Prime Minister Perry Christie
By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie said yesterday he is “confident” that the unemployment rate will fall to “10 per cent or less” in the next two to three years.
Speaking to reporters at the opening at the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation’s executive offices, Mr Christie said that despite criticism from naysayers, he is optimistic that unemployment will continue to drop because of direct foreign investment. He told critics who doubt recent unemployment figures to “eat your heart out” because his administration is on the right track to bring about economic recovery.
“We are going to have the most wonderful experience in the next two to three years and unemployment will continue to go down...over the next 18 months, it will continue to drop to around 10 per cent or less,” the prime minister said.
“The unemployment rate has come down to around 14.2 per cent. I am more than optimistic, almost now certain, that it will continue to drop and the Bahamas is in for a wonderful period of transformative development. One in which people will have jobs and entrepreneurs will have money for opportunities moving into the future. I see a wonderful experience happening in the country in the next two to three years and it is going to have a positive impact. This is nothing to do with politics. Just simply the reality that there are increasing numbers of people with money who have recognized that the Bahamas is the best place to be in this region and the best place to invest and they are trying to do so. The challenge for us is not whether or not there are people to invest, but it is how do we ensure that Bahamians will benefit in a maximum possible way. I am very excited about this.”
The latest Labour Force Survey, released last week, indicated a drop in unemployment in the Bahamas from 15.4 per cent to 14.3 per cent from November 2013 to May 2014.
In the case of New Providence, the rate fell from 15.6 per cent to 15 per cent and in Grand Bahama from 16.8 per cent to 17.7 per cent.
The survey also shows that 8,390 net jobs were added to the economy since May 2012.
On Sunday, PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts said the figures have validated the Christie administration’s job creation claims and confirmed the success of efforts to turn around the economy.
Mr Roberts praised the government over the reduction in the number of discouraged workers, and addition of more than 8,000 jobs as reported by the Department of Statistics.
He told critics to “eat crow, and to do so liberally”.
Mr Roberts also called on Opposition Leader Dr Hubert Minnis to apologise to the Prime Minister and Bahamas Information Services (BIS) for his criticisms over the accuracy of previously reported job numbers.
“Dr Minnis reportedly made disparaging and totally inaccurate remarks to the press about the reported job numbers quoted in the second anniversary magazine published by BIS in May of this year on the government’s accomplishments,” Mr Roberts said in a statement. “Now that the statute authority of the government (Department of Statistics) has reported and supports the job figures published by BIS, Minnis should do the right thing and apologise to both PM Christie and BIS specifically.
FNM shadow minister for Finance Peter Turnquest has maintained that the number of jobs added to the economy was still short of the government’s 10,000 jobs pledge, and that earlier claims still represented an attempt to mislead the public.
Comments
Thinker 10 years, 3 months ago
Oh yeah!? The new taxes you take from all the hard workers should help you hire more employees? There sure are lots more positions to fill in Big Gov with VAT and tax collections, hey? Can someone explain to me how a government creates a Free Market? I will explain: they do so by staying out of the way of the Free Market.
ChaosObserver 10 years, 3 months ago
Just another example of an "out-of-touch" PM....I guess if you "say it enough" one starts believing their own lies....
Thinker 10 years, 3 months ago
People believe this mumbo jumbo... They rely on it!
sheeprunner12 10 years, 3 months ago
Perrynomics is utter bullshit ........................ we are heading for far worse than unemployment if Perry stays in power until 2017 ................... SOS!!!!!!!!!!!
B_I_D___ 10 years, 3 months ago
I have ZERO confidence in the man to start with so definitely not confident about what he says he is confident about...unless I want to say I am confident in him screwing things up...
Bunni 10 years, 3 months ago
I'm confident you are an "ASS"!.
TalRussell 10 years, 3 months ago
Comrade PM Christie knows with the FNM being totally ineffective as the supposedly government-in-waiting (leadership chaos) he can say just about anything someone puts in his head to go out and make it sound like it's true and why shouldn't the PM feel as if he can operate like he is a PM in a one party Bahamaland, when you know your self-surviving mambo-jumbo pronouncements will never have to stand up to a challenge by the present leader of the FNM?
The_Oracle 10 years, 3 months ago
I seriously doubt the figures can be trusted, after all, the Budget communication was all about lumping expenditures together into vague and obscure hyperbole.
Honestman 10 years, 3 months ago
Christie's comments are lamentable. As a result of the forthcoming VAT, government's unwillingness to reign in the tax dodgers and deal with its own corrupt practices, unemployment can only increase during the remainder of his tenure as PM. You don't have to be a genius to work that out. The next three years are going to be tough for ordinary Bahamians. Those in the PLP inner circle will do just fine however.
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years, 3 months ago
Yep...just look at the all consuming frustration on "pointy ears" face. Definitely showing all the signs and symptoms of someone who just can't get it up any more!
sheeprunner12 10 years, 3 months ago
General ................... if you really care about this country stop poking fun at it and seek to put forward constructive ideas to make this country better ............. we seem to be stuck with a 2 party system .................. what we need is young honest and patriotic leaders that will break the Pindling-era mold. We need young PLP politicians to stand up to this destructive oligarchy that is leading the Cabinet right now and we need the FNM to get their act together ........... and we need Bran to take a stand and get off the fence.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 3 months ago
If yall read the Guardian ............... Brave says he dont agree/believe the Department of Statistics job numbers ........... they dont calibrate with Shame numbers at NIB........... can you believe the balls of this lil black devil????????????? Wow!!!!!! the DOS professionals are wrong and he and Shame are right ................ what a bunch of spin doctors!!!!!!!!!!
SP 10 years, 3 months ago
I will start listening to Brave Davis when he is locked away behind bars.
Until then pirate # 3 can just STFU.
SP 10 years, 3 months ago
I am confident Perry, Ingraham and Davis will end up behind bars with-in 6 Months of a FOIA which they cannot duck forever!
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