  I think from the evidence, everything the government did, it did in an expeditious manner.”

It is indeed sad that the member of parliament for the constituency of Marathon would feel that he has ‘no regrets’ over the handling of the Rubis matter; seeming to have no regrets about the well being of the constituents of the area, as he states “From the government’s standpoint I think it was handled properly”, but what about from the standpoint of the people who elected him to represent them and look out for their best interest?

It has always been my opinion that the Member of Parliament for Marathon bears the full responsibility for the manner in which this situation was handled or mishandled but now we begin to see the full extent of this situation as the minister attempts to clear his ‘good name’.

“Cabinet reviewed the report, agreed to release the report and sent it to the attorney general’s office’ the MP said.

‘The attorney general’s office sat on the report and from what I understand the attorney general has asked Justice [Joseph] Strachan to review to see where the breakdown was in the attorney general’s office as to why the report was not released.” It now seems that the full Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Cabinet along with the attorney general was complicate in the gross negligence toward people whom they claimed to have cared so fervently about.

Minister Fitzgerald comments of having ‘no regrets’ and that he believes that the government acted properly seem extremely cold and callous as he goes on to then admit that the report was delayed, we now know that it was delayed for over a year, so this begs the question does Minister Fitzgerald feel that it is proper to conceal this type of information from his constituents or any other Bahamian citizen, for that matter, in the interest of himself or any other reason.

“The question was asked why I wouldn’t take something out of Cabinet or why I did not take this and say something out of Cabinet.

“I said I would have been fired. I take my job as a Member of Parliament seriously.

‘I take my responsibility seriously as a Cabinet minister.”

As the minister says, he takes his job and responsibility seriously and it would seem that he takes it more seriously than the health and welfare of the people that live and work in the Marathon area.  The government would now have us believe that the report was merely delayed through ‘poor coordination and administration, this is believable because this has become the standard at which this government seems to ‘work, but the facts tells us that Minister Fitzgerald had read the report in 2014 and kept silent about it was not until it was leaked to the media that he was forced into admitting that the report existed; if his hand were not forced no one knows just how long him and his government would have remained silent on the matter.

This is akin to the Flint, Michigan water crisis but at least persons were held accountable in this situation but the minister wishes us to dismiss the role that he played in this incident as he was only doing his job.

SHAME!

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

END

It is simply amazing the manner in which some people just seem unable or unwilling to keep their noses out of other people’s business, when they themselves leave nothing but destruction in their wake.

The National Progressive Institute

“FNM House clearly divided against itself and cannot stand.”

Bradley Roberts

National Chairman

Progressive Liberal Party

Excerpt from this article; “It is written that a house divided against itself cannot stand and given the unrelenting infighting within the FNM, Bahamians in increasing numbers are asking how this Organization can hope to lead a country when it is unable to organize and led itself.”

This statement may ring true to those that have no idea of what is going on within the Opposition Free National Movement (FNM), as it prepares itself to put forth its best possible leaders to rid this country of the most inept, lazy and incompetent government in this Christie led administration that we have seen since our independence.

While the Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party busies himself with other people’s business; must be a PLP thing as I have a recollection of a certain PLP MP busing himself with other people’s private emails, he does so at the expense of the people that is government has been elected by, are being paid but have failed to govern progressively – the Progressive Liberal Party has been a failure from Day One; we deserve better.

Violent crime is on the rise, although this government has attempted to suggest that things are not as bad as they seem and that the actual crime rate is down.

Unemployment is on the rise with more and more businesses contemplating closing their doors, a lot due to the additional taxes being imposed irrationally by a government that seems not to care.  Without proper incentives for proper job creation and with the injection of thousands of ill prepared youth graduating from highs school and seeking employment, things are only set to get worst.  Yet the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Jerome Fitzgerald seems pleased with the fact that the results of this year’s BGSCE examination; math averaging an E and English a D+.

With all of his going on, the Chairman of the governing Progressive Liberal Party seems to be able to find the time to busy himself with the current state of the Free National Movement,  He must realize that his government has lost two referendums in the past year or so and this may be an indication that the people have lost all faith and confidence in his government but yet he finds the time………

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

END

Just when you accepted the fact that the Prime Minister ‘lights were on but that no one was home’, he comes out and says something that make you realize just how serious the situation is.

“PM: No vote was payback – Christie says equality issue ended up lost.” – The Nassau Guardian June 23 2016

Excerpt from this article; “Prime Minister Perry Christie suggested yesterday that the June 7 constitutional referendum was ‘hopelessly flawed because of a compelling urgency on the part of some to pay us back, what they perceived to be a pay back to the PLP.”

“Therefore, the supremacy of the issue on equality was lost in a payback syndrome,” said Christie as he wrapped up the budget debate in the House of Assembly.’

“…….we must move on because we have a country to govern, a country that the people with expectancy and anticipation look to our democracy…..”

I agree with  Prime Minister we must move on but it clear that he  and some members of his government seem unable to as they still seek to blame the failure of this referendum on others.

It now seems that the Prime Minister is conceding that although his name was not on the ballot, the resounding no vote is an indictment on his government but who are these people who would have wished to use the referendum as payback’ to the PLP government?

It is clear that over eighty percent (80%), it is probably much higher, of the people that bothered to vote, voted no, so this would mean that the majority of persons voted no, so were they all looking to pay the government back and pay the government back for what exactly?  Could these people being paying the government back because they now lack confidence in them and/or no longer trust them?

It appears the Prime Minister is hopelessly lost as he does not seem to realize that the only way that the referendum would be ‘hopelessly flawed’ would be because of a failure on his part and on the part of his government to properly educate the people.  If the Prime Minister feels that the public was properly educated and the process was still ‘hopelessly flawed because of a compelling urgency on the part of some to pay us [the Progressive Liberal Party] back’, then he must concede the fact that the people no longer trust or has faith and confidence in him and his government and he should resign.

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

END

“Gibson; Investors concerned by Rollins comments” – The Nassau Guardian 06.21.2016

Excerpt from this article; “Minister of Labour and National Insurance, Shane Gibson said yesterday that investors have expressed concern over recent comments about the government’s dealings Chinese investors made by Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins.

In the House of Assembly last week, Rollins said should the Free National Movement (FNM) become the next government it would ‘reserve’ the right to void and all agreements deemed contrary to the sovereign interest of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

He was speaking with regards to the reportedly impending Baha Mar deal to restart construction.

Gibson said he was invited to several investor meetings on Paradise Island and west New Providence.

‘They got really frightened when they heard statements made by the member of Fort Charlotte.  They wanted to know what is that the Bahamas is coming too,” Gibson said in the House of Assembly.”

Short answer about what the country is coming too; the ‘hell’ that the Progressive Liberal Party is bringing it to.

It is clear that at times that the Minister of Labour and National Insurance has the propensity to be a bit of a ‘drama queen’ and I can recall a time, not too long ago when the ‘sovereignty’ of the country was the only thing that really concerned him and his government, especially during the Baha Mar fiasco that brought the $3.5b resort to a standstill; I wonder were investors expressing any concern to him at this time; for some strange reason the recent fallacious statement and concerns of minister Gibson just do not ring true.

“Psych test for all developers” – The Tribune -08.05.2015

Excerpt from this article, “Labour Minister Shayne Gibson yesterday defended Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell’s public warning to Baha Mar CEO Sarkis Izmirlian, and suggested that the government should begin performing ‘psychological evaluations’ on all foreign developers seeking to do business in this country.”

As Minister Gibson continues on his very disingenuous course of action, claiming to have the country’s best interest at heart, he does so by totally misrepresenting the words of Dr. Andre Rollins, which are “should the Free National Movement (FNM) become the next government it would ‘reserve’ the right to void and all agreements deemed contrary to the sovereign interest of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”  It simply says that a future FNM government would ‘reserve’ the right to do what is in the best interest of our county; isn’t this what a responsible government should do? 

As for Minister Gibson now claiming to have spoken to investors that have been “frightened” by the comments of Dr Andre Rollins; I dare ask were these comments made before or after their psychological evaluation? 

How is it that The Minister can see his comment of suggesting that the government should begin performing ‘psychological evaluations’ for all foreign investors as being appropriate but then seek to demonize those of Dr. Rollins?

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

END

“Roberts demands Minnis, Butler-Turner respond to Rollins’ Baha Mar warning” – The Nassau Guardian June 18 2016

Excerpt from this article; “Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts yesterday called on Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis and former FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner to publically state whether they condone Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins’ remarks on Thursday that with regard to any deal the government might make with the Chinese on Baha Mar development, a future FNM government will ‘reserve the right to void any and all agreements deemed to be on contrary to the sovereign interest of [the] Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

Rollins was speaking during his contribution to the 2016/2017 budget debate.

He said the Christie administration is desperate for re-election and should not be negotiating with Chinese companies as it no longer has the support of the Bahamian people.

‘While this is a highly reckless and irresponsible statement for any member of Parliament to make ad while by and large the public no longer takes Rollins serious the significance of this statement is due to the fact that it was made in the presences of both the present leader of the FNM, Dr. Hubert Minnis and that of Mrs. Loretta Butler-Turner who has signaled her intention to challenge for such leadership at the upcoming convention of that party,’ Roberts said.

‘Their silence has the potential to cause persons outside of the country to think that Minnis and/or Butler-Turner condone the remarks.”

My word, the Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party has the propensity to ‘run-out’ when given the chance and he seems to take every chance that is afforded to him, even if he has to make his own opportunities.

First of at the risk  of sounding brash, I would like to say it is my opinion that Bradley Roberts should be the last person on the face of this the planet earth to make any d**m demands of anyone.

Sir, we still await your party’s response to the entire Baha Mar matter and the way that it has been mishandled to date.

We await an official apology from Minister Fitzgerald about the entire Rubis fiasco that still has person’s health at risk.

We still await for ‘heads to roll’ over the lack of insurance at BAMSI as promised by Minister Arnold Forbes

We still await a financial repost on Resolve Bahamas and BoB as the bank continues to lose money, how is collection going from the person that put the bank in jeopardy?

There are many instances that Chairman Roberts needs to attend to instead of making silly and childish demands of others.  The statement reads “a future FNM government will ‘reserve the right to void any and all agreements deemed to be on contrary to the sovereign interest of [the] Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”  Understand the implications of what is said being you go off the deep end again Mr. Roberts put then it is your ‘job’ to ‘distract through spin’, right?

Anyway, while you are doing your ‘job’, answer the long asked question; did the Progressive Liberal Party condone the flogging of illegal immigrants as recommended by their new member Wayne Munroe or does it not matter because he is not a Member of Parliament?

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

END

This Christie led Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government has been and continues to be the most deceptive governments that we have ever seen and even as each and every deception is uncovered, this government continues to contend that it is the most transparent and trustworthy government to date; a deception within itself.

“PM ‘deception’ over Baha Mar- Rollins claims govt. collusion with Chinese” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins yesterday accused the Christie administration of colluding with China Construction America (CCA) Bahamas and ‘deceiving’ Bahamians over the stalled $3.5 bn Baha Mar resort project to protect the financial interest of the Chinese. 

‘This he said, ultimately ‘cut the legs’ from underneath project developer Sarkis Izmirlian.

However, Prime Minister Perry Christie vehemently denied this say that it was ‘absolutely wrong’ for Dr. Rollins to ‘mislead’ the country.  He said the record would reflect that there was no intention to delay the resort on the part of the government.”

Dr. Rollins now echoes the sentiments that a lot of have held from the very first day that this project began to ‘go South’ and that was that our government was “in bed” with the Chinese, in order to bring this project under the full control of ‘the bank’; the Chinese.  The Prime Ministers argument is why would him and his government do such a thing, bring this project to a standstill and put so many Bahamians in jeopardy?  This is a question that only this Prime Minister and his government can answer but this can be the only other reason that this project has some to a standstill and has been as such for over a year, other than through utter incompetence, ineptitude and laziness on the part of our government.

Why should anyone believe that this was not the case?

This government has had two referendums and both have been mired in confusion and deception and both have failed.

The Gaming Referendum saw this government introduce ‘non-constitutional’ referendums after it made the mistake of attempting to hold a referendum on a non-constitutional issue, calling it a ‘deepening of democracy and then in the most undemocratic way went against the voice of the people and overturned the results in that referendum.

Recently, in the Gender Equality Referendum, the government got caught up in more confusion and deception in one question, question #4, of that referendum, which in my opinion caused the entire referendum to fail.

How you tell the people that you want the law to reflect that you would not be able to discriminate against someone based on sex and when asked if this would allow same sex marriage to occur, tell the people no because the laws already state that marriage is define as being between a man and a woman but as the bill failed, there is now some question as to marriage actually being defined in any of our laws, who would seek to deceive in such a manner and why?

So the government is now being accused of colluding with the Chinese to oust Developer Izmirlian from the Baha Mar Project and he [the Prime Minister] ask why would he do such a thing?

Well Mr. Prime Minister why did you seek to deceive the country in the past?

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

END

 

After a second failed referendum during his administration, the Gaming referendum being the first, the question now stands, why won’t the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie do the honorable thing and step down as prime minister.   Even the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham told the people when he felt that he had failed them but yet today, according to Perry Christie he has never done anything wrong.  It is indeed disingenuous for the prime minister to even suggest that the results of the failed referendum was not an indictment on him and his administration and while we seek for him to do what is right as Fred Mitchell suggested that Hubert Ingraham should have done when the Gender Equality referendum failed in 2002, the deceit behind this referendum is slowing being revealed.

“Door open to same-sex marriage – Dame Anita Allen says judges may have to rule on issue” – The Tribune

Excerpt from this article; “Court of Appeal President Dame Anita Allen said last night the judiciary is likely to face challenges in determining whether same-sex marriages are legal in the Bahamas, while pointing to the ‘difficulties’ inherent in the existing marriage laws that do not present any provision that parties to a marriage must be male and female.

Dame Anita said that, arguably, the laws of The Bahamas do not discriminate on the basis of sex and facilitate not only marriages of every description but also consummation of the same.

Given the various challenges relating to the existing law, Dame Anita last night insisted that both the Marriage Act and the Matrimonial Causes Act require ‘reconstructing’ to meet the needs of a changing society.”

It would seem that same-sex marriages are indeed possible and have already been possible since nothing has changed since the defeated Gender Equality referendum of last week, so if this is the case, who lied to who?

“Not on my watch – Christie says same=sex marriage will not happen while he is leader.” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt form this article; “Prime Minister Perry Christie said as long as he is the political leader of the Bahamas, it will not happen in his life time.

Christie branded as ‘legal nonsense’ the insistence by members of the ‘vote no’ campaign that the fourth question on the June 7 constitutional referendum would lead to same-sex marriage………

Last month, during the launch of the YES Bahamas campaign, Christie also sought to dispel ‘misconceptions’ related to bill four.

He said under the Matrimonial Clauses Act, marriage must be between a man and a woman, and the amendment would not change that.”

Now an argument is being put forth that there may be ‘difficulties inherent in the existing marriage laws’ that may actually be challengeable to allow for same-sex marriages; it would appear that the Prime Minister ahs ‘misinformed’ the nation about marriage being ‘protected’ under the Matrimonial Clauses Act, do you really believe that after all the consultation he was ‘unaware’?

It would appear that the Prime Minister has deceived the people after the failed gaming referendum, wherein he promised to abide by the ‘voice of the people’ and now again in order to achieve a ‘yes’ vote to question 4 in the recent Gender Equality referendum

Two referendums, two lies, two failures; it is indeed time for the Prime Minister to resign.

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

END

“PM: My name was not on the ballot – Govt. to reflect on ‘full meaning’ of failed referendum.” – The Nassau Guardian

Excerpt from this article; “Prime Minister Perry Christie expressed disappointment yesterday on the overwhelming rejection of the four gender equality referendum questions by the Bahamian people on Tuesday, and said he and his colleagues will have to exam the implication of the vote in the days to come.

Despite critics who have insisted the vote is in large part a reflection of dissatisfaction with the Christie administration, the prime minister said the Bahamian people rejected the four proposed changes to the constitution and not his administration.”

It amazes me the willful blindness that the Prime Minister expects of the people of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas; it will indeed be very interesting as he and his colleagues ‘examine the implications of the votes’ what they will come up with because he has already concluded that it is not an indictment on his administration but yet it is and either the Prime Minister has gone into denial or is simply attempting to deflect from the obvious implication of the referendum results, which in my opinion would be that the people have lost all confidence and trust in him and his administration.

It would seem that my Prime Minister lacks not only a sense of shame but also a sense of responsibility.  In a statement on February 28, 2002 concerning the Referendum Victory, as it was called, the then Leader of the Opposition , Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) laid out the important lessons learned from the defeated Gender Equality referendum that he voted ‘yes’ on in Parliament but then campaigned against.

Excerpt from this article; “Firstly, the results demonstrate that the Bahamian people are not ‘dumb and stupid’ as our nation leaders would have it believe.  Rather, the Bahamian people demonstrated yesterday that they can separate fact from fiction and that they can and will make up their minds intelligently and rationally based on what they honestly believe to be in their best interest and the best interest of our nation.

Secondly, the results demonstrate just how important and scared the Bahamian people regard their constitution.  It is their constitution; their contract with each other.  And the clear and unmistakable signal is that the Bahamian people telegraphed yesterday is that they don’t want any government messing with ‘their things’ unless they, the people, are fully included in the process of constitutional reform from start to finish – and that process of constitutional reform must never be rushed.

Thirdly, I believe that yesterday’s results demonstrate that Bahamians, both black and white, found common cause to beat back the Government’s referendum objective.  This should stand as a lesson to those who arrogantly presumed to speak on behalf of white Bahamians.  Their authority to do so was eloquently repudiated yesterday when White Bahamians joined with their black compatriots in defeating the government referendum.

There is a fourth lesson but it does not apply here.

Yes, Mr. Prime Minister, the people were able to separate fact from fiction and have shown that they are able to make up their own minds although you would have some believe that the failure of the recent referendum was partially due to one ‘leader’ not leading his ‘followers’ down the ‘right path’ but rather going ‘rouge’ by asking them to vote their conscience; it would seem that their conscience told them not to trust the present government.

Then when you have fully included the people in the process ‘from start to finish’ with a lot of them being confused and you decided it prudent to present one side of the ‘argument’ and yet still seek to call the ‘process’ fair and balanced; it would seem that the people did not believe this either.

Lastly, the government keeps referring to the 2002 referendum as the governments referendum as it seeks to distance itself from the referendum held on Tuesday of this week by claiming that their name was not on the ballot; okay point taken but yet to claim that it is not an indictment on your administration only shows your inability to accept the consequences and repercussions of your actions, as you again seek to ask the people to follow you blindly when they have already shown you TWICE that they are not willing to do this’ once with the Gaming ‘referendum’ and now with the Gender Equality referendum. 

So if Minister Fred Mitchell called for the former prime minister’s resignation after the failure of the 2002 referendum, why would you now choose to downplay calls for your resignation after TWO failed referendums?

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

END