Both the PLP and FNM have had an opportunity to evaluate the performance of the new PLP after being in office for one year.
The FNM essentially had rewarded the PLP's performance with an "F". On the other hand, the PLP naturally boasted their accomplishments and gave their performance an "A".
Actually both parties may be right in their assessments as there are certainly areas where the PLP deserves both an "F" and an "A". When it comes to deliverance of promises made to better the lives of the Bahamian people, the lack of accomplishments in this area few Bahamians will disagree that the PLP didn't deserve the grade it received – an "F". On the other hand, in the area of misrepresentation of the facts and deceiving the Bahamian people, the PLP did an "A+" performance. The PLP came to power riding on a tidal wave of promises, driven by a " fresh Breeze" with the message that help and hope was on the way. As May 2nd, 2002 approached, they were more specific as they were now stating that help and hope was right around the corner. Unlike their FNM predecessors, who they claimed only represented the rich and foreigners, the PLP promised that their mission would be to take care of the poor and disadvantage. Indeed nothing can be further from the truth and the PLP appeared to have played a cruel joke on those persons who have put their faith in them.
Here on Grand Bahama, almost immediately from day one, the people waiting for help and hope to show up have been catching nothing but hell. Almost immediately, the departure tax decreased by the former FNM government from $ 18 to $ 15 and it was raised to $ 20 by the PLP. Without consulting the utilities commission, the price of utilities increased. The price of water increased. The price of electricity increased. Here in Freeport, even the cost to pick up garbage increased. Not a squeak of concern about how this was affecting the poor and disadvantaged was heard from the new PLP government.
Declining unemployment, the social enemy of the poor because of the misery and frustration that it brings to those who are unfortunate to be in that situation, is back on the rise under the PLP. Under the FNM, contrary to statements made by Minister Alyson Maynard-Gibson while on the campaign trail in Freeport at a rally prior to the election stated to the effect that under the FNM unemployment then was "the highest in living memory." The decent and honest people of Grand Bahama are still waiting for Minister Maynard-Gibson to either retract her statement or apologize for this obvious misrepresentation of the facts. Nothing can be further from the truth as under the FNM from 1992 to 2001, unemployment almost uniformly declined for those nine years. All Minister Maynard-Gibson has to do is check the figures at the Department of Statistics.
With all the labour unrest in the country, virtually no voice of concern is heard from PLP Parliamentarians. Just take the Bahamas Princess as an example. Prior to May 2002, the least allegation of a possible breach of the labour laws, PLP Politicians were tripping over each other with the news media in tow to expose any possible wrong doing. Since May 2, 2002 when on one occasion dozens of persons were fired under questionable circumstances by Princess management, virtually nothing was heard from the PLP. Concern for the workers just wasn't there, as their silence may be interpreted as consent.
Not even hundreds of hard working students on scholarship were spared as they fell victim to the uncaring PLP's lack of sensitivity. After boasting that the new PLP government were forgiving tens of millions of dollars in property taxes and increasing the stamp duty exemption from $ 100,000 to $ 250,000, the new PLP government were clearly assisting the privileged. This basically means that people who are well off to afford such property ownership has ways and means of survival and at this stage should not have been given the priority that they were given. Those struggling students deserved to have been given a crutch to stand on by this new PLP government. After all, don't we expect them to return to the Bahamas as nation builders? Instead, the rug was pulled from under them with the ridiculous claim by the PLP that a bankrupt Treasury could not support them. They were on their own like Pat Boone.
To make matters worst, the heartless PLP government doubled the interest rate that the students were paying on such loans. Those in default were warned that they can expect to pay in addition to the prosecution cost, legal fees, etc. the almost criminal interest rate of 18%. At least one person has brought to my attention that rather than paying back her loan after four years, she was also spending additional time to get her Masters degree, hence bettering and empowering herself. Sadly no consideration was given to her by the PLP government.
However, the most outrageous act by the PLP occurred a couple of weeks after the Christmas season – a time historically when Bahamians lack cash because of Christmas expenditures. Without any warning, thousands of telephones allegedly with delinquent arrears were disconnected. The resulting chaos affected business, residence, etc. Persons needing their telephone had to rob Peter to pay Paul. No matter what else they had budgeted for, the telephone bill had to be paid first. Consequently there was a ripple effect throughout the Bahamian community and persons expecting payment for other bills received no such payments and, therefore, were unable to meet their commitments. Because of the widespread social affect of this action, such mass disconnection should have only been approved at the highest level of government – (maybe it was).
The PLP during the campaign accused the FNM of selling out the assets of the Bahamas to foreigners. Yet today every asset from Batelco to Bahamasair and the remaining Hotel Corporation Properties are being advertised for sale. Repeatedly, the PLP now brag about how they have laid down the red carpet for the foreign investor. They are now praising those investors such as Sun International and Hutchinson-Whampoa that just a short year ago who were being publicly critised by the PLP. Clearly, in this breath, the PLP misrepresented their intentions to the Bahamian people with a web of deception.
Prime Minister Christie claimed that he was the right man for the job. Despite being one of the longest serving Parliamentarian today and a former leader of the Opposition, he claims that he was unaware of the true state of affairs in the Bahamas such as the economy. Today after appointing numerous commissions to advice him, he is still unaware, having come to office without a plan in place. He ridiculed Tommy Turnquest to be quiet as he is outside the classroom looking in. However, with his poor performance as indicated by 81 % disapproval rating of persons surveyed, he must not be allowed to repeat that grade. Instead he must be expelled.
Finally, a word of cautious warning to PLP Chairman Raynard Rigby, who on several occasions has used his new position at the Broadcasting Corporation as a mouth piece for the PLP. The quality of his statements leaves much to be desired. Despite being "void of truth and substance", his statements go unchallenged as there is no invitation for the Opposition to contrast his positions. Clearly, Radio Bahamas is being abused as it was in the past as a tool of PLP propaganda. This must ceased forthwith.
Dr. Lea Percentie
