The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

WITH exactly one year in office under the Christie administration’s belt, the DNA has given a scathing review of the PLP’s progress thus far.

Party leader Branville McCartney believes that the past year has been so bad, the only course of action left of Prime Minister Perry Christie and his Cabinet is to resign.

He was speaking to reporters yesterday at a press conference where he summed up the current term in office as filled with despair, frustration and hopelessness. He graded the party’s performance as a ‘D’.

Mr McCartney said: “They should have resigned after the referendum. This is disgraceful. They said they had the experience (and) the know how. My God, Bahamians believed them when they said that.

“My advice? Resign, resign.

“I has been terrible and it’s a shame, all these promises? Go back to what was said on the podiums. Mr Perry Christie and the rest of the crew, what they said quite frankly they did not live up to what was promised.”

Outlined in the PLPs Charter for Governance, were several commitments including a take back in shared at BTC, to get a handle on escalating crime, to assist struggling home owners with their mortgages, and to regulate the country’s illegal immigration problem – all of which, Mr McCartney said, they have failed to deliver.

“One year later, crime and the fear of it is still the number one issue. The time for talking is long gone. We need action. The PLP campaigned as if they had all the answers to crime. As long as the Bahamian people have the fear of crime, statistics are not sufficient.

“Our illegal immigration problem also remains the same. This is not good for our country. It puts a strain on our Social Services Department, our health services, and our education system.

“During the election campaign, the PLP stressed that they would get back controlling interest in BTC. To date, BTC still owns the majority and it is very unlikely that this government will be able to yet again fulfil the campaign promise. Perhaps, the Prime Minister may wish to inform the Bahamian people of this and stop giving the facade that we will once again own BTC.”

The DNA hopes to see the Bahamas succeed, Mr McCartney said, and he urged the Christie-led government to perform better than it has in years past.