The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The Progressive Liberal Party has now been in power for two years. Some things have been achieved but there is much more to be done.

During the campaign in 2012 the PLP stated, boldly, that it would hit the ground running once elected. It made numerous promises which, in hindsight, it must have known that it could not keep, based on the fiscal position of the nation.

The PLP, however, is to be congratulated on at least stopping the massive and excessive spending of the Ingraham-led FNM during 2007 to 2012.

Dubious contracts and building projects were launched in the last eighteen months of the literal demise of that party.

While it must be conceded that a large portion of the infrastructural work had to be done, there were huge costs over runs and wastage.

A contract was issued for the construction of a building up at The Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre to an alleged FNM partisan.

After costs overruns in the millions, that building is still not completed.

The Straw Market Project was halted by the FNM and it was forced to eventually settle out of court with the then contractor and the architect. Millions of the taxpayers’ dollars went into these settlements.

The Abaco International Airport construction is a work still in progress despite huge cost overruns and, at the very least it may not be up and running before another three months or more.

The airstrip in Mayaguana was also halted by the FNM and only after a tragedy of the highest order did the work restart. The airstrip is now opened, but the terminal is in a state of disrepair.

What is happening in our wonderful nation today is, indeed, a tale of two cities.

We have the PLP on the one hand and the FNM on the other. The fledging DNA is of little or no consequence on the ground.

The issuance of press releases, ad nauseam, is not, I submit, the way to secure an electoral majority.

The second anniversary of the PLP’s return to governance was low keyed, as it should have been in view of its disappointing the huge expectations of the people.

The party is really not to blame, but politics is a strange phenomenon. When you, as a politician, make a promise to the electorate it expects instant deliverance and stellar performance, no matter that we all agree that the economy was in shambles.

The leadership of the Prime Minister leaves much to be desired. He is following the same failed stances of Ingraham in that they are both huge believers and disciples of Direct Foreign Investment.

They never, seemingly, advocated the economic empowerment of the average Bahamian.

Yes, they have promoted and stimulated a few, but the masses have been relegated to the back of the bus.

Mr Christie is first and foremost a politician and an individual who is capable of selling snake oil to the gullible par excellence.

Ingraham was a rough and tumble school yard bully so to speak. Their different leadership styles have created a twin-headed political and economic monster.

Yes, my friends, I allude, again, to a tale of two cities.

What we need now as we enter the third year of this final term in office for Christie is a drastic shift in myopic leadership style.

It cannot be “all about me” and the constant preening and political posturing. The people of this wonderful nation want and deserve better.

We have been independent for more than 40 years yet we are still stuck in a time warp due principally to an archaic system of government which allows for and promotes the literal dictatorship by one man.

In this case, successive Prime Ministers have lorded it over us to our eternal detriment.

A republican style of government may not cure all of our ills, but at the least we would have fixed term limits for our Prime Minister and parliamentary representatives.

Senators would be elected as opposed to merely being appointed due to partisan affiliation or perceived loyalty.

Local government in New Providence is long overdue and there is absolutely no need to introduce new taxes on an already over burdened populace.

The PLP means well, I am sure, but there is still much more that it could have done. National Health Care, we are now told, will not come on stream until 2016, one year before the next scheduled general elections.

The webshops we are now told will be regulated and taxed come July, 2014.

Ten more Supreme courts, we are told, will come on stream within the next few months.

Mind you, the Treasury is broke but we should have no problem finding funding for ten more Supreme Court Justices and their support staff.

A Tale of Two Cities is what we have evolved into in The Bahamas.

The FNM is only capable of throwing out bogus accusations while the PLP stumbles on the ropes of the arena. The DNA is consumed with press releases.

Until we have new and bold leadership in the form of the Hon Philip “Brave” Davis (PLP-Cat Island), we are relegated to looking to the hills from whence cometh our help.

To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE Jr

Nassau,

May 7, 2014.