The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

THE FNM is “praying and hoping” that the PLP government delivers on its promises to the Bahamian people, but questions if it is capable of doing so.

Party chairman Darron Cash said in a statement yesterday that while the opposition is committed to extending “the hand of bi-partishanship”, they still found it amusing to see Prime Minister Perry Christie promoting FNM initiatives in his budget speech.

“The question is not if the FNM wants PM Christie to succeed or whether we will give him credit if he does,” said Mr Cash. “The question is, does the Prime Minister have what it takes to get the job done?

“While raising the question of whether the Free National government will support his government and give them credit for their good works plays to the Prime Minister’s political agenda by creating an opponent with which to do political battle, we want to make it abundantly clear to the PM in no uncertain terms, that the Free National Movement wants him and his government to succeed.

“We are praying and hoping that he delivers on the ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ laundry list of projects outlined in his budget contribution. If he succeeds the people will succeed and the country will progress. We all want that.

“Support for the government and whether to give them praise for doing their jobs is never the issue that consumes the FNM.

“What we are often intently focused on is whether the Christie administration is up to the job of delivering on what has been promised.”

Mr Cash noted that in his contribution, the Prime Minister asked the public to trust him when he says the Bahamas is in good hands.

But, the FNM chairman said, this is just not good enough.

“We have all been here before,” he said. “On multiple occasions the PM stood on the floor of Parliament and eloquently — as always — outlined a similar laundry list of projects that NEVER materialised.

“It is the fact that he failed to deliver last time he was in office — and so far in this second non-consecutive term — that causes all Bahamians to have serious doubts about him. It is wrong for him to believe that it is only the FNM with doubts about his ability to deliver.”

Mr Cash said when the FNM was hiring people under a series of job programmes in order to ease the pain of unemployment, the PLP called this wasting and blowing up the national debt. But now the that PLP is doing the very same thing, the Prime Minister calls it prudent fiscal management.

When the FNM was engaging in capital spending with long-term benefits, he said, the PLP called it “blowing a hole” in the deficit.

“Now that the PM is copying what the FNM did by setting aside millions for contracts for home repairs, he calls it helping people who are the most disadvantaged.

“In addition to that demonstration of brass, the Prime Minister announced that they would be spending taxpayer money to upgrade government buildings. However, when the FNM did the very same thing, the PLP accused us of being focused on things and not caring about people.”