By now it should be apparent to most sound thinking Bahamians that they made a mistake when they re-elected the PLP. Surprisingly, some of the loudest voices criticizing the manner in which the PLP is governing the country comes from some of those who just two years ago were publicly proclaiming that “a fresh wind is blowing!”
Today, they are saying that help and hope is still on the way. Now they realize that they had been the innocent victims of PLP propaganda.
As reality sets in and the election hype is history, any reasonable Bahamian would conclude that the PLP 2002 campaign was an endless parade of lies, deception, misrepresentation, hypocrisy and contradiction of the facts is now the trademark of the PLP. When coupled with Junkano music, they were able to seduce the opinion of unsuspecting Bahamians, in particular young Bahamians who supported the PLP “en masse”.
Oh, by the way, scores of Junkanoo performers are still waiting for the $100/man promised by PLP generals on Grand Bahama for the big parade from Friendship Shopping Center to Harbour West a few days before the election.
Incredibly, this PLP policy of deceit is still in practice by the PLP’s Public Relation team headed by its chairman, Raynard Rigby in a continuing effort to mislead the Bahamian people. Listed below are ten typical examples of promises made by the PLP to sway one’s political opinion that is now an outright lie or a contradiction.
1.The FNM was selling or giving the country away to foreigners. Well blow me down, if this was the case, then why is it at every opportunity Prime Minister Perry Gladstone Christie is boasting of record foreign investments under the PLP. In fact, Economic Investment Minister, Allison Maynard Gibson bragged in the first year that sale of Bahamian land to foreigners was at record levels, certainly more than under the FNM.
2.The PLP promised to reduce unemployment by producing thousands of jobs. Where are these jobs? Decent people on Grand Bahama are still waiting for an apology from Minister Maynard-Gibson when she deliberately lied at a PLP rally in Grand Bahama days before the election when she stated that “unemployment in Grand Bahama was the highest in living memory!” Figures from the Department of Statistics clearly shows that under the ten years of FNM rule, unemployment underwent a steady decline. Minister Maynard-Gibson opinion therefore like so many other opinions in the PLP was based on groundless facts.
3.The PLP promised to be a friend to the workers. Yet, under this PLP, the state of labour unrest has been compared to the atmosphere of the General Strike back in 1958 under the UBP government. This PLP government even wanted to take back some of the benefits given to the workers under the FNM.
4.The PLP promised to “break the back of crime”. This was an element that the PLP should have not tried to politicized as crime does not favour any political party. The fact remains that little Nassau today still has far more murders than a metropolis like Tokyo. The state of fear induced by criminal activity has paralyzed almost every Bahamian community. One would probably feel safer in Gaza or the West Bank than in some areas of the Bahamas today.
5.The PLP promised to fix Bahamasair (bananaair). But, after criticizing the FNM about proposing to sell everything to foreigners including Bahamasair, the PLP is now trying to sell Bahamasair (even to a foreigner). Despite sincere efforts, Bahamasair is no closer to a fix today as it was under the FNM. By the way, I am still waiting for my Bahamasair frequent flyer ticket that I applied for eight months ago. Was this frequent flyer program just a hoax?
6.The PLP promised a full-time ambulance in West Grand Bahama. Where is it? Patients must still wait for the ambulance to come from Freeport if there is an emergency.
7.Where is the bridge over Hawksbill Creek to avoid the occasional flooding of the Fishing Hole Road? Didn’t the PLP indicate that money for construction of that bridge had been borrowed by the pervious FNM government from the Inter-American Development Bank. Everything is in place for the PLP to do the job.
8.The PLP promised to appoint a Constitutional Committee within thirty days that in one year will have something to present to the public. Come on now, who were they kidding? Clearly, the PLP’s oppressive policy of treating Bahamian women with foreign spouses and their children as second class will be in place for a long, long time.
9.The PLP promised zero tolerance for anyone breaking its Code of Ethics, Man, what a joke! There appears to be a complete failure to act on the part of Prime Minister Christie even in the face of obvious scandals such as the Korean boats. Only after tremendous outcry and fishermen marching on the docks was any attention paid to this matter.
10.Despite indications to the contrary during campaign 2002 by Prime Minister Christie, the evil practice of victimization like in the movie “E.T……is back!” Trust me, I know what I am talking about. Speak out against the PLP and they will find a way to get back at you. After all, a number of key appointees were from the old and disgraced PLP regime. Prime Minister Christie has been too soft on those who believe that it should have been PLP politics as usual under this new PLP government.
These are just a few examples where the PLP during campaign 2002 misinformed the public as to their true intentions. However, people acted out on the representation made to them in good faith. Clearly, this deceitful bunch cannot be trusted to conduct the business of the Bahamian people. For future reference, it will be easy to tell when a PLP politician is lying……..their lips are moving.
Dr.Leatendore Percentie
Boston, Massachussets
May 2nd, 2004.
