Branville McCartney
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff
Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
BRANVILLE McCartney, Democratic National Alliance leader, says the government’s consideration of a new Parliament Complex and Prime Minister’s residence at this time is “irresponsible”.
Noting the country’s fiscal constraints, unemployment numbers and considerable social ills, Mr McCartney told the Big T yesterday that it was time for the Christie administration to get serious about governance.
He was responding to Prime Minister Perry Christie’s announcement on Thursday that he had planned to take recommendations for both buildings to a Parliamentary committee as soon as possible.
Mr McCartney said: “I am very surprised that this was even a topic of conversation at this time. Because we are in a very dire situation. The real focus has to be getting people back to work, making sure we have a safe Bahamas, enhancing our education, and ways to lower the national deficit.
“We have persons who are constantly losing jobs in main industries, namely tourism, banking and finance. We have seen where the mortgage relief programme is nowhere near a success, people are still losing their homes and crime is still out of whack.
“I would just love for them to get to the good governance part of their time in office and stop embarrassing the hell out of this country by the actions of the Prime Minister and his merry men.”
While Mr McCartney said he agrees that a progressive
country like the Bahamas should have a state of the art Parliamentary complex and home for Prime Ministers to live in if they opt to, he said the government must seriously consider whether it can be afforded and if the decision should be a priority.
Mr Christie told members of his Cabinet along with opposition MPs on Thursday that it was an appropriate time to consider the matter especially regarding locations for both facilities as New Providence currently sees a spark in new developments.
He was speaking during the opening ceremony of the Post Election Seminar – Bahamas Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association at the Atlantis Resort.
Mr Christie said it was also his intention to ensure that the new complex allowed for each elected official to have an office. The new complex will also house the Senate among other things, Mr Christie said.
It is not yet known how much the new buildings could cost taxpayers.
Comments
GQ 10 years, 1 month ago
While I do not support Branville or the DNA I agree wholeheartedly with him and at the same time wonder why Dr. Minnis and the FNM have not voiced the same concerns.
Honestman 10 years, 1 month ago
Think about it a bit more!
TalRussell 10 years, 1 month ago
Which will make a better tourist attraction for Bahamaland? Somebody needs tie some number10 strings to the balloons of this much too eager to become PM in 2017 Comrade Bran to let the wind blow him away and off the political scene. Yes, even during a period of expectations of our government being thrift with taxpayers money, a PM still has to look forward to Bahamaland's future and a future which includes the construction of an Official PM's Residence, looks a damn site more futuristic than one where the PM be spending taxpayers money, constructing aluminum bleaches for thousands of tourists to sit on while attending weekly Taliban-style public flogging of citizen prisoners attractions in Rawson Square. Comrades you be the Judge and jury between a PM Christie and a PM Bran? It ain't hard, is it? Careful how you vote in 2017, cause you just bight be be deciding between an PM's Official Residence or some kind of Talibin mentality of governance.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 1 month ago
Build the pm house and House of Parliament in Freeport...start the shift out of Nassau town!
TalRussell 10 years, 1 month ago
Yes, but not before the government ends foreigner ownership of our nation's second capital. Are we really into the year 2014?
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 1 month ago
I can't believe this is happening...they just borrowed 200million for defence force boats...and guaranteed an 8 million cost overrun.
PastorTroy 10 years, 1 month ago
My fellow Bahamians, please keep in mind that all of our political leaders are friends and associates, PLP, FNM, DNA or any others it really don't matter. They are all part of the same organizations, fraternities, lodge and other secret/not secret organizations; the 'dislike' they portray in public is just a pageant for you the voters to see. So, let's not get too hot and bothered 'defending' a political party because it's all part of the "divide and rule" strategy. I know what you say "but they're black" I say to you They are politicians! This is why not everyone can be a politician. As long as we continue to fight each other defending these political parties and not defending our Bahamaland, we will continue to get more of the same cronyism. Not FNM, PLP or DNA but The BAHAMAS needs more jobs for it's citizens, effectively tackle crime and improve our judicial system including getting RID of the Privy council, need to stop operating in a deficit while borrowing these peoples money, develop another strong industry other than Tourism etc, etc. When we have Extremist Party-line Voting that does not care about their political 'leaders' record or ideas as long as they/you belong to the same political party DO NOT EXPECT THE POLITICIANS TO DO BETTER AND BAHAMAS TO GET BETTER! (((WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS)))
TalRussell 10 years, 1 month ago
Buy some them beautiful bright balloons so you can see them from far away. Comrade are you saying cause of the way Bran is so weighted down I might have to change my math configuration of using just 12 balloons to host him up and away into the blue sky, to figure-in say two-dozen larger balloons? But where in Nassau Town could I go buy a helium tank with enough gas to fill me balloons with more hot air than Bran is packing? I'd hate have all them media people there and be embarrassed, if I can't lift him off ground.
Up Up and Away - Hot air Balloons
.......// http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsVgSq...">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsVgSq...
TheMadHatter 10 years, 1 month ago
Tal so you think we are in a financial position to BORROW over 200 million for 9 Haitian tug boats, and also build a PM residence and new parliament building with two chambers and over 40 offices?
Wow. Well, then I guess those poor workers in the Social Services Dept can look forward to all of their back-promotions, and back-pay some time soon, along with many new hires to help with the out-of-control social decay, malnutrition, and numerous other severe social issues plaguing our youth leading to increases in crime.
That's great. They've only been waiting over 15 years now. NOW though that we have money to spend in the hundreds of millions - they can no longer worry about putting food on their tables.
Tal. I want to thank you personally for giving me this GREAT news this morning. My hat is off to you.
TheMadHatter
TalRussell 10 years, 1 month ago
A solid 7 out 10 Bahamalander's support the PM on this one. Comrades, truth is nether Bran or his red shirt colleagues have been successful at staying focused on any one single message which has resonated with voters and I seriously doubt opposing the building of an official PM's residence is about to give a boost to their diminished chances at the 2017 General Elections polling booths.
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 1 month ago
Tal sorry to tell you man. A choice between Perry and Bran would be a no brainer. Perry would lose. A choice between Perry and one of the chipmunks would be a no brainer. Perry would lose.
Perry is beyond bad, he's beyond being the worst PM of all time. He is pathetic....
TalRussell 10 years, 1 month ago
I see where you're coming from but truth is Bran has won but one election for a House of Assembly seat and only cause Papa personally vouched for him in Bamboo Town, compared to the many times PM Christie has gone into battle, winning his own House seat many times over and over again, and now into his second term as prime minister. Compare this to Comrade Bran who never made it beyond being appointed by Hubert as junior minster, to DPM Brent, right?
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 1 month ago
All of this is moot. Fact is this is Perry we're talking about. There will be lots of talk, but there will be no new parliament or PM residence.....
sheeprunner12 10 years, 1 month ago
When will Bran get serious?????????????????????
The Bahamas needs this guy to grow some real balls and take this country by the neck and shake it .................. get rid of these trifling politicians and get the country straight. He betta act quickly if he wants to be the next "Delivery Boy". His shine is beginning to fade.
BahamianAway 10 years, 1 month ago
What we need is a standard for politicians. Any Joe off the street with an idea and a dream of grandeur can become an elected official. Some of these guys have no idea on how a country should be run. They get a law degree and automatically think they are qualified to run a country. SMH!!!
When are we as Bahamians going to start requiring more for our country? We get so punch drunk because we think because someone has a law degree they must be smart. Wake the hell up Bahamas- having a degree does not make a person intelligent enough to undertake running a country. As if we can't see the hole we have been systematically thrown into by various leaders. We won't wait until the hole is so deep all we can do is be buried underneath our stupidity.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 1 month ago
So what the Parliamentary Rules say?????? What the Constitution say?????? What the other judicial laws say???????
Do you hear any more talk about constitutional reform????????????
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