The Tribune

AT LAST the day has arrived when Bahamians go to the polls to exercise their democratic right to say what political party they want to govern them for the next five years.

They have had the experience of five years of a Christie government in good times, and five years of an Ingraham government during an international economic crisis -- in other words in critically bad times.

In this, his last bid to lead the country, Mr Ingraham has asked to be given an opportunity to complete the work he started five years ago to build a greater "Opportunity Society" for each and every Bahamian regardless of their political affiliation.

Mr Christie, on the other hand, urged PLPs to support his party at the polls today so that he can reintroduce the programmes he claims were working when he was voted out of office in 2007 and, which, he said, had started to make a difference.

As for the DNA -- the new third party facing its first election -- it wants a chance to change Bahamian politics and move the Bahamas onto a new path of government.

Today the power has passed to the people. It is a most sacred right that they should treat with care.

As in all elections, rumours are swirling about vote buying. Some say that it is the potential voter who is setting the terms -- you, Mr MP Hopeful, pay my electrical bills, or mend my roof, or gimme dis or gimme dat if you want my vote. These Bahamians are not worthy of the power that democracy has vested in them. But they are part of the system, the weak links in the chain.

Then there are those who are for sale with the offer of a couple hundred dollars. Like the Biblical Essau they are prepared to sell their birthright for a few shekels. They forget that those shekels will not carry them through another five years. Instead they should be voting for a government that will create a system in which they have an opportunity to develop their talents to the fullest -- 365 days of the year.

Mr Christie has given a list of his government's accomplishments, most of them unfinished business from his last administration. For example, the Bah Mar development was meant to be Mr Christie's legacy to outdo Mr Ingraham's Atlantis on Paradise Island. Kerzner's Atlantis was the catalyst that relaunched an economy left in tatters by the Pindling administration. However, the BahMar transaction was still being negotiated by the Christie government up to two days before the 2007 election. This agreement with its "secret clauses" -- only exposed by the Ingraham administration on coming to power -- created frustration for the investor who grew increasingly agitated by the Christie government's "footdragging" over signing the heads of agreement. It was the Ingraham government that eventually got the BahMar development moving.

A PLP supporter commented this week that he was upset at all the land the Ingraham government had given away to foreigners. What say? He must have got his prime ministers confused. Did he not know of the Cable Beach land the PLP government had sold for a song and the 10,000 acres of Mayaguana's prime property that the PLP sold to the I-Group at Mayaguana, with all sorts of concessions attached? It was the Ingraham government that had to renegotiate the return of 6,000 acres of that land for the future use of the Bahamian people. It is obvious that the PLP are lying to the Bahamian people about who's doling out their land.

The PLP held meetings, talked and talked some more about many things, but accomplished precious little in their five years. Who, for example, eventually built the straw market? Why the FNM, of course, after the PLP talked about it for five years.

It is true the PLP renamed Nassau International Airport, but it was the FNM government that eventually built the magnificent structure.

The PLP negotiated with the Chinese the gift of the handsome National Stadium. The first delivery of steel under their administration was left to rust in the rain. It was the FNM government that had to complete the plans and open the stadium.

It took the FNM government to move the containers from Bay Street and relocate the port to Arawak Cay. The PLP wanted to move the port to Clifton at a cost $300 million. Instead, the FNM moved it to Arawak at a cost of $80 million with a tremendous savings in haulage fees for the Bahamian consumer.

Having gone through an economically rough five years -- but miraculously having survived better than many other countries with the Ingraham government at the helm -- the Bahamas is on the cusp of a tremendous revival.

It is now up to Bahamian voters to return Prime Minister Ingraham to the helm of state to complete a job already well done, or another tested prime minister who took so long to make decisions that he let time and opportunities pass him by.

To us, the programme outlined by Prime Minister Ingraham offers the greatest challenge -- a programme that the Bahamian people should be anxious to be a part of.

However, today is their day. It is up to them to decide their future. As we have said before, we hope and pray that they decide wisely for the nation's sake.