The Tribune

By CHESTER ROBARDS

Tribune Senior Reporter

crobards@tribunemedia.net

THE PLP knew about $100 million worth of inherited debt because they voted to spend the money when they were the opposition party, FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday.

Dr Minnis, speaking at a press conference in the opposition room at the House of Assembly, said he was surprised by the government’s claim that they were “startled” by the extra $100m owed by government.

“You must recall that every loan that we had obtained was brought to parliament and the opposition had voted along with us, they never opposed,” he said.

“And if they were following and doing their work they would have known how the monies were spent.”

Dr Minnis said his party agrees with the expenditure control mentioned by the government yesterday, but suggested it was being implemented after the government already “went wild” increasing the size of the public service, thus increasing its expenditure.

He said when the FNM was in power it was attempting to “right-size” the

economy, only to have the PLP “wrong-size” it in it’s first several months as the governing party.

“The government has been blaming us repeatedly for the economy and now the Prime Minister has the gall to stand today and admit that the world economy is still not growing as rapidly as they expected and this would have some impact on the Bahamian economy,” Dr. Minnis said.

“Finally they realize it’s not us, that the world has a problem?”

He said the FNM wants to see what the government’s plan and vision is for the Bahamas, especially for the college of the Bahamas.

“If you have a vision for a country and you know exactly where you’re going and you sold your vision and everybody knows,  you should know where your cuts should be rather than just blanket (cuts),” said Dr Minnis.