The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

I truly enjoy reading Mr Ortland Bodie’s commentaries. They are usually informative, well written and in a lot of cases give insight to meaningful issues affecting our country.

In the September 8 issue of The Nassau Guardian, Mr Bodie wrote an impassioned article titled “A one man band 2.0”. The first sentence of this beautifully written article states, “It is now abundantly clear that the economic and social revolution of our beloved prime minister is over and had been for sometime”.

He further writes, “It is time to go my brother - the time is now”. Mr Bodie concluded his article by saying of Mr Christie, “He had presided over scandals after scandals; massive unemployment; massive crime; blacklisting; tax and spend; unprecedented levels of teenage pregnancies and the litany goes on; Keep him for what? Is he a trophy?”

Mr Bodie clearly articulated himself and made it abundantly clear that Mr Christie’s time had passed. Bodie is a staunch PLP supporter and when I read his article I commended him for some of the points he raised, namely that Prime Minister Christie’s time has come and sadly gone.

Fast track to another letter by Mr Bodie which was published on September 26. In this Mr Bodie said that Mr Christie should not be challenged at the upcoming PLP convention and should basically be returned to the leadership position unopposed. He now says that Christie should remain in place for the next year or so to construct a legacy.

Mr Bodie, it is either time for Mr Christie to go or to stay. You eloquently stated in your first letter the reasons why Mr Christie’s time has come. Just three weeks later, sir, you gave your best flip-flop imitation.

Nation building is serious business and we can’t be playing around with who wants to create a legacy. We should collectively be trying to ensure that we do all in our power to have the best persons ascend to leadership positions.

The PLP will not have another convention before the next general election. It took them six years to hold one convention when their constitution clearly states that this should be an annual event.

Mr Bodie, you have a loyal following. I think most of your listeners respect you as a man of principle who is not afraid to discuss hard hitting issues. You are a man who usually says what you mean. But in this instance, sir, you cannot truly believe that the current leader of the PLP will somehow begin to serve the country well.

After speaking with several PLP supporters, they too agree that the writing is on the wall. The question is, sir, if you and a cadre of esteemed PLP members will put aside party politics and think about country first. Only new generational thinking can stop the bleeding that our country is now faced with.

We are now one level above junk according to an international credit rating agency. Crime, specifically murder, is on another record pace. Almost 40,000 Bahamians are out of work. We still don’t own our economy. Bahamians for the most part still feel marginalised in their own country. The Bahamas, sir, is still not for Bahamians.

You have a most important platform that can be used for nation building and to inspire the next generation leader. We both know it is time for Mr Christie to go. Most of the country knows it. Time now is just too serious and we are at a critical juncture in our history.

The country needs men like you who will stand strong in the midst of criticism even if that criticism is from your own camp. Stop flip-flopping, sir.

DEHAVILLAND MOSS

September 27, 2015.