The Tribune

For a party that supposedly believes in Bahamians, the PLP are choosing a dangerous suitor, Malcolm J Strachan says . . .

“Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will recognise them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?” – Matthew 7:15-16

This week has not been kind to the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and our dotting Prime Minister, nor the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources.

We have had the revelation that under this administration, the PLP were actually contemplating giving the Chinese government 10,000 acres of Crown land in Andros as part of some agricultural-fisheries deal.

This proposal, on its face, would destroy the fishing and farming industries in this country.

Bahamians were incensed. But did our government recognise that they were out of step with their people and correct course? Not for one second.

They dug their heels in, and castigated their own people for daring to raise the alarm about the further intrusion of the Chinese in the Bahamian economy.

This caused many around the country to continue to question why is this administration so hell bent on following behind the Chinese? Why is this PLP administration so beholden to Beijing?

The irony that the PLP came into office preaching a message of nationalism (Believe in Bahamians) has not escaped the electorate either. The sheer audacity of them!

Mind you, the concerns were already there with Baha Mar, the Hilton, the Pointe, and now only raised further when the possible purchaser of Baha Mar was named as another Chinese firm. But this new deal in Andros was the final straw. There was no excuse for it, and when it was finally made public, what did the government do? They lied.

They lied, and fortunately for us, they were caught and called out for it.

The Free National Movement has called for V Alfred Gray to resign, but that is not enough. The Prime Minister has had his party take another hit in the political polls, but that too is not enough.

This PLP administration must go. They have proven to be an administration that does not govern with the Bahamian people’s best interest in mind.

They have betrayed the Bahamian people on the Gaming Referendum. They failed yet again on the Gender Referendum, and in both instances, failed to do the honourable things and step aside. They have been poor stewards of the public’s finances, they have failed to keep us safe in our own homes, and even in the event of an act of God, they have failed to provide the necessary relief to residents as seen in Hurricanes Joaquin and Matthew.

So who actually is the PLP looking out for? It can’t be the Bahamian people. No government that claims to love its citizenry would dare jeopardise their independence by placing the nation’s entire economy in the hands of a communist state.

No administration that touts the refrain of “Believing in Bahamians” would say they are looking out for the poor and the downtrodden, then turn around and hand the hurricane restoration efforts over to someone like Shane Gibson. For the love of God, the man was forced out of the Ministry of Housing under Christie’s first term in office and then ultimately was made to resign from Cabinet in the wake of the Anna Nicole Smith scandal ... but this is the man you give carriage over $150 million of the people’s money?

They must truly take the Bahamian people for idiots.

We need real, radical change in this country, and maybe, just maybe, Bahamians have finally had enough to stand up and demand better.

On Friday November 25, a non-political protest has been organised calling for Bahamians across the length and breadth of this country to stand up against this corrupt PLP administration that has taken advantage of its people for far too long.

This course of action is admirable and should be supported.

We too often simply take to Facebook or the radio to complain about our woes without putting in the effort to do anything about it.

We must demonstrate and force this government to come clean on all its dealings with the Chinese. They should put an immediate stop to all their negotiations until the Bahamian people are satisfied that this administration, or any future administration, is actually working for and proposing deals that are in the best interest of this country - not China.

We have gone through our dark ages with the PLP in the past. We have endured the shame of being a ‘Nation for Sale’ under the Pindling regime. It looks like Christie is determined to take over where his predecessor left off, and finish the sale. It is up to all of us to ensure that this does not happen.

We have to determine what type of nation we want to live in. What type of government we want representing us? One that listens to the people, or one that rules over us.

The choice is ours.

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