The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The recent announcement of a new one-of-a-kind 18-hole Jack Nicklaus golf course in Jacks Bay, Eleuthera, was refreshing and heartening, but not for the usual economic reasons although those are also very important.

It must not have gone unnoticed to even the most undiscerning, that the principals of the venture, Sir Franklyn Wilson and Tommy Turnquest are also very prominent and respected members of the two major political parties in The Bahamas, the Progressive Liberal Party and the Free National Movement.

In a time and place where every thought and action is driven by political consideration, what appears to simply be a rational business arrangement in spite of political affiliation is as classic an example of how Bahamians need to revise our thinking about how we conduct politics or continue to sink in the morass of mediocrity, political polarization and under development that has gripped this nation for too many years.

I believe we must always highlight positive developments such as these, as a way of teaching without having to say that when the period of electioneering ends, so should the rabid partisanship and tribalism that cripples national development.

As an example, Fred Mitchell, the Member of Parliament for Fox Hill and Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service, recently used his allotted speaking time in the House of Assembly during the debate on the amendment to the Central Bank Act to focus on the disrespect being shown to Bahamians by local banks. A lightning rod if there ever was one locally, Mitchell wants the government to commit to appointing a committee to investigate (I don’t know why that is necessary at this point!) and suggest possible solutions to include but not limited to, passing laws to whip the banks back in line. He invited the Opposition FNM to join him.

This is another perfect opportunity for our political leaders to display leadership and the bipartisanship needed to create better living conditions for Bahamians, the people they were elected to serve, instead of just providing sinecures and contracts for cronies and other hangers on. Both FNM leader Michael Pintard and East Grand Bahama Member of Parliament Kwasi Thompson could be heard from their seat (and Thompson upon his rising to debate) commit to supporting any such effort by the government.

In my view, the politics aside, that was the correct position for the FNM to adopt even as they took the government to task for again breaking the law by drawing down on funds provided by the IMF from the Central Bank, contrary to the Central Bank Act. Make no mistake about it, making the Central Bank Amendment Bill retroactive confirms, despite any protestations to the contrary by the government that they were not again breaking the law, as they have done with the Procurement Act since coming to office in September 2021. Just because you don’t like a law is no justification for ignoring it!

The obvious common good should always trump the petty partisan bickering that seems to be the order of the day in our parliament. My hope is Mr Mitchell continues his push to correct the wrongs being meted out to Bahamians and that he is joined by the FNM. For the people’s sake!

ANTHONY A. NEWBOLD

Nassau.