We take it as axiomatic that there are men and women in the hierarchy of the governing Progressive Liberal Party, who would tell their leader and current Prime Minister of The Bahamas the truth, if he were to ask them for their honest opinion.
We also take it as a given that there are also men and women in the hierarchy of the Progressive Liberal Party, who would either fudge the truth or tell lies to their Party leader and current Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the Hon. Perry G. Christie.
Regardless of what either groups does, our position is that we have a sworn duty to speak truth to power. One truth today is that the current administration is slipping and sliding on a path which has already ensnared it in a snarl of sleaze and a thicket of apparent conflicts of interest.
On any given day, the public expects criticisms to be made of the way a government conducts itself. In this regard, therefore, there is absolutely nothing surprising or unexpected about criticisms aimed at the current administration. While this is true of any government, there are disturbing indications that the current administration is either impervious or oblivious to the perception that it is mired in conflict and confusion over a broad spectrum of issues. Some of these have been brought to public attention by Cabinet Ministers; others by Chairmen of Corporations; and others ﾖ yet again ﾖ by Members of Parliament.
At one time or the other, the Ministries of Education, the Attorney Generalﾴs Office, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and other government agencies, ambassadors and other personnel have all been caught up in struggles over turf; confusion over policy and direction; or other blatant allegations of conflict of interest.
Our concern is not so much with specific allegations, but with what seems an emergent phenomenon, namely an apparent drift towards a place where political dirt, get rich quick deals, rot and corruption engulf all but the righteous. This is all so unfortunate, and so terribly ironic for an administration which took office, on the pledge that it would be above board. Regrettably, having only just taken over the government, the current regime was obliged ﾖ one year ago – to abide the scandal of a myriad of suggestions concerning the so-called million-dollar bleacher fiasco.
If reports coming in are to be believed, a repeat fiasco is now being cobbled together. And then there is the curious matter involving Korean fishing vessels, The Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation, The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Local Government, the ubiquitous Earlin Williams and others who have managed to make the news, yet again. Again, there is the appearance of conflict and sleaze.
While not of the same magnitude or order of incoherence, the perception of conflict between Ambassador Keod Smith and Minister of Trade and Industry, the Hon. Leslie O. Miller on the matter relating to the proposed trans-shipment of Liquefied Natural Gas through The Bahamas, speaks volumes about what happens when the left hand is out of whack and synchrony with the right.
Since we do not wish to become party to the blaming game, our insistence, conviction and counsel to the current administration, is that it should straighten up and fly right. Put as delicately as we can, the point we make suggests that the administration would be well-advised to tighten up its operations; bring more order to its policy deliberations; and put a rein on its out-of-control operatives. Since the proverbial buck stops at the desk of the Prime Minister, the current office holder must be seen as the man in control of the tiller.
Any other approach would be a sure-fire prescription for more bad news; more allegations of sleaze; and more instances of real corruption.
As we have previously suggested, flowery rhetoric is good enough when it comes to rallying the troops. But in the crunch, the only thing that matters in the world of hard knocks is what is done. In other words, rhetoric, propaganda and other examples of sweet talk must be matched by deeds.
Editorial, The Bahama Journal
